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.

My Schnitzel & Boo "Parcel of Awesomeness" has arrived!

 

Last week I posted about the Schnitzel and Boo Mini Quilt Swap and showed you the parcel of awesomeness that I sent to my swap buddy - Fiona Tchan.  Today it gives me great pleasure sharing with you the amazing parcel of awesomeness that I recently received from the super wonderful Filomena Parbery @so_filomena from New South Wales.

 

Firstly these are the inspiration mosaics that I posted for this swap featuring a mixture of different techniques with a preference for lime green & teal:

 

 

 

I knew from the moment that the parcel delivery guy handed me the parcel that something special had arrived - just look at how the parcel was addressed!

 

But before I show you what was IN the parcel, these are the teasers that she had posted on Instagram.  I had seen most of these posts and I must admit, I did wonder if those gorgeous hedgehogs were headed to Bendigo... (Instagram photos reproduced with Filomena's permission)

 

 

 

 

 So, back to the parcel... this was written on the envelope:



I was getting good vibes about this parcel!

 

I'm not going to share what was written inside the card but it brought tears to my eyes!  Such beautiful words!!!

 

And here is the beautiful Hazel the Hedgehog quilt that Filomena made.  I love the pinky red nose on the top one!!  The quilting on this is just extraordinary!

 


I was thoroughly spoilt!  My favourites - Cadbury Peppermint chocolate & Nutella.  Also some peppermint tea and coffee.

 


One of my favourite Australian fabric & stitcherie designers is Rosalie Quinlan, and Filomena generously included 3 fat quarters of Rosalie's fabrics together with some buttons and two skeins of Cosmo Pearl 5

 


These are absolutely adorable.  Filomena has crochetted these coasters herself and they will go beautifully in my kitchen.



A packet of green Ruffle Elastic

 


This is absolutely gorgeous - it is a Tea Bag Holder with a tea bag design foundation paper pieced on the front.  The fabrics are just gorgeous, especially the red text used on the inside.

 


The tea bag holder opened up and showing the contents - herbal tea bags & coffee bags.

 


A close up of the inside.  I love this red fabric! 

 

This really brought a tear to my eye - not only did Filomena spoil me rotten, but she also thought of my little purr baby Gemma and included a treat for her as well!

 


Gemma says thank you Filomena for the Love Hearts! xoxo

 

I really am just totally overwhelmed by the awesomeness in this parcel!  Obviously Filomena has had a lot of fun stalking me and researching my preferences. 

 

One of the hashtags for this swap was #makeaquiltmakeafriend and that is so true.  Through this swap I have got to know two new quilty friends - Fiona and Filomena.  I have also enjoyed watching Fiona create some wonderfulness for her swap partner; and watching Filomena's swap buddy make the gorgeous mini that she sent to Filomena.  Feel the quilty love!  There are so many talented quilters out there!  To view more wonderful creations look up #schnitzelandboominiquiltswap on Instagram.