My quilts and I are like ships in the night, passing each other as we go to different shows, exhibitions, workshops, retreats. This post is an update of where you can find me and my quilts over the next month or so. Plus some pretty show and tell photos.

I am honoured to be Bernina Australia's featured quilter for the state Quilt and Craft Fairs this year.
Our first stop for the Bernina Rachaeldaisy Wonderland exhibit was at the Sydney Craft and Quilt
Fair.



Whizz Bang!! the quilt that started it all. 

This is my Lolly Bliss Bombs quilt , It usually hangs with the background stripes running vertically but I must say, I almost like it hung better this way. It's nice to know my quilts are versatile and can go with the flow..

Bubbles on the Horizons. A fun version of my Bubbles quilt.

 Zap Zing Zowie was glowing!!

 Candy Bon Bon being lit up by the super magical B700 embroidery machine.

My name in colours!! Kerrie Hay of Bernina painted all of these letters and made the little window frame. The area was a lovely resting spot for happy shoppers..

The quilt is Sunny Days in Daisy Town. It's one of the projects in my book Whizz Bang! 

 It wasn't all quilts, there was some sewing as well. Tom wandered by with his mum. He slowed when he saw the machines and was looking at them with such a fascinated look. I asked if he'd like to have a go and he was straight onto it.

He did really well, lining up fabrics and sewing steadily. I bet he'll be back with a quilt next year. Yay Tom!

 Rhona of Chatswood Bernina was demonstrating thread sketching on the dream machine Q20. Making pretty patterns on cute turtles.

Leanne Harvey of Mt Vincent Quilts was using the Q20 for beautiful FreeMotion designs.

I didn't get a good photo of all the Bernina folk on the stand but when I arrived I had the fun surprise that everyone was wearing tops made from the fabric that looked like Whizz Bang circles!! The overall look tied so well into the theme. We had many comments about the tops and fabric from visitors about how great it looked. I'll get proper photos when we're in Melbourne. I promise!

 Even the marshmallows had a Whizz Bang look to them.

Next stop will be the Melbourne Craft and Quilt Fair, 25th -28th July, Melbourne Exhibition Center., so come and say hello. I'll have books available and I'll have my colourful markers ready for signing. In a way I see the Bernina Rachaeldaisy Wonderland as a travelling Book Launch. I'll be at the Brisbane Quilt Show too.


Bernina posted this photo on their IG. the sparkly pink crown is pretty cute!

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This week is the last week to see Flora Sensa an exhibition of textile works by artists of the Blue Mountains, at Braemar Gallery in Springwood , Blue Mountains. The Gallery is open Thurs -Sunday from 10-4pm. The exhibition runs until Sunday 7th July.
For more information visit
Braemar Gallery Website
Flora Sensa website


Along side Flora Sensa is an exhibition of exquisite traditional Japanese Textile embroidery by Diane Conomos. Diane is there everyday and is a treat to talk to. She'll happily tell you about the fabrics and threads used, talk of her travels to Japan all sorts of things. Her work has to be seen to be believed!


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I am totally over the moon to have had a work chosen as a finalist for the ProHart Outback Art Prize, to be exhibited at the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery. There was some serious happy dancing when I found out. They had a record number of entries so to be one of the 41 artists is a big honour.

Broken Hill is about 13 hour drive west of Sydney, I'm not sure if I'll make it for the opening but I'm happy that I'll be teaching there in early September when the exhibition is still on so I'll get to see it hanging. I'll share a photo of my work when I see it in the gallery. It might be silly but I'm superstitious about showing pictures before a show opens.

For those in the area the opening is Friday 19th July at 6pm and the exhibition runs until Sunday 22nd September.


I've also just been informed that I'll have 2 works hanging in Dare to Differ, an exhibition of contemporary textile works. Woohoo!! Double Happiness!!
Dare to Differ will be on from 6th - 23rd September at Gallery M,  Adelaide. If you live in the area don't miss it. The exhibition is a curated show of contemporary quilts from all over Australia, an excellent showcase of what is happening now in the quilt world.

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But wait there's more!

I'm the featured quilter at this years The Australian Modern Quilt Show. Fri 16th -Sun 18th

 The Rachaeldaisy trunk show will be on Friday after the Awards Ceremony that starts at 6pm.
Plus workshops on Saturday and Sunday go for 3hours from 10am until 1pm so you'd still have time to enjoy the show in the afternoon.

Bookings open on Wednesday 3rd July, get in early!

Here are all the links for anything you need to book in for at the show.

Entry Tickets
Trunkshow The Amazing Adventures of Rachaeldaisy
Rachaeldaisy Workshop 1 YoYo's a GoGo
Rachaeldaisy Workshop 2 Gypsy Carnival
Kantha Stitching Workshop
Raffle Tickets

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Misty Mountain Getaway is coming up. 28th September to the 3rd of October. If you want a week of sewing fun with lovely people then this is the retreat for you! Or you can come for just one or two days if you like.
I have 4 workshops on offer plus there are lots of other amazing tutors and workshops all set in the lovely town of Dorrigo, in the beautiful rainforest mountains near Coffs Harbour. When I last heard there were still places in most workshops so pop over to the website and have a look.
Visit the website here to find out more. 

Or visit the blog post I wrote about last years Getaway here.

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I'm so pleased to be returning to Cotton Rose 3/4 August and Calico and Ivy 6/7th August in Western Australia.
Call them for more information..
Cotton Rose  08 9755 8828
Calico and Ivy 08 9383 3794


Plus I'm looking forward to meeting lots of lovely quilters at Quilt Encounter in Adelaide,  Quilts in the Barn in Melbourne,  Nays Place in Waikerie and more, Patched and Pieced in Wyong, Queen of Fabric in Melbourne and more! Visit my calendar page to see if I'll be in a town near you.

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Now for some fabulous show and tell...

Debbie in North Queensland made the Blue Mountain Daisy pattern from the Whizz Bang book. Its wonderful and the judges at the Pioneer Valley Show thought so too and awarded Debbie a first place ribbon!

Marissa Rennie from my Material Obsession Friday class made this amazing quilt in our classes last year.  It started as a version of my Clamshell Carousel ( I'm doing a remake of it as a pattern, stay tuned) and then Marissa added windmills and hedges to create a beautiful garden.

Perfectly named Marny's Garden after her grandmother.

Beautiful handquilting! The sweet little birds hiding in the hedges and a lovely touch, 

I had to take photos of these hedges that I saw recently. 

They reminded me of Marissa's quilt.

They looked just like Marissa's hedges.. 


The next beautiful quilt is "Spring Burst" by Vivienne Criswell and quilted by Sandra Kelly.

I don't seem to have a photo the 2nd Place Ribbon Vivienne won, but here's the tag. Huge Congratulations to Vivienne!

Vivienne did a couple of my workshops on my visits to Nesting Needles in Coffs Harbour. I seem to remember when she started the workshop she said she'd make a bag or something small. I'm so happy she went on to make this beauty as a quilt. It's a joy to behold, such beautiful colours, fussy cut details, beautiful embellishment.

Sandra's quilting takes it to another level adding just the right pattern and texture, plus each circle has a flower or butterfly quilted inside like a little secret for those who look closely.


I was happy that I bumped into Vivienne just after she'd arrived at the show from from Coffs Harbour.

So great to get a photo together.


More beautiful work from My Sewing Supplies classes. Elissa's quilt is such a joy. She really embraced fussy cutting and had fun with colour placement in this quilt. She's now hand quilting it in colourful big stitches. 



Another quilt made in our My Sewing Supplies classes. I bet you can tell pink is Leonie's favourite colour.
All sorts of pink, birds, rabbits, spots, dots stripes, and more dots went into these blocks. It's one big pinky purple party!

I'll finish off with my random photos, taken from my walks around the streets in Newcastle and Sydney.




The Paper Bag building in Sydney.




I'm always admiring the geometry of buildings. 

And combinations of different buildings next to each other.

And small details, patterns ..


A couple of photos of my friend Michelle, who was my awesome roommate when I stayed in Sydney for the Quilt Show. 

She lights up my life. 

This one has it all - Buildings, clouds, reflections, lines and sculpture that looks like floating quilts!

Wishing you lots of fun and happy times until I return with more news of fun and happy times.