Starts & Finishes

This past week has seen both finishes and starts – well, quite a few starts actually.  More starts than finishes, definitely, but they won’t all be shown here.  Firstly, I finished the small community cuddle quilt for the local hospital co-ordinated by Toowoomba Quilters club.

I have always wanted to do ‘echo quilting’, so I went around each heart about 1/2’ away.  It looked good, but I think it made the little quilt a bit stiff and I could have spaced the quilting a bit wider . It is 24” x 24” finished.

Next finish was done because there was a time frame.  I seem to work better when I have to have something finished by a certain time!
“The Uh-Oh Bra” is a take off of “The Ahhh Bra” which is advertised as being the best u-beaut bra on the market.  Well this poor ol’ one has seen better days. 
I painted it purple  which was the theme for the “Cuppa for Cancer” fund raiser at Toowoomba Quilters this year.  You can read all about the great day we had and all the decorated bras HERE.  I used Dye na Flow fabric paint  and then went to town to destroy it.  Hitting it with the heat gun almost set it on fire and I thought I was back in the 60’s woman’s lib movement burning bras.  It caught on fire and was quickly put out.  I then put the heat gun away and got out the scissors.

Our Art Quilt Group is doing portraits at the moment and I decided on a self portrait.  Scary……
Shirley manipulated the photo for me on Gimp and I have traced off the outline.
The plan is to free motion quilt it from the back through the drawing.  Free motion quilting is my nemesis.  I have watched all the you-tubes, plenty of DVD’s (which sent me to sleep), and read all the hints and tips I can, but still I seem to be hopeless at free motion. Oh, I have also done a workshop!!  I know, we are supposed to practice and that is what I am doing at the present time before embarking on the portrait.
But…. all I seem to do is a mess with it.   My attempts are far too ugly to be showing here on the blog.  Will keep practising.


WIP – Another collage journal cover started.  This time I wanted to experiment with image transfer and chose the gel medium method. After a lot of messing around and a lot of You Tube videos watched (latest addiction), I ended up with this

The image didn’t come out very strongly, but I kind of like the ethereal look of it and it’s ragged little edges. Lots more fun to be had with this yet.
Gotta run now and practice my free motion!!

Bags of Stuff revealed

Well, today was the big reveal at Toowoomba Quilters Art Quilt Group.  It was quite nerve wracking to begin with, but as proceedings went on we all became more comfortable.  It isn’t easy making a quilt for someone else we have discovered!!
Please visit the Toowoomba Quilters blog to see all of the wonderful quilts the ladies created from their bags of stuff.  It is amazing http://www.toowoombaquiltersclub.blogspot.com

Here is the quilt I made with my bag of stuff from Lyn L.  I loved the Philip Jacobs leaf prints, so based my quilt around them.  The top left corner is woven cheesecloth with a leaf hand embroidered.  Below that I couched down some fabric strips (ala Judy Martin) and these represent Autumn.  Thanks to Shirley for guiding me with colours and placements.  xxx

Linda Wrench (no blog)  received my bag of stuff and this is the gorgeous quilt I received from her today.
She has used some chenilling and has painstakingly quilted around those little Kaffe Fassett ‘trees’ in gold thread.  Very small cornelli quilting – I am in awe of it.  The whole piece is based around the orchard and the ‘fruit’ on the top right is made with little circles of fabric each stitched down with a sequin and bead.
Thank you Linda, I love it very much.
We had a lovely day at art quilting today!!

Bag of Stuff–A Challenge

All of those near and dear to me (especially Shirley) will be pleased to know I have put together the challenge quilt from my bag of stuff. I think I was driving everyone crazy with my indecisions and procrastinations!!!! 
Our Quilting Art Group put this challenge out around February, and of course, true to form, I have left it until the last minute to finish it off. (I work much better under pressure )  I did start on some of the elements before we went away in May, thankfully.
Tomorrow is the big reveal day.  We will see what each person has done with their bag of stuff.
The only rule was to use lots of the contents of your bag of stuff, you were allowed to add your own stuff as well.  Keep it to within the parameters of 20” on each side and at the end of the challenge, hand back what is left in the bag plus the recipient's completed quilt.
Here is the bag of stuff I received back in February.

I loved those Philip Jacobs leaf fabrics, so, basically, the quilt I made is around this theme.
I will show the finished quilt tomorrow evening after my partner has received it.
Here is the bag of stuff I handed in.
Can’t wait to see what my bag of stuff turns into!!!

Art Journal Quilts - October

 
These are the first art journal quilts made by the TQ Art Group for the month of October.  
The rude lady you see in there is actually a brooch (pin) which our member, Kay, picked up at a craft stall in Gatton. (Top Right) This quilt is not completed and she is calling it "My Autumn Years".  
The very beautiful one at the bottom is by Linda Wrench.  She does fabulous felting work.  Linda loves to fossick for gems and is writing a story about her fossicking adventures with each art quilt.  This one is "Garnet"
Kathy Adams is doing her monthly journal quilts on songs she loves from the 70's. (Middle Left)  This one is printed on silk and is called "3 Roses were Bought with You in Mind". 
I don't know the names of all the other quilts, but mine is in the middle "Dream Weavers", Ann J "Boots 'n All" (Top Left)
Glenda T did the one on the bottom right and has used the 'confetti method'.
I think I was the only one to finish the November quilt and that was my "Viva Valentino" piece (here)
We only started with 7 members and now we have interest from about 12 people.  I will post more about my art journal quilting in 2011 when I hope to try different techniques and experiment a little.

Visiting Local Galleries

Last Saturday a friend and I set off to a small township about 20 minutes away called, Goombungee and we visited their lovely Rosalie Gallery.
A group of textile artists who call themselves WOTE have put on a most fantastic exhibition.  WOTE stands for Women on the Edge - love it!!
The exhibition is entitled 'Elements of Red' and explores the use of the primary colour RED.

It is amazing, so if you live in the Toowoomba district - do not miss it.  It is on until 7 November, so not much time.

 

I am not sure who this work belongs to as it is not on the brochure and I didn't take a note.  The participating artists are Jean Constantine, Jan Scudamore, Joan Ellard, Tessa Wright, Joan Mundy, Dorothy Cottee, Toni O'Leary, Diana Symes, Carol Oyston, Gail Grunske and Barbara Scott.

Well done ladies!! 

When we got back to Toowoomba it was time for a bite to eat and a longed for cup of coffee.  Then we took a short stroll from the coffee shop to the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery.

Here we saw some more lovely textile art and a couple of local textile artists known to us were juried into this show too.

It is called "Progression" and is the 6th Juried Art Quilt Exhibition.  It is also on til 7 November.  Well worth a visit.

 
This image is part of an art quilt by a local textile artist, Jen Luck.
We are very lucky to have these two intimate galleries available to our artists in the local region, and it is good to see textile art becoming more recognized.