Friday 23 January 2009

Aussie quilt finished!



I just finished the Aussie quilt for Hugo's 6th birthday! Of course I should wait until tomorrow and make a daylight photo - but then he would see it, and besides, I can't wait that long, I have to show it now!



This is the backside, with the world map on it. It looks much darker here than it is IRL.

Last year I participated in a birthday swap organised by an Australian quilters mailinglist (SCQuilters) and asked for Australian fabrics to make a quilt as a memory of our time in Brisbane. I decided to use them in a quilt for our oldest son, Hugo, who was 4 years old when we came and will remember most of the time we spend here.

Of the 20 blocks, 15 are made with fabrics I received in the swap and 5 with fabrics I bought myself. Most of the borders around the blocks are hand dyed fabrics, made during the Cotton Dyeing Basics class I did at Quilt University last year. The black and beige fabrics were bought at my local quiltshop.

I first saw the pattern at the Dutch quilters mailing list I belong to (Quiltkletsers). In the Netherlands and in Belgium, this is known as an 'Aussie quilt', probably because a Belgian quiltshop sold a kit with aboriginal fabrics to make this quilt. I think the Quiltmania magazine also featured this quilt with aboriginal fabrics a few years ago (I don't know who was first, the shop or the magazine). Of course this pattern, also known as 'floating blocks', would be suitable to showcase any large print fabric (flowers, animals, landscapes...).

Although this quilt is far from perfect technically (too much in a hurry... the birthday is February 2nd. And hey, Hugo won't look at the binding and tell me I should have hand stitched it), I am very happy with the way it has turned out.
Now I just need to make a label and stitch it on (yes, by hand).

11 comments:

Vireya said...

That "Aussie quilt" is a lovely design, Linda. It looks great!

Anonymous said...

A great quilt, Linda. Will make you homesick for Aus when you go back!

Anonymous said...

it's a lovely quilt that hugo will always value - congratulations Linda

Unknown said...

It's a lovely quilt. When I first looked at it I thought the blocks looked like they were floating.nam

Anonymous said...

gorgeous!

Kieny The Dutchlady said...

Gefeliciteerd met je finish, Linda. Hij is mooi geworden en Hugo zal er vast blij mee zijn.

Anonymous said...

ha linda
Mooi hoor je aussie, ik ben benieuwd wat hugo ervan vindt!!
Toevallig ben ik gisteren aan het doorquilten van de klotto-aussie-quilt begonnen. Meanderen in de ditch gaat eigenlijk best goed, de eerste twee blokken zijn niet zo goed gelukt maar de derde ziet er goed uit!

Fijn voor je dat jullie naar nederland komen! Als je tijd en zin hebt ben je van harte welkom en organiseren we een jonge dames quiltbee!
KnUffels voor je mannen
Groetjes Petra

Sharon~Two Bits Patches said...

It's great Linda, very impressive pattern. Even nonquilt people would like the floating blocks.

Sharon Barnes
Longford, Gippsland, Victoria

A3jana said...

I like this pattern só very much!! And the fabrics too!

nadia said...

Wat is ie mooi Linda (voor mij weer een project erbij op mijn wensenlijstje...). Fijn dat je naar Nederland op vakantie komt, ik kan wel lezen dat je daar erg naar uit kijkt!! Een fijne verjaardag voor Hugo! Groetjes, nadia

Lynn Cohen said...

What a cute idea for your sons bed.
I love the way the black pieces make the pictures pop off the page!