Happy New Year

January 2017 is almost over – so a very belated Happy New Year to all members.  The weather hasn’t been very kind, and I for one am heartily fed up with that incessant wind.  Hope your holiday break was a nice one, and maybe you even managed to find time for a little stitching – as I did in the Wairarapa, sheltering from the wind!

 

Working on my stitchery under the caravan awning

“Elderberries” magazine wrote an article about Town and Country Quilters recently with photos of President Lynne, together with Madalyn and Sandra.  “Quilting is so much more than patchwork” the article said – and of course we know that is true.  Lynne stated our club’s mission, to develop, promote and foster patchwork, quilting and textile art, through gatherings, practice, tutored workshops, exhibitions and a resource library.

Club members also of course do community work, such as making quilts for Ronald McDonald House and others in need, and heart cushions for breast cancer patients.  Believe me, I can attest that these cushions are very necessary for breast and underarm comfort after surgery and radiation.  The club had a sewing bee to make these heart cushions way back in November 2014, and I remember making a couple, and stuffing several more.   Call it fate, or karma, but I received one of the cushions I had made from the Pink Ladies group in my time of need – and I was more than happy to welcome it back.

My heart cushion came home to me

I’m sure that all will agree that one of the biggest benefits of our quilt club is the friendship and fellowship between members.  Now  2017 has arrived we can look forward to a year of club meetings, interesting speakers, Show and Tell, stitching days and classes with well respected tutors.  Many thanks to the committee, who I’m sure have organised a full and fun year for us all. 

Jenny Benton

Merry Christmas

 

Merry Christmas to all members and your families.  May you have a safe and happy Christmas break, catching up with family and friends.  And maybe, a little time for stitching too!

Jenny Benton

Avenue of Trees

You know Christmas is almost here when the Salvation Army Avenue of Trees is up and running.  I took a non quilting friend with me for her first experience in seeing this festive wonder.   We took our entry fee of a food item for the Food bank, such a good idea, entered a free raffle to win a Christmas tree, collected our voting forms and stepped into wonderland.

I was looking for the Town and Country Quilters tree, and passed and admired many on my quest.  Trees from schools, businesses, the Vet company – oh look, there it is.

Our tree, “Handmade with Love”  was full of delightful little treasures, and really looked so beautiful.  Many thanks to the club members who spent their time decorating our tree – as usual, it was a wonderful job.

December Club Night

It was a big night, notices were read, and then two recipients of textile awards given to the local colleges got up to speak.  It was great to see and hear the enthusiasm from these young ladies, as they told us of their sewing journey and their hopes and plans for the future.

Anna Williams was our evening speaker, and related her childhood growing up in a children’s home in England.  Not at all a sad experience, she hastened to add, she had a wonderful childhood indeed.  Anna didn’t know her family, and was happy to make contact with her two siblings in later years.  After meeting and falling in love with a Kiwi bloke while travelling overseas, they made a life together here in New Zealand. 

Anna teaches classes in beautiful curving Celtic bias strips and trupunto and brought many examples to show us.  She also excels at thread painting, and had several lovely examples of this technique as well.  She was helped during the evening by her delightful hubby who worked the slides and offered amusing quips and comments.

Show and Tell is always interesting, and as expected, there was  lot of Christmas items brought along. 

Christmas place mats

Christmas table  runner

A special supper was served, including dishes of strawberries and ice-cream, the raffles were drawn, and extra prizes given to those ladies who had secret items tucked away in their handbags.  Such as a needle and thread (Ute) or a tape measure (me).  We dipped into the basket containing the Christmas Fat Quarter exchange, and all went home with a lovely surprise - a bunch of happy little quilters.

Many thanks to the Committee for a great finish to our year.

Final Allcomers Day of the Year

A small select group met at the Red Cross Rooms for the final stitching day of the year.  At this time of year things can get rather hectic, and with a morning appointment I couldn’t get there for the whole day.  Never mind, arriving at 1.00pm I got  to spend the afternoon with the ladies.

Members hard at work in the Red Cross Rooms

There were all sorts of different projects being worked on.   Marilyn was slicing blue fabrics to make the block of the month, Chloe was sewing the binding down on an Advent calendar, Ute was practicing machine quilting, and Marjorie was deciding how to finish the borders on her autumn hued quilt.  Madalyn was working with a beautiful butterfly panel in lovely glowing colours – the next step was to add “quilt as you go” borders around the panel to increase the size.

 

Madalyn’s butterfly panel

Gill’s pretty pieced quilt was beautifully set off with an applique floral border.

Gill’s quilt

Lynne was showing us that perseverance pays, as she was quilting her Pacifica masterpiece with gold thread.  She didn’t like what she had done previously, so unpicked it and started again!

Lynne’s Pacifica quilt

And as for me?  I sat quietly stitching down the binding on my horse quilt, and by the time I packed up and headed for home, there was only one side left to stitch.  Nearly at the finish line, thank goodness.

Jenny stitching down miles of black binding

It was a lovely peaceful afternoon spending time stitching with other members.  Thanks for your company ladies!

Jenny Benton

Hanging at Winchester House

There is such a vibrant quilt hanging in Winchester House this month, just bursting with colour – and sunflowers. Composed of pieced blocks, machine embroidered blocks, and bright yellow sunflowers, the quilt sings of happy summer days.  This is the work of Heather Easton, who kindly loaned her quilt to brighten Winchester House, and raise a smile from Cancer Society volunteers and patients alike.

“Sunflowers”, by Heather Easton

Details of machine work

Jenny Benton

October Club Night

There was certainly a lot happening at our October Club Night.  Notices were read, and our President Lynn thanked all the members for helping out at the recent Quilt Fest.  Not only members, but several husbands too, we heard.  The lucky raffle winners of the evening were  Luchelle and Gill. 

Two visitors from Rotary came and told us about their charity house project, where they design, build and auction a house with the proceeds going to a chosen charity.  Town and Country Quilters wished to donate one of our charity quilts to the home, made with blocks donated by club members.  The Rotary executive chose one from our (small) selection of finished quilts, and this was presented at club night.

Quilt presented for use in the Rotary Charity House project

Jo Dixey was our speaker for the evening, and was certainly an entertaining young woman.  She told us that she doesn’t buy new clothes any more, but likes to rework what she finds in Op Shops.  She passed around a grey coat with patchwork bands.  This started off as a man’s suit jacket, and she slashed and inserted bands of patchwork fabric.  Unfortunately, my photos of this coat were fuzzy and unclear, but take my word for it, Jo had made a very exclusive garment indeed. 

Jo told us about her early years, growing up in the UK, with a sketch book always close to hand.  She started her formal training as an 18 year old apprentice at the Royal School of Needlework for 3 years, and then embarked on a City and Guilds course.  Then she moved to New Zealand, and works in her chosen field, teaching needlework and working on commissions. Let your creativity happen, she told us.

Jo also discovered patchwork, and likes to work on both crafts.  Interestingly, although she often haunts Op Shops for clothing, she always uses new fabric for patchwork, and Kaffe Fasset’s lines are a real favourite.  Curved piecing and needle turn applique feature heavily in her quilts, as do human forms and faces.

Jo’s house quilt, made from leftover pieces

Jo Dixey had judged the Spring Challenge and winners were called up to accept their prizes.  Avon Haigh won the Novice Category with her whimsical mouse quilt.  This was also voted Viewers Choice by club members at our club night.

Avon’s mouse quilt

Wendy Tunley’s Daffodil quilt was certainly the essence of Spring, and won the Intermediate class.

Wendy’s  Daffodils

And Cheryl Chambers took the prize in the Advanced class, with her pretty pastel interpretation on Spring.

By Cheryl Chambers

The quilts entered in Quilt Fest were not judged, but all attendees at the show  (about 450 we were told) were asked to pick one for Viewers Choice.   These prizes were also presented at Club Night.  Winner of Viewers Choice at the quilt show was Other People’s Dreams, by Griet Lombard, and Sandra Collins took Second Place.  Both worthy winners, in my book.

First in Viewers Choice, Other People’s Dreams, by Griet Lombard.

Runner Up Viewer’s Choice, Floriason Rouge, by Sandra Collins

A very busy club night indeed.  After a quick cuppa, and chatting to other members, it was time for me to head back home.

Jenny Benton