Totally Tubular Quilts

While I was at AQC last week I was lucky enough to take a class with Rita Hutchens from the US. I really enjoyed the class and also bought Rita's book- Totally Tubular Quilts. I'm very happy to recommend Rita's classes and she is willing to teach again here in Australia or New Zealand next year.
If you are interested in booking her for classes please read the following info.
Rita wrote:
I enjoyed my time at AQC with you all.    I was very well received in Australia and found the Australian quilters to be quite competent. and friendly and FUN.  I appreciate all of your support in taking my workshop.  I hope you all got as much ourt of it as I did.  I am looking forward to returning.

 

I will be teaching in Taupo July 18-23 2013 and would like to book a teaching tour of Australia at that time. I am thinking I would like to book Australia before my time in New Zealand, but I have left several weeks on either side of my New Zealand Booking for teaching and touring Australia. I hope to book with several other groups in Australia. If you belong to a group or guild that may want to host me for a workshop and or lecture please pass this along to the person who arranges your workshops and pass their contact information along to me.  Any contacts you could provide for this would be greatly appreciated. I am under contract to not teach anywhere in New Zealand at this time.

Below you will find a selection of information about, my self, my technique and selected workshop offerings.

  Rita Hutchens
(H)208-263-7860
(C)208-946-6415
P.O. Box 1954
Sandpoint, Idaho 83864
 

Tubular Strip Piecing Is a totally out of the box way to think about and strip piece patterns, Is a cross between Seminole and Bargello, with a unique twist, Is done without paper, templates, waste or problems with the bias, Can be combined with a number of different cutting techniques for creating, Wedge, Kaleidoscopes and Mirror image patterns, Appeals to all levels and types of quilters TOTALLY TUBULAR is INTUITIVE, TOTALLY TUBULAR is FUN, TOTALLY TUBULAR is MAGIC
Lectures Follow Rita’s 30 year journey in quilting and the Totally Tubular Technique of Strip Piecing High quality powerpoint slide shows of quilts and animated tutorials of processes Lectures end with a question and answer session  And a chance to see actual finished quilts and pattern samples They move along at a fast pace and are designed to be entertaining and informative They can be tailored to suit your group or venue Workshops Include Six hours of class instruction Detailed  hand-outs of techniques and exercises.
Rita's Teaching Resume www.ritahutchens.com/Pages/Workshops.html www.ritahutchens.com www.youtube.com/user/ritahutchens www.etsy.com/shop/ritahutchens Hugs, Jan Mac

Today's Comings and Goings

 Today another parcel arrived from Gina Wilson (Vic) and Gina has once again made and donated a beautiful quilt top. The batik fabric and colours of blue and brown are perfect for a make quilt and will be really appreciated as so many of us have pretties and floral fabrics that it's often hard to find one suitable for a male. I'll get this one quilted ASAP and donated to someone in need.
 I'm currently excavating the sewing room so I've been busy knitting while the weather has turned so cold. I finished off this scarf and sent off a box of 2 crocheted SB blankets, 2 polar fleece blankets, a cot sized quilt and some knitted items. They are on there way to Queensland to be donated at the Brisbane Homeless Connect day.
You may have noticed that I've added lots of blogs that I follow and I'm happy to add yours' if I have missed it. It makes it much easier for me to check the blogs I like to read by giving me a heads up when they have been updated. I hope you'll enjoy them too. They are a mixed lot of blogs and I'll add to it as I find blogs that interest and inspire me.
 I also need to get back to my Stars on Sunday and Cross Stitch Tuesday posts as I have let them slide since I returned from China. My lovely friend, Julie, reminded me that I haven't updated these projects for ages so I'll have to address this very soon and I also have some more photos of China to share.
In the meantime I'm knitting and crocheting more items to donate and will have more to show very soon.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Anzac Day Finishes

ANZAC Day is always an important day for us here in Australia, when we remember and honour our service men and women. It has always meant a lot to my family as my Dad's oldest brother was shot down and killed over Germany just before his 21 st birthday and on his 3rd flight during World War 2. We are grateful for all of those who have served to protect our freedom.
 This week I've used my time on finishing off another crocheted blanket for the Homeless Connect day to be held in Brisbane at the end of May. I also finished off 2 fleecy blankets from donated fabric, for the homeless. I have also received a very large parcel of finished quilts made and donated by Margo Barber (Tas) and they will be so welcomed as our weather has turned very cold very quickly here and living on the streets on in a refuge will be made much more comfortable by these quilts. She also included some donated yarn in variegated colours which will help to make another crocheted blanket to donate. I plan to get started on one while watching the televised football this afternoon. Check over on my other blog for photos of Margo's beautiful quilts.
 I almost forgot the pair of PJ pants were made this morning for a 10 year old boy and the warm flannelette will keep him warm this winter.
 I hope you are all staying warm and enjoying the day too!
Hugs, Jan Mac

Classes at AQC

I decided to take 4 classes at AQC this year and I was very lucky to take 3 of them with international quilters.
Noriko Endo is a Japanese quilter who specializes in her technique of confetti landscapes, based on the technique of Van Gogh. She is self-taught, her work is exquisite and she is a lovely teacher who made sure that we all understood her techniques and then she added some of her "Magic fabric" to enhance our designs.

Philippa Naylor form the UK taught machine quilting and trapunto and her vibrant colours and designs were lovely to see up close. She works on one quilt a year and teaches all over the world. She's well organized and an excellent teacher, helping all the students with their techniques.
Rita Hutchens from the US has developed a clever way of making half square triangles and other shapes for borders, which doesn't waste fabric and makes it quicker to make long pieces for borders or you could make a quilt using her techniques. She gave us homework of sewing to do before the class which made sure that we got as much time as possible to work on her techniques. I enjoyed the class and learned lots which I need to practise now to make piecing easier.
I also took a class with Kim Bradley (Australia) where we tried out all different types of textile mediums.
I was very lucky to have 3 friends to share the AQC experience with and we hope to do it again.
Thanks for the fun!
Hugs, Jan Mac

While I was Away...

I've been taking a break but luckily some of the very generous quilters who help get quilts made and donated have been working hard.
While I was away at AQC I received these beautiful QAYG blocks to make more donation quilts. The first ones are from Kaite of Bathurst (NSW) and will make some lovely quilts for kids.
The second lot are all the way from Western Australia and Maria Wilson has again very generously made enough blocks for a large quilt and also included 2 sets of binding to finish the quilts.
Thank you so much for your generosity when I know that you are also very busy with other commitments.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Australasian Quilt Convention 2012

I'm finally home again after spending 10 days in Melbourne for the AQC. (AQC only lasts for 4 and 1/2 days but I was very lucky to stay on and visit with family and friends). It was a great chance to see beautiful quilts, take classes, buy more supplies and catch up with quilting friends.
I didn't take as many photos of the quilts as usual but I did include a few that caught my eye. My favourite was Michelle Hill's winning quilt from the Sth Australian Quilt Show. It was beautifully appliqued and quilted and had some fabulous embellishments which enhanced the design. Michelle specializes in her designs based on the work of William Morris and they are intricate and beautifully executed.
A lovely surprise when I returned home was that my roses were blooming and my favourite red rose was rewarding me for the hard work of pruning it last year. The rose bushes which we'd transplanted from my lovely Mum's garden have also started new growth on two so I'm hopeful that they will survive. Mum and I both love roses and I used to buy the bushes for her garden so I'm very grateful to have them here in her memory.
More about the AQC classes soon. I was going to post on my blog about AQC and my dressmaking before I went to Melbourne but the internet was so slow that I was unable to load any photos so I'll add to them now.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Easter Break

I feel like I've been neglecting my blog lately as we have been away camping back home for a few days and then camping again. We came home for Easter as the camping grounds were very crowded. We did some lovely drives up in the mountains and around Lake Eildon with beautiful sunny days and cooler nights.
I did manage to finish off another crocheted blanket for the Homeless Connect Day to be held in Brisbane in May and I've started another one as blankets are in big demand at this time of year.
I also received 5 large parcels of donated fabric from Judy Cooke (Vic) and there were many pieces of fleece already prepared to make baby hats and booties so I'll be busy with those very soon.
In the meantime I'm busy catching up with family and I need to prepare for my classes at AQC which starts in a few days time.
I hope you're all having a peaceful Easter break too.
Hugs, Jan Mac