Quilters Companion

Quilters Companion is the definitive patchwork and quilting magazine. Published since 2001, Quilters Companion provides readers with exciting quilting projects. These projects are accompanied by easy-to follow instructions and accompanying pattern sheets, stunning styled shots and interesting stories about the featured projects. We pride ourselves not just on being an instructional publication — we are a good read as well!

Editor’s Journal

Quilters Companion

Quilty Treasures

The Great New Zealand Quilt Show • This event is run every second year and was presented for the fourth time at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre from May 12–14. The event is organised by Aotearoa Quilters, the national association of quilters in New Zealand. This year there were 128 quilts entered in the juried members-only exhibition. There were more than 400 quilts on display with the guest exhibits. If you would like to see more of the winning quilts, visit: www.aotearoaquilters.co.nz/the-great-new-zealand-quilt-show-2023

Marie Antoniette Cameo • Terase fell in love with Tula Pink’s Déjà vu Cameo fabric so she made an unabashedly purple and pink lap quilt for all those tiara-toting princesses out there. After fussy cutting the cameos, they are set into framed squares and offset with framed chequerboards.

Mamoru Bag • This bag is modelled on a traditional Japanese grain-carrying bag (different to a rice-offering bag — komebukuro). It uses what we would now call a ‘zero-waste’ method with no cutting of the precious fabric used for the body of the bag. In fact, you can undo a few seams and have your special fabric ready for another use! Clever folding and stitching make an intriguing shape and fun construction. Simple and enduring sashiko patterns (no templates or complex markup required) speak to the hardworking origins of the bag and will give you a great deal of stitching pleasure without stress. Mamoru is the Japanese word for ‘protect’ — the special shape of this bag generously carried and protected the precious grains from spillage. The pattern also protects the spirit of Japanese traditional bags and sashiko stitching in all their utilitarian beauty.

Heart and Soul • Two simple blocks, gentle coordinating fabrics and a little time will produce this sweet, calm lap-sized quilt. If you would like to make it larger, just make more blocks!

Gwendolen • This fun quilt is Layer Cake friendly and is made easily using Leanne’s curved template and the corner-to-corner (C2C) curved piecing technique.

Misfits • This appliqué quilt features modern shapes and colours for the needleturn appliqué flowers, along with Dresden Plate blocks and panels – finished off with big stitch hand quilting.

Living Pattern of Design

Advice for new machine quilters • Some essential quilting tips to help demystify the machine quilting process for new quilters.

UK Quilting Tour 2024 • Join me on a marvellous quilting and textiles tour to the United Kingdom next year! Of course, the highlight will be the Festival of Quilts held annually in Birmingham. There are lots of palaces, castles, museums, exhibitions and fabric shopping. We will visit eight fabric and textiles shops along our journey. See the tour dates and more information on page 12-13.

Lightning Flash • Combine the splendour of a stormy light show and earth it with jewel colours to make a zigzag quilt a thing of comfort and wonder. This quilt by Wendy Whellum first appeared in our sister magazine, Homespun in May 2016. We hope you enjoy it as much as our Homespun readers did.

Canberra Quilters’ Annual Members’ Exhibition • The 2023 exhibition was held April 26–29 at the Former Transport Depot, Kingston ACT. On the following pages you can see some of the winning quilts. The 2024 Annual Members’ Exhibition will be held May 23–26 at the Exhibition...