Lachlan's 'Happiness Is' Quilt

This quilt is called 'Happiness Is' and was designed by Dianne Johnston. The pattern was published in the Australian Patchwork & Quilting Magazine over a period of 10 months in the year 2000. I collected all the patterns in the hope that one day I would get to make the quilt. I loved the bright colors and all the different blocks. Like a few of my projects I had the pattern for quite a few years before finally starting it in 2005 and finishing it in 2006.

Every single stitch on this quilt is hand sewn, that is every piece of applique, the seams for each panel, the binding around the edges and even the centre join down the middle of the backing material. It was a lot of work but I loved sewing every single stitch and enjoyed seeing each panel as it was finished. The quilt measures 60 inches (152cm) by 76 inches (193cm) and can be used as a quilt on a single bed or hung on the wall as a wall hanging.

The biggest challenge in making the quilt was finding a surface big enough to lay the quilt out on and then fitting each of the panels in place. It took me a week to lay the quilt out and place the sashes between each panel. Once I had laid the quilt out with the sashes between each panel and basted the three layers together I then quilted the layers together by sewing a knot through the layers holding them together. It was such a good feeling to see the quilt finished especially since it had been something I had wanted to make since seeing the pattern six years before.

This quilt wasn't the first quilt I had ever made but it was my first attempt at applique and my first fully hand sewn quilt. The first quilt I ever made was for my nephew Jonathon so it seemed only fitting that this quilt be given to Jonathon's son, my great nephew Lachlan John Downs.

This is me with Lachlan in April 2008. I hope that Lachlan enjoys the quilt (even if it is all bright colors and patterns) half as much I enjoyed making it.

A few weeks ago I participated in a research project being conducted by Victoria University. Once the project has been completed this and some other quilts I have made will be shown in an exhibition of craft works along with other quilts made by the participants of the research project.