My first attempt resulted in cushions, then in 1992 I made my first quilt, an Ohio Star design. That quilt (which I still have) took eighteen months to finish, was ‘stitched in the ditch’ when quilted & won second prize in viewers’ choice in a local exhibition. I was so thrilled & this gave me enough encouragement to continue on this quilting journey.
I have come such a long way since those early days. Although having done some hand sewing, I much preferred to work by machine as I could at least get it finished. I tended to be mechanically minded, so this flowed through to purchasing my first quilting machine in 2003. This gave me the experience needed to begin my business offering machine quilting services to quilters’ in my local & surrounding areas of the Lower Murray here in South Australia.
As the demand for this service increased I decided to upgrade to an A-1 Elite Longarm Quilting System in 2006. This has allowed me to provide a higher quality of workmanship with a larger variety of designs for both continuous & customised quilting. This machine currently does not currently have computer options (maybe one day!) however it does allow me greater creativity & freedom with background filling & freehand designs. I feel this gives a more personalized finish & lets me put part of myself into my clients’ quilts & this gives me great satisfaction when I see their delight & appreciation of my work when they come to collect their quilts.
Since I first began this type of work, I have quilted literally hundreds of quilts from cot to king size & rarely have I seen more than a few quilts that have been the same design (except for a few Block of the Month patterns). Such is the diversity within quilting that it can incorporate such a wide variety of elements which is probably why it continues to be so popular. This is why I still enjoy it!
I continue to strive for excellence in workmanship, always seeking inspiration for design ideas which I can incorporate with my quilting. I attend training classes with local & overseas tutors & am always searching through books & DVD’s to continually improve my skills. Some of my client’s quilts have received prizes & awards - these can be seen on my gallery page. I also teach basic patchwork for beginners at my studio & develop patterns ideas when time allows. I have also taught classes at our local shop, Bridge Agencies Bazaar, where I was employed for several years in their fabric department.
I am a member of the Australian Machine Quilters’ Association, South Australian Quilters’ Guild and my local group where I began my quilting journey, Bridge Patches & Quilters’ |
