A Road Test by Michelle Marvig: The Magik Pressing Mat
Life is too short to iron, right? I avoid buying clothes that require ironing, fold the clothes as soon as they come off the line, and have never ironed household linen. So, why am I happy to be testing something that has to do with ironing?Because the one thing that I am pedantic about pressing is […]
Inside Rachael Porter’s Studio
A passion that began with the archetypal sampler quilt has blossomed into award-winning quilts, teaching gigs and now a blossoming online business for quiltmaker and designer Rachael Porter. Words by Michael O’Neile. Photographs provided by Rachael Porter. Rachael reminisces that her quiltmaking has markedly changed since she began this textile journey. Initially her quilts were […]
Mid & Long Arm Machines with Anita Ellis
Do I need a longarm quilting machine? This is such a big decision, literally. Longarm quilting set-ups are big on space requirements and costly to purchase. Often these are the only things that are considered, but there is so much more to think about. As always, I am not going to advise you to buy […]
Block Masterclass Series: Dresden Plate
The Dresden Plate owes its name to the German city of Dresden, where porcelain plates decorated with elaborate flowers, fruits and foliage designs were produced. These plates became the inspiration for the Dresden Plate quilt block. During the 1920s and ‘30s, these blocks were some of the most popular designs. The Dresden Plate pattern combines […]
Road Test – Kaniva Template Set by Little Desert Quilts
The lament of every quilter that I have ever met, or know, is that we all struggle with lack of discipline when it comes to buying fabric. We all have plenty at home and tell ourselves “no more”, but we still buy more when temptation is in front of us! We just can’t help ourselves. […]
In the Studio with Catherine Butterworth
A life-long involvement in fabric retailing and sewing has given Catherine Butterworth the background for creating award-winning quilts in both traditional and modern styles Words by Michael O’Neile Photographs by Peter and Julie Butterworth Ohioan-born Catherine Butterworth first visited Australia as an exchange secondary student in 1971, returning to Sydney a few years later […]
Block Masterclass Series: Double Wedding Ring
Although patterns and designs reminiscent of the Double Wedding Ring (DWR) go back hundreds of years, it wasn’t until the 1920s that the first pattern was printed in America. In the following decade, and in keeping with the ‘make-do’ ethos of the day, many DWR quilts were made using small scraps and feedsack prints. They […]
Block Masterclass Series: Log Cabin
Log Cabin The Log Cabin quilt block is arguably the most well-known and best loved of all quilt designs. With its straight seams, it is simple enough for a beginner to sew, and oh-so-exciting for the beginner as well as the more experienced quilter to ‘play’ with the designs 1.LOG CABIN HISTORY Log Cabin quilts […]
Setting up your sewing workspace with Anita Ellis
We have all coveted the beautiful places that people create for their sewing adventures. I can swoon over these just as much as the next quilter. But we all know this is not necessarily realistic. For one, we all create differently. I am a messy thing whose focus remains totally on the task in hand, […]
Designer Stitch & Quilt: Adjustable Multi-Purpose Creative Station
The Designer Stitch & Quilt Creative Station is distributed by Baby Lock Australia. Baby Lock is famous for inventing the first domestic overlocker in 1967. Since then the initial design has evolved, with amazing new technology being added, such as air threading and coverstitch. Embellishing and Sashiko machines have also been added to the range […]