Quilt Coats
The Before Times Exhibition: Wangaratta Art Gallery
12 Nov – 18 Dec 2022
I’m excited to have three of my bespoke quilt coats included in a new exhibition opening at the Wangaratta Art Gallery on 12th November.
THE BEFORE TIMES
A group exhibition featuring Phong Chi Lai, Tara Glastonbury, Caroline Hadley, Diana Vandeyar, Jessica Wheelahan and Lorena Uriarte.
The term before times dates back centuries and has a long association with imagined worlds and apocalyptic stories. Recently, the before times has taken on new significance as our lives changed dramatically and we fondly remember times before Covid-19.
Six artists have used this phrase as a starting point, some taking their practices back to basics or celebrating the return of inspiration and materials while others explore types of memory or envisage a dystopian future that might await us.
Number 1
Number 2
Number 3
Bushfire Charity Block drive for Wollongong MQG
Please see this post at Wollongong MQG Facebook group for more details.
I was asked to design an original block to share as inspiration. Please find the instructions below. This block is free for anyone to use for charity blocks and quilts. Please do the right thing 🙂
“How you can help:
We have decided to make tree blocks. The tree is a symbol of growth and nourishment. A tree symbolizes the generations of a family; a tree sprouts from a seed, the roots provide strength and stability, and whilst the new sapling is young and vulnerable they are protected by the other trees until they grow and flourish. In time the branches spread and then create new fruit that gives life to the next generation.
There is no restriction to one type of tree block. We would love our quilts to be beautiful and diverse just like our wonderful communities. The below quilt blocks have been designed and supplied for inspiration, but please feel free to use your own ideas and colours. If you would like to help, please make a tree block of a generous 12.5 inch square using a low volume / white or pale grey background. Once completed please send to:
Wollongong Modern Quilt Guild
PO Box 54
Jamberoo NSW 2533
We are going to distribute the quilts made to the families who have lost everything.
We would like to ask that blocks be mailed for arrival by the end of February. We thank you in advance for your support. #bushfireblocks
If you are going to be at Quiltcon, I’d be happy to collect your block there. Please get in touch to arrange a pick up. Thank you.
Shepherdless Pie
- 4 cups cooked lentils
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 2 Onions, chopped
- 3 Garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 Carrots, grated
- 1 Capsicum, finely chopped
- 2 Celery sticks, finely chopped
- 2 Zucchini, grated
- 400gm Pumpkin grated (optional)
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons Oregano/ mixed herbs
- 1 tin Tomatoes, pureed
- 4 tablespoons Tomato puree
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 6 Potatoes, peeled, boiled in salted water and mashed
- Butter + milk for mashed potatoes (optional)
- Drain the lentils well.
- Gently fry the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and capsicum in olive oil till softened.
- Add the herbs, zucchini and pumpkin; cook a further 5 mins.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree and stir through.
- Add drained lentils and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Season well and spoon into oven dish.
- Top with an even layer of mashed potato.
- Bake at 180C for 30mins till top is golden.
Orange & Almond Brownie Recipe
- 125g unsalted butter, chopped
- 125g orange and almond dark chocolate, chopped
- 3 eggs, lightly whisked
- 335g (1½ cups) white sugar
- 115g (3/4 cup) plain flour
- 30g (1/4 cup) Dutch cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
- Place butter and chocolate in a small pot, slowly stir and melt over a low heat.
- Set aside to cool whilst you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Quickly whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla extract together.
- Add the egg and sugar mixture to the cooled melted butter and chocolate.
- Continue to mix whilst adding the flour and cocoa till just combined.
- Don't over mix once the flour is in.
- Pour into a prepared 20cm brownie tin, buttered and lined with silicon paper.
- Sprinkle with sliced almonds to garnish.
- Bake at 180C for 30 minutes. Centre should be cooked but moist, edges should be crisp. Nuts should be lightly browned. If they start to burn cover the brownie with foil to continue cooking.
- Cool completely in the tin.
- Lift out silicon paper to slice into 16 pieces.
- Best made the day before you need them 🙂
Juggling: my Splendid Sampler block!
Hi there! It’s been a while, I had the best intentions to do a lot more blogging in 2016. Oops. If you have a poke around you’ll see I’m not very good at the writing and documenting part of my creative life. Thanks for visiting me over here in the middle of a warm and sunny Sydney summer. Hope you are having a splendid day!
I assume some of you are here for tips on making Block 90 on The Splendid Sampler adventure. What a wonderful project Pat and Jane have put together, and can you believe we’re just 10 blocks shy of completing? I’ve been making some of the blocks along the way and now that I have a plan for sashing I’m more excited than ever to get cracking with it. I’ve made lots of sampler quilts, I really love them because there’s always something new and those little blocks are fun to make.
So, back to my little block… I’ve used some of my favourite techniques – applique circles, bias tape applique and wonky crosses. I love layering different techniques in a little block. But it can be a little daunting if you’ve never done something like this before. Working at a small scale also means I need to pay extra attention to extra bulk and staying inside the seam allowance.
As you read the pattern instructions you’ll see there are a few stages. I recommend you chunk it down to manageable parts if its the first time you try one of the techniques. Actually, even if you’re confident, take time to enjoy the process with a couple of cups of tea or a walk around the block…
Firstly, choose all your fabrics and gather your supplies. My suggested fabric quantities are generous so you can trim back your block. You’ll also see I use a metal 1/8″ bias tape maker. It came in a set which I bought online from California, I so wish I could get these easily locally. You may be lucky enough to have them at your local quilt store. But if not, you can carefully cut a strip of Mylar plastic. The metal bias bars get very hot and help form a nice crease, please be careful if you are using one.
I prefer using a metal bias bar and having a closed loop rather than an open bias tape because it is sturdier and I can manipulate it without worrying it will fray and lose the creases. It also stores nicely around a spool or wooden dowelling even in the most humid Sydney weather.
So grab your supplies and lets get started!
Prepare your 3 bias tape loops first. Cut your strips from an 8″ square of fabric. 3/4″ wide strips cut on the diagonal from the square.
Press strips in half. Wrong sides together, be gentle not to stretch them.
Place bias bar inside the fold and mark where your seam should go. Don’t make it too snug or you won’t be able to slide the bar in and out. I use a generous 1/8″ seam.
Once you have stitched the strip and you are sure you can move the bias bar in and out, trim back the seam allowance to reduce bulk.
We’re nearly there… twist seam to the back and press it down. Remove the bias bar. Repeat for the two other bias tape strips.
Wind them around your finger or a pencil to get them to curl a little. This will help you get nice tight loops to applique.
Make sure you’ve got all your fabric pieces ready to proceed. Background, squares for circles and strips to insert.
Trace the pattern lightly on to your background square. Trace the outside of the circles and one side of each loop. You will use this as a guide to place your applique. Make sure you leave plenty of room around the outside to centre your block. I also mark the corner points to help with trimming the block later.
Using little dots of applique glue, place your loops down on your background fabric. You can also use tiny applique pins or baste them down with thread.
Using a colour that camouflages with your applique loop, stitch it down firmly. See the tails of the loops? They will be hidden behind the appliquéd circles. Trim them on the diagonal to make them less bulky.
Now it’s time to prepare your juggling balls. This is a two step process. First we make the wonky crosses, then we trim them back to a circle to applique down.
Start with one of the square pieces of fabric and cut it randomly in half. Select which fabric strip you will be inserting.
Sew the strip to one half. Then stitch the other half of the square to it. Always using a 1/4″ seam allowance.
Cut this randomly across the strip you just set in. Choose your next fabric strip.
Stitch one side on first. Sewing the second side is a little trickier. You need to try to align the two sides, which is difficult with that pesky angled seam allowance in the way. I visually line it up as much as possible then fold over the seam allowance to check it. Sliding it up and down till its as good as I can get it.
Because I’m extra cautious I still don’t stitch the whole seam, I just sew the crucial middle of the seam bit first, flip it over and check it before stitching the whole lot. This may seam tedious but it’s not as tedious as having to unpick the whole thing!
Flipping over to the back of your wonky cross, trim or grade that top seam allowance. Usually we can press seams open to reduce bulky seams but the open seams stretch too much for these small circles.
Grab your circle template and trace around it with a pencil. Check out those graded seams…
Trim back your circle to a generous 1/4″ – 1/2″ seam allowance and stitch a running stitch around. Pull on the end of the threads to gather the circle around your template. Don’t cut your threads yet!
To get a nice smooth circle ready to applique down I run some starch around the outside edge of the circle with a brush. Or you can put a little pressing liquid in a dish and roll the edge around quickly. Press the circle with a warm iron, be careful not to melt your plastic template!
You can wrap a piece of foil around it if you like, that helps protect the plastic and holds the heat for longer to get a crisp edge.
Repeat that for the two remaining circles and applique them down into place. Choose fine thread that disappears when you place it over your applique shape.
When you are finished with all the applique, give it a light press and trim your block down to 6.5″.
And that’s another block done and ready to join the others! I hope you’ve learnt something new. We all have our favourite techniques and I know fiddly work isn’t for every one. You may want to skip making the bias tape loops and just applique ribbon or use embroidery to create the loops. And instead of those wonky juggling balls you can fussy cut some fun fabric circles…
Whatever you do, thank you for joining me for The Splendid Sampler. I look forward to seeing all your lovely blocks. And I’m eagerly awaiting The Splendid Sampler book that Pat and Jane are publishing with all the patterns so I can continue making more of these great blocks. It’ll be a lovely record of this fun project.
Here’s a photo of my original block that will appear in the book. In fact, I think it’s even on the cover. I can’t wait to see my block together with all the other Designer blocks!
I’m more of an Instagram girl these days, feel free to tag me if you have any questions. You can find me over there as lorena_in_syd. I know, sew original!
Happy stitching!
Lorena x
Sydney MQG: Sunday Sewalong
The Splendid Sampler
It’s no secret that I love a sampler quilt, in fact I think I may be a tiny bit addicted to little blocks that let me play with fabric in small chunks of time. If you also love projects that keep changing and surprise you with different techniques and fabric possibilities you may want to join The Splendid Sampler Sew Along.
This brilliant year long project is the brain child of two very talented designers, Jane Davidson and Pat Sloan. They’ve collaborated with over 80 exciting designers to bring you one hundred 6″ patterns over the course of a year. Patterns will be released every three or four days, allowing for holidays.
There’s a bunch of other big names in this collaboration, a handful of Aussies I love like Cat Demack, Jen Kingwell and Siobhan Rogers. Some long time favourite international designers like Kerry Green, Latifah Saafir and Victoria Findlay Wolfe. Actually, choosing just three to mention was hard, you need to check out the whole list!
And then there’s me. Hahaha, I’m certainly feeling like I’m punching above my weight with this and I’m intending to sew along and learn new stuff from all the other designers. And I’ll have to put more effort into this blogging caper… but it’s more likely that you’ll find me over in The Splendid Sampler Facebook Group (Currently 8,000+ members) or posting my progress on Instagram. Check out #TheSplendidSampler hashtag to see what everyone else is doing.
It all kicks off this Valentines Day (14th February) perfect to demonstrate the huge love that Pat & Jane have poured into this adventure. So what are you waiting for? Sign up is free over HERE!
They called it “Diet Pie”…
- 3 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cubed
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons currants
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- ¼ teaspoon cloves, ground
- 2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
- 1 teaspoon plain flour
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- egg and milk wash
- Simmer apple, water, lemon juice, sugar and currants for 5 minutes till apples are tender but still hold their shape. Watch they don't burn! Add a tablespoon of water if that looks likely!
- Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon, cloves, walnuts and flour.
- Cool completely.
- Cut pre-rolled pastry into two large circles. Use the biggest plate or bowl you can and a sharp knife.
- Place one circle on a sheet of baking paper on a flat baking tray.
- Top with apple filling, keeping 1" clear around the edge and press it level.
- Place the other circle on top and press the edges together till sealed.
- Using a small bowl, trace a faint circle in the centre.
- Then with a sharp knife cut out from the circle forming 16 slices.
- At this point you may need to chill the pastry again if it's a bit floppy before proceeding, place baking paper with tart/ pie on a plate into the fridge or freezer to firm up the pastry a bit. When cooled slide paper back onto baking tray
- Next, turn each slice on its side to expose the filling.
- Brush lightly with beaten egg and milk.
- Bake at 200C for 30 minutes till golden and puffed, if browning too quickly you may need to turn down your oven a bit.
- Allow to cool on a rack before serving.
Sydney Quilt Show 2015
Oops, it’s only when I saw my quilt in Quiltmania this week that I realised a massive oversight on my part. Seems I forgot to write about my most exciting quilty event of the year! The Quilters’ Guild of NSW’s annual Sydney Quilt Show, a member’s show with over 400 quilts in various categories and displays was on 17-21 June. It’s now months ago but it’s probably a good idea to document the event, especially since I won something and so did many of my friends.
There was a spectacular Red & White Challenge this year, over 140 Red & White quilts hung together in a brilliant display of ability and creativity. I had worked diligently to complete a quilt I’ve been wanting to make since 2012, a red & white version of Chuck Nohara’s Symbol Quilt. The original Symbol Quilt is double sided, with the red & white blocks on the back (see photo below).
My quilt really was an adventure, I’ve never made a two colour quilt before and I found it challenging. I was glad when it was finished and very grateful that Michele Turner was quilting it. I really needed a break from it. And it took months for me to pick a fabric for the binding. In the end I was really happy with how it looked and it won First Prize in the Machine quilted Category of the Red & White display. Hooray! Thank you to the sponsors Quiltsmith, Sew Easy, Tech2Home and Nestle for my amazing assortment of prizes.
Some photos of Windings: A Variety of Symbols. Not great ones. This may be why I haven’t written this post before!
I also entered a second quilt in the Modern Category, Under the Sea a variation of my Opal Essence quilt pattern. There’s an embarrassing amount of teal and aqua in my stash. This quilt documents much of it!
Like most of my quilts, they all end up in use or display around our home. Adding some colour to gloomy days or a warm wrap when it’s chilly!
More on the Sydney Show soon… in the meantime you can see all the prize winning quilts in The Quilters’ Guild of NSW Gallery.
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