Sew Inspirational Autumn 2008 |

Black Tee Shirt

Kim Bradley Design

Bernina Friends

In every issue of Sew Inspirational I will be introducing you to our Bernina Friends.
Bernina Friends are an elite group of artisans, each with their own unique and amazing talent in one or more of the many different aspects of needlework. From patchwork and quilting to dressmaking and home d�cor their talent will delight and inspire you.

Every year Bernina Australia and New Zealand sponsors two different artists to demonstrate and exhibit their artwork at a selection of major sewing and craft shows throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Ruth Osborne

Ruth Osborn

Designer Ruth Osborn, draws from nature for the creative designs for her Wearable Art Garments. Many of the gowns she creates relate to the beautiful colours of the Great Barrier Reef, or the Exotic Rainforests of the Tropical North where she lives and works in Sarina, Far North QLD. Her gowns are usually made from natural fabrics, silk and wool. These are hand dyed, machine embroidered and heavily beaded.

Ruth has won many awards over the years, including The Supreme Award from The Australian Wool Fashion Awards and the Award of Outstanding Excellence from the Hunter Valley Harvest National Fashion Awards. Her work has been exhibited nationally and overseas. Ruth has articles published regularly in Australian sewing magazines.

For Ruth's Black Tee Shirt Project click here

Kim Bradley

I started longarm quilting about 4 years ago when I purchased my first Gammill quilting machine. Since then I have been totally consumed by this venture that has become a passion. With my progression in the last year, I have started to explore new possibilities firstly producing my own range of computerised machine quilting designs and the adaptation of these designs for the embroidery market for those that wish to combine embroidery designs with sensational quilting styles.

Another passion colour shading the quilting for emphasis, dimension and texture. This I have found to be the avenue I wish to develop the most.

I have noted in the last few years that most people when doing their own machine quilting find it hard to think of ways to fill their quilts with designs, whether it be all over or as background or sashing fillers. I would love to show people various ways of making this task a little less daunting and a lot more fun, which it is, when shown how.
There are ways of making this an easier task by using fillers that allow forgiveness in the area of precision. This is fun and eliminates a lot of the misconceptions that quilting must be 'precise' and 'all the same' or 'uniform'.

I also have a passion for drawing and quilting feathers. I believe they give a quilt lots of movement, elegance and are generally attractive.

It is my freehand style that I am keen to share along with the ideas to colour and shade your own quilting, whether it has been done for you by a longarm quilter or by yourself. Advances in domestic machine quilting technology such as the inclusion of 'stitch regulation' has given everybody the chance to achieve styles of quilting that were not always easy.

My own recent work has given people a new desire to attempt quilting and "shading" their own work, the style is dramatic, colourful, and as simple or complex as you want it to be.