Grace Errea visits Waverley Patchworkers

I have just spent a lovely few days with Grace Errea, a quilting teacher from the USA. Waverley Patchworkers were having Grace as their special guest and she stayed with me while she was in Australia.

You might know her book called Impressionist Applique.

My friend and I took Grace to Healesville Sanctuary on the first day so she could see a little bit of Australia; not just the inside of a classroom. We saw kangaroos, koalas and a platypus and a wonderful bird show among other things.

I tried to take a good photo of a Brolga but he wasn't being very cooperative.

Brolga

We couldn't believe what beautiful blue eyes the Satin Bowerbird had. He could mimic other birds including a kookaburra; we could hardly believe what we were hearing.

Satin Bowerbird

The highlight for me was being able to get a couple of photos of a blue Wren.

Blue Wren

That evening Grace gave a lecture about using the correct value of fabrics in our quilts instead of concentrating on colour only. Here is a photo of Grace and I in front of one of her quilts before the lecture.

Grace Errea and I

The next day Grace taught a new method of reverse applique by machine. Here is the Hummingbird I made in the class, it's still just a top, I might quilt it one day!

Over the weekend Grace taught a 2 day applique class using her heat set method. Here I am preparing some of the pieces. Instead of using fusible web, we painted a diluted glue onto the edges.

Here are some of my hibiscus petals already glued together.

Underneath the petals I have a special board that we all had to make before the class. It is 25" x 25" and is made of 3 layers, a layer of foam core board, thick polystyrene and a iron safe fabric and then covered with fabric. It is light and portable and we can pin into it, iron on it and carry our pieces around on it. I am sure that I will get a lot of use out of it.

The petals are made and now I have to start on the leaves. This is a picture of Grace's quilt and mine is supposed to eventually look like it.

Grace's Hibiscus Quilt

When I chose the pattern I didn't realise how large it was, it's a different experience making such large pattern pieces because the ones I design are usually on the small size.

Grace has gone back home now but we all really enjoyed her visit.

Bye for now,
Linda