Southern Cross Quilters is an online quilt group for Australians and New Zealanders and expats of those countries.
Currently hosted at YahooGroups, SCQuilters has existed since 1994 and has about 2200 members.

To join the group, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scquilters and read the instructions. Don't forget to tell us your affiliation with Australia or New Zealand and provide us with your location and postcode.

29 October 2013

Cobblestones swap: Jenny Loveder

Here are two of the many quilts I made  using blocks from the Cobblestones swaps.
Jenny Loveder, Scraps from under my table
 
Jenny Loveder, Little Quilt of Love

27 October 2013

Cobblestones swap: Sharon Barnes


I enjoyed the cobblestone swap. I made two quilts from the swap, one for my niece (picture above) and one for my nephew. I still have a lot of cobblestone blocks in my 'couldabeen' box; including a set of purple and green ones that missed getting posted.



Cobblestones swap: Hilly van Zuylekom


The photo shows my 2 great-granddaughters in the USA playing with their quilts. The one in the foreground is made with the cobblestones alternated with 'I spy' blocks, the one in the background is similar but made with blocks from a 9-patch swap. I didn't want to make 2 quilts that were the same but nevertheless went together because the girls share a room. And of course they had to be pink.

And then of course she had to sleep under it - on the spot - and had a little snooze.


The girls really liked them :)

At the moment I am making a similar quilt for my great-grandson with the blue cobblestones. Those kind of relatively simple swaps are a real lifesaver!


Cobblestones swap

SCQuilters has run many swaps over the almost twenty-year lifetime of the group. One popular and long running swap was the Cobblestones block swap, which ran from 2004 until 2009. It was originally run by Anne Semmens, until the end of April, 2006 and then by Stephanie Driel until December 2009.

Here are the initial instructions:
A set will contain 6 pairs - a pair consists of 1 positive and 1 negative block of the same 2 fabrics. A maximum of 3 sets can be sent, but must contain different fabrics in each set. Blocks will be swapped in pairs so that each participant will receive an equal number of light and dark blocks.

For ease of explanation, the following is based on using 2 FQ's to make your Cobblestone Blocks, but it is not necessary to have the same fabric for all 6 pairs in a single set.
FQ's usually measure 19" x 21"-22" and can be cut into 7, 2 1/2" x 21"-22" (You need 20 ½" for the blocks, but cut the full width of your FQ to save you making a skinny seam!)
2 FQ's in light/dark or in contrasting colours will make 14 blocks. 7 positive and 7 negative. One pair for you to keep, and 6 pairs to swap.

From EACH of your light and dark fabrics, cut strips 2 1/2" x (at least) 21" long.
Sub cut each strip into 2, 6 ½" x 2 ½" rectangles and 3, 2 ½" squares.
Block assembly - Positive Block
Top row - 6 ½" dark rectangle
Middle row - 2 ½" dark square, 2 ½" light square, 2 ½" dark square
Bottom row - 6 ½" dark rectangle
Negative Block
The reverse of the above - dark square in the middle surrounded by the light fabric.
Blocks must measure 6 ½" square unfinished.

The light and dark Cobblestones blocks look like this:



Over the next few weeks, we're hoping to show you some of the many quilts that SCQuilters made from these blocks.

15 October 2013

Sydney SCQuilters meeting

The Sydney SCQuilters also had a great meeting this month. Good food, good company and lots of  interestingwork being done. Check them out on the Sydney SCQuilters blog.

QLD SCQuilters Get-Together

QLD SCQuilters met again this month, with lots of lovely show and tell. Check out the report of their day on the QLD SCQuilters blog.