Craft and Quilt show photos now uploaded.

I have finally posted the photos I took at the Craft & Quilt Fair last week, to my Needlecraft and Quilt Shows blog here. Click on the link to see.

Quilt Fair, Aussie bird fabric.

I took all those placemats to the Avic. meeting this week, and the ladies were delighted.  I had pinned some lace and embellishment to some of the mats, but the ladies said no, they didn't need that, so I unpinned it and they were happy with them as they are.  They used two for door prizes, and one of the winners was a girl, who was thrilled to get something other than a bag of bird seed, handy as that is!

At the committee meeting (my first one) the guys were discussing the up and coming Avic. convention, and mentioned the raffle they are having.  Someone asked what were the prizes and the president replied "Oh the usual bag of seed and some books".  I piped up "Oh, that's not enough for an Australia wide convention!  You might get someone from interstate winning the raffle - how are they going to carry 20 kg of birdseed back on the plane?  How about I make a quilt using bird fabrics, for the prize?"  The men mostly looked blank, but one or two said "That's a great idea!  My wife would like that!".

So there I go again, opening my big mouth...they don't know it yet, but I didn't say what size quilt I would make ;-)  I do not make bed quilts - single, double or otherwise!  It will be a throw, about the same size as the one I made for Ken for his retirment, with the motorcycles.   It can be used as a topper for a bed, or to throw over the back of a couch, or even a large wallhanging.  Today I went to the Craft and Quilt Fair and asked every fabric stall holder if they had any fabric with Australian birds.  I didn't find exactly what I would have liked, but this one will do.  It was the last piece on the bolt, not quite two metres, so I was very lucky to get it before it was sold out.

My first idea was to cut it into square blocks and alternate them with four patch blocks of matching colours, but then I saw a display on another stall, where they had used photographs of birds printed on to that special photo fabric, and made up into a wall hanging.  Light bulb moment for me!  I can do that, and use this parrot fabric for the backing!  So I bought a pack of 10 photo fabric sheets, and will download some nice photos of finches and parrots from the Avic. society website to use, after I check with the webmaster it is okay to do that.

My EFTPOS card went into overdrive today as usual.  I was with my friend Connie and neither of us have been to a quilt and craft fair for a couple of years, so we had a ball!  An expensive ball, but she needed some retail therapy, and it was my duty to encourage her...lol.  These are my other purchases:

I never thought I would buy any more chook fabric, but someone always brings out something so gorgeous that I just can't resist it!  Luckily Ken liked it too....he didn't ask how much it was.

I need more Elvis fabric like I need a hole in the head, but I know quite a few Elvis fans, and am thinking this will make great birthday or Christmas gifts.

I love the piano fabric!  Bought just half a metre, because I know I have a pattern somewhere using that fabric, and always thought I'd like to make it if ever I found the fabric.
The Asahi Quilt bias tape is iron-on bias tape to use on stained glass window quilts.  I've always wanted to make one but thought nah, too complicated, but this makes it so easy!  Watch this space, lol.
The can is Quilt basting spray which I was shocked to discover later, had cost me $18!  Is that right???
I also bought two colouring books, but they are on my Art and craft blog.
The most expensive item for the day was not fabric, books or any of that.  Would you believe it cost $50 to park under that damn Exhibition Centre for 5 hours?  Another reason why I don't go to these fairs every year!

Nearly forgot to mention the Quilt Show.  I took heaps of photos, and will be posting them to my Needlecraft Shows blog in the next day or so.  I probably won't leave them there for long though, as I am aware that many people don't like photos of these shows on blogs or social media.  I'll put a note on here when I've done it.

Aust. bird items of patchwork.

I have recently been elected to the committee of the Avicultural Society of Australia (you can blame my husband for this, lol), and I offered to provide some of the prizes for the monthly meeting raffles, as they don't vary much from month to month, and one of the ladies has even started donating boxes of glasses, whether they are unused gifts from their home, or she has bought them for the purpose, I don't know. I showed some of my patchwork to the ladies at the meeting, and they all loved the idea of having bird-related patchwork items for the raffle. These are what I have completed so far:
A small runner with a Galah in the centre.  The sides look a bit bare, so I am going to add some matching buttons or other bling.

Mug rug with Blue Wren.

Mug rug or small mat with Sulphur Crested Cockatoos.

Pair of placemats using the same two fabrics but with different coloured sashing.  They don't have to be taken as a pair, it depends on what the ladies running the raffle want to do with them.

I had to use what was in my stash for these items, but I hope to find some better bird fabrics at the Craft & Quilt Fair later this month.  I know there are some beautiful Aussie bird fabrics around, but they aren't found in many fabric shops, and I couldn't even find much on line, so I'm hoping the stalls at the Fair will have some new lines in.