Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Another Australian Medallion Design

On the heels of my recent fair ribbons with both blues earned for quilts from Australian designers, I'm pretty much thinking that designs from there are worth sewing. Yes, I am very Aussie-biased. I count among my life's blessings the four times I traveled to Australia between 2008 and 2010, when our daughter and her family lived in Sydney. Being able to join and "meet" quilters through the Yahoo chat group, Quilting Down Under - several of whom I met in person - and/or visiting Australia quilt shops, have tremendously influenced and enhanced my knowledge and appreciation for quilting down under.

When FAB Elyte (Doesn't she have a beautiful name?) of "Tea, Fabric and Other Things" blogged that an Australian quilt shop, the Patchwork Pumpkin, was offering a free medallion quilt pattern I decided to sign up. It came with a few strings attached. They are:

1. You are not allowed to purchase any fabrics for the quilt top. You must use your stash!
2. You may swap fabrics with your friends.
3. Show us your quilt centre to get the next border instructions. No proof? No pattern. No exceptions!
Patchwork Pumpkin's "Friendship Medallion Quilt"
When I read the rules, I loved the concept... and promptly "bought" the free online pattern. Within a few days, I'd made my own "Friendship Medallion" quilt center. This is Part 1.
Friendship Medallion Quilt center, 20-1/2" X 20-1/2" 
Because I began buying quilting fabric so long ago, the bulk of my stash still tends toward "traditional." I'm trying to sneak some of those scraps into this quilt and use white to give it a more modern feel. I like this start.

Part 2 arrived last week and I finished it today. Instructions call these Churn Dash blocks, but I'm familiar with them as Hole in the Barn Door, or Monkey Wrench. (Churn Dash blocks have rectangles instead of squares.) In any case, this is a favorite block, and it's a good thing... I had to make 20 of them. Each block finished at 5" X 5".


I've been cutting the framing spacers larger than the 1-1/2" width called for in the pattern. Having wider spacers allows me more fitting and squaring-up options when my quarter inch seam isn't spot on. The medallion is about 35-1/2" square now. I still think I'm gonna like it.
Friendship Medallion Quilt, part 2 complete
You can join in any time you wish. I hope you do! Let me see your pictures. Linda

14 comments:

  1. Hi Linda- i will have to tell my freinds on the craft forum about this BOM. Yours is lovely, and coming along nicely. I showed my hubby all to the State Fair pictures, he thought they were great- thanks for posting them! Sandy. :)

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  2. Your BOM is looking great Linda..and what a lovely way to do a BOM, it encourages you to do each step before the get the next one..
    As we say down under "Good One!"...

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  3. What a great idea. I love what you've done. Happy Stitching,

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  4. Looks like loads of fun, I tired signing up for it but kept getting an error message. Oh well I'll watch as you create your beauty

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  5. Woo Hoo! You are really going on this....I love your aqua /orange/gold scheme so far, Linda!

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  6. Wow Linda, you are a sewing machine with a sewing machine! What great progress you have mad Glad that you got the next part of the pattern. Still loving that orange framing the centre square.Thank you for your lovely introduction!

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  8. It's wonderful, Linda. I love the tone on tone background fabrics, and the orange border really sets it off. It's a happy quilt!

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  9. Oh my, oh my!! This is not the time for me to start another project, but this is soooo tempting. After my success with RRCB which was made all from stash, and which by the way hardly dimished my stash, I am intrigued by the rules of using only stash. I may get the first one and see what happens. Each day I think - I need to be retired!!! Thanks for sharing.

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  10. Hi Linda,
    Love the centre of your new medallion. Your colours are lovely and fresh. It certainly intrigued me enough to go to the site and get the pattern for the centre! I soooo need another project to start. LOL.
    I'll be following in your footsteps very slowly.

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  11. Love the Friendship Medallion Linda. I thought I might join as well, but couldn't get thru the final payment (non)'bit'. Might try again tomorrow.
    I love your fabrics, mine wouldn't be as modern.Too old!

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  12. Hi Linda! So happy to meet you out here in blogland! I am not a quilter, but I stand in awe of you all. Quilts are one of my favorite art forms and just looking at them makes me smile! Loved the tour of the Iowa State Fair too...thanks for stopping by my blog for a visit!

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  13. Totally awesome. Love your version.

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  14. HI Linda, found your blog via Di Jobbins. I have tried to sign up for this but like the other LInda I could get through the final payment section. I have sent them an email but they are closed till the New Year. If you are reading this.... could you send me the instructions for the first section so I can get a start on it. my email address is philipa.core@gmail.com

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