Fun at the Fair

On Wednesday I took the train to Melbourne and met up with a friend to visit the Craft and Quilt Fair.

We enjoyed a session watching Dai the Patchwork Ninja demonstrate making his Accordion Wallet:

Picture from their website. 

I couldn't resist buying a kit to make 3 of them. He is an excellent salesman and it would have been easy to spend a lot more at his stall than I did!

The kit includes pattern and instructions, interfacing, 6 fabrics (3 outer, 3 lining), press-stud type closures, and fancy marking pen.

My only other purchase was a fat quarter I needed for a birthday gift later this year. I was on the lookout for some sewing supplies (nice elastic, in particular), but there weren't any vendors with that sort of thing.

In the Quilt Showcase, this amazing quilt won Mariya Waters another Best In Show award:

Dreadful photo, so look at the applique and quilting details:

Four years in the making! It also won ribbons for Excellence in Appliqué and first prize in the Mainly Appliqué - Professional section. Mariya is a talented quiltmaker!

Perhaps we have been quilting too long, but there weren't a lot of stand-out quilts. Many looked just like quilts seen in other shows and other years. However this one made me stop and have another look:

I thought it was a printed fabric at first glance. The colours blended together so well I thought it was a lovely printed design that had been turned into a wholecloth quilt. But then I noticed there was some embroidery as well:

and in fact when you look closely all the leaves and flowers are needle-turned appliqued. And look at how the branches around the edges are done - they are a continuation of the border, appliqued in place:

This beauty is called "Springtime Meadow", and was made by Pat Leviston and quilted by Vicki Jenkin. They won a two-person prize, but sadly I can't read the rosettes in my photos. Just a gorgeous quilt, anyway!

This one won a special heart-warming accolade:
 

Isn't that sweet?

All in all it was an good day out.