Quilters Companion

Quilters Companion is the definitive patchwork and quilting magazine. Published since 2001, Quilters Companion provides readers with exciting quilting projects. These projects are accompanied by easy-to follow instructions and accompanying pattern sheets, stunning styled shots and interesting stories about the featured projects. We pride ourselves not just on being an instructional publication — we are a good read as well! Purchase includes the Digital Edition and News Service. Please stay in touch via our Facebook Page.

Editor’s Journal

Quilters Companion • QC No. 129 Vol.22 No.5 SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2024

Quilty Treasures

QuiltWeek Branson • The second American Quilters’ Society exhibition for 2024 was held March 13–16 in Branson, Missouri. At this event, Australian quilter, Mariya Waters, took out the Best of Show major award. In the following pages we share some of the winning quilts – you can see all of the winners at: www.americanquilter.com/quiltweek/aqs-quiltcontests/past-winners/branson-2024-award-winners Photographs supplied by AQS

A Nod to ‘Lil’ • In the 1940s, Helen’s grandmother, Elizabeth ‘Lil’ Evans, made a Diamond Star quilt. Lil’s beautiful quilt was made from dress fabrics that she had swapped with the women of the district. These fabrics were stitched onto paper using the English paper piecing (EPP) method. Seven decades later, Helen is honouring Lil’s quilt with her own interpretation of a Diamond Star quilt made with traditional hand piecing. While Lil’s stars were set in black hexagons, Helen’s are set with triangles of six different colours. These triangles create secondary stars. Lil’s quilt can be seen at the National Gallery of Victoria: www.ngv.vic.gov.au/quilt/elizabeth-mary-evans

Late Lounge Lover • The inspiration for this quilt came from a two-coloured vintage quilt of the same block. Cat modernised the vintage design by adding the navy and brighter-coloured fabrics. She used a scrappy low-volume background to give a modern lift and to add depth to the brighter-coloured blocks.

Free Falling • This quilt is all about play. The only rule is — there are no rules! So, once you have mastered the free-form sewing technique, go for it. Follow your own path (or Terase’s if you prefer), dive into the scrap piles and have some fun.

Pips and Passionflowers • Karen has combined workmanship of an extraordinarily high standard with a connoisseur’s eye for colour and print to create a piece that will captivate you. What a magnificent work of art to hang in the entry hall, formal lounge or master bedroom in your home.

Plaid Squared • A collection of different plaids works beautifully in simple patchwork squares, such as the Nine-patch block used in this quilt.

Butterfly Kisses • Wendy has used mostly reproduction-style fabrics in dark and bright prints, and shirtings for the light prints of the fans. There’s an assortment of grey and black prints for the setting squares and black and white spots for the ‘eyes’. The navy blue floral print of the background and border is Smitten by Bonnie and Camille for Moda Fabrics. Wendy’s inspiration for this quilt was a photo in an old book, Quilts of Illusion, by Laura Fisher.

Textile Artist Cecilia Koppmann

A quilting journey • Welcome to our new presenter, Tracey Browning, from South Australia. She has been in the industry for a long time and has accumulated many skills. She will be sharing them with us for the next 12 months.

Sunday Drive • After a super bloom event in California, the hills were blanketed with fields of poppies and other wildflowers. On Sunday afternoons, Amanda and her family enjoyed driving up in the hills to see the colours up close. This quilt was inspired by those beautiful afternoons exploring nature.

Canberra Quilters’ Quilt Show • Canberra Quilters held their...