A Quilt in Australia

Several years ago I sent a quilt to an Australian exhibition, the first time I know of that a quilt of mine was shown ‘down under’. That was Shapes 27: Reflections on the Nine Patch, where I was experimenting with reflector fabric, some shiny fabric I had once been given by a friend, and loose end in the quilting.

Shapes 27: Reflections on the Nine Patch, 90 x 90 cm

 

When light falls onto the quilt in certain angles,
other Nine Patch shapes become visible as well.

Glitzy fabric in the dark, reflector fabric, and loose end in the quilting

It might be possible that one of the SAQA shows I was in was shown in Australia? I’m afraid I am not good at keeping track of where my quilts are going when they are touring the venues without me…

This weekend, however, my quilt “Between Portals” is (at the point of writing already: was) being shown at the Australasian Quilt Convention in Melbourne, as part of the group exhibition by 20 Perspectives, “Doors, Windows and Portals”. 

 

Julie Haddrick secured the opportunity to show there for the group, Anne Bellas and Phyllis Cullen traveled as clandestine quilt transporters, and the three of them are rocking the show.

Phyllis Cullen (left), Anne Bellas (middle), Julie Haddrick (right)

 

View into the exhibition hall

Unfortunately, they have reported that lighting in the halls is not very conducive to taking good pictures, 

In this picture, my quilt is hidden behind the perpendicular little angle

 

so if you want to have a good look at all the pieces shown, please take a look at the group’s website, especially the gallery for this specific exhibition: https://www.20perspectives.com/new-gallery-images

SAQA Benefit Auction coming up!

After returning from South Africa I was all inspired, and really meant to write more about the textile experiences, as announced. But the next day my son and I went away for a few more days of vacation, and then... I had managed to wash the assorted fabrics that I had brought with me, but writing about them somehow went down the drain.

So while we are still on vacation I keep seeing references to the SAQA Benefit Auction 2019, which is coming up soon. As for several years I have donated a piece this year as well. As I was looking through the abundance of quilts on offer yesterday I made up my mind to create and submit a 'Dream Collection', too. Usually when I have done this,  I would keep my own piece out of that Dream Collection (at least as far as I remember), but this time I was not as secretive. Here is my Dream Collection for the SAQA Benefit Auction 2019, titled "Repetitive Forms" (or was it Shapes? can't remember, I went to bed right away afterwards...)

I noticed that there are a lot of pictorial pieces on offer - and I am not that much of the type for pictorial quilts. So it could be a collection with an entirely different name, and perhaps I came up with the one I chose only because it was late, I was tired, and it needed a title when all I had been doing was chosing the ones I liked on first sight. Yes, there were a few others as well, but ...

The SAQA Benefit Auction starts on September 13, and you can read how it works here. Perhaps you can find a piece that you find worthy of bidding for, you would help SAQA in its biggest fundraising event.

I did it. Again.

And I hate it when I do that. But it happens to me all the time. When I finish a quilt, and it is not immediately destined to be shipped somewhere, I neglect finishing the tunnel. At least most of the time I have finished the binding/facing to take it to be photographed. And the tunnel is at least prepared. But the finishing stitches, they can wait… and then I forget about it, and when it comes to shipping I get into a situation when it is time to send it off and I realize that I still need to finally finish the quilt.

Just these past days I worked myself through this again. I entered two quilts for the WQC, and then the tunnel situation happened. Shapes 29 still had to have the tunnel and the lower facing attached. 

(And I just realized that that one isn't even on the website yet, I really need to get that updated...)

And the Jacob’s Ladder quilt I only finished a little while ago hadn’t even been meant to be put on a wall, so a tunnel wasn’t even prepared for. 

But both of them are done, I hope they will be accepted and it was worth the while - …

But tunnel making certainly is not my favorite part of quilt making. I take detours to distract myself easily.

Such as this one: I have finished my piece that I am donating for the SAQA Benefit Auction this year and will sign it up later today and ship it tomorrow.

Ready to be shipped for the SAQA-Benefit Auction: Shapes 41

And this morning I cut a few pieces of organza that I refound on my cutting table from which I want to make vegetable and produce bags to take along when going shopping in order to avoid using plastic bags.

 I have been using some for a while, and at first people looked at me strangely. Cashiers even unpacked the produce to put it on their scales so they would not weigh the bag. Made from organza, however, they are very light. Then I gave some away as presents and my stack dwindled. By now bags are being sold in various places. So the idea is catching. At least with produce and fruit. But as I am following various organizations on Instagram that are concerned with collecting plastic waste from the ocean I also notice more and more plastic wrappings in the stores. I wonder… 

There are still three more tunnels for me to finish, because I signed up "A Scrap a Day" for the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham. So these need to be finished very soon, too.

In any case, I will finish these Tunnels and then these little bags soon, and once again I have sworn to myself that next time I will complete the tunnel for a quilt right away. Let's see whether that happens indeed. If only I had somebody who would check on me for that!

Upcoming: SAQA Benefit Auction 2015

I spent part of the morning in my role as regional co-rep for SAQA, preparing a count-down presentation of our region's donations for the upcoming Benefit Auction 2015. First appearances will be happening on the regional SAQA blog starting two days from today.

My own piece will be up for auction during section 2.

Shapes 28, 12x12 inches, donation for SAQA Benefit Auction 2015

I was also asked to prepare a Super Dream Collection from the entire set of donated quilts. It was chosen under the combining feature of 'Lines'. I also sent some pictures of the making which were turned into a small video to promote the auction.
But, to be honest, I can't find the mail that gave me the link to that video. And I completely forgot to announce that I was a featured artist on the SAQA website in July! Still a lot to learn for me on the field of self-marketing...

Taking up the challenge(s)

Well, I think I am back amongst the living. Actually, I have been out of bed since early Wednesday morning, simply because it felt like I couldn't lie down any longer, not because I felt like I was on the upswing yet.
But the snows were melting, and already I had missed two days after returning from the workshop, without having set up a bit more of snow dyeing. And who knows whether there is going to be more snow this year? So as unfit as I was I dragged myself out to the nearby parking lot with a wheelbarrow and lugged some snow in to add a few more pieces to the stash. I had to make sure to do this after my son had already left for school, in order not to let him see this act of stupidity that his mother would have told him off for had he done it. And my husband wasn't really pleased with this kind of activity either...
Actually, after I finish this, I will go down to the basement and check on these pieces, as I haven't been down there again yet.

I thought this early part of the year would be quiet. How come I always manage to convince myself that there will be phases like that? The workshop with Lisa Call is keeping me busy, I am finishing pieces for the International Threads exhibition in Prague - and I have decided to get serious about those Journal Quilts of the contemporary group of QGBI. For the entire time that I have been a member I have been considering joining in, but never actually done it. This year they announced the new format of 6 x 12 inches, and you have to decide whether you want to do it in portrait or landscape orientation. At first I signed up for portrait, but virtually in the last minute (closing date is tomorrow) changed my mind and altered my registration  to landscape. I don't do a whole lot of quilts in landscape orientation, so I thought this might be more of a learning experience. Now all I have to do is figure out how to upload the images. Once I get started on actually producing something.
I am also part of a group "ArtFrauen" which has regular challenges as well, and I hope that I can double up on some of all these. Not because I am lazy, but  there are only 24 hours in the day, and when you can't even go at half speed, like I was forced to this week, you just need to figure out how to make things work twice if possible.
For example, I finished the little quilt I was hinting at here, and it served twice for the challenge "Blue" in the ArtFrauen group, and the Extra-Challenge for International Threads in Prague.

Shapes 26

I used reflector fabric in this one,
here is a picture taken with a flash.

It also served once in homework for Lisa Call's class as example of abstraction, so I guess it has really done duty by now! And it will be the newest piece on display in my upcoming exhibition, opening in eleven days. (For which I have to send out invitations - oh, I am sooo behind with things!)

I am also working on a slighter larger interpretation of this for the Australian challenge "True Blue". I've been meaning to enter in that show since I first heard about it at Ste. Marie-aux-Mines last September. But only a couple of weeks ago did I start - deadline is end of the month - who knows whether I will make it...? Challenges indeed. I did not manage to make one for SAQA's "Balancing Act", though. Although I had told myself I would enter at least two or three SAQA shows this year. Well, I hope there will be at least two others that are appealing.

Finished. My last quilt.

A good hour ago I put the last and finishing stitches into my last quilt - for the exhibition that is opening a week from today.

No.25 in the series "Shapes"

It is one out of five 16 x 16" quilts that I had to make for this exhibition, and had started like this:

(In fact, it is number six, as I decided that I did not like the first one well enough to show it like it is - it will be re-sized, and then find a place to be shown somewhere else.) By now I have pretty much mastered putting a finishing edge around a quilt that is to be  mounted on a frame. Could do more of those. But I won't do Shapes for a little while, so many other ideas floating in my head, pieces to be finished...
I have four full days before I leave for Alfeld, and need to sort out the hanging rods, print the labels to go on the walls - I am not finished, I know. For example, three of the little ones need to be mounted onto the frames yet.

But no more sewing for this exhibition. Feels good!

The opening in on Sunday, October 12, at 11:30 a.m., at Fagus Werk in Alfeld, Germany. Anybody who is in the area is cordially invited - would love to see you there!

Coming Up: SAQA Benefit Auction 2014

I spent many hours this summer setting up "The Grand Gallery of SAQA Europe/Middle East's Contributions to the 2014 Benefit Auction", which is currently posted on the region's blog.
I had already written about my 'difficulties' in coming up with a correctly sized piece earlier this year.

Today's feature on the regional blog is my more successfully sized contribution, which will be auctioned in the first part of the event.
Why don't you take a look at the series on the blog, and at the entire set of donations? Perhaps you would even like to buy one of those small pieces of art...

Shapes 19, 12 x 12"

SAQA Benefit Auction 2014 - my dream collection

It's the year of missed deadlines for me. Not only have I missed two deadlines for quilt shows which I intended to enter - one of which was most annoying because I had made one specifically for that event, the other one I would have just entered something that was handy - but I have now also managed to miss the final date for entering a 'Dream collection' for the marketing of the SAQA Benefit Auction 2014. As I am the regional representative for Europe/Middle East, that's a bit embarassing, but as I am also involved in preparing a special series about the auction for the regional blog,  I am indeed quite busy with that auction. Perhaps that can count as an absolution.
Plus, I still have the chance to publish my dream collection here. And that way I could put up my own rules, too! My own little contribution, which despite the fact that I needed a second attempt to get the size right I still managed to send in early enough to be in the first section of the auction,is out of the game, of course.

But looking through all the other sections, I managed to come up with seven that are my favorites - one more than the "dream collection"-size than the board calls for. So I decided to extend my personal dream collection by one, make it an XL-selection, so to speak. Here are my favorite seven pieces:

Gail Baar's blog can be found here.

 Information on Nancy Dobson can be found here.

Cecilia González's website can be found here.

Heather Pregger's website can be found here.

Brenda Gael Smith's website can be found here.

Unfortunately, the SAQA website does not give a link to Dianne Thomas.

The auction will begin on September 15 according to this schedule. Perhaps you would like to purchase a piece of small quilt art by bidding?

12" is a good size!

As I was checking on my garden today, inbetween stirring sessions when dyeing the July collection of the fabric club, which produced nice instances of sink art on the side

I also stopped by Baby Oak. And then I went back inside and fetched a ruler. Here is Baby Oak, at a strong and proud (almost) 12 ", a size I am beginning to like more and more for quilts, too:

I finished Shapes 21 in that size at the beginning of the week:

When not stirring, or walking through the garden, I spent as many hours as possible stitching "Shades of Green" - questioning myself why I had fixed my mind on this dense stitching... Right now it feels as if it never will be finished!

Shades of Green, backside, still in process

Shades of Green

A few weeks ago I gave a piece of green fabric to a friend as a gift, and in her thank-you note she made a statement about how much she loved green, and how much she regretted that not a whole lot of green quilts were being made in Germany. To be honest – I hadn’t noticed. But when I thought about the colors that my quilts have, I had to agree – certainly I haven’t done a whole lot of work in green. An early one has green in the background, and last year's donation for the SAQA benefit auction also was in green:

Dreams of Fields (2013)

And then there is, of course, Play of Lines X, which traveled with Color Improvisations for two years.

I included it in both my shows in Freiburg and Prague earlier this year, and it kept receiving very positive remarks – but that’s about the extent to which I have worked in green.

Play of Lines X (2009), 184  x 2003 cm

However, I do have four boxes of green fabrics in my studio.

And lots of green scraps in my ever-growing scrap collection, just where do they come from if I don’t use green much?!

lots of scraps, sort of assorted -
in this case minus the greens

In any case, my friend’s remark triggered more thoughts, and very quickly I came up with an idea for another quilt for my exhibition in the fall at Fagus Work in Alfeld. The exhibition is called “Inspiration Bauhaus”, and I have been concentrating on working with the basic geometric shapes. I also would have wanted to do some things based on Gunta Stölzel, Anni Albers, or some of the other women, but somehow the geometric shapes kept pushing themselves to the foreground, and the ladies have to wait, still. For several months now I have been thinking that the next piece in the series I would be making would be with yellow circles. But as it turns out, it’s green, and squares.

So I’ve been turning over the scraps, partly relatively well-sorted, partly all in a mess. This happens because I keep throwing them into a basket, meant to be sorted after each project, but the new project gets started, before the most recent scraps get put away, and then already a few new scraps have joined the others, and there is just not enough time to stay ahead of chaos...

So Shades of Green (Shapes 21) has been growing on my wall. 

Depending on whether Shapes 20 will be accepted into Wide Horizons IV, this is either the next to last quilt I need to finish for October. Or the one before the next to last. 

Towards Wide Horizons

I returned from Prague on Monday just before noon after having left there just after seven o’clock. It’s amazing, really, how close it is. Since we have been living here we kept saying that we should go there someday – there is a direct train from the next city (not ours, but we can take the train from here, i.e. get to Prague with changing only once). It’s closer than Vienna – which we haven’t been to from here, either.

In any case, the week was busy, cleaning up after four consecutive weekends ‘on the road’ with various quilting/teaching/fabric activities, and I needed a bit time to settle down. Additional excitement on the parental home front – I really could do with a little bit of vacation now! However, it’s my son who is on vacation now, two weeks of Easter holidays...

What time I had to sit down to work was filled with frustration. 

In Prague I had realized that the deadline for entering a quilt for the SAQA-exhibit “Wide Horizons IV” is drawing nearer quickly, and although I had been planning for a long time, and collecting material, I was far from having started. Conversations in Prague had given me two more bits of material – I had been collecting proverbs and phrases in various European languages that somehow included the word ‘horizon’. Although the title of the exhibition is not meant to indicate a ‘horizon’-theme, somehow it had been clear to me that that would be what I wanted to do. I had found several really nice sayings, thanks to Christina’s (Italian), Beatrice’s (French), Ylva’s (Swedish), Margrit’s and Christian’s (English) help – and Winnie and Rid helped me with Danish and Dutch when I met them in Prague. I can supply the German. So the collection is impressive, I wanted to make another text quilt, and during the very quiet Sunday afternoon in Prague started drafting how I wanted the background to connect to the letters, thinking I would write each language’s saying in the colours of the flags of the respective countries.

None of these two sketches really give an impression of what I wanted to do - but they kept my mind occupied as I was waiting for customers...

Upon my return home I managed to find out the maximum size of the piece and, in relation to that, the letters, and started to sew lines for orientation, managed to attach the fabric to the background with only a few bulges and was feeling more and more restless. This would take forever, and already I had a feeling that time was running out. Plus – it was getting all too complicated. Too wordy. Too much interference from my former life (in the end I was researching phraseological aspects of English). In the evening I talked to my husband about it, and his kind remark was “well, what are you trying to say? Is there a single and clear idea behind it? If so, I don’t get it.”  Gulp.

I talked about my mounting frustration, about the feeling that right now I was not really having brilliant ideas, that I wasn’t so sure any more that having agreed to be part in the exhibition in Fagus Works had been a really good idea. By then I had basically decided to give up on trying to make a new entry for Wide Horizons (I do have one finished, which is getting a second chance here.) Then I showed him another sketch which I thought would be the basis for one of the next ones for Fagus Works in October.

And in our dialogue we rearranged the squares a bit, altered the colours.

In the morning I set out on the new piece, entered a state of flow, finished piecing it by mid-afternoon. 

The first cut is the deepest...? Beginning stages of Shapes 20

Today I started quilting it, and it will definitely be finished way before the deadline. And it will work as part of the series Shapes, so if it doesn’t get into Wide Horizons IV, it will be part of the exhibition in October.