Quilts In The Barn 2014

What a beautiful quilt to greet us at Quilts in the Barn this year!! This brilliant version of Homage to Sally-Ann was hand appliqued and machine quilted by Helen Hayes.

Quilts in the Barn is a wonderful 3 day event held every year by Linda Collins and her many helpers who make the day a huge success. All proceeds go to breast cancer research.

I had a day of quilts, friends, meeting new people from here and overseas, and sharing of food, fun and lots of laughter.

Lots of photos following!!!

After a quick tour of the quilts I went to meet one of Linda's international guests and one of my quilting heroes.

Me with Brenda Papadakis, of Dear Jane fame!!

I started my Dear Jane in January 2008, at a time in my life where hand sewing saved my sanity. It was an absolute delight for me to meet Brenda and have a chat with her.

Brenda signed one of my Dear Jane blocks:

I also purchased Brenda's new pattern.

Once around the barn is never enough, so off I went to have a more detailed look at the quilts. :)

Gracedale Doves. Hand appliqued, machine pieced and machine quilted by Louise Lott.
Pattern by Max and Louise Pattern Co.
I love the dove blocks on this one.

Ohio Medallion Quilt by Sharon Duffy, machine quilted by Kaye Brown.
Pattern by Judie Rothermel from her book "Reproduction Quilts From The Civil War Period 1850 - 1863"

A close up of the centre...

This next quilt has some beautiful fabrics...

Churn Dash Fancy. Machine pieced by Linda Collins in 2014. Machine quilted by Katrina Wilson.
The quilt is made from swap blocks from an online group and was inspired by many antique quilts.

I love the reds in the centre of the 2 blocks below.

A small section of a Baltimore quilt.

From Balitimore to Beaumauris - Every Quilt Tells a Story by Lynne Mills.  Needleturn appliqued.

A close up showing a beautiful variety of fabrics.

Zutphen is a large quilt. Hand stitched by Jenny Bear and quilted by Karen Terrens.

Below is the interesting story behind this quilt.

and a some close ups of the blocks. Look at that quilting!

Some hand quilted quilts too!!

New York Beauty.

Made by Judy Newman. Hand quilted by Judy Newman.

Minis by Marion Edwards. Hand quilted by Marion Edwards.

Linda's other international guest is Patty Harrants. Patty is well known for The Wickersham Signature Quilt.

I first saw a photo of this quilt many years ago and I was entranced by it!!! I fell in love with this style of quilt! Unfortunately I couldn't find that photo again, so I couldn't make the quilt. I was very delighted to find out Patty was coming to Quilts in the Barn and that she was responsible for this stunning quilt!!
The original quilt is in The State Museum of Pennsylvania. Patty made exact drawings and notes and all the blocks were made by friends of hers. The quilt was hand quilted by an 87 year old lady in just one month!! Even the quilting is an exact copy of the original.

Patty had discs for sale. She even signed the cover for me!!

The cover block is my favourite block.

Patty also gave me a personal lesson on back basting. I'm eager to give it a try.

Patty and Brenda took classes and gave talks while they were here with Linda.
Patty's class was for this quilt.

Rebecca Kohler Quilt is a crib quilt. The original is also in the collection of the State Museum of Pennsylvania. This quilt was also hand quilted.


Yesterday I met a group of four ladies who are all making Dear Jane together. They have finished al the centre blocks and are working on their triangles. We had a lovely chat while talking with Brenda, then shared a cuppa together.

More friends from yesterday...

Dorothy, Leigh and Anna, all fellow quilters from The Friday Girls at Somerset. Great stitching friends!!!



Unfortunately there wereno signs on the quilts behind us. If anyone knows who made them can you let me know please, so I credit their creators properly.

Edited...The quilt on the left is a pattern by Sandra Boyle. The quilt on the right is Museum Medallion, Pattern by Judy Newman.  (Thank you Susan and Dorothy)Th

Just a little story about the first quilt in this post. I first saw Homage to Sally-Ann hanging in Di Ford's shop, Primarily Patchwork, in 2005 or 2006. I had gone to the shop to learn how to quilt and I was taking a class for a hand sampler with 5 other ladies.  When I saw Homage to Sally-Ann hanging in the shop I fell in love with that quilt. I said to myself, "when I'm good enough" I want to make that quilt!Well, 8 or 9 years later I have bought the pattern, chosen fabrics, changed ny mind on fabrics, chosen more fabrics................and that is as far as I have got!!!
Do you also have a quilt like this, hidden away in a cupboard, waiting for the right time to be made?

More Quilts in the Barn 2013

I have a few more photos to share from Quilts in the Barn 2013.

(For my previous post with lots more quilt photos go here)

A stunning chintz quilt.

A little closer...

 This year once again Mary and Joe Koval brought some antique quilts, blocks and fabric, but this year the emphasis was on chintz.

 Their area of the barn was very popular!

I love this quilt!

More chintz..

 There was a selection of chintz fabric available for purchase.

Here is the fabric I came home with, along with the stunning book Chintz Quilts From The Poos Collection, by Kay and Lori lee Triplett and Xenia Cord.

Yardage of white and red fabric, border prints both red and white and a park of various coloured chintzes. Both the border fabrics and the smaller pack are glazed chintz fabric.
I would love to make a quilt like the one with the flying geese around the centre block in the red quilt photograph above.

Thank you Linda, and all your helpers, for another great three days of quilts and friends!

Looking forward to next year's Quilts in the Barn already!!

Quilts in the Barn 2013

This year the theme for Linda's Quilts in the Barn exhibition is chintz. Displayed in the barn were quilts from the book Promenade in a Dutch Garden by Petra Prins and An Moonen, antique quilts and chintz panels from Mary Koval's collection and chintz fabric from Den Haan and Wagenmakers in Holland, which is available for purchase.
There were many other quilts, both old and new on display too.

Lots of quilt photos below, but just a few of those exhibited!!!

Quilts with trees. The first 2 have a printed panel.

In the quilt below the centre panel is all appliqued!!

A litle closer...

Old quilts.

The papers behind this hexagon piece are from London and are dated from 1793 to 1803!!

A beautiful old, small quilt.

A closer look at the fabrics...

Take a look here...

...exactly the same quilt in a post this week by Barbara Brackman on her Material Culture blog!!
(scroll down to the photo above the photo labelled "Pearl Street today".

Quilts with pinwheel blocks..

Amazing quilting by machine

and by hand. (click on the photo for a closer look)

I got to catch up with several people I have met before and some I met for the first time today

Me, Sharon from The Chester County Criswell Quilt blog and Carole from Wheels on the Warrandyte Bus blog

The raffle quilt this year is another amazing quilt!!!

All funds raised from the 3 days of the exhibition are donated to breast cancer research.

I hope I have whet your appetite with my photos. There are lots more quilts to see, a little shop with The Quilted Crow ladies from Tasmania, delicious refreshments for sale, books and Chintz fabrics to purchase as well as Mary Koval's antiques to see and purchase.
The exhibition continues all weekend.

Quilts in the Barn
23 Hartley Rd
Wonga Park, Vic

Melway Map 24, F9.

I'll be back soon with a couple more photos from today.



Have a great weekend!!!

....and just for those who follow the AFL. Tomorrow is the grand final. Go Hawks!!!!

Quilts in the Barn 2012

This year Linda's theme for Quilts in the Barn was inspired by her visit to Infinite Variety in New York last year.
Every quilt hanging this year is red and white.

This quilt hangs above the doorway as you enter.

I loved this house quilt.

There were lots of tiny quilts.

Even a tiny bed..

This quilt is embroidered and appliqued.

The embroidery stitches are perfect and very tiny!!!

It almost looks like the designs were printed!!!

Lots of larger quilts, both pieced and appliqued. (sorry I couldn't get a photo of the whole quilt with all of these)

This stunning quilt was all appliqued.

Pieced quilts.

Amazing!!!

A New York Beauty with a beautiful toile fabric.

 I love the applique on the border of this quilt.

Below is a signature quilt. I saw several well known names here....Linda Collins, Mary Koval, Lori De Jarnatt, Kathy Holland,  Jo Morton and  Dawn Ronningen!!

 Above is only a small selection of the quilts on display. There are lots more to see!!

As well as all the quilts there are raffles, delicious morning and afternoon teas...and lunch!

Linda also had badges made this year! A choice of 2 designs.

The Quilted Crow girls from Tasmania were there with lots of fabric and their new book.

Mary Koval had antique fabrics, blocks and quilts and new fabric also.

I spent several hours admiring quilts and chatting with friends old and new.

The exhibition is still on tomorrow so, if you live close enough, don't miss the chance to see a spectacular exhibition.
All funds raised go to breast cancer research.

Linda will have lots of photos on her blog later.  Right now you can see Dorothy's, Meredithe's and  Jan's, blogs to see more photos and news from the Barn.