52 Quilters - Week 27 - Fiona Forsyth - My Influences

Inspire - to have an animating effect upon one's mind or emotions; to stimulate to some creative or effective effort; to elicit or create.

Who inspires me?  My tastes have changed as my skills have developed and I have found myself headed in different directions from when I first started quilting 3-years ago.  However when I sat and thought about it, I noticed that the majority of my work is centered around some of our fabulous local Australian designers, so I thought that I would introduce you to some of them.

Emma Jean Jansen

I have been a huge fan of Emma's for a number of years.  She's a Ballarat Girl (so is "just down the road a bit") & a fellow cat lover.  I have made "The Daisy Quilt" from her "The Linen Cupboard" fabric range; I still have "Harlequin Stars" and "Peace Quilt" waiting to be made and "Outback Blossoms" is currently on layby together with her new fabric range "Matilda". 

 http://www.emmajeanjansen.com.au/

https://www.instagram.com/emmajeanjansen/

Jodie Carleton - Ric Rac

Jodie is a gem!  She is guaranteed to make me laugh until the tears stream down my face every time I see her or talk to her!  She is also a Ballarat girl (& so lives "just down the road a bit") and I have had the pleasure of meeting Jodes quite a few times now.  She is a school librarian turned toy maker & now fabric designer for Ella Blue Fabrics. I have made a number of her toy patterns for myself & for gifts.  Her "Cats Pyjamas" fabric range is my absolute favourite and I have made PJ pants from this range together with some other items.  Her newest fabric range "Bunny Trail" is totes adorbs!! 

http://vintagericrac.blogspot.com.au/ 

https://www.instagram.com/jodiericrac/

Leanne Beasley - Leanne's House

I am yet to meet Leanne in person, but she is based near the Dandenong Ranges where I used to live in Melbourne.  Leanne is famed for her embroidery patterns (distributed through Creative Abundance) and she is now a fabric designer for Ella Blue Fabrics.  I have made up quite a few of her patterns including the BOM "Journey of a Quilter" and am 3/4 of the way through "Mrs Beasley's Sampler Quilt". I have also made her "Hearts and Happy Flowers Bag".   I still have her original "Leanne's House BOM" waiting to be made. I also have all 12 editions of her "Vignette Magazine"

http://www.leanneshouse.com/

https://www.instagram.com/leanneshouse/

Rosalie Dekker - Rosalie Dekker Designs 

(formerly Rosalie Quinlan Designs)

Rosie is one of the loveliest people that I have ever had the pleasure to meet!  I first met Rosie at Bendigo's Craft Alive in 2004 & I attended an Embroidery Masterclass with her.  I look forward to catching up with her each year when she travels up to Bendigo for Craft Alive.  I have sewn a number of Rosie's embroidery patterns & I have quite a lot of her fabric hoarded away in my stash. Rosalie has designed 7 fabric ranges and is now a fabric designer for Ella Blue Fabrics.

http://www.rosaliedekkerdesigns.com/

https://www.instagram.com/rosaliedekkerdesigns/

Four of my Faves courtesy of @EllaBlueFabrics
Jodie, Emma, Leanne & Rosalie

Jen Kingwell

I am a mad Jen Kingwell convert!  Last year I attended one of her classes which was hosted by Cotton Factory in Ballarat.  It was here that I learnt many of the techniques used to make her "Circle Game Quilt".  I am currently making "Georgetown on my Mind" and have more of her patterns in my sewing queue. Jen owns "Amitie Textiles" shop in Melbourne and she is now a fabric designer for Moda Fabrics.

http://www.amitie.com.au/

https://www.instagram.com/jenkingwell/

Claire Turpin

I have to admit I have only recently found out about Claire Turpin Design but have fallen in love with her patterns.  Her "Kitty Cats" pillows are on my lust list; as is her newly released "Catface" applique quilt.

http://www.claireturpindesign.com/

https://www.instagram.com/claireturpindesign/

Craft Alive Bendigo

I discovered this blog post partially written and unpublished, so I thought that I would finish it off and publish it.

Back in June I attended Craft Alive here in Bendigo.  Craft Alive is Regional Australia's leading craft and sales expo and is held over 3-days.  The three day craft show has craft of all ranges and craft for all ages. Exhibitors have everything from supplies to finished goods, covering a wide range of craft. Each show has 60-100 exhibitors, workshops, make and takes, demonstrations, a full café, and the local guilds and groups.  The Bendigo show also features STITCH! which is a two day niche craft show which is focused on all things needlecraft. In addition to the main show, STITCH! has 20-25 needlecraft experts covering patchwork, quilting, embroidery, wool work, and more. Exhibitors will have everything from supplies, to kits, to finished goods. Each site runs interactive learning opportunities including workshops, make and takes, and demonstrations.

As I don't handle crowds very well, I usually try to go on the Friday when I know that attendee numbers are fewer than those on the weekend. This year I went with Mum and a friend of hers from the retirement village.  Once there I met up with my friend - Linda from Echuca - and we walked around the stalls together. I managed a few hours before having to return home.

Although we arrived right on opening time, there was already a queue to get in.

THIS is why I like to go on a Friday, there is space to move and I can actually TALK to the stall holders without constant interruptions or having to elbow my way through the crowds.

This year it was housed in a larger pavilion

I headed straight to the Brindabella stand as I had recently purchased one of their quilting frames and I needed help.

One of my highlights was catching up with my sewing idol Rosalie Quinlan/Dekker and her sister-in-law Erica who is the proprietor of Under the Mulberry Tree.  I love these girls!

And I finally met up with my Instagram friend Julie @narioka  

Mischief in the making - a photo of me with Linda.

Linda knows EVERYONE (or so it seems)

Beautiful vintage sewing machine

Some more vintage sewing machines

Ooooh lots and lots and lots of notions!!!

Too many wonderful goodies to purchase

My goodies from Craft Alive.

I bought a Rosalie Quinlan embroidery pattern "Happiness"; embroidery needles, Sewline ceramic lead refills; Cosmo floss; some Kaffe Fassett fat quarters; two other fat quarters for one of my quilting bees; a specialty ruler for my Brindabella quilting frame; quilting pins (for the quilting frame) and a new stencil.