Anne's "Longbourne"

I have been sent a photo by Anne who is making her "Longbourne" in some very bright fabrics.  

It looks great!  Look at those bright stripey leaves and "fussy cut" hexagons.

A bit different to mine!:

Winbourne Weekend

Great Weekend Away

I spent the weekend away with the lovely girls from Pioneer Patchwork at Winbourne, Mulgoa.

We had two wonderful nights and days away from home - no cooking, washing up or cleaning!

Here are some photos of the surrounds - a bit hard to take???  The weather was spectacular.

There were some very clever ladies there sewing away non-stop.  Quite a few were working on the quilts they started in class with me.

Here are some of the photos:

Here is Ingrid helping Katy show progress on her red "Rosings"

This is Linda holding up her bright and pretty "Fandango"

This is Birgit's fabulous version of "Spikes and Specks" in mauve, teal and purple, all finished.
Wow!

Here is a close up.  She has done a fabulous job!

I got some machine applique done on my large flower borders and some "gorgy" half inch hexies made!  Thanks girls for a great weekend and thanks to Ingrid for organising it.

Today's "Rosings" Class

More on "Rosings"

I had another enjoyable class on "Rosings" today.  

Here are some photos of the work being done by my very clever students:

The first one is Jan's in beautiful colours of blue, pink and brown.  It is very striking!

The next one belongs to Chris.  We have seen her fabulous centre before but she has added more to it now.

Here are some close ups:

This one belongs to Janine.  What a stunning background of rich green and with such gorgeous flowers of gold and pumpkin orange.  This is spectacular.  Way out of Janine's comfort zone when it comes to colour but she loves it.  Me too!

Here are the close ups of her flowers, beautifully "fussy cut".

Here is Glenda's centre.  The piecing is very subtle and I love that purple flower!

                                      

Here is Veronica's centre pieced Georgetown Circle block.  Excellent "fussy cutting" there, V!  The green really pops.  I'm loving it...

To be continued....

New Quilt in the Making

Applique Borders

I love starting a new quilt!

I can never decide whether it is more fun to finish a project or start a new one! After many happy hours of stitching, a quilt becomes like an old friend - and when it is finished it feels sad in some ways and I really miss working on it.

This happened to me when I recently completed "Hunsford".  I worked on a frenzy of applique for a couple of months to get it done in time for quilting for the 2013 Darling Harbour Quilt Show.  Veronica is quilting it as I write this!  But once it was done I was at a loss - what am I going to do now?

I always have a machine project and one (or two) hand projects on the go at any given time.  I am looking forward to spending the weekend at the Edmund Rice Convention Centre at Mulgoa this coming weekend with a group of like-minded ladies from Pioneer Patchwork.  No teaching for me this time - just my own sewing - yay!

I am taking two long border pieces I have been putting together for the border on a new machine pieced and appliqued quilt.

Here is a sneak peek with my paper pattern and the fabric version next to it.  Will look better when the stitching is done but I am pleased with the design - lots of work!

I am also taking some hand sewing with me for the evenings.  Surprise, surprise... I am starting a new quilt with one inch hexagons.  Love them.

Katrina x

Updates to My Blog

Updates to Jane Austen Quilt Collection and Teaching Schedule

I have updated the information on my Teaching Schedule to include all special events for 2013 - 2015.  You will find this on a tab at the top of the home page of my blog.

I have also extensively updated information and photographs on the quilts in my Jane Austen Quilt Collection, also a tab at the top of the home page.

I hope you enjoy reading more information.

Please send me your comments.

Jane Austen Tour in England

The Most Exciting News...

Jane Austen Tour in England, 2015

I have THE most exciting news to share with you... I have been asked to accompany a tour in England based around "The Life and Times of Jane Austen"!  This has come about from my interest in everything to do with Jane Austen and the Jane Austen Quilt Collection I have been working on for the past six years.

The tour is being organised by the lovely people at Whitecroft Traditional Tours who specialise in luxury tours designed for people interested in quilting and history.

To quote Helen Bertram:

“The aim of our tours is to find hidden treasures and offer highest quality hotels, the highest quality guides and the highest quality organisation.

We organise tours and workshops all over the country aimed at embroiderers, quilters, artists, historians, gardeners and photographers - anyone who has an interest in the wonderful heritage and experiences that we have all around us.”

The tour, "The Life and Times of Jane Austen" will take place from 27th September to 7th October, 2015

Highlights of the tour include:

* Jane Austen Centre, Bath

* The Museum of Costume, Bath

* The Vyne, near Basingstoke

* Jane Austen's House, Chawton

* Winchester Cathedral

* Hereford City Museum

* Stoneleigh Abbey

* Victoria & Albert Museum

* Lacock & Lacock Abbey

* Lyme Regis

* The American Museum in Britain

* The Roman Baths

* Workshop with Katrina Hadjimichael 

The tour is based around an interest in patchwork and quilting from the time of Jane Austen and will also include private visits to museum and quilt collections, most notably the Victoria and Albert Museum!!!  

                           

Wow, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see some absolutely fabulous quilts and artefacts to inspire our future handiwork.  If you have been drooling over your books of antique quilts this is a chance to see them in reality!

The tour is based at a magnificent Spa Hotel in the spectacular Georgian city of Bath.  Tours will branch out from this location to see many places associated with Jane Austen.  

                             

Imagine seeing the village of Steventon where Jane was born, "Chawton" the house where she lived the last and most productive years of her life and her final resting place in Winchester Cathedral.  At Chawton we will see the diamond medallion quilt Jane made with her mother and sister.
  

We will also visit Lyme Regis on the coast where segments of her novels were set and the Heritage listed town of Lacock which was the film set location for Meryton in the 1995 BBC production of "Pride and Prejudice".

The tour price will include all accommodation, 26 meals, entry fees, guides, workshop requirements and tuition, tips and a Tour Director throughout.

                     

If you are interested in being part of this fabulous experience, please email Helen Bertram directly at enquiries@whitecrofttours.co.uk to receive a full itinerary and to book your tour.  The tour has limited numbers so although it is over two years away, you will need to book and then you will have time to save!

I am sure we will have the most amazing experience on this tour.  I cannot wait to meet all the people on the tour who share my love of everything Jane Austen and the style of patchwork quilting from her time.

The link to Whitecroft Traditional Tours is here.

If you would like to discuss the tour with me please feel free to email me at Katrina.H@three.com.au.

Today's "Pemberley" Class

More on "Pemberley"...

I do love it when ladies come back to class with lots of work accomplished on their quilts.  Today I had a very relaxed class at Pioneer Patchwork with some gorgeous ladies who are enjoying their applique.

Here are some of the results to share with you.

The first quilt centre has been made by Leonie.  Her colours are so soft and muted.  What a beautiful quilt and she did all her homework.

A close up of Leonie's centre.

Next is Bronwyn's centre.  Her scallops are a lovely pink and bows in blue.  Looking great, Bronwyn.

It was fascinating to see the"fussy cutting" in Carol's scallops.  She wanted a very lacey look for them and we could not believe it when she showed us the fabric she cut them from.  It was a busy border print with lots of pink on it.  She has used one of the stripes only with a fine black lace on cream.  There is a tiny piece of pink and dainty flowers which makes a border around the centre oval.  Wow, it is beautiful.

Next is Sue who also did all her homework!  Sue's attention to detail is delightful and her border stripe around the corner pot appliques looks lovely.  Sue also cut a lot of paisley fabrics for her small hexagons which made fantastic flower shapes within the hexagons.

Here is a close up of Sue's:

Here are the four pot appliques finished by Margaret.  They are very pretty.

Take a closer look at her lovely pots...

The next photos are from Jeanne's centre.  She has also done a lot of work and I marveled at her beautiful bird.  The bird's eye is very cleverly positioned with the centre of a flower right in that spot.  It looks awesome. 

Here is one of Jeanne's pots.

Here is a close up of her centre - sorry it is laying down on the table.

Check out the bird's eye...

The last three photos are of Birgit's centre.  Some flowers are yet to come but her scallops look fabulous and make a wonderful secondary pattern.  They really pop with the purple piping around the oval.

Lovely work girls.

I hope you have enjoyed the photo gallery!  I am loving my new camera but am on a steep learning curve.  Hope you can drop by and leave me a message.

Katrina x

Dresden Plates Galore!

Quilters' Companion Project

The girls in my Richmond group have been making Dresden plates from my table runner project published in Quilters' Companion recently.

Here are some photos of the first plates they made.  It is amazing how different the fabrics and colours come together!  

It is also amazing that I have been teaching this group of gorgeous girls for exactly TEN years!  A lot has happened to all of us in that time - we have shared the joys, the sorrows, the inspirations and the tragedies over that time together - I love you all girls - Happy Anniversary!

The first one belongs to Mary 1, then Judy, Kim, Karol and Christine.