Heading West for Infinite Horizons

I hope everyone had as lovely a weekend as I did this past one!

The highlight was a trip to Barcaldine, 3 and a bit hours drive west of here to visit the Infinite Horizons Quilt Show.  This time I remembered to use the camera I carry with me  and this sight greeted us on entry -

 I can't tell you just how excited I was to be there!  These quilts are just delightful and I applaud everyone involved from the organisers of the collection to the quilt makers, the booklet producers with lovely stories from all the quilt makers to the helpers who have transported and displayed the collection in so many distant places with thoughtfulness and consideration.  You have all done a wonderful job!  Any money raised from the display of quilts goes to Aged Care in each of the participating towns.

I know the final display for this collection of quilts is to be at the upcoming Queensland Quilt Show at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from 17 to 19 October and I can only say that if you haven't already had the opportunity to view it, it is well worth any effort involved to see it.  Speaking for myself who happily travelled the less than perfect highway for over three hours to attend and has the luxury of two patchwork shops in the town I live,  I am in awe of the creativity, determination and generosity of the quilt makers.

I'd better also mention that whoever did the catering on the day also did a wonderful job as did Sandy's many volunteers who presented the show with such friendliness and enthusiasm and due to rain had to move it at the last moment!

 

 

At this stage I'd better confess.  I'm in the middle of the photo above with my great friends Peggy and Evol and we had the pleasure of working together to make this quilt.  It was only here in Barcaldine that we discovered we hadn't done quite as well as we thought we had.  In our haste to get it made and quilted in time to send to Mount Isa we haven't quite finished the quilting!

Of course a trip to Barcaldine wouldn't be complete for me without a trip to The Silver Thimble and Sandy graciously opened just for us!  I've already packed away most of my purchases so they don't distract me from what I've been working on, but they're calling!  In particular the two patterns I bought, and the wonderful collection of Christmas fabrics I need for my SSCS12 project.

Finally on the way home I stopped to get a couple of photos of the wildflowers.  Evol told us all the names (which I don't remember), and isn't this just beautiful?

I think the last bush is a hop, and it had a deeper colour than the photo displays.  I thought any of the SSCS12 participants from overseas might like to see the countryside!  Emerald where I live is about 3 1/2 hours west from the eastern coast of Australia along the Tropic of Capricorn, Barcaldine is about 7 hours from the coast!

Highs and Lows.....

I've always been here, just not blogging. Sorry friends. Not much to say lately and as always too much to do.

I'm madly racing to finish My Growing Up quilt but I keep getting distracted.  I have managed to get all four borders on and now I only have the binding, a hanging sleeve and tidying up to do. 

One of the wonderful distractions was attending the Infinite Horizons travelling Quilt show last weekend, hosted by the local Emerald Patchwork group.  The show was wonderful!  The red & white quilts were magnificent as was the display of quilts from local members.  However I was so busy having such a wonderful time that I didn't get a single photo!  Fortunately, Peggy, Evol & I had already planned a trip to Barcaldine at the end of this month when the quilts are there, so I will be sure to get lots of photos then.  I have copied the picture below from a magazine, but it will give you an idea of what was on display. 



One of my favourites was a quilt called Westpac Recycled, by Joan Robinson of Mackay.  I stood looking at it wondering why the maker had two beautifully made 'house' blocks in the middle of many stars and it was only after I checked the catalogue that I looked closer and realized that she had used her daughters uniforms from when whe was working for Westpac at Mount Isa and Normanton to make the blocks.  I too worked for Westpac back in the 1980's and I had the same uniforms.  They were lovely fabrics, what a shame I didn't see far enough to keep mine and make something like this.

I promise I will take photos in Barcaldine.