This is the fourth year that we've had a stand in the Quilting in Action area as well as teaching in the Quick & Easy workshops, so we didn't get much time to have a look around the show - or blog for that matter! However we did get to see some quilts and enjoyed several galleries, which we will feature over the next couple of blogs.
First are some quilts of the quilts which caught our eye. We both enjoyed the Modern Quilts category - back for its second year. The use of colour and space make for some striking compositions which when combined with plenty of quilting equals some truly stunning quilts.
First are some quilts of the quilts which caught our eye. We both enjoyed the Modern Quilts category - back for its second year. The use of colour and space make for some striking compositions which when combined with plenty of quilting equals some truly stunning quilts.
Sarah Hibbert's Happenstance is a traditional drunkards path block with an alternative piecing layout with extra strips. The large scale of the blocks allows Sarah to showcase the wide variety of patterned linen fabrics with straight line quilting complimeting the curved piecing.
Iva Steiner's quilt, Narrow Geese Around was paper pieced and quilted on a domestic machine. However in her artist's statement Iva says she quilted it in a way to suggest that it had been quilted on a longarm machine! Narrow Geese Around was received a Highly Commended.
Not all modern quilts include a lot of white as Melanie Turbitt's quilt shows. Again this quilt was quilted on a domestic sewing machine, as well as being hand quilted. The finger print was made using bias applique and the unique print was taken from her husband's thumbprint!
Another modern quilt with beautiful machine quilting was Tomomi McElwee's Wind Ripple. A square of improvised piecing using scrap fabrics was off set on pale grey, which allowed the maker to use the large empty space to showcase the beautiful texture created by the free motion quilting to look like the wind ripple on sand dunes.
Hanna Farquharson's quilt, Family Sanctuary had travelled all the way from Canada. Hanna made the quilt the actual size of the endangered artic wolf that she loves. In her artist statement she says that 'the circular den is a sacred space, sanctuary, honouring and protecting family. The white fabric represents the pristine beauty of the snow and represents the harsh weather and challenges to survival. Fierce love unites family'. The central emblem carries family the initial and denotes four children.
Quo Vadis? is Birgit Schuller's emotional response to all that has been happening in the world recently. She asks 'Where are you going, mankind?' but states that the options are numerous yet no clear direction can be determined. Birgit free motioned her quilt using a longarm machine.
Quilts are made for many reasons and often to celebrate special occasions, as was the one made by Tracey Pereira for her friend's birthday. Tracey used the Free Wheeling pattern by Denise Schmidt and free motion quilted it with her own, bespoke, patterns. Beautiful, what a wonderful birthday present!
Aztec colours, geometric patterns and the Aztec word for racoon was the inspiration for Paula Steel's Mapache Tale. The quilt uses stripes to represent the racoon's tail with an Aztec inspired colour palette.
Modern style quilts featured in other categories as well and you'd be forgiven in thinking that Little Marble Track by Claudia Scheja from Werne in Germany, was full sized quilt. One of the main criteria of the Miniature Category is that in a photograph the quilt should be indistinguishable from a full sized one. So scale of fabric, stitches and binding are all crucial - as well as the usual design principles.
Helen Howes often uses improvised piecing even when she's works in miniature as she has done this year in her quilt Another Fair Copse.
Winner of the Miniature Category was Philippa Naylor with her perfectly pieced Circuit Training. Philippa used a combination of hand and machine piecing with hand applique and hand guided free motion quilting. Stunning!
Click on the gallery above to find out who made the quilt and which category it was in.
I do like quilts with a sense of humour and Moira Neal's quilt Time flies when you are having fun in The Quilters' Guild Challenge Category certain had that. Click on the images below to see more detail and in Moira's own words 'Stand, look and laugh!'
Moira must have had so much fun and it's a quilt with so many memories caught up in its making - her mum died whilst she was making it, but she says that happy times are trapped in her mum's handmade lace which she ahs incorporated. Her mum would have certainly been thrilled with Moira's Highly Commended award.
Another quirky quilt is Mousehole - no cats! sewn by Brenda Thomas. Mousehole is one of her favourite Cornish fishing villages with its almost circular harbour, golden sands and beautiful turquoise water. Moira says that her pictorial quilts invariably feature a dog - hence the name of this quilt!
Elita Sharpe must love cats, because there's a naughty one peeping out from her quilt! I see you features a large paper pieced faceted cat's face, which is an original graphic designed by her daughter, Faith Mazzone.
The Quilt Creations Category always has interesting and very non-traditional entries. Umbrellas by Tanglewood Textiles featured an umbrella made by each of the 6 makers. Inspired by the seasons, weather and nature each member of Tanglewood Textiles created an unique umbrella in her own individual style. Each year Terry and I try to spot which one was made by who - all six makers were once our students! So from left to right the makers are Hilary Drake, Melanie Pask, Jackie Amies, Sarah Dixon, Anne Gallagher and Susan Short
Next time Terry will be showing you some of the galleries.
Hazel & Terry
Next time Terry will be showing you some of the galleries.
Hazel & Terry
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