Gotta love the mojo...we have it in abundance

Before we get on to the mojo of this group of talented gals, a bit of a giggle from Pat, she snapped a pic in the tea room at the quilt exhibition, turned around and had to snap another pic.
As Pat shared, Twins

Then Triplets

Thanks for the giggle Pat. Gotta love input from members.

We are having a wee tad of a drive to stockpile some Charity - or Community - quilts.
Wendy had a couple to share

4 quilts! truly! 4 from Wendy, if someone is keeping tally, well guess who would probably win.

Sheila showed her version of a Chinese Coin scrappy quilt. Where she had some donated pieces that were not quite wide enough, she sashed 'em. Cool idea.

Second row, midway down.

Sheila also showed a W.I.P. from Marcia, scrappy squares with a difference.

Our group has purchased wadding for the charity quilts and Lorraine I, (who lashed out and snaffled herself a long arm quilting machine, yeah, a Gammill, and.....and she has the room in her quilting shed to set up and use it) has offered to quilt all of the charity quilts! WIN! WIN!, we can churn those suckers out and Lorraine will practice to her hearts content.

Karen made the most of the recent Craft Cottage Winter School with a class by renowned Sunshine Coast 'artist with a needle' Jenny Clouston, the master class was to create a "whimsical embroidered textile collage using snippets of lace,linnens and doilies" - Karen nailed it with her piece.

While at the winter school, Karen shared her current love with Margaret, another class member. Margaret was entranced and joined us at the Cottage for an impromptu lesson from Karen in what I'm convinced Karen described as 'Chicka Chicka'
Just read those lips...chicka chicka...yeah!?

well whatever its name is Margaret is having a ball creating what promises to be a lovely piece.

So back to this Chika Chicka thing, a net search to check the spelling coughed up lots of links to Chika Chika boom boom - wasn't going there I'm telling you, as well as lots of Chika Chika bum bum - links to baby nappies apparently.
Did unearth this great youtube video on a Japanes boro loop bag, looks like what Karen was creating.
Reckon a workshop needs to be on the horizon - if only for the spelling.

Yvonne tore in for a fast visit, just had to share this fantastic work book, each circle was fussy cut, Yvonne also has two folded semi-circular 'booklets' inside the front flap of her work book, one for pins, the other needles, fab little something to take along on a trip just to create tiny little things while relaxing, watching the scenery pass by and perhaps even enjoying a little glass of wine.

Last eye candy for the day, Marie shared her fabric collage bunny with butterflies. a total delight to look over, discover the little secrets hiding in the collage.

Marie shared that her original creation was on a cream background, which she decided she wasn't in love with, she snipped bunny from the quilted background and appliqued him along with some extra butterflies onto the much more acceptable striped background, the result is a bunny in relief.

Those quiet achievers have been at it again...

...Meeting day today with an update on how far along the show organisation has travelled. Wow...just wow, so many members working hard and coming up with great ideas, all managed and guided by Sheila. Really folks, pencil in the dates, don't overbook - you won't regret a visit.

Gaye, our very talented patchworker and artist, along with help from Cottage Newsletter editor, Graham has designed a terrific handout brochure, using a pic of one of the raffle quilts as the vibrant and colourful background.

Talking of raffle quilts, Gaye gave us a heads up, she was visiting with Fiona, the Quilt Fairy and the 2nd raffle quilt has been quilted, so a big reveal is in the near future.

Wendy is working on another hand project of large cream hexies, there are lacy hexies,

and candlewicked Hexies

a great project to work on while watching Tellie. Wendy thought she might like a tad more variety in the laces and she certainly will have all the variety she needs with the large bag of cream cotton laces Marcia bought along to share with her.

Marcia also had her latest to share with us, a lovely flimsey created with a little fabric selection help from her darling. Using a free pattern from the Fat Quarter Shop. The pattern is 'Layer Cake Custard' and can be found here. There is even a youtube video with Kimberley for you to follow.

Yvonne purchased 3 pieces of lovely hand printed fabric and very cleverly turned it into a selection of 6 fabrics for this stunning quilt.

With the printing showing as a mirror image on the reverse, flipping both the orange and purple fabrics created a great colour play.

add to that, running the black and white print horizontally as well as vertically, presto! 6 from 3.

Yvonne used a lovely deep purple shot cotton for the backing and a simple straight line quilting design.

Charities, and the quilts we make to help them

Quilters, what makes them so generous?
Is it the continual efforts to decrease the stash, if only to make room for new fabric 'loves' or is it the excuse chance to try out a new pattern, perhaps even to refine an old, much loved pattern or is it just their big hearts?
Many of our members make quilts in support of their own fav charity groups as well as the charities that the group supports.
Val purchased the fabric and pattern for this lovely while in Hawaii, reckons it's the hardest quilt she has made in awhile as the turtles and the first border are a single piece of fabric.

Another charity quilt from 'the house of Val'

and yet another.

Lorraine created this 'charity cutie'

Sandy answered the call for hospital baby quilts with this lovely.

While Marie created this little sweetie in answer to the call for kiddies quilts for the hospital.

Marie also had a lovely quilt to support Fae with her charity of choice.

Marie also had this almost completed beauty to share with us, a 50th Birthday gift.

Marion has been bitten by the Bargello bug and bought these along to finish the bindings and share with us, the lovely in mauves and purples for her Darlings cousin's 80th Birthday.

and the stunning Black and White with a different layout for her Daughter in Law.

Pat had this stunner to share, made for her Grandson's 8th Birthday just because he loves all the planets.
Pat even popped the moon phases across the top and bottom of his quilt so that whatever way its on his bed, its the right way up!

Marcia had an ipad pic to share, and ask for an opinion of layout options, the first ever quilt she is making for Oliver....for his 31st Birthday...yep hang in there Oliver, its on its way.

Cheryl flipped her ipad open to share this stunner with us, her quilt posted awhile back on Pinterest has thousands of pins....yep, you read it right...don't you just love Pinterest!?

2017 Quilt Exhibition - Part Three

Wow, what an amazing afternoon of exuberance and energy at our patchwork meeting yesterday, even Di got a tad carried away when dishes time came around, she had more suds than she knew what to do with!

But more on the day of fun and inspiration later, now, on to more delicious quilts.

Marcia Elliot
'Happy Memories'
Prior to the birth of her baby last year my granddaughter held a 'Celebration of a new life' party.
Guests were asked to bring a piece of fabric that held happy memories for them and to share their memories with the other guests.
To surround the new baby with these happy new vibes the pieces of fabric were to be made into a patchwork quilt by the baby's great grandmother.
With such a wide variety of fabrics this was a big challenge for great grandmother, Marcia.
It is machine pieced and quilted by Marcia Elliot

Sue Andrew
'Connections'
This is my own design. I have completed using the 'Quilt as you go' method.
Machine pieced and quilted by me
Pattern design by Sue Andrew
Quilted by Sue Andrew

Fae Dunner
'I Spy'
A comforter made with love for a traumatised child going into foster care.
'Something to keep' and to let them know they are precious to God.
Inspired by love of children
Pattern design by Fae Dunner
Quilted by Fae Dunner

Val Tanner
'Reflections of the Serengeti' 1 & 2
I just love silhouettes in quilts
They make such a dramatic visual effect on all sorts of backgrounds
Pattern design by Lorraine Stangness (Country Creations)
Quilted by Val Tanner

Fiona Bell
Metro Hoops
I just really wanted to make it!
Pattern design by Sew Kind of Wonderful
Quilted by Me - Fiona - "The quilting Fairy"

Pat Reid
'Exploding Stars'
Pat Reid
When I saw Lib Elliot's quilt on the internet, I knew I had to make it. Lots of triangles and using blacks, greys and just one very bright colour. Watching it slowly come together on my design wall, I thought I should never have started such a complicated design. But then I finally finished the piecing!
How do I quilt such a pattern? straight lines with a difference; I let the pattern dictate the quilted design. I used my walking foot and four colours of thread for the quilting.
Several months later, I think it worked!
Pattern design by Lib Elliot
Quilted by Pat Reid

Sue Andrew
'Daintree'
All hand dyed fabric
Machine pieced and quilted by me
Pattern Design by Michelle Steel and Ami Hillege from 'Gourmet Selections' book
Quilted by Sue Andrew

Sandy King
'Baskets of Flowers'
I purchased this kit at the Houston Quilt Festival in 2012 because I loved the embroidery panels and quilt colours
The embroidery took me a year to do at our Wednesday meetings
Pattern design by Robert Kaufman
Quilted by Yankee Doodle Quilting

Leanne Kerr
'Dan & Gen's Wedding Quilt
I started collecting brown fabrics about 7 years ago to make a quilt for my middle son, however, being very time poor I hadn't got around to starting the quilt until approximately 3 years ago. By then, my son had become engaged and so I was planning to have the quilt finished as part of our wedding present to our son and his new bride
Dan & Gen we married on May 31st 2017. I finally finished the quilt and gave it to them approximately 3 years later on February 29th 2017.
The great news is - they absolutely love it, so I guess it was worth waiting for!
Pattern design by Leanne Kerr
Quilted by Leticia Turner

Gaye Cook
'Oh My Stars'
this quilt arose out of a love of recycling and making useful and lovely things from scraps left over from other projects
Pattern design by Cathy Doughty
Hand quilted by Gaye Cook

]

Wendy Tame
'Foxley Village'
This was a block of the month 2016 Homespun
I used my own stash for the quilt and cut the border a bit smaller so as it fits on my wall
Pattern design by Natalie Bird
Quilted by Wendy Tame.

Marlene Hogan
'Freedom'
This is my qult from a workshop run by Jan Philips in June 2016
It was meant to be a wall hanging but I wanted to use up some of my stash. It is now either a single bed quilt or a queen topper
Pattern design by Jan Philips
Quilted by Fiona - 'The Quilting Fairy'

Di Stark
'A Wee Dram'
Made from the leftover material from my Drunkards Path quilt. I keep getting more and more material for the borders of my first quilt because I couldn't decide which one looked better
O.M.G. - I still have another piece to use!!!
Designed by Di Stark
Quilted by Carmen's Quilting at Palmview

Lorraine Irvine
'Are They Really All Stripes?'
I found this pattern in a magazine from the U.K.
The quilt designer, Lynne Goldsworthy, had made this quilt using different shades of the same colour in each block and when I went looking for similar fabric, I found that I had all these stripes so went for that insead.
There are not really 36 different stripe fabrics but you can have a hunt for the odd one out.
I enlarged the quilt and changed the sashing colour
Pattern design by Lynne Goldsworthy
Quilted by Lorraine Irvine

Jackie Swan
'Freedom
Jan Phillips came to our group for a one day workshop.
This quilt was made by using a rotary cutter so it was alternate to my usual way of making a quilt top
Pattern design by Jan Phillips

Pat Reid
'Shimmering Triangles'
I attended a two day course with Jenny Bowker at the Australasian Quilt Convention in Melbourne in 2016. Batiks were my choice of fabric for this design.
My husband said he could never see the shimmering stars in the pattern but after it was finished they were there even though he said he had to squint and use his imagination
Pattern design by Jenny Bowker
Quilted by Pat Reid

Val Tanner
'Fish With Attitude'
I had made this quilt before and I remembered how much I enjoyed using lots of brights to create this fun quilt.
Pattern design by Desiree Simpson
Quilted by Val Tanner

Marie Weber
'Emu'
Some of this material was given as a challenge piece. It was aboriginal design and I thought it married to this emu beautifully.
Pattern design from Quilters Companion
Quilted by Marie Weber

Karen Daniel
'James' Quilt'
I just love scrappy quilts. For me, its what patchwork is all about. The use of scraps of left over fabric, some recycled from clothes that have been grown out of. Snips of this and that. This quilt is predominantly out of leftovers, however the reverse and large peices of this particular quilt were purchased specially.
I made this quilt for my third childs 21st birthday as a surprise. He loves it.
When he comes back from travelling there's nothing more he enjoys than snuggling down underneath it.

Di Stark
'Drunkard's Path'
Quilt made from 2 layer cakes. It was quick to make but it took 18 months to finish
I couldn't decide on the border!
the quilt for my king sized bed had worn out therefore I needed a new one. Hopefully this one will last several years!
Quilted by Carmen's Quilting at Palmview

Leanne Kerr
'My Colourful Scrappy Quilt'
My quilt is made up of 7056 one inch finished squares. One of my friends makes childrens' clothes and she gave me a lot of fabric scaps so I combined these with all of my scrap fabrics plus my stash. I have been able to make a Queen size quilt!
Pattern Design by Leanne Kerr
Quilted by Fiona - 'The Quilting Fairy'

Marie Weber'Morning Chorus'
I just love doing Michelle Hill patterns of William Morris old English designs. This was my inspiration for this quilt
Pattern design by Michelle Hill
Quilted by Marie Weber

Janice Souter
'Summer Garden'
Beautiful Jewel fabrics from my stash needed to be shown off in a big way. Simple design and I added an extra row.
I am very pleased with the outcome.
Pattern design by Kookaburra Cottage
Quilted by Judy of 'Furball Farm Quilting'

Rita Buckley
'Li'l Blokes'
I just loved making this quilt

Sue Andrew
'Biased'
My own design using bias binding
Machine pieced and quilted by me
Pattern design by Sue Andrew
Quilted by Sue Andrew

Janice Souter
'100% Aussie'
I love Australia and I love these beautiful fabrics.
Using the Disappearing Nine Patch design, I think worked very well
Pattern design is 'Disappearing Nine Patch'
Quilted by Judy of 'Furball Farm Quilting'

Fae Dunner
'I Spy'
A comforter made with love for a traumatised child going into foster care.
"Something to keep" and to let them know thay are precious to God
Inspired by love of children
Pattern design by Fae Dunner
Quilted by Fae Dunner