Beach Cities QGuild Quilt Show 06-13-14

One of the local quilt guilds held their biennial quilt show last weekend and Liz and I went to see what there was to see.  The quilt has a reputation for showing exceptional work by members; they have more than a few members who like to work with wool applique, several that specialize in embroidered quilts, and some who do original art quilts.  I'll show more work as I have time and space in my blog.

 

 

This is a fantastic use of this fabric, which I had admired in the shops, but couldn't think of what I might do with it.  Jane's quilt is a knock out.

I think it is very effective to have the circles randomly quilted rather than each one sewn exactly on the edge of the dots.  The background is stippled.

Instead of ribbons they give flowers!

 

I have seen this machine embroidery being done automatically on an embroidery machine, but this is the first quilt I have seen done like this.  It is done with gold colored thread - not metallic.

I have a bunny lover amongst my friends, so I took a detail that might please her.  It almost looks as though this bunny has wings.  In this picture you can see the block seams.  

 

The one terrible thing about the show was the pictures of the quiltmakers.  Apparently whoever did the photos didn't realize they needed to resize them from the corners rather than top/bottom and side/side.  Makes everyone look misshapen and about 50 pounds heavier.

Nancy Gasparotti makes great original quilts with a modern quilt movement color selection, although she was doing this before the formation of the Modern Quilt Guild.  The darker triangle on the right side of the quilt is a shadow cast by the lighting system.  Nancy has a great eye for color.   One of her pieces is in the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection.

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Monday Browsing 06-09-14

Trouble making small talk?  Here are some ideas.....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-kleitches/making-small-talk-better_b_5434445.html

Shadow art https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=680104932061826&set=a.680104908728495.1073742227.109328009139524&type=1&theater

http://blog.petflow.com/i-cant-believe-how-funny-this-is-i-am-in-tears-make-sure-your-sound-is-turned-on/  I agree.  Del  

I find this of particular interest because triclosan takes my skin off!  My hands turn red and then begin to peel – very uncomfortable and also ugly.  In a public restroom I rinse my hands with tap water, dry them and then apply anti-bacterial gel.  I don’t know if that has any adverse effects, but at least my hands feel cleaner.  When I travel I carry a container of liquid Palmolive in my purse.   http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/purge-toxic-ingredient-life/?xid=aol_eh-news_27_20140602_&aolcat=HLT&ncid=webmail15

Some very different embroidery:

http://www.textileartist.org/10-contemporary-embroidery-artists/

And if you are a dance aficionado:   http://blog.petflow.com/when-he-hit-the-dancefloor-no-one-ever-expected-his-performance-to-stunned-them-all/

Not a cat lover?  How about a cat tolerater?

http://www.viralnova.com/cat-toothbrush/?md=44d6909d70b1d84d883a15179b883935&ps=3

 

New quilt in TCQC 06-08-14

A few months ago I placed a bid on this quilt, part of a unique fund raiser for a health clinic in Africa.  In May I was notified that I had the high bid.  I think it is a great quilt, but even more I admire the reason for the auction.   The funds raised go to a health clinic in Gambia where one of the African Fabric source artists volunteers.  See an explanation of the project   http://quiltandstitchvillage.com/exhibits/buy-a-plank

About the clinic http://www.buyaplank.com/the-clinic/

 

There are a half dozen or so quilts that didn't sell - take a look, you might add to your collection.

 

"One Plank, Many Huts"  2014  Alison Livesley - England   47.5"W x 47.5"L

 

 You know how competitions/shows ask what is the color of the quilt?  It is sometimes difficult to answer that question.  Basically, to me, this is a blue, brown, rust colored quilt.  But once I start focusing on each block I see every color in the rainbow - even pink!

 



This is the large block in the center.  Lovely African fabrics and Kaffe Fassett prints and stripes.  And note the little piece of white polka dot on blue at the peak of the roof - just a regular cotton print.

An African quilt needs to have some animals.

There is a nice "starry night" batik at the very top.

Notice that all of the roofs are "pebble" quilted (sometimes called "bubble")which gives some continuity.

The plus signs in the grey window are hand stitched - and there is the blue with white polka dots again.  But, oh my,  those geese on a pink sky - wonderful.

Very subtle hand quilting using X's and running stitch.  Also machine quilting using a large zigzag.   Other areas are quilted with a regular machine running stitch. 

 

Alison, the quilt maker, said that she dipped into her collection of African fabrics, many purchased over the years at the African Fabric Quilt Shop.   Although the style is nothing alike, the fabric selection rivals that of Ruth McDowell.  Perhaps that is why I am so attracted to this quilt.

Great backing fabric - sort like stones and tally marks.  And fabulous color - who would think this up?  It is electric.

 

If you are a fabric junkie - as I am - there are hours ahead to be spent looking at the huge variety of fabrics in this quilt.

Somehow Alison missed her Plank Number. I think it would be interesting to see an image of the original plank along side the quilt it became. 

 

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