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DEIRDRE BOND-ABEL

"I have been a quilter for nearly forty years now. For me, and I know many others, quilting is not a hobby, it is a lifestyle and I am very passionate about sharing my love of the craft.

I consider myself very lucky to have discovered quilting in my mid-twenties and I have had the joy and satisfaction of creating quilts for such a long time that it is literally "the air that I breathe".

I started designing my own quilts pretty much from the very beginning. Very simple quilts at first but over the years my style has grown. I consider my designs to be quite unique. I don't follow trends or styles. I love to take traditional block units and turn them in to original designs and combine them with applique. Most of my inspiration for quilt designs comes from architecture - iron work on old building, ceramic tiles, woodwork, lead-light windows and so on. Reproduction fabrics are my great love, the colours and prints are so warm and beautiful and I still find it fascinating to think that the fabrics we can use today are on their second life. The details in some of the prints is extraordinary. Antique quilts have become a passion, I have been collecting them now for nearly ten years, they truly are so special, from the perfectly constructed quilt to the very haphazardly made ones, they all bring such beauty, patina and warmth.

I am a Mum to two great, grown up children who both get how important quilting is to their Mum. Now a Grandma to a gorgeous little girl, I so look forward to teaching her to sew as soon as possible.

I am a wife to a very long-suffering quilting husband (are they like Golf Wives??) I think he secretly loves quilts nearly as much as I do, he certainly knows the difference between a log cabin and a flying geese and is very good with colour, but doesn't think that the quilts with applique are "real quilts" apparently only pieced quilts are "real quilts".

I was a Registered Nurse for over thirty years, a job that is very nurturing and rewarding, helping others in their time of need is a great privilege. It is terrific career to combine with quilting, Nurses are very organised people and good managers of time. Shift work is very conducive to getting a few blocks made before you go to work.

I retired from nursing to become a quilt shop owner. This was a dream come true, to be surrounded by fabric all day and get to spend time with other quilters, what more could I want. I taught classes in the shop which was very rewarding, starting others on their quilting journey. I travelled a great deal, vending at quilt shows in Australia and teaching classes. I also travelled frequently to the United States to attend International Quilt Market to wholesale my pattern designs and teach at different quilt shops. The life of the quilt shop owner is great fun BUT we don't get much time to sew. I gave up the bricks and mortar shop and started an online business called Hat Creek Quilts. At first this was pretty full on with a large inventory, but as life changes I am now concentrating on just selling my own patterns and fabrics.

Along the way I have co-authored two books published by Martingale. I have also authored my very own book published by Quiltmania called "Hat Creek Quilts -- A Perfect Ending to a New Beginning". I have had many quilts published in Australian and International magazines.

Applique is my great love, for me stitching by hand at night is so relaxing, the rhythm of the pulling the needle through the fabric is like meditation. It gives me time to think or even not to think. Designing quilts is spontaneous, the ideas just flow, I like to think a design right through from start to finish before I even pick up a pencil to draw or scissors to cut.

A few years ago I collaborated with Marcus Fabrics on a type of reproduction line called "Ties That Bind" the prints were taken from my husband's silk tie collection.

Now I am back with Marcus Fabrics and we are making Reproduction fabrics together. I feel very blessed to be part of this wonderful craft, it has made my life so rich, I love connecting with other quilters and sharing knowledge and friendship in our quilting life. 

 

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