Quilt Parade; A Wonderful Public Airing
Here it is folks, feast your eyes on all the quilty beauties! What a turn-out we had; over 40 quilts from both Fogo and Change Islands - our washing lines were straining under the weight! We took over the Wind and Waves Guild where there were quilts displayed on every surface and hung from every corner. Here are the picks of the best from the Parade, enjoy!
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Above: Our two volunteers Clem and Freeman braved the ladders to string up over 35 quilts, thanks again!

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Above: Margaret admires our oldest entry, a 'Coverlette' made in 1900's; it was in superb condition

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Above: A lovely view of some fine quilts, to the left is a design called 'The Compass'...

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Above: A charming design called 'The Tea-Leaf' - made on flour sack and recycled fabrics

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Above: An unusual quilt on dyed pink flour cloth with a hand stitch motif! 

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Above: A very contemporary design using a lovely gingham print

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Above: A four-pointed star design, note the Robin Hood ink print still remains on the flour cloth!

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Above: A gorgeous hexagon design with scalloped edges

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Above: Birds-eye view of washing lines.....so many quilts!

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Above: A hexagon quilt made buy Olga Cull's sister, made with all crimp-knit. It was apparently bought at a church sale for $20 - gulp!

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Above: A packed-out Guild! People lingered over tea to reminisce about quilts from there childhood...

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Above: Olga popped in for a cup of tea, what this lady doesn't know about quilting and knitting - ain't worth knowing! 

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Above: Mr Blake's quilt, this outstanding quilt has an ingenious design that efficiently uses the 'negative' out-cuts, using them elsewhere in the design

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Above: Kittens decorate the edge of the quilt.....heartbreak!

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Above: A detail of that amazing design.....

Sadie and Heather's Collaborative Family Quilts

It seems collaboration runs deep in this family; not only in the making of quilts but also as business partners! Mother and daughter team, Sadie and Heather, run a local sewing business on Change Islands called 'Seabreeze Sewing Solutions'. We went over to visit them where we learned that Grandmother and Great Grandmother also sewed together; making treasured quilts together to keep the family brood warm.

Above: Log Cabin Quilt made from a mix 70's crimp-knit, cotton, satin and shirting fabric
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Above: Heather's brother - Jim's baby blanket made by both Great Grandmother and Grandmother. This crimp-knit quilt has been 'tied' to the back piece by a simple piece of wool 
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Above: Heather's beloved quilt made for her also by Great Grandmother and Grandmother during the 90's. The soft pastel satin fabric is from Heather's Aunt's 70's prom dresses 
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Above: an unusual crazy quilt, framed by one piece of flannelette. How much fabric you have dictates what type of pattern you make; a beautiful logic that embraces and reflects what materials are readily available to you

Eileen McGrath's Quilts 

We loved the simplicity of Eileen's one-piece quilts; if you have a nice large piece of fabric - why cut it up! The charming mix of curtain, cotton and flannelette gives these quilts a bold and eye catching look.

We also got to see some of Eileen's embroidery work and a snowman inspired hooked wall-hanging - all washed down with some home baking and a cup of tea. Lucky us!

Above: a gorgeous vintage print - showed off by the simple framed pink boarder

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Above: a  hand-embroidered table cloth - a cheery addition to any kitchen

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Above: we loved this picture - tea, scones and a hooked wall-hanging. Thanks again Eileen!

Olga Cull's Family Quilts

We were had heard rumours that Olga Cull of Shoal Bay - Fogo Island,  had some lovely old quilts. We dropped by to see if the rumours were true and indeed they were! We were taken back by not only how beautiful the quilts were but also by how well they had worn. We had a cup of tea with Olga and her family to find out some of the history behind the quilts....

Above: Olga sits and contemplates this beautiful and original quilt made by her mother some time in the 60's. The family suspect that the design was inspired by a painted canvas floor mat within the family home. Its made from cotton pieces, hand-stitched on to flour cloth

Above: Olga and her Granddaughter Keri show us their traditional Crazy Quilt - this quilt is made as one piece - not formed in blocks like more modern Crazy Quilts. We love the mix of fabrics and prints and the handsome mitred corners....it's all in the details!

Above: A Tulip Quilt, made by Olga's mother and given to her as a wedding gift. Each tulip and stem has been folded and slip-stitched onto the flour cloth; it would of taken hours! A true labour of love....and it's 70 years old and looks fantastic. Note the gorgeous scalloped edge in green; it a lovely touch

Quintessential Quilts; Looking Back at The Old....

The following quilts stole our hearts; we just had to share them with you! Like a fine wine, these quilts have aged well and stood the test of time. Loved, used and made to last - what more could ask for in a quilt! The design of them seem to be timeless and ever so appealing, we looked closer at them to admire the skill and craftsmanship gone into them....

  

Above: The quilt on the right belongs to octogenarian Allan Keefe of Tilting, Fogo Island - lovingly made by his Grandmother over 150 years ago. Although it's faded and torn in places this quilt is full of personality. The simple design proves that you don't need fancy material to make a pretty quilt
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Above: the subtle introduction of a pale pink print on the front breaks up the white flour sacking. The edges are a simple decorative embellishment called 'Prairie Points' that effectively use up tiny material scraps that are folded in on themselves to form the points

Above: this traditional strip quilt was made by Mrs Bridgette Kinsella over 100 years ago. Although a little faded it is still a very handsome quilt. We loved the larger strips used in this one....

Above: Ann Marie Newman keeps finding more amazing quilts for us to look at! This is her mother-in-law's handy work and was made in 50's or 60's. It's 100% cotton; look at the beautiful patterns and prints used! The use of the bold orange brings it all together so well. We simple love it and covet it.
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Joan Godwin's Crazy Quilt and Patterns

Inside Joan's jam-packed sewing room revealed countless patterns for quilts. She kindly lets us have a rummage where we found all kinds of patterns from the 80's and 90's - carefully drawn and cut out on to old cereal boxes. Joan also showed us a delightful work-in-progress crazy quilt - no doubt this will be some lucky person's Christmas present!

Above: this charming teddy bear is an applique pattern for a baby quilt; Joan also had a sizeable collection of quilting magazines from the 80's