Berrima and where is the book?!!

First of all I must let you all know the book is coming! I have had so many emails asking and I am so sorry that it has been delayed. I have been told the book will be available from Dec 12th so fingers crossed you can get it in time for Christmas. I thank all of you for your wonderful support and especially for your patience - I hope it is worth the wait!

Now to my week. I had nine days away from home with three workshops at Berrima Patchwork. http://www.berrimapatchwork.com.au/ Tam and Sue looked after me so well as did all the students! I was taken out for dinner, given gifts galore and had a day off in the middle to enjoy the sights of beautiful Berrima. Here are some:

 The pathway to the shop is flanked by these unusual trees called "Smoke trees". Wikipedia just informed me it could be one of several different species but commonly they give the illusion of smoke.

 A quick walk across the road to the Women's Correctional service. The gardens are truly beautiful as you can see and the women work on them while they are doing their time.(You can see the flags are half mast out of respect to the those lost in the recent mining tragedy in New Zealand)

 And then I discovered one of only a couple of Pugin churches in Australia right in Berrima. http://www.puginfoundation.org/

William Morris aspired to Pugin's theory on architecture and design: http://www.artscrafts.org.uk/roots/pugin.html

 And more glorious blooms..........

 And the efforts from dedicated quilters. Sorry that the 3rd workshop photo is not here - I left my camera in the motel! Thanks for coming girls - hope this is the beginning of lots more applique!

Have a great week. I am looking forward to a bit of a rest with some time to design some new work for next year!

Quilt Market and Hip Hop fun

Where have I been??!! I tried to update my blog while I was away but had no luck with a connection. So I have a load of catch-up to do!! I have been teaching for the past week in NSW but before I share pictures of that here is a brief note about my weekend 2 weeks ago! I had double fun with the Australian Quilt Market (a first for me), and Sophie's amazing team performing in the World Hip Hop championship. Quilt market first:

 The charming Tim Myers from Lloyd Curzon's showing new fabrics and in the background a black background version of the Adelaide collection sampler (how did I not get a pic of Jim??)

 Di Mill with the Adelaide Sampler behind her

 It was lovely to meet the lovely Leesa Chandler - a great camaraderie

as we shared some of the behind the scenes process of being involved in a fabric line. Check her website: http://www.chandlerscottage.com/index.php

 From left Jenny of Horsham Sewing Centre, Brenda Ryan, (check Brenda's gorgeous website; http://www.brendaryan.com.au/) then yours truly and Vicki Jenkin - an award winning quilter from Victoria.

The delightful Helen Stubbings (another great wesite to visit; http://www.hugsnkisses.net/) It was great to meet Helen after all this time - she has been a wealth of information to me over the years.

 And Pam Spurway who produces the gorgeous cottage garden threads

http://cottagegardenthreads.typepad.com/

 And then what a night!!

 These juniors were amazing - their energy has to be seen to be believed

 Now I am not "in the know" but I believe this was an impressive judge from the USA!

And my pride and joy with her man (this is my younger daughter at 26 yrs and

I didn't get a photo of her older sister who was a spectator with me)

 It was heart stopping when  the team appeared.....Sophie is on the far right below

And below on the far left (and we did the applique on the jackets together!

Nice that Sophie knows how to do the tracing and cutting part of applique!!)

 Sensational teams from overseas

And the winners from Singapore and then the finale was a 30 minute "jam session"

 with everyone on stage. A great night



Fabric Winners announced!

What excitement in the Hill household tonight!! Thankyou to all of you for sending such lovely messages.....I am just so sorry that you didn't all win. Because there were so many of you I increased the number of prizes to seven - one for each day of the week that it has been running. Here is the "official draw" courtesy of an excited husband - Larry was quite enjoying himself!!

 Cutting up all the names

 The big draw out of the icecream container!

 "Now do you think she would like this selection of fabrics??"

 And the lucky last....CONGRATULATIONS!!

So the winners are:
Betweens from Toronto, Canada
Frazzled Sugar Plum Mum from Tasmania, Australia
Alex Daw / Luvvie from Brisbane, Australia
Marjorie from Idaho, USA
Lynn Rodby, Minnesota, USA
Margaret Foster, Texas, USA
Marianne Welgemoed, ? Australia

It is way past midnight so I will email all the winners tomorrow. Some of you might need to email me your address so the postie knows where to deliver your pressie!
While Larry was busy I was at my sewing machine (between supervising and taking the official photos of course!!) I am going to my very first Quilt Market http://www.aqm.net.au/ this weekend so I thought it might be appropriate that I wear some of the fabric!

 

 I used a New Look pattern.

My late Mum would have loved this fabric

I will also be in Melbourne to see our daughter performing in the International Dance Crew competition - she performs in the best Hip Hop team here at home - Go Adelaide Dance Movement!! http://www.groovetv.com.au/



Giveaway time - at last!

My William Morris rose is in bloom and so beautiful. The roses around Adelaide are just wonderful this year with all the rain and sunshine that we have had........

Great news - I have finally received my fabrics!! I am very proud and honoured to have worked with Jason Yenter and with Tim and Jim from Lloyd Curzon's here in Australia - thanks guys! The fabrics feel beautiful.........very silky and I love the solid colour on the back of the tonals. So now it has to be time for a giveaway..........I have cut 30cm (12") strips across the width of the fabric and done them up into bundles of 6-7 fabrics.
There are six packs in total with approximately 1.8 metres (almost 2 yards) in each pack.
So send me a message and I will put all the names in a bucket and draw them out in a week's time - good luck and thanks again for all your wonderful support XX

Quilters' Guild of SA Festival of Quilts

We have just had our annual Quilt Exhibition and it was lovely to be back home among quilting friends again. Four days of a little white gloving, shopping and nattering. Now I am sorry I do not have a load of photos - I need to get permission to share them but I will sneak in a few hoping the makers won't mind! Keep an eye on the Guild website - all the winners should be there soon; http://www.saquilters.org.au/

Junior winner 1st place (under 12years) is Briana Denneny with "Beautiful Japan" 

Briana is the daughter of our famous Rachelle who has just won in Houston!!

 Here she is receiving her prize - a sewing machine!

 And little sister Tegan received 3rd place for her "Floating Flowers"

 And younger brother Casey a highly commended for "Dinotopia"

 And because Mum was in Houston I had the honour of taking Briana to

the awards evening. Here Briana is receiving prizes for her sister and

brother and I had the privilege of giving a prize! What a talented family!

Melissa was a participant in one of my sit and sew sessions some years ago and her creation is a winner as well - 2nd place Amateur Predominantly Applique - Two person

Congratulations Melissa XX (Machine quilted by Suzanne Akhurst)

And friend Mary Williams - Hope you don't mind me sharing Mary but I am too proud!

Mary received two awards......1st place Professional Art Quilt and Best Use of Colour. Congratulations Mary! 

 Close-up of all that beautiful stitching

We are all looking forward to seeing Rachelle when she gets home -

I just wish I could be at the airport to greet her but a workshop summons me :-(

Below is a photo from Lisa Walton's blog of Rachelle receiving her award in Houston

And Lisa was also a "winner" in Houston this year receiving the Jewel Pearce Patterson International Quilt Teacher Scholarship for 2010.

Congratualtions Lisa http://www.fibreinspirations.blogspot.com/