Victorian Quilters Showcase 2024

 The Vic Quilters Showcase was on at the end of July and although last year was supposed to be my final year as Convenor, the person who was taking over got sick and I had to do it again. 

There is a lot of work in the lead up to the quilt show but the actual show is the fun part, where the prizes are awarded and you get to catch up with friends and do some shopping.

Here we are getting ready for the awards.

Best of Show went to my friend Linda Crouch for her quilt, A Magical Winter Garden.

A Magical Winter Garden by Linda Crouch

Here is a detail photo of the quilt.

Runner Up to Best of Show was won by another friend, Sue de Vanny for Sound of Silence.

Sound of Silence by Sue de Vanny

There is a bright spotlight on both of their quilts which really doesn't do them justice in the photos.

I won the Runner Up prize in Innovative/Contemporary quilts for Ocean Dance 2.

Ocean Dance 2 by Linda Steele

I loved the embroidery on Australian Bush Antics by Catherine Howell.

Australian Bush Antics by Catherine Howell

Here is a detail photo.

Australian Bush Antics detail

One of our member groups AQA, had a display of their red and white quilts to celebrate their 40th Birthday. Red and white quilts make such a great display.

North, South East and West, There is no Place Like Home by Jan Baker

Tree of Life by Shirley Lodington

I had to take a photo of this gorgeous miniature that won First Prize.

Blooming Lollipops by Yumi McKey

I urged someone from our Art Quilter group to enter her quilt and she was absolutely blown away to win First prize. She's a new quilter who has never entered anything before. It was such a thrill.

Ocean Walks by Connie Russo.

Our profile a Quilters this year was the multi award winner Eileen Campbell. Her display was jaw dropping.

Eileen Campbell in front of her quilts.

Every quilt she makes is a masterpiece.

The Unicorn's Garden by Eileen Campbell

I can relax now that the show is over and although I have lots of people who have offered their help nobody will take over the running of the show!!

Bye for now,

Linda

Merry Christmas 2023

 As I look back on the year, I realise that it has been busy. I have had lots of fun and successes as well as catching the flu and Covid.

I thought my concert going days were over but I went to see Ed Sheeran and Paul McCartney.

Ed Sheeran

Paul McCartney

My European Holiday was the major event as I went to Zurich, France, Germany and Denmark for the first time which included the wonderful European Patchwork Meeting and the Rhine River Cruise.

Morning Tea in France

I also stayed at Create in Harcourt for a friends 70th birthday in April.

I got 2 quilts accepted into the Australian Quilt Show and Life Goes On won Best Abstract Quilt and Best machine Quilting.

Life Goes On

My Sailing quilt won 2nd prize in the Innovative/Contemporary section at Victorian Quilters Showcase.

Sailing

I won the top prize in the Ozquilt Network's Art Quilt Australia 2023 with Moroccan Magic. That was completely unexpected, it was something that I never thought I could win.

Moroccan Magic

I was accepted into Golden Textures with Citrus Zing. I am smiling in this photo but I have just recovered from the flu and was lucky to have been well enough to go.

Citrus Zing

I sold two quilts, an Art Quilt when I was guest speaker at Mornington Peninsula and Autumn Song at Houston International Festival.

Autumn Song

I also Judged AQIPP (Australian Quilts in Public Places)

AQIPP judges 2023

I thought it was my last year as Convenor of Victorian Quilters Showcase but the person who came forward to take over my job resigned a couple of months later. So it looks as if I still have that job, I'll have to do a lot of delegating because I also became President of the Ozquilt Network.

 Ozquilt Network is Australia's premier Art Quilt group and we have members in New Zealand and overseas as well as Australians. 

I have an exhibition in February and March next year of my Coral Reef quilts, so I'll enjoy the break of the Christmas holidays before I am back into being busy again.

Merry Christmas everyone and thank you to those who read my blog and take the time to comment.

Bye for now,

See you next year!

Linda

Victorian Quilters Showcase 2023

 The Victorian Quilters Inc. Showcase was on last week and it was my last one as Convenor. Everything went well, the show looked good and we had many compliments on the layout and the beautiful quilts.

I will be a quilt show consultant next year to make sure that the hand over to the new Convenor goes smoothly.

Best of Show went to a beautiful applique quilt by Mariya Waters called Floral Symphony no. 2.

Floral Symphony no. 2 by Mariya Waters

Here are a couple of detail photos.

Floral Symphony no. 2 detail by Mariya Waters 

Runner Up to Best of Show was a Pictorial Quilt by Sue de Vanny called Long Tall Sally.

Long Tall Sally by Sue de Vanny

There was another lovely pictorial quilt in the show with an Alice in Wonderland theme.

Curiouser and Curiouser by Michelle Bardwell

We had a display of 20 quilts by the Melbourne Modern Quilt Guild and one particularly caught my eye.

Fan Fold by Caroline Headley

There was also a display of a series of quilts by Jan Preston about her Father in Law in World War 2.

After finding memorabilia in her Father in Law's belongings after he had passed away, Jan went about researching his story. Below is a photo of a section of the display

Courage and Determination by Jan Preston

The display touched many hearts and visitors recounted their own family stories, quite a few tears were shed.

Jan Preston is a wonderful artist and you really need to see the work and appreciate all the different techniques in person. Photos do not do it justice.

Courage and Determination by Jan Preston.

I was also lucky enough to win 2nd prize in the Contemporary section with my quilt called Sailing.

Sailing by Linda Steele

Well, that is the end of an era for me, I have been Showcase Convenor for 6 years and did three Waverley Quilt Shows before that, as well as being President of Waverley Patchworkers for two years.

No wonder I feel a bit burnt out.

I really need some down time to concentrate on my own sewing.

Bye for now,

Linda

Good news

 I have been very busy for a long time but I can finally see some light.

One piece of good news is that I made a quilt inspired by my wonderful trip to Morocco. I have just heard that it has been accepted into the Art Quilt Australia 2023 exhibition. It is a requirement that the quilt has not been seen or exhibited before, so I can only show a detail photo until August this year when the exhibition opens.

Moroccan Magic detail

I saw the fabric for the Modern Quilt Guild challenge and I really liked it, so I trawled online for ages until I found the correct fabrics. You could easily get the fabrics from America but hardly any of the shops post to Australia anymore because of the cost. I found one fabric at one shop and the postage costs were way higher than the the fabric, so I didn't go ahead with the purchase.

After much searching, I found the required 6 fabrics from 3 or 4 different shops in Australia.

Challenge Fabrics

I have already started, it's another improv pieced style quilt that I am really enjoying lately.

beginnings of a quilt

To tell you the truth, it is probably not the sort of quilt that the Modern Quilt Guild is looking for, but I don't mind if it isn't accepted, I am just happy to be inspired to make it.

I have saved the best news for last. I have been the convenor of the Victorian Quilt Showcase for a few years now. It is our most prestigious show and is held at the Exhibition and Convention Centre in the city.

The Show opens on Wednesday at 10am and closes on Saturday at 4pm. I have been working hard on this for months.

We have a modern Quilt as our raffle quilt this year, it was made by members of the Melbourne Modern Quilt Guild. It is very different from our usual raffle quilts and it has been very well received.

Positivity by the MMQG

The good news is that someone has come forward to take over my job as Convenor!! I wanted to finish last year but we couldn't get anyone to do the job.

I will still be helping next year but as a guide and Consultant.

I will be at the show everyday this week, so I hope to catch up with many friends. It will be good to have a quilt show again.

Bye for now,

Linda

Victorian Quilters Showcase 2022

 At the end of July we had the Victorian Quilters Showcase and it was very successful. After being cancelled in 2020 and a virtual show in 2021, everyone loved having a normal show again this year. As usual it was held at the  Exhibition and Convention Centre in the city and it was very well attended. We weren't sure whether people would come or not but attendances were back to about four years ago and the shops did really well, so everyone was happy.

We had the award presentation on the first day and here we are setting up the rosettes.

Best of Show went to Robyn Coots for her beautiful applique quilt called Dresden Dancing.

Dresden Dancing by Robyn Coots

I didn't take a lot of photos but here are some that I liked, although the standard was so high this year.

Fuego by Ramona Resurreccion

Fuego is Spanish for Fire.

Nirvana Nouveau by Jan Frazer

William the Echidna by Karen McGregor

The next quilt was a tiny miniature. 

Winter Wonderland by Carole Bosna

The next quilt won Runner Up in the pieced section as well as Best use of Colour. It was called Waves around the Atlantic because Shirley hand pieced the quilt while she was on a holiday cruise.

Waves around the Atlantic

I didn't have a quilt in the competition this year but we also had prize winners from last year's virtual show so my Connections quilt was on display.

Connections-The Teenage Years by Linda Steele

The Profile a Quilters this year was Annette Packett, who had at least 20 quilts on display.

Annette Packett

Annette had such a variety of quilts on display but I especially loved her art quilts featuring trees.

Art Quilts by Annette Packett

I have been the Convenor of the show for a few years now and it is a huge job, one lunch time I had a walk outside the venue for some fresh air and took a few photos. It was a lovely sunny winter's day and I loved the reflections on the Yarra River by the Seafarer's Bridge.

The Seafarer's Bridge

Our beautiful raffle quilt Amethyst Star by Mariya Waters and Desley Maisano was won by a Victorian Quilters member.

Amethyst Star by Mariya Waters and Desley Maisano

I have had such a busy year and not really had much time for sewing or art making that I have decided to step down from being Showcase Convenor. I have enjoyed the experience but I really want my life back where I can be creative again and not be sitting in front of computer spreadsheets.

Bye for now,

Linda