Dianne Firth quilt from TCQC 10-11-09

"Red Wave" Dianne Firth 2005 44"W x 57"L (111.8cm X 144.8cm)

Cotton, polyester batting, torn-strip appliqued, machine quilting.

In the QN catalog she states: "The inspiration for this quilt came from the bulbous form and sinuous orange-red markings of a fresh supply of galangal (Alpinia galanga), a spicy vegetable root, closely related to ginger and turmeric. The quilt is also a memory of warm weather and summer holidays."

I purchased this quilt at the Quilt National 2007 opening in Athens, Ohio, and then it toured the country with the rest of the Quilt National works. Although it is difficult waiting for two years, I know that if a quilt appeals to me the only way I can add it to the Collection is to "strike while the iron is hot", as the saying goes! I'm thinking of posting a series of 'the quilts that got away' to show those that I did not decide soon enough or speak up quickly enough!

Dianne's work has always appealed to me when I have seen it in exhibits, books or magazines. There is something about the way she refines and pares down the extraneous parts of an image and leaves the clear 'bones' of it in her quilts. Other than that, I suppose one of the attractions of this quilt is the color - I do enjoy bright clear colors.

The dark stripes are actually brown, but my camera cannot take the accurate color, nor could I adjust it enough with my editing program.

It is easier to see the quilting lines on the back of the quilt.

The instructions for washing the quilt are on the labels - one on each of the four pieces.

Dianne lives in Turner, Canberra, Australia, where her work includes teaching landscape design, history and theory as head of the Landscape Architecture Department at the University of Canberra Australia. You can see more of her work at these websites: http://tactilequilts.com/ and http://www.ozquiltnetwork.org.au/dianne-firth.html

If you look at the work of the other quilters who belong to the tACTile group you will see quilts by Beth Miller whose "Kimberley Sunset" was the featured quilt on 09-28-09. [The ACT in capital letters stands for Australia Capital Territory - similar to our District of Columbia]