Megan Carroll is an enthusiastic and fun loving bundle of energy!  Her practical approach is delightfully spiced with seriously impish mischief  - and totally infectious! Megan was responsible for setting up the Central Victorian Chapter of The Applique Society (TAS) with meetings held in the historic goldfields town of Castlemaine.

Some months ago, she invited me to attend as Guest Speaker for their meeting held on 8 August which celebrated their twelve month anniversary. I was very happy with her suggestion that I speak on my approach to design, where my design inspirations come from, how I go about setting out designs, my favourite applique tools and choosing fabrics and colours. I loaded the car with quilts and books and works in progress.  I was also fortunate to be entrusted with and allowed to bring along Joan Livingston’s reverse applique masterpiece from our special Essendon Saturday class.  The sunny day ensured happy driving over the eighty minute journey to the north west of Melbourne. Castlemaine is a wonderful place to visit and is bustling with interesting things to do and places to see - an artists paradise.

The gourmet delights brought along by the members were a spectacle to behold and filled the day from arrival to departure.  I wish I had taken photos of the sumptuous morning and afternoon teas and the abundant and delicious array set out for lunch!   True country fare!!

I really enjoyed catching up with so many friends and familiar faces.  It was such fun to share my approach to my quilt making with the members there - and their response was wonderfully enthusiastic. I also loved seeing some of the members who had done classes with me some time ago. They brought along their works in progress and a finished quilt or two resulting from those classes - very exciting.

Just couldn’t help taking this great shot of Megan in some degree of difficulty holding up her end of a large quilt for Show and Tell.  Viv on the other side had no trouble at all!

And Kerry and Rose did heaps of stitching whilst also enjoying the camaraderie of the day.

Irene and Joy likewise……

And the meticulous pressing on the reverse side of this hexagon quilt top was Jan’s amazing work. I have never seen anything so ORDERED AND NEAT!  Fabulous work Jan!

More fun and frivolity!