Quilts from the West - Craft & Quilt Fair Perth 2015

The Craft & Quilt Fair last month in Perth was a resounding success yet again and all Exhibitors thank those from the west in supporting us venturing over that huge distance for our once a year get together. Of course, there were local Exhibitors too. Without the public attending the show we would not be able to justify the expense of travelling far west, so a big thank you.

Yes, we were there!! Karen and Helen seen here smiling, ready for the opening.

Thanks must also go to the show organizers, Expertise Events, for staging another superb event. There was an increase of groups and buses visiting by around 20% and plenty of exposure on several TV Shows and Radio during the show including many interviews each day of the Fair. An increase in the number of workshops offered, more guild displays and featured artists, a Christmas Workshop and the amazing quilt displays! Hope you didn't miss such an event, it was fabulous.

Enormous interest in Leonie West's NEW Ruler Foot demonstrations and daily seminars. Leonie from Westalee Design, was a guest on our stand with her husband Bill and she wowed them with quilting on a domestic sewing machine using the Ruler Foot and Templates - just like longarm quilters enjoy, BUT, on your own regular sewing machine. Many signed up for our Online Course for such too - by far the biggest, most successful Online Course I've organized.

Our Tips & Tools demonstrations were held behind our stand with Helen and myself holding the educational 30 min segments all day.

There was so much to inspire us all from the displays of the 2015 QuiltWest Exhibitions. 140 quilts by WAQA Members and other displays including the WAQA Annual Quilt Challenge 'Vessels' and Works of Guest Artist, Marjorie Coleman and visiting judge, Jane Gibson were on show.

QuiltWest had a beautiful quilt being raffled (which I didn't win) with funds raised going to Breast Cancer Care WA. Fancy making this and giving it away!  Still, for a great cause.

It is difficult for me to share winning quilt images from shows these days as it is now a 'must' that I contact each individual quilter to request permission to share such with you here. Time consuming and often a real challenge finding them. The ones following have kindly acknowledged my requests and are happy for me to share with you. THANKS GIRLS.

One of the sections Punch with Judy sponsored was won by ANN HEINRICH for her quilt 'Ella's Quilt', made with love for her granddaughter who is 12 years old. Ann said she made Ella this quilt for the future so she will always have a reminder of how much she loved her. Made me feel very guilty since I have 4 beautiful granddaughters too!

Ann won the BEST AMATEUR HAND QUILTER as well as Second Prize for 'Mainly Applique: Amateur'.  WELL DONE ANN!  The look on Ella's face says it all!

This next quilt grabbed my attention because of all the intricate folds in the design, look at the closeup I took.

'EMILIA' by REBECCA STEWART-BARTELL 

won 2nd Prize in the Small Quilts: Professional Section.

Modern Quilts are the flavour of the month, as the saying goes, to the extent that they have their own exhibitions, magazines, guilds etc. 

FIRST PRIZE in the MODERN QUILT SECTION was awarded to TRACEY BARELI for her quilt 'JAZZ'.

It may be a Modern Quilt, but have a peep at the intricate quilting, which I don't see on many of the Modern Quilts. Amazing, well done Tracey.

There were several other quilts I photographed to share with you but am unable to until I hear from the individual quilters, so if you know any of these wonderful artists, please ask them to email me.

The Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair is just around the corner, so I hope you can attend the Sydney Exhibition Centre @ Glebe Island between Wednesday 17th June and Sunday 21st June. FREE Ferry journeys to and fro the show from Darling Harbour makes it a breeze to get too and well worth the beautiful scenery on Sydney's magnificent harbour.  So many reasons why you MUST attend.  Read all about such HERE. This year's Fair will be even bigger and better than last year's huge success. I have special guests on my stand, Leonie & Bill West from Westalee Designs and Sandra Chandler from Just Curves (Curve Master) USA.  More later!

MOST IMPORTANT!  

You have only until 8TH JUNE to cast your votes for the 

AUSTRALASIAN CRAFT INDUSTRY AWARDS for 2015

READ MY LATEST NEWSLETTER FOR MORE INFORMATION 

We would all appreciate you voting.

Thank you for nominating Punch with Judy in all FOUR Categories 

including the NEW Westalee Ruler Foot as the Best Craft Product.