By Robyn

We have two Modern Quilt Kitsets at the shop (Patchwork Passion) that you may be interested in. Both are designed by Zen Chic.

The first is “Linen Inlay” and is 49” square. This quilt is made of just two fabrics – the solid Moda Bella Grey Solid and the feature Juggling Summer Labyrinth. It is suggested that you chunky hand stitch vertical quilting lines through the quilt. It is simple to piece so should be easy and quick to machine piece. $95.00

The second one is “Zen Silver”. This one has a stunning grey background fabric made up of circles even though in the photo it looks like a solid grey. It is larger – 82” square. Along with the background you use one Charm Pack from the “Juggling Summer” range. The squares on the quilt centre are pieced in and the circles are appliquéd with fusible webbing and stitched on with invisible thread. It is quilted with overlapping circles which go so well with the background fabric.  $168.00

You can order these from Patchwork Passion – phone 09 622 2270 or email at patchworkpassion@xtra.co.nz. Mail orders are welcome using a credit card for payment.

by Lara

I was talking to Robyn at the Auckland Quiltmakers Show and she urged me to send in a couple of photos of something I made recently. My daughters friend was recently diagnosed with cancer. She is only 18. So I decided to make her a quilt to keep her cosy. She had been with us on a trip to Rarotonga a couple of years ago so I thought that I would make  it using Tula Pinks Salt range. The pattern is also a Tula Pink pattern. All the fabrics are sea themed and worked well together. I was really pleased with the result.

By Isabel

Each year our local Quilt Guild has a competition. Last year it was for a bloke’s quilt. I must admit I usually prefer to have a few more guidelines, but I had just made a quilt from a pattern from a Quilting Arts eBook called Rubik’s Crush by Ashley Newcomb that I liked very much. I liked the simplicity and clean lines of the pattern and thought it would be a great pattern for a blokes quilt.

I had a few of my husband’s shirts that I had saved thinking I might do something with them one day so that was the place to start. I bought some more shirts from my local thrift shop to give me some variety.

In keeping with the recycled theme I used an old blanket for the batting that I washed in hot water in the machine to felt it a bit. I am not sure that this was totally successful for me although I do know plenty of people who do this regularly. It has turned out very heavy.  I also bought from the thrift shop a large flannelette sheet from the backing. I quilted it using a square type stippling.

We have a local brewery called Green Man Brewery and my husband wanted to call it Green Man Bare (green for being recycled, man for the bloke’s quilt theme and bare as I had cut up his shirts) however I thought that was a bit cryptic for me so in the end called it The Shirt Off His Back.

It did not win any prizes in our competition but was a fun quilt to make.

by Robyn

These are ideas put together at the last Guild Meeting. We discussed the pros and cons of pre-washing your fabrics before cutting into them. These are our thoughts:

- those of us that have been quilting more many years were more in the habit of washing our fabrics but certainly not as fuss about as we used to be

- fabrics have become more stable re colourfastness and shrinkage so many of us have stopped religiously washing

- we do tend to consider what fabrics we are mixing in relation to colour – for example if you are putting strong reds or blues with white or a light colour it still might be a good idea to test your fabric for colour run – nothing is worse than red or blue streaking through your white the first time you wash your quilt

- cheaper and older fabric should definitely be washed

- if you are washing it is better to swish them through warm water rather than putting them through a vigorous machine wash as it reduces fraying

- some people like the fabrics not pre-washed as the sizing stays in and makes the fabric a  little firmer to sew while some liked the sizing out as it reduces the creasing of the fabric and makes it easier to iron

- washing is helpful for removing the fold line that fabrics have when they come off a bolt

- ‘Run Away” is a really good product  to have on hand in case of a colour run emergency – it is available at most supermarkets, os pop some in your laundry cupboard as speed of use is helpful !

You can Google to more opinions and information. Basically it seems to come down to personal preference, what the quilt is going to be used for and what combination of fabrics you are using.

by Pritcilla

Always having been an admirer of the old treadle sewing machines, I found finally found myself the proud owner of one in November 2012.  In fantastic original condition, the drawers included the original instruction booklet, the shuttle bobbin, original bobbins, old-fashioned machine gadgets still in the original wax paper, and an array of more ‘modern’ feet. 

Purchased off an English couple who had brought it to New Zealand a number of years ago, the machine had not been used in years, but had its ‘joints’ kept fluid with motorcycle  grease.  A quick mend of the leather treadle strap, some modern sewing machine oil and a loving polish brought her back to her former glory.  Yes, she started off as ‘as machine’, but really, ‘it’ became a ‘she’ through her sheer presence and gorgeousness. 

As with all singer sewing machines, she could be dated with her serial number – placing her date of manufacture in Glasgow in 1896.  She is a Model 27, with a vibrating boat shuttle, and sews only forward -  using lockstitch.  A ‘coffin top’ adds to her uniqueness; unlike later models, the machine head does not fold down into the table.

Having been guided into how to ‘treadle’, it was high time to get creative.  Having quite a bit of calico handy, some pretty, vintage-like fat quarters and an outline of how to create a ‘flying geese’ pattern, I got busy on the treadle.  And it was all quite easy.

I loved the rhythm of the treadle, learnt what happens when you stop that rhythm (uh, oh), loved the little-train cadence of the ‘tick, tick, tick’ that the machine makes when it sews and was fascinated by the movement of the tiny plates and cogs when you have to fill up the bobbin (quite often) again.  In short, I love sewing on such a beautiful piece of very straight-forward engineering created 117 years ago.

The top was created on the treadle, and side strips were added to make the quilt a bit larger.  I also used whatever was left, bits of calico and some fabric remnants to sew together a backing piece as well. In keeping with the modern-but-vintage theme, I hand quilted it in blue thread, and so the ‘treadle quilt’ was created; a friendly vintage-modern piece that makes people smile and marvel at the genius of a fantastic little antique sewing machine.

by Robyn

At our meeting last week Mary talked about ways to use selvages and got us all inspired to start collecting!

She started off using a free downloadable pattern called “Red Zinger”. You can now buy this pattern from www.etsy.com/people/KarenGriskaQuilts  If you Goggle “Red Zinger Quilts” you will find lots and lots of versions to inspire you to get going on one. This is one of Mary’s blocks.

It is a good idea to cut about 1” of selvage off each fabric – it gives  a nicer effect if you can see some of the original fabric design too. Even keep bits with no words or colour dots – they all add to the effect and the collection. You can also use a selvage that is printed to the very edge with no words as that will give your work a break from white and words.

You start with a foundation and add on selvage pieces overlapping them by about ¼” and top stitch them in place. Always cut your foundation piece larger than desired so you can trim it back neatly when all your selvages are added.

Some of Mary’s blocks laid out together.

Or you can start with a batting and a backing and quilt as you go by using the stitch and flip method.

And a quick little purse Mary made – she hasn’t put in a lining but has bound the seams inside.It has a zip in hte top and wee tag.

Have fun creating and don’t forget to email aucklandmodernquiltguild.co.nz a photo so we can post it too.

by Paula

by Robyn

At the last meeting on April 9 we decided it was time for  a new Challenge and we found this one.

If you remember we did their other one a year or so ago and had great fun sharing it at meetings and online. Some of us made a quilt by repeating the block across the quilt while others made one of each block with teh thought of maybe putting them into a modern sampler style quilt.

So follow this link and have some fun – we look forward to lots of interest and sharing of blocks/quilts. I am certainly off to start the first one as I have been looking for some new inspiration for a while.

http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/2013/03/all-new-modern-block-of-the-month-bom-sew-along-march-up-from-here-block/

By Paula

Now I have to confess a couple of things here . . .

I am new to the “modern movement” in quilting. But have been quilting now for 11 or so years and, that while I am quite computer savvy, I am new to blogging. I have set up my own blog page, but need to remember among all the other things to do is post on it!

So here goes with this one. . . .
Sometime late last year I joined a house group and volunteered to host the “Xmas Do”. One of the many activities played was “Charm Square or the Bag” where I negotiated with charm squares. Oddly enough they all picked the bag . . . . but unbeknown they were all to receive the “Charm Square Challenge”

Basically I popped into a local craft store and brought around 80 cm of 4 fabrics that co-ordinated. Cut them into 5” Charm Squares and divided between the 8 members (21 squares each).
Nothing too hard but the rules were –
 Make something of your own choice – quilt, bag, table runner, etc
 May add any other fabrics, but must use at least 1 of each fabrics included
 Must be completed by 5th February

So we each started with 21 squares that looked like this:

I had decided from the start to make a modern looking quilt for charity, as I really didn’t need another quilt to lay on the spare bed (14 to remove before anyone gets in is enough).

To achieve this I knew that I had to quickly simplify and at least double the fabric I had. And the neutral colour and availability of seeded muslin would suit the overall look of the quilt.

I worked out that if I cut 7 dark Charm Squares into 4 and added triangles my 7 squares would become 28. I played around in my head with different options, working out numbers and making sure I was going to get a lap quilt size at the end.
And it did get a bit confusing in there. I came up with a scribble that would represent my quilt. This is pretty much how all my quilt start. Scribbled notes on graph paper.

To make my 2½ “ squares bigger, I added 2 triangles to opposite sides pressed and added two more to the other side and trimmed the blocks to 5 “ square. Like this.

Using the design wall I placed all the blocks and alternated them with a solid square to create the open spaces of modern quilting until I was happy with the balance of the prints and solid.

I stitched them all together and added a 1 ½” finished border of extra fabric along with a 4 ½ ” finished solid border to keep the balance of solid areas and the scale of the block size together.

When it came to quilting, I knew the modern look was to push towards simplified quilting, straight lines, etc. . . . but I cheated. Due to limited time and unlimited U.F.O.s, all over pantograph quilting saw it quilted in no time. Solid binding completed the minimal look.

This quilt used solid fabric and just 20 charm squares and measures 52” square.

I am yet to see the members work and what they have made with their squares. For now I am keen to explore and share in the world of “modern quilting” and see where it leads.

Happy stitching from the Horowhenua, Paula