On a whim I decided to jet down to Melbourne for the AQC (Australian Quilt Convention), the bees knees of quilt shows in Australia. I had previously discounted the idea of going on the usual mundane grounds of cost and time. Then Luvvy said “why aren’t you going”? Why indeed I thought. So a few thousand frequent flyer points later and a quick hotel booking on wotif I found myself at the domestic terminal of Brisbane airport at an extremely uncivilised hour.

Following a recommendation I checked in to the Windsor Hotel. This hotel is the last of the 19th century hotels and is soon for renovation so there is a strange air of faded glory and lost regret in the building. I’m almost certain I saw Miss Marple sitting on one of the leather lounges in the foyer.

The hotel is a classic beauty with sweeping staircases and stained glass – the bastion of graciousness of a bygone era. Unfortunately it lives in a time which loves only polished concrete and tempered glass and it will soon be “extensively renovated”. Time passes as it must.

But I digress. The business at hand is the quilt convention and so it was that I made my way up the hill to the Exhibition Building (another architectural masterpiece) to see what architextile masterpieces I could find. And I was not disappointed. I took so many photos that I will have to ration you lest you be overcome. I’ll start today with the ‘True Blue’ entrants for the AQC challenge. Unfortunately I neglected to get all the names of the quilters and their entries and I apologise for that and also for the fact that not all the photos are of the best quality (well the light was bad in some areas and I was working under pressure).

Prepare to be amazed:-

Winner – ‘True Blue Jacko’ Jeannie Henry

Close up of ‘True Blue Jacko’, Jeannie Henry

‘The Fallen’, Neroli Henderson

By Kathy Adams

‘Go Granny Go’, Alison Laurence

‘True Blue Mates’, Yvonne Chapman

‘Fair dinkum Aussie dunny’, Ramona Resurreccion

‘Who Knew’, Debbie Guihof

‘The Big Dry’ Camilla Watson

Close up of ‘The Big Dry’ by Camilla Watson

‘Beginning True’, Sue de Vanny

‘Really True Blue’ Jan Clark

Close up of ‘Really True Blue’ Jan Clark

Told you – more tomorrow

Until then be inspired and happy quilting

Kaye