Category: Wool

Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair 2014...

9/11/2014

Woohoo!!!... finally uploaded some photos of ... the BIG ONE, the Sydney Quilt and Craft Fair that took place from July 9-13 . To give you a general feel for what I saw...

These are some of the shops that were selling their goods at the show...

These were some of the gizmos and some of the talks/demonstrations I attended, and, some talented people I met..

One of the Exhibitions within the exhibition, this one was this years AQC challenge titled "Ten". I managed to take some of the entries before my camera finally ran out of battery...well there were more than 400 quilts displayed and both days I went my camera was working overtime taking happy snaps whenever I could.

If you would like to see all of the quilts from this challenge I have included a link button....I will post another blog before the end of the year with some more quilts to feast your eyes upon..promise...Maro

link to all of the Ten challenge finalist quilts

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Woolly Sensations....

17/7/2014

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All seen at the Craft and Quilt Fair I visited in Sydney last week. Sorry to those who are breaking out into a sweat just reading about wool, at home, locked inside due to the summer heat...
When I managed to pries myself away from looking at quilts I took a few snaps of yarns and fibers that caught my eye. Some of the photos do not do justice to the colours and textures but hopefully give an indication of the standard of the artists and crafty people who were exhibiting.

Prudence Mapstone's creations of
http://www.knotjustknitting.com/

Have no idea, but, this seems a good way for knitters to get rid of their left over bits of wool...These pieces were stunning and had so much texture and detail...great patchwork look...could do that in fabric...oops a thought !!

I spotted a couple of shops which make and sell patterns for knitted or woolly toys and dolls ...

My two favourite yarn shops ...feel like I really have to start knitting, crocheting or weaving...something ...

Last but not least...the revival of knitting machines....yes , not just to make skirts and tops but also wall hangings. This one is called 'Autumn' and was created by Angela McGregor who is a member of the Machine Knitters Association of Victoria.

There are quite a few knitting machine clubs around the country...one just 10 minutes away from here...mmm... now that's a thought ... and funny that mum actually mentioned where her knitting machine was and that she has not had the chance to use it for a few decades....will have to sign her up!!...might get her to knit up a few squares for a woolly quilt... thoughts that are never ending...stop NOW and GO AND SEW SOMETHING!!!
...Maro

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Marie Watt...

18/10/2013

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Marie Watt pictured second from right.

What a wonderful experience we had on a Saturday morning in late September. Personally, I could have stayed all day, stitching away.... It was so liberating not having to be so precise in what we were doing...back to being a "koutourou" girl !....by the way, the Cypriots in the group, of both Greek and Turkish backgrounds, worked out that this word is truely Cypriot and not from either mainland Greek or Turkish..and means bodgey,random, ad hoc or not so good.
Artist Marie Watt believes that every persons stitch is like a fingerprint and so travels the world setting up sewing circles for some of her works.

I was thrilled to be given Marie's book, a first comprehensive view of her work covering from the mid 1990's till present...

Center section where jingles will be attatched...this backing is made from old army blankets.

Maro...another daft photo...oh well !!!

Maro's section...just had to get rid of the basting stitches too...

Stitches fingerprints...

Froso Mavrou of Creative Clothing etc.

Our first male to join the group...yes, we had 5 join in the stitching...

Nonie and Turkish Cypriot Paper Artist Inci Kansu who makes her own papers from scratch...http://www.incikansu.info/

Nonie's section of work, a different twist on assemblying the pieces in a zig zag stitch...

Jingles: made from tobacco container tops and then rolled into a cone.

Marie's latest work ,again, uses old woollen blankets ..(See photos of her previous works here http://pdxcontemporaryart.com/watt#o ).This piece, from what I understood, will represent the Native American custom for women to incorporate jingles on their jingle dresses:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingle_dress. From what Marie told us the women have to "earn" jingles before they sew them on to their costumes. Each jingle has a wish written inside and if a particular jingle falls off their costume during the jingle pow wow dance ,then, that wish comes true...We all got to write our wishes in the jingles which are to be sewn on the middle section of the piece. Marie is unsure as to how the piece will look when finished or when it will be finished...we know what this is all about !!! Depending on when it is, it will be exhibited in Denver , Insights in Santa Fe or at UC Davis Art Museum.
If you would like to read a local article on Marie, please click on the link below...Maro

http://cyprus-mail.com/2013/10/10/half-cowboy-half-indian/

Ps:
We were really lucky with the weather too as it was only in the low 30's and not too muggy in the morning...don't think it would have been too pleasant touching all that wool if it had been any hotter !!
Thank you to all involved setting up this event , a truely memorable experience...

Cyprus cat enjoying the event too...in true Cyprus fashion !

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Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair 2014...

Woolly Sensations....

Marie Watt...

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Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair 2014...

Woolly Sensations....

Marie Watt...

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