2023 Melbourne Quilt and Craft Show

I had a great  day out at the Quilt and Craft show today - sitting on the couch now 

after walking around all day!

So many spectacular and inspiring quilts. Love the fabulous funky bright colours in the top quilt here.

Denim circles - want to try this one!

Reminds me of a Klimt painting. Close up below, I like the rows of different coloured quilting stitches.

 

I always love checking out the gadgets on sale! Bought some bobbin huggers at the show a couple of years ago, so it was on my list to get some more today.

I have clips in 3 sizes but had not seen these super mini ones before! I use them for nearly all my sewing projects - hardly ever use pins.

I have never really used a needle threader, but all of my machines thread differently. The Janome is front-to- back, the 201K threads right to left, and  my 66k is left to right. No guessing which one is the trickiest to thread…will be keeping this new threader handy to the 66K for sure!

Gorgeous Waratah quilt.

Not a quilt - and apologies for the crappy photo snapped in a hurry in the bathroom at the quilt show - had to make the most of the full length mirror! Another  vest- bodice top - I have three now with plans for more ( fabric from the upholstery section in Spotlight); op shop shirt ( the one I unpicked a gazillion tiny beads off); and a new skirt finished last night. My own pattern - trying to clone my favourite op shop skirt. 8 panels, lining/petticoat, and rows of decorative top stitching near the hem. Completely forgot to factor in that there is only 30m of top stitch thread on the same sized reel as a 100m regular reel, and the bobbin used nearly half the reel! And it is a wide skirt - had to do a  dash to my local Statewide store late yesterday afternoon to buy another reel so I could finish it! 

Used all 4 machines - stitched together on the Janome; edges finished with the overlocker; tacked together on the 66k so I could try it on & adjust the size; top stitching done on the 201K.

Fascinating quilt made with a Cyanotype prints - Morgan Donner has a great video of YouTube about cyanotype botanical printing.

Inspired by some wonderful free motion embroidery seen today, I will definitely be trying some more - and using lots of colour. I saw these boxes of Wonderfil at the craft show for $32, but I knew I had spotted them at Lincraft for $10 a box - and everything is 40% this week. So I made a quick detour to Northcote on the way home to buy these -$6 each, bargain of the year. Hmmm I got a $10 voucher, maybe I should use it to buy another box!

 

Coburg Yarn & Craft market 2022

Spent nearly 2 hours looking at at the lovely yarns at the market today, and chatting with some of the stall holders.

Gorgeous blue green shades.

stunning sunset gradient inspired by the colous of a meteor shower!

corriedale wool - the scent & feel of the lanolin bought back childhood memories of visits to farms.

The pattern of this shawl is amazing, like a bargello quilt.

so many lucious colours! When they are displayed in boxes like this the hanks of yarn look like some sort of rare fruits!

Craft show shopping

Remember I said I didn't buy much at the craft show? Here is my modest collection- more plastic clips  ( because they are just sooo much better than pins!); a spare pair of little scissors;a new unpicker ( my good clover one snapped just a few days earlier in an unfortunate accident!); a sashiko sewing thimble ( must actually start the kit I bought at the show last year!); and some jewellery finding used to make a new funky necklace.