Australian Homespun — June 2017

it’s free of wrinkles. Then lay the quilt

top over the batting, right side

facing up, and baste the three layers

together with pins (for machine

quilting) or thread (for hand quilting).

21

Quilt as desired. Emma used

a walking foot and machine

quilted in the ditch of the blocks,

sashing and borders with a domestic

machine. She used a multi-coloured

quilting thread for the coloured

blocks and white Aurifi l 40/2 for all

the white areas.

22

Trim the surplus batting and

backing fabric^11 ⁄ 4 in outside

the edge of the quilt top.

23

Join the seven binding strips

end to end with diagonal seams

to make one length. Trim the seams

to^1 ⁄ 4 in and press them open. Fold the

strip in half, wrong sides together

and long edges matching, and press.

24

With right sides together, sew

the binding to the edge of the

quilt, mitring the corners as you go

and referring to the Binding Diagrams

below for details.

25

Fold the binding over and stitch

it by hand to the back of the

quilt. Label and date your quilt.

EMMA BRADSTOCK

Why this particular craft? When I was in

high school, my mum started watching the

TV show Simply Quilts, and her interest in

quilting proved contagious – I soon caught

the bug. But it wasn’t until I started working

for Homespun and Quilters Companion that

I became obsessed with wanting to make

my own quilts. When you spend every day

surrounded by so many beautiful quilts, how

could you not be inspired to make your own?

Have you tried plenty of other stitch crafts?

I like to call myself a multi-crafter; I have a love

of quiltmaking, embroidery and crochet. I also

studied textiles in high school, so I’ve made

a few diff erent things, from bags to formal

dresses. I also have knitting and weaving

on my ‘to try’ list.

Who taught you your crafting skills? My

mother and both of my nanas did various

crafts as I was growing up, so I’ve been

brought up surrounded by lots of different

crafts. And then, to top that up, my couple

of years doing textiles in high school laid

the groundwork for some of my skills and

understanding. Plus, I could always rely

on my mum’s help if I was struggling to

work something out.

Any good stories from those lessons? My

mum’s mum did a lot of babysitting of my

sister and me. She always had fabric scraps

and bits and pieces for us to fiddle around

with. I did have an urge once to make a

gingerbread-man toy, but I didn’t feel like

asking for help – let’s just say I decided sticky

tape was the best way to seal up my seams,

so there was lots of stuff ing sticking out!

What does this craft mean to you? I’ve always

needed a creative outlet of some sort, and

I’ve discovered that craft gives me not only

something to do with my hands but it’s the

perfect balance between art and design –

creating something functional but also unique

and beautiful. There is no greater feeling than

draping that one-of-a-kind quilt or crocheted

blanket over your bed, knowing that you did

all of that work with your own hands.

Is it hard to find time to do your stitching

or is it a profession? My weekends are

very precious to me. They’re the only times

I really have to work on my various projects,

especially when they involve a sewing

machine. I will pick up some embroidery or

crochet on weekdays after work, but the last

thing I feel like after a long day at the off ice is

sitting at a sewing machine or cutting fabrics.

It can be hard to find the time and motivation

sometimes, but I take what time I can.

From where do you draw inspiration?

Anywhere, really! I’m often mostly inspired

by fabrics I see or colour combinations. I’m

always thinking about new designs and ways

I can put my ideas together.

Why this skill – and this style? There are so

many beautiful colourful prints around, and

I love to keep it fresh with lots of white or

neutrals. I love mixing traditional blocks with

bright and bold prints, but I am partial to

delicate and pretty fabrics, too, like Tilda.

What are your favourite materials to work

with? Cute and pretty fabrics are my favourite

• anything from a traditional soft floral to
  1930s reproduction prints. I also love working
  with linen and cotton-blend fabrics for smaller
  projects and my embroidery.
  Where do you live and work? At home we
  don’t have a proper sewing-room setup, so it’s
  wherever I can find the space, but I do have
  my favourite spot on the sofa, where I like to
  snuggle up with some crochet or embroidery
  and be bathed in sunlight.
  What’s your family structure? I live on Sydney’s
  Northern Beaches with my mum, sister and my
  partner, who moved here from Sweden a couple
  of years ago. We also have a black miniature
  poodle, Marley, who loves nothing more than
  curling up on my lap to ‘help’ me work on my
  crochet or embroidery.
  How would you describe your style? What
  makes it unique? I would probably describe
  it as pretty-modern. I am always partial to
  anything sweet and cute, especially floral
  fabrics and embroidery, and lots of white
  space to let the colours pop.
  What’s your advice for beginners? Learn the
  basics from a reliable source. Try out some
  smaller projects to learn new techniques. And
  don’t doubt yourself on colour or fabric choices.

Gett ing to know ...

Join the ends by

matching the fold

line and the drawn

line and sewing

them together. Trim

the seam, press it

open and refold the

binding, then finish

Mitring corners sewing it to the quilt.

40cm (16in)

Rule a line along the

45-degree fold

Binding diagram