Challenge Quilts 2012

On 8th December, the great 'unveiling' of the challenge quilts occurred in the pleasant surrounds of the Gisborne Peak Winery. Nine ladies attended the lunch, and a handful of others around the world were waiting to see what the Aussie girls had done with the challenges. First came the "Australia Quilt" challenge, whereby each quilter had to interpret what Australia means to them as a quilter, using a particular piece of challenge fabric from Lisa Chandler's "Australia" range. The second was the "Poetry" quilt challenge, which required the quilters to interpret a poem by making an art quilt. After eating our woodfired pizzas and fortified with a few glasses of wine, the ladies presented their works -

 Jean, Dorothy, and Sue had made poetry quilts, inspired by a variety of poems. Jean chose Robert Frost's "The road not taken", Dorothy took insprration from Jenny Joseph's poem "Warning", and Sue was moved by the Christmas spirit, interpreting "The night before Christmas". The ladies did a fabulous job, and their quilts will be shown in more detail later.

 This is Alleyne's pretty quilt, an attic window design with May Gibbs' Gumbut Babies fabric. Alleyne used the challenge fabric in some of her blocks, and machine quilted her quilt.

 This is Marg's gorgeous artwork, featuring three galahs on fenceposts, with Uluru in the background. Marg fussy cut the challenge fabric leaves and did a lot of fancy quilting on this.

 This is Jean's amazing quilt. It was full of symbolism, and even though it was one of the Australia quilt challenges, she based it on a poem. Jean also fussy cut the leaves and holepunchend the little wattle flowers, sewing them on individually. The quilt depicts the floods, and fires, and the people of Australia, the sunshine, and has several other meanings. Just stunning!

 Susan had another take on the theme; for her Australia represents all the friends she's made while quilting (the many hands), the cups of tea she's had with her friends, a friendship block and other things reminding her of times with her friends. Very creative and artistic.

 Yours truly, with my Australia quilt, representing Australia's nature, the landscape and the oceans. There are a few appliqueed birds, a lizard, and a lot of 3D leaves.

This is Jean's poetry quilt, based on Robert Frost's poem, "A road less travelled". Jean used a confetti technique as the background, with lots of 'floating leaves and lots of detail, with tufts of grass and rocks etc. Just amazing!

 Dorothy with her poetry quilt, based on the poem "Warning" (When I grow old, I will wear a purple, and a red hat...). Dorothy made excellent use of the Kaffe Fasset flower fabric, and the background is just so Monet!













Susan chose a Christmas poem to inspire her poetry quilt, and has done a marvellous job with with machine quilting and fabric painting. I think that workshop with Helen Godden is going to bring out a lot more amazing quilts!

Eight ladies completed the Australia quilt challenge, and did a fantastic job!