Australian Homespun June/July 2020

FELT FINESSE Who could resist the sweetness of a little knitted beanie with a dash of felt style? The Make and Do Crew offer the patterns for both this knitted hat and felt flower, so you can make them as you please. www.makeanddocrew.com/felt-flower-tutorial-knit-hat ICELANDIC SWEATER DESIGN RECEIVES OFFICIAL STATUS! The Handknitting Association of Iceland formally applied for the Designation of Origin status with the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority to acknowledge that the Icelandic sweaters are an original design, with origins in Icelandic knitting and pattern traditions from the middle of the 20th century. Certain conditions have to be met for a sweater to be officially recognised as an ‘Icelandic wool sweater’. They include that the wool used is unspun virgin wool from Icelandic sheep, and that the sweater has a circular knitted yoke…

Let us know about your events – email details to dsegaert@umco.com.au or send them to Homespun Diary Dates, Locked Bag 154, North Ryde, NSW 1670. Please notify us at least four months before the event. Victoria July 17-19 North Bendigo CALLING ALL WOMEN OF WOOL The Australian Sheep & Wool Show For three days in July, Bendigo becomes the epicentre of woollen fashion, fine food and beautiful fibre. Since 1877, the Sheep Show has been showcasing Australia’s top wool growers and prime lamb producers and now attracts thousands of fans of woollen fashion, food and fibre. The ‘Women of Wool’ series encourages all women to take the day off to discover the wonders of wool and celebrate the women of the wool industry. You can see fine woollen designs at the Australian Wool Innovation fashion parades,…

The beauty of making portraits, much like writing profiles, is that it’s a chance to really think about and appreciate the person you are depicting. This is what Emily Jo Gibbs loved about embroidering her first portrait, which was of her son Fred. She then created a portrait of her other son, Bill, which led to an ongoing series of portraits. This talented British textile artist uses tiny, tiny stitches, a soft colour palette and delicate layers of organza and linen to create her intricate artworks. When it comes to Emily, there’s much to admire and write about. Her creative career began with fashion accessories. While completing a university degree that involved working with wood, metal and plastics, she created a variety of fashion pieces, including purses, shoes, lockets and buttons.…

MATERIALS • 80cm ( 7/8yd) red tone-on-tone print fabric • 6 1/2in square of nine assorted lime print fabrics • 30cm ( 3/8yd) red stripe print fabric (binding) • 1m (1 1/8yd) backing fabric • 50 x 170cm (19 x 66in) batting • Rotary cutter, ruler and mat • Sewing machine with 1/4in, walking and free-motion feet • General sewing supplies Finished size: 34 x 148.5cm (13 1/2 x 58 1/2in) Note: Read all the instructions before starting the project. Requirements are based on fabric 107cm (42in) wide. It is recommended that all fabrics be 100% cotton, pre-washed and well ironed. CUTTING 1 From the red tone-on-tone print fabric, cut: • Two strips, 6 1/2in across the width of the fabric. From them, crosscut nine squares, 6 1/2in • Three strips, 5in across the width of the fabric. From them, crosscut three strips, 5…

MATERIALS • 30cm ( 3/8yd) white tone-on-tone print fabric (star centres) • 90cm (1yd) red tone-on-tone print fabric (star backgrounds) • 1.1m (1 1/4yd) solid red fabric (sashing, Border 1 and binding) • 1.1m (1 1/4yd) red and white spot print fabric (setting triangles and cornerstones) • 35cm ( 1/2yd) each of red print fabrics in four different values: light-medium; dark-medium; light-dark; and dark-dark (inner star) • 3.3m (3 5/8yd) backing fabric • 30cm ( 3/8yd) each of five light-value red on white print fabrics and five medium-value red on white print fabrics (outer star and Border 2) • Batting at least 165cm (64in) square • Paper for foundations, such as photocopy paper • Scrap of light cardboard • Rotary cutter, ruler and mat • Sewing machine • General sewing supplies Finished size: 147cm (58in) square Block size: 14in Note: It is recommended that fabrics be…

The angles used in the foundation piecing for this project can make it challenging to judge whether each new fabric will cover the required area once the seam has been sewn – and unpicking those small stitches is a nuisance. When making the first few foundations, pin each new rectangle to the previous shape along the seam line. Then fold the rectangle over so that it’s marwked side is facing up. Hold the foundation up to the light to check that the rectangle will cover the next area plus seam allowances. Once you’ve got it positioned correctly, you can move the pins to a different position, so they won’t interfere with your stitching.…