Australian Homespun August/September 2022

The end of August heralds the end of winter in the southern hemisphere and I, for one, am mighty glad to be on the eve of warmer weather! Our projects are bright and cheerful and sure to bring sunshine to anyone’s life. Amy Kallista reminds us to stay positive and look for the flowers in the No Rain, No Flowers banner; you can crochet a bright Boho floor rug with Knot Knitting; and Letisha Kirkland shares another of her divine felted creations — this time a handy bag made from crocheted diamonds! Our patchwork quilt projects include Coastal Drift by Julie Fenn using the divine Tilda Cotton Beach range of fabrics; Chris Austin shares a scrappy black quilt with bright pops; Monique Bubendorfer shows us how to make a colourful quilt with…

“The biggest difference between money and time: you always know how much money you have, but you never know how much time you have. Enjoy every moment of your life”Unknown ALL DOLLED UP Toymaker Simone Gooding has been a favourite contributor to Homespun over many years, so we were delighted to see her latest book, Hedgerow. It features patterns for three new dolls and more than 20 outfits and accessories for them, including appliquéd dungarees, knitted leg warmers, bags and shoes. Simply enchanting. You can buy a copy from Simone’s Etsy store at www.etsy.com/au/shop/MayBlossomStore LOOSE THREADS Here’s a project that’s quick, easy, unique and fun. It can be customised to suit any decor, from a child’s bedroom to a formal lounge. It would also make a fabulous gift. Avid crafter Alexis Middleton loves playing…

Please notify us at least four months before the event. New South Wales September 8-10 Wauchope Wauchope Patchwork Quilters Patchwork Treasures Exhibition Various venues throughout Wauchope More information: Facebook: Wauchope Patchwork Quilters October 21-23 Rosehill QuiltNSW Exhibition Grand Pavilion, Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, Rosehill More information: www.quiltnsw.com/exhibitions/quiltshow October 29 - November 5 Grafton Jacaranda Embroidery Group Biennial Embroidery Exhibition Anglican Cathedral Parish Centre Cnr Fitzroy and Duke Streets, Grafton More information: Val (02) 6642 3010 Queensland September 10-11 Samford Samford Patchworkers’ Quilt Show Samford Community Hall School Road, Samford More information: samfordpatchworkers@gmail.com September 17-23 Toowoomba Toowoomba Quilters’ Annual Quilt Exhibition (during Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers) ‘The Court’, Toowoomba Community Baptist Church, 100 Glenvale Road, Toowoomba More information: Janice 0409 634 272, FB TQClubInc October 12-16 South Brisbane Queensland Quilters’ Annual Quilt Show Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre Glenelg Street, South Brisbane More information: www.qldquilters.com Western Australia September 10 - November 5 Midland Stitched and Bound Biennial Exhibition Midland Junction Arts Centre (MJAC) 276 Great Eastern Highway, Midland More information: www.stitchedandboundblog.wordpress.com Northern Territory October 8-15 Alice Springs Territory Quilts 2022 Araluen Arts Centre, Alice…

We’re rather intrigued by a new product that has been designed to make quilting on a domestic sewing machine a whole lot easier. American company Sew Steady has created a set of clamps that can be used to hold the weight of your quilt while you stitch. At one end, the clamps attach to your sewing machine table and, at the other end of flexible poles, they grip the quilt sandwich. The effect is to hold the weight so that the quilt moves very very easily under the machine needle. In the video showing its assembly and use, the quilter even demonstrates free-motion quilting with just one hand! This is not the recommended approach for precise stitch positioning but is included simply so that you can see the ease with…

In April this year Janome unveiled its highly anticipated flagship sewing machine. The new Continental M17 features a top-of-the-line combination - a top-tier sewing machine and an embroidery capability that outperform its competitors. The Continental M17 introduces the largest embroidery area with a hoop size of 280mm x 460mm; and it offers the larget ewing area workspace at 343mm x 140mm and the fastest stitches-per-minute at 1300spm. In addition, it presents two touch screen panels - an industry first - that operate very much like a smart phone. This machine also boasts an exterior overhaul, in line with its functional excellence, with a sleek and classy style. If you are looking for the highest level of functionality and quality, visit your local Janome dealer for a test drive Visit the Janome website to find your…

From spruces to firs to pines — evergreen trees are one of Anna Hultin’s favourite subjects to embroider. With their textured trunks, lush greenness and bushy needles, Anna captures the unique characteristics of these beautiful trees with her thread palette and decadent stitches — no pruning or watering required. Anna describes her work as an exploration of what it means to be connected to the land, and her appreciation of nature shines through in her pieces. “Everything I do has something to do with the land, whether it’s stitching intimate portraits of the plants growing in my garden or an attempt to convey the vast landscapes of Colorado where I live,” she says. Based in Loveland, Colorado (USA), Anna and her family are surrounded by rural and natural areas. “We live between…