KQ 2026 Mystery Quilt - Parts 1 & 2

This year I have decided to take part in the local quilt group mystery quilt-a-long.  As an added challenge to myself, I have decided to only use stash fabrics - you know, those bits'n'pieces that are left over from previously completed projects that we all have.

There are no fabric requirements being given out, only a finished size and what the element needs to be.  The instructions are very minimal, which I am loving because my creative muse can come out to play.

Month 1 had to include red.  Bring out a Baltimore Applique book and look at the papercuts.  I love this frame on the animal print fabric.

Animal print fabric is circa 2025 and the red is from 1998.

In the two photos below, I really love the monkey and the tiger peeking out from behind the applique.

Month 2 is curves with repeated elements.  I had ideas of circus tent stripes when I first read the prompt in the group newsletter.  It has taken me most of the month to figure out the fabrics and design while I went about my normal life.  In the end, a piece of leftover 'quilting made easy' border roll was the answer.  I cut it out along one side and then traced the pattern onto the cheddar fabric.  An afternoon of quiet hand-applique and it was done.

The green and yellow fabrics are circa 2012 or thereabouts.  It's "all the things" in this quilt.

I am excited to see what the upcoming June prompt will be.  While I wait for the next prompt, I am contemplating how to make this 'quilt as you go'.  I am not sure if it will work or not, it all depends on what I think up for the next prompt design.  Right now, my brain has plenty of ideas for quilting in and around the applique.  I will ponder this before I jump in with both feet.

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler - post 1

I had very high hopes of making lots of blog posts this year and then was cursed with 'writer's block'.  I became super organised with my photos along with a schedule for posting and then each time I sat down to complete a post, I went blank.  I am hoping that I am over that now, because today I am so excited with what I am sharing! 😍

Yesterday, I completed a mammoth task - I finished the very last block for my version of Sylvia's Bridal Sampler from the book by Jennifer Chiaverini.  140 x 6in blocks total. 

There's a LOT of work in that block stack!!

Such a huge pile of blocks when stacked together!

And.... below is a photo of them all laid out.  There was no rhyme or reason to my layout, I simply plonked them down on the floor in the order that I took them off the stack.

The whole quilt so far

 I am adding in a 'papercut' block to the centre so that I can have a 12x12 block layout instead of 10x14.   As you can see, I still need to complete the hand-applique of the centre block.  This will stay on the floor overnight and I'll do some tweaking to the layout to balance it a bit better.

I started this quilt in Feb 2023 when a local quilt group - Kilmore Quilters - started this as a sew-a-long.  I kept up all through 2023 and then in 2024 I returned to tertiary study.  Sylvia was then boxed up and shelved until January this year when an option came to have the quilt ready for a group display in September.  Just the impetus I needed to pull it out and get cracking.  

It has taken me 4 full months in between working, family and social commitments to get the blocks completed, attempting a little bit each day and then some days no sewing at all.  Almost every block has been an absolute joy to work with some that had me inventing new swear words!!  

I have the sashings, cornerstones, borders, binding and backing all prepared, ready to pick up and sew.

But first - I must vacuum the floor before moving onto the next step of sewing the top together - it's full of threads and dog-ear corner snippets 😉

Honouring Our Heroes - part 2

ANZAC Day is almost upon us.  In a week's time the commemorations of 100 years since that fateful landing of Australian and New Zealand soldiers upon the shores of Gallipoli begin.

The Honour Quilts which myself and other members from Kilmore Quilters have made, will be on display at the Kilmore Memorial Hall on Sunday 19th April as part of a larger historical exhibition.

As posted previously, each participant received a few blocks per month with the name and history of a soldier attached.  You could use those names or research your own family friends/members.

My version of the completed Honour Quilt.

Such a significant part of the Australian history, and such a small showing of the impact on the lives of many.  And as I have mentioned in other blog posts, this has been a somewhat poignant journey as I learnt more about the soldiers, their families and the impact of war on the world as a whole.

During the past week, my Husband and I took our children to the Melbourne Museum.  There was an exhibition of WWI careers (for want of a better word).  Victorians were featured.  Profiled were soldiers, nurses, women factory workers, surgeons and then of course, there were weapons and prosthetic limbs.  The topic which sparked the most questions from the children were about the plaster face masks/moulds and the before/after photos of the soldiers who were disfigured by ammunition.  The exhibition was very confronting and emotional.

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Quilt #4 of 12 for completion this year.

Honouring Our Heroes

Over at Kilmore Quilters, one of the Members has set a challenge for the 100 years of Anzacs next year.  She got to thinking during late last year and came up with the "Honour Quilt".

Not to leave any stone un-turned, she has researched soldiers from Kilmore, so each month we receive some block patterns and the history of a local soldier from WW1.  

I had fallen behind with my blocks, but have been working very diligently on the blocks since the September school holidays and am now much closer to being completely up-to-date.

Here is my work so far:

Being part of the Honour Quilt and learning more about WWI history has been an interesting and at times poignant journey as I have started to look at my own ancestors involvement as well.  

The August 2014 issue of National Geographic has an incredible article with photos of the tunnels and trenches in France, which are still there from 1915.  It is well worth a read and to see the pictures sculpted in the walls of the tunnels.  The National Geographic article, combined with what I have learnt so far with the Honour Quilt, have heightened my awareness of what soldiers undergo to ensure we have a peaceful life.

There are plans for all of the quilts to be hung at exhibitions during 2015, including the Kilmore Quilters Quilt Show (Oct 2015).  When I have details of the quilt shows, I'll add them to this blog.

And 2nd prize goes to........

Me! I found out this morning that I have won second prize at the Blue & White Challenge with the quilt Cosmic (see below). I am really excited and doing a little happy dance! I am yet to see photos of the quilt which won, Congratulations to Karin for being the winner.

Cosmic - A Blue & White Challenge

I just love this quilt. It is simply one of the most enjoyable quilts I have ever made. I adore Blue and White, so when Kilmore Kwilters (in Victoria, Australia) set their challenge, I couldn't resist. The Blues are all from my stash and I only bought the whites in Fat 1/8 pieces. The requirements for the Challenge were very simple - Fabrics to be Blue and White, with the quilt finishing at 100cm square. The largest star is a Judy Mathieson design - Twilight Star and the rest I made up as I went along. I knew the look I wanted, I just had to make it work.

Today (18th Oct) was the day of judging of the Blue & White Quilts. I couldn't be there, so I need to e-mail one of the 'girls' what happened and how the day went. I think that they would have had a fantastic day.

However, while that was happening in Australia, my local group here in Germany held their quilt show. It was held in a cafe and attracted quite a lot of interest, which considering the venue was in a bizzare location (hidden from a major road, in a crop field and bordered by a freeway with no easy exit nearby) was really surprising. In any language, Quilters can talk to each other. Textile Art reaches out to people and you don't need to speak the same vocabulary because you understand each other very well. One of the ladies from the group that came today who belongs to the group is very special. She is a fantastic lady who has had the misfortune of being cursed by the cancer wand. Not only is she an extremely nice person, but she has a wonderful sense of humour. While she was there with her head wrapped in a scarf, she was entertaining my 4 yr old son with her clown quilts (esp the one titled Colonia Clownia) and then the adults with the Cologne Dom (Cathedral) in pictorial quilts from around the world. She has the Dom on Ayers Rock and the Sydney Opera House. The Dom has also visited the ocean, Canada, the USA and lots of other locations around the world.

All of the above has made for an interesting day. The missing my good friends in Australia at the Blue & White Challenge event, plus the Quilt Show (austellung) here in Cologne, a couple of special friends dropping by and some family time has made me feel quite nostaligic, maybe it's time to go and hug my kids....