New Junior Group Membership

To encourage increased participation in the junior quiltmaker categories at the Sydney Quilt Show, the Committee has introduced a new class of membership. The new "Junior Group" membership has the following features:

• an annual subscription fee of $44 (inc GST);
• junior quiltmakers (up to 18 years of age) from the same school or geographical area can form a group;
• the group must nominate a contact person;
• each junior group member is entitled to enter one quilt into the Sydney Quilt show free of charge;
• a quarterly newsletter will be sent to the group;
• members have access to the Guild library on the same terms as other members; and
• two junior members from a group may attend Guild workshops at the member's price.

Spread the word to schools, shops and groups in your area. We look forward to enjoying more junior quiltmaker entries at future member's exhibitions. Download a membership form (180KB pdf).

2010 Guild Calendar - A Great Christmas Gift

In 2010 you can have a quilt brighten every single day with the Guild's calendar now available from the Guild office for the special price of:

• 10 copies @ $7.70 total $77.00 postage to the same address included
• Less than 10 copies @10.00 postage included

Download order form. Orders received by 16th December 2009 will be dispatched promptly. Orders received after this date will be dispatched after 10th January, 2010. Just send us a cheque or fill out the credit card particulars. (A fee of $1.50 applies to payments by credit card. )We look forward to your order.

The following winning quilts were selected from the entries in last year's calendar challenge:

• Cover award sponsored by Pfaff Australia: ‘Faites Simple:The Impressionists’ – Cathy Jack Coupland
• January: ‘We Do Like to Be Beside The Seaside’ – Marilyn Lowder
• February: Pippy Hunting – Low Tide at Davistown – Elizabeth Long
• March: Still Life With Picasso #1 – Helen Godden
• April: Spring Beauty – Judith Thomson
• May: Seachange 1 – Alison Muir
• June: Lift Off – Carolyn Sullivan
• July: Colour Patch Series:Black, Blue & Red – Sue Dennis
• August: Simple String Theory - Brenda Gael Smith
• September: Flannel Flowers – Amanda Daly
• October: Inspiration Unleashed 2 – Sharon French
• November: Migration – Carol Timmins
• December: Still Life – Log Cabin Flowers – Alan R Tremain

Bid 4A Cause Auction Commences 27 November

Bid-4A-Cause is holding a reverse auction of textile works to raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. On November 27 the auction will BEGIN – tell ALL your friends.

There are 14 wonderful A4-sized textile artworks up for grabs. You can add an artwork to your textile collection for a fraction of the price that these artists work normally sell for. All money raised will be sent to the NBCF – no admin or artist’s fees will be required, so every cent you spend will go to this extremely important and worthwhile charity.

Several Guild members have donated textile works to Bid-4A-Cause including: Nic Bridges, Sue Dennis, Helen Godden, Jocelyne Leath, Caroline Sharkey, Erica Spinks, Brenda Gael Smith and Lisa Walton.

What tickles your fancy

Thirty one entries for the 2009 Guild Challenge, What Tickles Your Fancy, were on display at the end of year Guild meeting today. First prize and viewers' choice was awarded to Jocelyne Leath for Foot Loose and Fancy Free:

Footloose and Fancy Free by Jocelyne Leath, Churchlands WA

Second prize was awarded to Carolyn Sullivan for Feathers Do!

Feathers Do! by Carolyn Sullivan, Bundanoon, NSW

Judges commendations were awarded to Judith Thomsen and Brenda Gael Smith. You can view all thirty one entries and artist statements via the slideshow below. Thank you to everyone who participated.

The 2010 challenge (which closes on 27 August 2010) is fabric rather than theme-based and each entry must incorporate the mystery challenge fabric. This fabric is available from the Guild office for $2.20. If you would like the fabric to be posted to you, please send your details to the Guild office along with 5x55 cent stamps.
Download 2010 Challenge Entry Form (75KB pdf)

Burwood Meeting: 21 November 2009

The final Guild meeting for 2009 will be held this Saturday, 21 November at Burwood RSL, 96 Shaftsbury Avenue Burwood. The program includes:

• 11am demonstration by Nancy Parkinson: Nancy will be demonstrating machine piecing without pins. This promises to be unique and simple, which will be a great help to those who shy away from curves.
• Shop: Lyn's Fine Needlework - a valued Sydney Quilt Show sponsor
• Guest speaker: Diane Groenewegen artist and collector will share her creative journey including printmaking.

The "What Tickles Your Fancy" challenge quilts will be displayed for the first time at this meeting and you will have the opportunity to vote for your favourite . We will conclude with afternoon tea and exchange christmas greetings with fellow quilters. All welcome!

The Gentle Arts "Textiles" Discovery Tour

This Saturday, the Powerhouse Discovery Centre at Castle Hill in Sydney is having a textiles-focused open day.Here is a brief overview of the day. For more detailed information about the day, go to the Power Museum website.

The Gentle Arts 'Textiles'
Saturday 14 November
10.00am-4.00pm
Join us on Saturday 14th November when the Powerhouse Discovery Centre presents an Open Day celebrating the 'gentle arts', focused on embroidery, quilting and needlework in the Powerhouse Museum's collection. Highlights of the Open Day include; a lecture by Powerhouse Museum Conservator, Suzanne Chee, on textile preservation and how to display needlework; displays and demonstrations of fine embroidery and patchwork quilting and a hands-on workshop where visitors can take part in embroidering a convict bonnet as part of the 'Roses from the Heart' convict bonnet project, developed by Tasmanian artist, Christina Henri. Visitors can also spend time in the Centre's Collection Lab to view a selection of quilt panels from the Australian AIDS Memorial Quilt Project and meet some of the Discovery Centre
volunteers involved in the conservation of the quilts.

Social Meeting at Campbelltown: 15 November

The final Sunday social meeting for 2009 is this Sunday, 15 November.

The venue is Campbelltown Arts Centre. All members, and friends and interested persons, welcome. Gallery opens at 10.00am , Show and tell at 11.30, Café for lunch or bring your own, Guest Speaker, 1.00pm, Afternoon Tea provided, meeting closes at 3.00 pm, Gallery closes at 4.00pm. Wheelchair access, Sculpture Garden, Art Gallery, Japanese Garden.