Quilts

I made my first quilt when I was in Year 11. It was a quillo and I chose dusky pink and blue florals in Liberty fabrics to make it in. I remember taking myself to Gardems in Brisbane City on the way home from school one day and buying all the fabric. When I got home that night I spread it out on my desk and smelt it, felt it, and totally absorbed it. I think this was when I fell in love with fabric.


I cruised through the making of my quillo and then helped everyone else in the class to finish theirs. I just seemed to get it while the others struggled.


Apart from a few small quilts that I made in my early 20's it really wasn't until I was in my late 20's and living in the Southern Highlands of NSW that I really discovered the length and breadth of the art of quilting. Then in my early 30's, and with an income to support the habit, I really discovered the joy and peace that making quilts bought into my life. I have been quilting avidly ever since.


For me, quilts bring it all together. Designing and making quilts enables me to realign body and soul. It also allows me to go deeply into my spirit and nurture and refresh my interior world. I have Depression and and Anxiety disorder and when I was at my worst, I could not bring myself to sew or quilt or even think about creating. I knew I was on the path to recovery when I started to put together a quilt. Now I know when I am sliding into a depressive stage, because I just can't face fabric. So, I now use my creativity and love of all things fabric as my therapy.


Here are some of the images of my quilts.


A Family Tree Quilt I made for my Auntie Melanie's 50th Birthday. The names of all of our family members are on the leaves of the tree.



This is my own quilt. "My Lavender Quilt". I collected the fabrics in fat quarters for 3 years before I even started cutting. I used Rosalie Quinlins 'Rebekah's Amy Quilt' and adapted it to queen size.




I made this Reversible Log Cabin Quilt-as-you-go for my parents. This is actually the only quilting class I have ever done (apart from high school!). It is probably my best ever ... I love it, and luckly my folks do too.

The Summer Side


The Winter Side



I called this one "Brighter Days". I made this one for my friend who was having weekly chemo. The quilt folded up into the bag and the big pockets held a book, purse, glasses etc, when Sue went to the hospital for the day.