Auckland Festival of Quilts 2015 - Instalment 2

Here is another lot of quilts from the Auckland Festival of Quilts.  This is a bit of an eclectic bunch, but once again, they caught my eye and I'll share why as we go. 

'Phoenix Rising' by Dianne Dowd, was made from a pattern by Cheryl Phillips.  Dianne made a stunning, very eye catching quilt with her fabric choices.  Her quilting, done on a domestic machine was very well done and she won Second Prize, Amateur Wall Quilt, sponsored by Fabric by Three.  

What also struck me about this quilt was the clever hanging mechanism that allowed a circular quilt to hang straight and flat.  You can see below that there is a piece of calico fabric attached to the back of the quilt.  The calico is then cut square at the top and has the hanging sleeve and velcro attached to it, making it easy to hang.  Brilliant!

'Old Library Door' by Ngaire Fleming.  Started in a class with Gloria Loughman.  This little wall hanging was just so nicely done.  There was attention to detail, a great use of perspective and perfect colour choices.  The quilt was square, it was just hung fairly high up and tricky for me to capture a good photograph.  It won Highly Commended, Amateur Wall Quilt, sponsored by Minerva and Auckland Quilt Guild.

This small quilt was made by Heather Bassett and began life as a curved piecing exercise.  I liked the use of solid coloured fabrics and, if you stood and looked at it for a while, the very subtle shift towards darker colours at the bottom of the quilt, which suggested a landscape to me.  The organic straight line quilting complemented the piecing well.  I've serendipitously found Heather's Instagram feed a day or two ago.  She is @hezbez13 if you want to see more of her work.

I think the colour scheme of this quilt caught my eye at first.  I'm partial towards pinks used in a darker way, rather than a 'little girl sweet' colour scheme.  'Butterflies' by Chris Behersing had a slightly chaotic feel that intrigued me and the use of many different prints and checks and all sorts of interesting fabrics all together made it feel as if it should have been a hot mess, but somehow it worked!

Alison Laurence is an accomplished art quilter and her clean style is once again evident in this piece,  titled 'Focus'.  The unusual viewpoint was fascinating, particularly when taking a photograph of the quilt.  The quilt was fairly large too, making the subject oversized and Alison's award, Judges Choice, sponsored by House of Patchwork, was well deserved.

I took a photo of these two quilts side by side to illustrate how a pattern can really be made your own by fabric choice and quilting design.  Both were titled 'The Caswell Quilt' and made from a pattern by Corliss Searcey.  The quilt on the left was made by Ann Gregory with needle turn appliqué and quilted by Jacqui Karl.  The quilt on the right was made with raw-edge appliqué by Betty McLean and quilted by Linda Young with embroidery by Heather Clark.

This is a closeup of the quilt on the right.  It won First Prize, Small Quilt Multiple Makers, sponsored by Quilt Shop Papamoa and Best Machine Appliqué or Embellishment, sponsored by Cottage Flair.

Here is a closeup of the quilt on the left.  It won the Best Amateur award.

And here's me!  With a cheesy grin next to my quilt 'Memories of Flight', which won a Highly Commended, Professional Wall Quilt, sponsored by Minerva and Auckland Quilt Guild.

Minerva is a textile bookshop that is on my bucket-list of places to visit.  Here's the link to check them out http://www.minerva.co.nz

Thanks Minerva and thanks Auckland Quilt Guild!

Podcast Episode 15. Interview with Trisha Downie, President of the Auckland Quilt Guild 2014

Trisha Downie is the President of Auckland Quilters Guild.  Trisha leans heavily towards mixed media and three dimensional quilting.  She is hugely supportive of new quilters and quilters wanting to move in different directions and I was excited to interview her about all things quilty.  I hope you enjoy our discussion.  Thanks Trisha!

Trisha and myself at Festival of Quilts in front of Trisha's entry in the most recent Dorothy Collard Challenge.

Trisha's entry in the mixed media section of Festival of Quilts, titled 'Copperplate'.

Detail of 'Copperplate'

Here's Trisha's lemonade recipe that we talk about:

Homemade Lemonade 
6 washed Lemons
50gms Citric acid
750gm sugar
3lts water
Method:
Peel rind, no pith, of two lemons, add 2 cups of sugar in to food processor. Process until the sugar is yellow and oily. Tip this into a large saucepan adding the juice of the 6 lemons, minus any pips. Add remaining sugar, the citric acid and water. Over medium heat stir until the sugar has dis- solved. Cool, bottle, and store in the fridge. To drink use 1 part concen- trate to 4 parts water.
It’s delicious, Enjoy. 

And my useful or beautiful link:  

Alexis Robin is a life-coach who puts out a 15 minute radio show that you can subscribe to in podcast form.  She's not overbearing or airy-fairy and I've really enjoyed listening to her.

http://www.nourishlifecoaching.com/Nourish/Radio-Blog.html

LIST OF AWARD WINNERS, AUCKLAND FESTIVAL OF QUILTS 2014

AMATEUR CATEGORIES

Large Bed Quilts – Single Maker 
Highly Commended - Gay Jaques – Times and Seasons
Second Prize - Marie Harrison – A life on the Ocean Waves 
First Prize - Beverley Naidoo – Love Birds

Small Bed Quilts – Single Maker 
Highly Commended - Dianne Dowd – Made to Measure
Second Prize - Jenny King – Moonlit 2
First Prize - Val Williams – Caravan Quilt

Small Wall Hanging– Single Maker – Group One
Highly Commended - Lynne O’Donnell – Woodland Escape 
Second Prize - Susan McRae – Altered Fabrics 
First Prize - Marie Harrison – Hexagon Obsession

Small Wall Hanging – Single Maker- Group Two

Highly Commended - Alison Hartley – Perseverance 
Second Prize - Annie White – Road Block 
First Prize - Lyn Winkel – Pacific Dream

PROFESSIONAL CATEGORIES

Bed Quilts
Highly Commended - Judi Schon – Inside Out
Second Prize - Chris Behersing – Creamed
First Prize - Ansa Breytenbach – Desert Flower

Wall Hangings
Highly Commended - Carole Sorrell – Tiger Tiger Burning Bright
Second Prize - Robyn Croft – Gradations III 
First Prize - Sonya Prchal – True Bliss

OPEN CATEGORIES

Small Bed Quilt – Multiple Makers
Highly Commended - Chizuko Hoy & 19 members of POP group – Crocus Wreath 
Second Prize - Carolyn Van Wonderen & Bee group – Cheery Canary Bee Quilt
First Prize - Ngaire Fleming & Leeanne Hooper – In Memory of Ruth

Large Bed Quilt – Multiple Makers 
Highly Commended - Barrie Ashton & Judi Schon – Summer Days
Second Prize - Carolyn Van Wonderen & Carol Fearon- All about Bears 
First Prize - Betty McLean & Linda Young – Ribbons & Roses

Wall Hanging – Multiple Makers
Highly Commended - Jean Ramsay & Carol Fearon – Wisteria Maiden
Second Prize - Lorraine Simmons & Witches in Stitches Group – In Tune 
First Prize - Betty McLean & Linda Young – Instruments of Praise

Kit Quilt
Highly Commended - Susan Wade – My William Morris Garden 
Second Prize - Helen Harford – Zigs and Zags
First Prize - Vimla Govender - Shanandoah Baskets

Mixed Media
Highly Commended - Val Williams – Beauty from Beneath
Second Prize - Marj Ussher – Joy of Trinkets 
First Prize - Jean Singleton – Butterfly Flight

Junior Quilts – sponsored by Kids Quilts

Nicholas Gadams, age 9 Animal Crackers
Anna de Boyett, age 12 Crazy Cats in the Garden 
Emma Kelleway, age 16 Yoko

Out of the Blue – sponsored by Auckland Quilt Guild

Best Use of Challenge Fabric Carol Fearon – Let’s Go Fly a Kite
Best Use of Embellishment Pauline Coates – A Sudden Gust of Wind
Best Interpretation of Theme Mary Metcalf – For Moi? What a Surprise! 
Most Quirky QuiltVal Williams – Fabric Sale
Best Use of Colour Lorraine Moser – Colour of New Zealand

SPECIAL AWARDS

Best Hand Applique or Embellishment
Marie Harrison – Hexagon Obsession

Best Use of Colour
Donna Cumming – The Art of Two Minds

Best Hand Quilting
Rosemary McGowan – Summer Stroll

Best Modern Quilt – judged by Robyn Burgess
Judi Schon – Inside Out

Best Machine Appliqué or Embellishment
Betty McLean – Instruments of Praise

Best Domestic Machine Quilting Award
Lyn Winkel – Pacific Dream

Best Professional Long Arm Machine Quilting Hand Guided
Linda Young - Ribbons & Roses

Best Professional Long Arm Machine Quilting Computer Guided
Judi Schon – Inside Out

Judge’s Choice – Jenny Bacon Alison Laurence – Faceless Comrades

Judge’s Choice – Judith Ross Lynne O’Donnell - Dragonfly in Autumn 

Judge’s Choice – Catherine McDonald Chris Behersing – The Ayes Have It

BEST AMATEUR QUILT
Julia Vazey – Windmills of my Mind

BEST IN SHOW
Alison Laurence – Dockside Reflections 

This is a link to the gallery of the 2013 winners.  Hopefully the 2014 gallery will be available shortly.

Interview with Judi Schon, Convenor of the Auckland Festival of Quilts 2014

Judi Schon is a quilter from Auckland.  Judi is an award winning long-arm quilter, and runs a small business, Quiltsmith, quilting other people's quilts.  Judi is also this year's Convener for the Festival of Quilts, a big job, and I was interested in finding out more about how you go about organising a big quilting event like this.  Judi generously agreed to be interviewed and now I can share this interview with you.  Thanks Judi!

This is Judi's quilt, which we discuss in the interview.  It's called Inside Out, and is made from a design by Kati Spencer that was in the MQU Mag, Fall 2012.

Whoops, during the interview I get the dates of the upcoming Symposiums wrong.  Here's the correct dates and locations, and links for those that have web pages running:
2015 - Palmerston North
2017 - Christchurch
2019 - Auckland

It's a howling gale here today, perfect weather for staying inside and putting some stitches in cloth.  How's your weekend treating you?  I hope you have a great one, wherever you are and whatever you're doing.

Interview with Catherine McDonald, Festival of Quilts

Friday 7th November was the opening day of the 2014 Auckland Festival of Quilts.  I have inside knowledge that festival goers were queueing up at the gate at least 20 minutes before opening time!

Best in Show.  Dockside Reflections by Alison Laurence.

I had a great time, travelling down with two of my quilt 'besties', browsing merchants, admiring quilts and catching up with quilt buddies from around the country.  I also had the privilege of interviewing three wonderful women who make quilting a big part of their lives.

Photo Credit: Aotearoa Quilters

My first interview was with Catherine McDonald.  Catherine was one of the three judges for the Festival.  Catherine is the president of Aotearoa Quilters, our National Association, and works hard to promote and support New Zealand quilting.  She is also part of the Distressed Threads trio, a small company producing and selling handmade fabric.

Catherine states:

"Quilting gives to me a fellowship, creativity and a connection to the feminine world.  Having grown up only with older brothers and having two wonderful sons, my quilts tend to be more masculine than pretty.

I love all forms of quilting but find that it is the artistic quilts that I want to make.  I find inspiration sometimes from the fabric I produce but more and more from personal feelings. 

Recently my work has reflected the impact the Christchurch/Canterbury earthquakes have had on me.

I am part of Distressed Threads trio and really enjoy seeing the results of the fabric we make and also how people use our fabric.  It’s a lot of fun.  I am the current president of our National Association, Aotearoa Quilters, and encourage all quilters to become members and help us grow.

As a judge I am concerned with colour usage, design and the use of quilting (does the quilting pattern fit the design of the quilt) and technique.  The piece has to work as a whole first and be interesting from afar as well as a close up inspection."

Catherine generously sat and talked with me about all things quilty and now I get to share this talk with you.  Thanks Catherine!

Catherine's work displayed at the Festival of Quilts

Writing a Quilt Pattern

I'm in the last stages of writing a quilt pattern for a magazine.  Although I've written a couple of patterns (bags and appliqué) before, this is my first time writing for a magazine.  It's been exciting, stressful and a HUGE learning experience.  And whilst I cannot claim to be an expert (one pattern an expert does NOT make!), I thought I'd share with you a few things I've learnt.

I can't share the quilt with you yet, but what is a post without pictures?

• Either write your pattern before you start stitching or whilst you are making.  It's really hard to go back and write a pattern from just looking at your work.  You don't think you'll forget, but you do!  
• However you write, either before or during, take really comprehensive notes.  Once again, you don't think you'll forget, but you do! (I should have this tattooed on my forehead)

I was lucky enough to be invited by the magazine to submit my pattern, and they provided me with very comprehensive guidelines about layout, style and abbreviations etc.  But if you are writing to self-publish then spend some time reading lots of different patterns to get an idea about how you want to write.  There are a hundred unique ways to present cutting, construction and finishing instructions and you'll need to find a clear, concise way that works for you.  So my next suggestion is:

• Read lots of different patterns from lots of different sources to get an idea of what works and what doesn't.  Remember, no copying, but you will get a feel for how you want to do it.

• Don't try and write the whole pattern in one go.  Your eyes and brain go funny and you actually stop 'seeing' the numbers and sizes.  Break it up and every time you come back to it you'll catch something that you didn't notice before.

No, this isn't the quilt either, but graphed books are where all my quilts start.

• Proof read the pattern both on-screen and on-paper.  There is something different about printed material and you will notice different things.

• Find someone who is willing to go over the pattern for you.  Whether you go so far as to get actual testers (a good idea) or not, the least you should do is have someone proof read it.

And then my last suggestion has to do with my dear loving family.  

• Do not even bother trying to write patterns during school holidays.  Do not bother trying to write patterns when your husband is in the room.  And DO NOT attempt to proof read when there are other humans within a 30 metre radius.....just saying.

I'll let you all know when the pattern comes out, then you can check how good my pattern writing skills really are!

Pictures of the Whangarei Quilt Exhibition

In my last blog post I said I'd give you the pictures from the Whangarei Quilt Exhibition later.  Well, here they are.  Picture heavy post!

This quilt Wind in Their Whiskers by Dawn Dahlberg won Viewers Choice - Club Vote.  It's a pattern by McKenna Ryan and Dawn has very skilfully completed the appliqué.  You can see a close up of the 3D elements hanging on the clothesline in the photograph below.

This quilt caught my eye.  A good use of striped, spotted and checked fabric.  It's named Stripes Versus Spots and Squares, and it was made and hand quilted by Pam Carr.

This quilt by Rikki Going won Best Use Of Colour.   Titled Succulent Southwest, it represents Rikki's memories of New Mexico.

Cynthia Johnson used her hand dyed fabric and surface design to make this quilt called Moon Phases.

I loved the way these two quilts, both made by Leeann of Quilt Whangarei, were hung.  They really led your eye, but didn't compete by being side by side.  Leeann's favourite is is the red one.

This quilt called Lattice, was made by Kim Bodman from a pattern she found in Australian Quilters Companion.  It won the Novice Quilter award.

The graphic elements of this little wall hanging caught my eye.  It was inspired by a decorated rubbish bin!  It's called Taupo Cabbage Tree and is by Jane Robinson.

Spinning Out by Jenny Gough was inspired by a print of a painting (artist unknown) and won Best Use of Colour.

I had to take a picture of this one as I'm told it features some of my hand- dyed silk/cotton embroidery threads!  It's called The Runner by Shirley Julian and was made using a technique she learned from Dena Crain at the Taupo Symposium.

There were several quilts like the one above, all made in the same class run by Petra Pilkington.  This one is by Jenny Gough.  I liked seeing mixed media being shown.

This intensely coloured and interesting quilt was another that caught my eye.  It's called Flowing Ribbons, made by Ngaire Fleming in a class by Sally Smith.  Quilted by Leonie Wihongi.

The use of only solids gave this quilt a point of difference.  Made by Lyn Madden, it's called Friend Choice.

This is another by Ngaire Fleming and was started in a class by Sarah Fielke.  The quilt is called The Grove and was quilted by Leonie Wihongi.

I've become increasingly attracted to old style, really traditional quilts.  And isn't this a beauty?  Scrappy Irish Chain by Lynne Wilson.

The colours are a bit funky on this photo because of the lighting, sorry.  Midnight Blooms by Jean Nutter.  Needleturn appliqué always impresses me!

And Jean Nutter is obviously a handwork enthusiast.  This is called Rambling Roses and is a copy of a quilt called Little Brown Bird by Margaret Doherty.  Machine quilted by Jo Hollings.

Here's two quilts from the shirt challenge.  The first is called Stars and Stripes by Kerinda Robb and won the Bronze Section.

The second is called Chambrayed and is by Lynne O'Donnell.

And the last picture I took is of my viewer's choice vote.  I admired the fine work in this one and it's something that I probably will never do, so I admire it all the more.  It's called Flower Garden and is made by Jeannette Monaghan and quilted by John Neilsen.

Hope you enjoyed the pics.