Quilt Gallery

AMQA Members’ Challenge 2008

Quilt-A-Rama, Dungog

USA Competition Winners

Victorian Quilters Showcase, 2008

Quilts Across Queensland, 2008

Port Stephens Art Prize, 2008

Australian Machine Quilting Exhibition, 2008

Queensland Quilters Annual Show, 2008

AMQA Members’ Challenge 2008

“Entering a competition pushes us to new heights and propels us to be more creative, develop new skills and gain confidence,” says Barb Cowan (President), and in 2008 AMQA members had the challenge to do just that. The inaugural Members’ Challenge consisted of two categories that had the judges excited even before the first entrant was received. Category One was to be a Pieced Star where entrants were given a quilt pattern and  restricted to a colour combination of purple, green and orange and no embellishments or three dimensional effects were allowed. Category two was to be a Wholecloth piece that was open to embellishments, colour or creative effects of any kind with restrictions only placed on its dimensions.

“Neptune’s Treasure”
by Clare Fairless of Never Ending Quilting
– Medowie NSW

Innovation in design and high levels of machine quilting were the results of the competition. It was a visual feast that delighted all, there were endless creative ides expressed when adapting one design from category one and an exciting array of colour fine fabrics, angel fibres and crystal embellishments in category two. All entries were beautiful with Clare Fairless of Never Ending Quilting awarded first place in both categories with her ‘Neptune Treasure’ work a ..."

An excerpt from
The Challenge 2008 Story by Lauren Circosta, Australian Patchwork & Quilting magazine; Vol 17 No 1 August 2008.

Many thanks to our wonderful sponsors:
- Widebacks Australia
- Lorien Quilting
- Express Publications

We hope you enjoy our gallery of entries….

Quilt Gallery (move mouse over images below to see larger image)
PIECED STAR CATEGORY
		FIRST PLACE “Neptune’s Treasure” by Clare Fairless of Never Ending Quilting – Medowie NSW A compass is the central jewel of this design and is surrounded by the gentle ebb and flow of fantasy feathers which represent the abundant corals and plant life of the seabed.
		SECOND PLACE "Feathers 3" by Belinda Betts of Eucalypt Ridge Quilting – Orange NSW I love the combination of green/purple/orange in brights so I decided to try a different group of colouring and toning. Interesting result!
		THIRD PLACE Naughts and Crosses by Jane Monk of Perfectly Quilted – Grindelwald TAS My take on the pieced star using Moda’s “Fresh Air” range of fabrics – so other patterns can reveal themselves.
		“Star Flower” by Heather Shanks of Heasha Quilting Palm Beach QLD The colourwash technique of piecing was used for the star and the nine patch blocks to give the illusion of foliage around a star shaped flower.
		“Moon Trek in Pea Soup” by Christine Fahey of Stack and Stipple – Moruya NSW Moonscape fabrics on pea green background. A challenge to marry the colours and concepts.
		“Lucky” by Robyn McHardie of Sunshine Quilts – Morayfield QLD .
		“Whimsical Conclusion” by Sharon French of Morning Star Quilting – Avoca Beach NSW I put a different slant on a traditional design using fabrics and colour to create different designs with the original. Quilting then adds another dimension.
		“Sunshine” by Verna Horwood of Precious Heirlooms Quilting Services – Menai NSW Quilt pattern and colour choice were supplied by the AMQA and I chose to have a bright orange for my star with a paler colour in the background to enhance my quilting.
		Pieced Star – “Paisley Star” by Jody Abel of Daisy Patch Quilting – Bendigo VIC I emphasised the star pattern for this quilt challenge. I love the stars with feathers and I love purple and orange as a combination.
WHOLECLOTH CATEGORY
		FIRST PLACE “Butterfly House” by Clare Fairless of Never Ending Quilting – Medowie NSW Featuring butterflies in a central medallion surrounded by plant life. Imagine being in a butterfly house and looking up at the ceiling.
		SECOND PLACE “Serenity-Lady of the Butterflies” by Heather Shanks of Heasha Quilting – Palm Beach QLD “Serenity” a butterfly fairy (by Rebecca Balchin) is embellished with silk and Angelina fibres and quilted with metallic and speciality threads.
		THIRD PLACE “Chimera” by Leona Greenslade of Quandong Quilting – Myrtle Bank SA The definition of Chimera according to the Concise Oxford Dictionary is "fanciful conception", "bogey", or "thing of hybrid character". There is no bogey in my quilt, but, in my fanciful conception I see the hybrid character of spirals, both clockwise and anti-clockwise, and a series of 3-D boxes disappearing into infinity. This design is based on an illustration of a variant of the Lingelbach illusion from a book called Eye Tricks by Gianni A. Sarcone and Marie-Jo Waeber. This quilt is the third in a series of spiral whole-cloth quilts designed by Leona Greenslade and quilted in part using Compuquilter and part using freehand designs.
		“Gina’s Test” by Christine Fahey of Stack and Stipple – Moruya NSW
		“Dainty” by Michele Turner of Pinetree Cottage Quilting – Cranebrook NSW This wholecloth is a freehand feather medallion style quilt. It is made with white cotton sateen and is an original free hand design.
		“Lavender Crush” by Verna Horwood of Precious Heirlooms Quilting Service – Menai NSW. Wholecloth quilt using digitised patterns by Kerryn Emmerson and quilted on a Gammil Statler Stitcher. The quilt consists of 25 blocks in total with 12 blocks being rotated to add an additional dimension to the quilt. A variegated lilac thread was used throughout.

Quilt-A-Rama, Dungog 2008

The Country Women's Association held theri annual Quiltarama in Dungog NSW in September. There were over 50 quilts on display.

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		Quilt Name: Piecemaker Times & Seasons Made By: Ursula Fairless Quilted by: Clare Fairless, Never Ending Quilting Prize: Viewers Choice at Quilt-A-Rama, Dungog.

USA Competition WInners

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		Quilt Name: "Snickle Dippinlips". by Clare Fairless, Never Ending Quilting Prizes: 3rd place, Innovations 2008 Washington USA Teachers Award 2008 at Machine Quilters Exposition (MQX) USA Teachers Award 2008 at Machine Quilters Showcase (MQS) USA

Victorian Quilters Showcase, 2008

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		Quilt Name: Double Delight Quilt Maker: Alice Proudfoot Machine Quilter: Marlene Lewis, Redgate Quilting Alexandra VIC Award: Excellence In Longarm Machine Quilting Show: Victorian Quilters Showcase, 2008 So named because when Alice saw her finished quilt, she was delighted and then was delighted again when the machine quilting was completed. The quilt has now found it home in Canada with Alice’s sister

Quilts Across Queensland, 2008

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		RQS - Quilts Across Queensland ‘Solutions 1’ by Barb Cowan 1st Prize Professional – Small Quilt – Any Technique

Port Stephens Art Prize, 2008

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		Pelicans on Parade by Kerrie-Anne Riles of Studio by the Lake, Gorokan, NSW. Port Stevens Art Prize 2008 2nd Prize - Textile Art division.

Australian Machine Quilting Exhibition (AMQE), 2008

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		Congratulations to Pam Hill of Manly Qld, whose quilt, Under Southern Skies won the Master Quilter Award at the 2008 Australian Machine Quilting Exhibition, Melbourne, Vic.Pam’s beautiful quilt was also awarded the Best of Show Award at the Queensland Quilters Annual Show 2008, Brisbane

Queensland Quilters Annual Show, 2008

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		A Star is Born by Robyn Mallett, Brookfield, Qld. 1st Prize Professional – Commercially Quilted Section Quilted by Kathy Adams of Koolkat Quilting, Toowoomba, Qld