Huka Falls Gift-Away!
G’day from Australia!
Yes, this post has been *mostly* written ahead so all I had to make were a few edits during my time here and set it to go live –
This is our first pattern release of 2025 and I’m so excited to be releasing Huka Falls one year after viewing this magnificent destination in New Zealand just a year ago.
If you’ve never heard of Huka Falls – you need to see it!
The Waikato River, New Zealand’s longest river,
narrows dramatically at Huka Falls, generating enough power to fill an
Olympic-sized swimming pool in just 11 seconds. The effect is mesmerizing but
loud. You’ll hear Huka Falls before you see them.
The thing that captivated me most was the color of the
water – aqua blue mixed with the churning white foam of the rapids.
It was a color play that wouldn’t leave my mind.
I started in to making my Huka Falls quilt trying to capture the tumult and power by digging in to my neutral and aqua/turquoise strings.
If you’ve followed me for any length of time (I’ve been blogging here for 20 years this coming June!) you will know of my obsession with string quilts and all of the different fun things you can do with random leftover bits and strips of fabric.
Huka Falls was easily constructed using two different string techniques – basic string piecing where narrow strips of fabric simply cover a shape edge-to-edge and then the shapes are trimmed to size , paper removed and then are used as a whole piece while the next step begins – Paper piecing on to another printed foundation for the surrounding strings.
It’s marvelous fun giving the ability to use pieces small and large – there is a place to use up everything!
It was so satisfying finally getting this quilt top together!
I machine quilted Huka Falls in a pale aqua colored thread in an edge-to-edge design called Baton Rouge by Sarah Ann Myers. It really does look like splashing water.
And oh, how I love the silly fabrics included!
They make me smile so broadly.
If you spy legs in shoes – my friend Connie dared me with a full yard of a hilarious print of hillbillies in barrels. Always up for a crazy neutral (And knowing I’d never use it anywhere else!) I stripped down the whole yard and mixed it into my neutral string bin.
Red lady shoes? of course!
Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz?
Absolutely!
And a bit of Betty Boop for good measure.
More legs and shoes. Ha!
What’s up, Bert?
I think it really does capture the motion of the swirling waters I experienced at Huka Falls during my New Zealand trip.
I bound Huka Falls in a neutral with a turquoise and lime green doo-dad print.
And of course there are many more string quilts in my future line up of quilts I NEED to make. Always fun. Always satisfying to use up every last bit of fabrics, favorite and otherwise.
Would you like to win a Huka Falls PDF pattern to make your own?
I’ll be drawing for 2 winners who will each receive a Huka Falls PDF pattern from me and:
From Sydney with love!
I would love to have you join me on my 2025-2026 lineup of exciting tours. Click the All My Tours tab at the top of the blog for more info.
June 2025: crafts, culture and cuisine of Iceland.
September 2025: Germany, Switzerland and France winding up at the Fantastic quilt show in Alsace!
Nov/Dec 2025: Bavarian/Austrian Christmas Markets!
January 2026: exclusive arts and crafts experience in Morocco.
June 2026: culture, crafts and traditions of Romania.
September 2026: quilting Inspirations of India.
It’s morning here in Sydney as I get ready to send this off and we are heading to the airport for our flight to Melbourne.
Until I am home again – hold down the fort for me, will ya?
