Full and Rich*

*Long; many photos!

Those are the two words I've managed to come up with to describe my day at the Central Alberta Quilt Show in Red Deer yesterday.  There were more merchants than I remembered there being last year and the year before, which is a Good Thing, and all seemed to be doing steady business -- even the long-arm salespeople, and those are Big Ticket Items!

The main show was very traditional in style this year, but within that context there were some interesting pieces, wonderful use of colour, skilled hand and machine quilting and original designs.  Here are a few of my favourites:

An Incomplete Sentence -  Orlanda Brown - 33" x 55"
Quilted by Orlanda

Ms. Brown designed this piece using selvedges (spelled 'selvage' in some places, apparently), deliberately intending it to look as if it were part of a larger project.  There are no borders on 2 sides!

Oh Canada!- Corinne Hewitt - 39" x 50"
Quilted by Joan Statz

Corinne, a pattern designer, also had a booth at the show.  The sentiments she expresses in her pieces really speak to my heart. Here's the second one of hers I decided to photograph.  She designed the blocks originally as single hangings with embroidered phrases, and gave them to family members for Christmas.  However, she liked the way they looked altogether, too, so she ended up making a quilt.

Words to Live By - 44" x 53"
Quilted by Misty Smereka

And a detail of Misty's quilting in the borders:

Though I have no idea of the origins of the design, this black and white piece with red accents was one of the most striking, colour-wise:

Current Affair - Sherry Renschler - 90" x 110"
Quilted by Country Lane Quilters

Another stunning use of colour and wonderful piecing:

Star Chain - Wendy Rowledge - 84" x 108"
Quilted by Joyce Barkley

And then there was this original design:

Quilted Diamonds - Cathy Tessier - 88" x 107"
Hand-quilted by Cathy

There are over 7,000 pieces in Ms. Tessier's masterpiece.  Here are a few examples of the diamonds she created:

One other quilt I just had to take a shot of what this completed Orca Bay Mystery Quilt -- from Bonnie K. Hunter's quilt-along in which Yours Truly participated between November 2011 and January this year.  It was just so great to see one completely finished!

Orca Bay - Debbie Woods - 74" x 84"
Quilted by Debbie

Alas, it was hanging where I couldn't back up to photograph it fully -- without knocking over the quilt behind me -- so the top and bottom have been cut off.  Those of you who've at least pieced your top will have an idea how they look though, as she followed the border pattern closely.

Finally, in the main exhibit hall, there was this lovely tribute to a Guild member who passed away in November 2011.  Her name was June, and she was known not only for her quilting but for her quiet sense of humour and her generous gift of time and teaching to new members.  Here's a photo of a photo (!) -- a retrospective of her life and work.

To the right of the entrance to the main hall was an avenue of vendors in a large side room.  At the very end of the room, strategically placed across from where everyone needed to drop in their entries for two significant door prizes, was the SAQA (Western Canada) exhibit, "Meet the Best of the West".  Photos weren't permitted, but we did a brisk business selling CDs of the exhibit and greeting cards featuring a half-dozen or so of the pieces -- including mine.  Here's Mutt and Jeff, hanging between two of its compatriots:

And here's a shot of how the display looked in general (both photos taken with permission of Patti Morris, Co-Rep for Alberta).  In addition to the cards and CDs for sale, we had a binder with the Artist's Statements and copies of SAQA exhibit catalogue and the SAQA Journal for folks to peruse on site, and a stack of brochures for those interested in more information and/or membership.  We also had a few surveys for Art Quilters from the Alberta Quilt Project, as well as notes detailing Lucie Heins' up-coming talk about the project, June 20 in Camrose.  All were very well received.

I worked at the exhibit between 3 and 7 p.m.; except for a lull between 4 and 5, when those who'd been at the show since the morning were going home and those coming after work had yet to arrive, I had a steady stream of viewers to see it.  Most were appreciative.  Many were looking for names they recognized.  Others wanted to draw inspiration from the work, perhaps seeking that 'something' to move them out of their own comfort zones.  And some whizzed through it with vacant looks, either not understanding what it was about, or not wanting to know!

It's always an education to participate in and work at an exhibit like this, as well as an opportunity to educate others about the art, and textile as a medium.  My day (perhaps my year!) was made by the last visitor of the evening, who so enjoyed the exhibit that she was moved close to tears.  To my delight, she purchased a card featuring my piece, looked me in the eye and said, "I'm not buying this because you're standing there in front of me; I'm buying this because [your piece] reminds me of my home."  

What more can an artist want?

ETA:  Sorry if there's been confusion.  I didn't sell my piece as it's not for sale during the travelling show.  However, I did sell a greeting card featuring my piece!  :-)

While You're Waiting...

for my photos and chat about the Central Alberta Quilt Show, at which I spent the day yesterday, enjoy this wee video celebrating our quilting heritage, courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada.  (I know I shared this some time ago, but was reminded of it this morning by Benita at Victoriana Quilt Designs. Thanks, Benita!)

What Bee Said

Bee was my 'roomie' last year at the SAQA (Visioning) Conference in Denver.  We cottoned on to one another right away, and I wish there were fewer miles between us.  In her latest blog post, Bee waxes eloquent about SAQA membership.  I will follow her example tomorrow (when I'm less tired) when I share my experience at the Central Alberta Quilters' Guild Show in Red Deer, and the special SAQA Western Canada Regional Exhibit that opened it's two-year travels there today.

But for now...what Bee said.  I'm with her.

WIP Wednesday

I often forget to post a WIP on Wednesday till it's over.  Today I was determined to make a showing on time!

So here's the little stack of crazy quilt blocks I assembled this a.m.-- including thread auditioned for the first one I'm going to embroider, featuring the Take-A-Stitch-(on a)-Tuesday stitch for Week 18, the Crossed Buttonhole:

Aren't they pretty?  They took almost 2 hours to put together (not counting cutting up 4 men's ties, which I did yesterday) -- largely because of the challenge of picking off-setting fabric, deciding what shapes to cut, etc. -- but it's all part of the crazy process.  :-)

Oh, and here's the finished Wheat Ear block (Week 17 of TAST) that I'm submitting to the Crazy Quilt Journal Project for my May sample:

WOW! Wheat Ear!

Gotta love that funky eighties fabric, eh?  Note: the tie fabric in the top left corner is right-side up; in the opposite corner, 'wrong'-side up.  Threads used: hand-dyed silk ribbon from The Thread Gatherer, assorted tapestry wool I found at a thrift store, and scraps of collected cotton floss (likely DMC, but I don't know for sure -- no labels!)

Back to "Werk"

as Bess, LTQ, would say.  Now that I have 3 days in a row to myself (sort of), I have much to do.  I've already caught up on posting re: the Wetaskiwin Quilt Show.  I have bread on the go in the machine.  I've washed recent fabric purchases and donations.  I have to mow my lawn and clean/vacuum my car, but its rainy and windy today so I can put those off.  I now have to:

1. post an update on my SAQA Visioning Project page;
2. account for what I've been doing to my mini artist support group on Yahoo;
3. cut up some more ties and make corresponding crazy quilt blocks for five more Tuesday stitches (thank you, Sharon B, for a week off!).

This morning, though, I began to work out what was going to be my Assessment piece for Module 6 of the City and Guilds -- till Memories of Mirror supplanted it, of course.

This is a rough sketch/mock-up of All the Streets End in Trees, featuring piecing (as Module 6 required) and some applique.  I sketched with water-colour pencils, and then cut up some fabric samples for grass, road, trees, and sky.

This is what my studio table looked like in the proecess:

Most of the fabric is commercial, but a few pieces are one's I've hand-dyed.  Some are fat quarters and others, mere scraps.  Stay tuned...

Found!

Yesterday, I travelled up to Wetaskwin to fetch my camera at the home of Joyce, the President of the Wetaskiwin Quilters Group.  Bless the woman (one of the vendors) who turned it in at the end of the day on Saturday; bless the Secretary of the Group who answered my panicky e-mail on Saturday evening, and bless Joyce for keeping it safe for me.  Now I can share with you the photos I took at a show I enjoyed very much.

The exhibit that made me smile was the Clock Challenge -- an assortment of functioning quilted clock masterpieces:

Interesting assortment of styles

Love that '50s TV!

Rural clock, close up

Many of the pieces were variations on a theme.  What stood out? First, a quilt my son, even now, would likely cotton onto (no pun intended!)

"Carter 15" by Marlene Olson

Marlene's piece is from Quilts with Style, Issue #60, and is designed by Liz Schwartz Stephen Siefert. Originally a pattern for a wall-hanging, Marlene cleverly enlarged it -- and created matching pillow cases as well!

There was charming 3-dimensional piece featuring Japanese fabric folding, a sweet wreath in applique, and a vibrant piece in silk dupioni. 

"Spring Dreams" - Sandra Deucher

The pattern Sandra used is "Carolina Lily Wreath" by Southwind Designs.  She purchased it as a kit from Quiltessential Company of St. Albert, Alberta, and pieced it while living/staying in Libya!  It is beautifully hand-quilted by the maker.

"Zen" by Susan Strong, quilted by Ardelle Kerr

This was my very favourite piece -- largely because of the stunning use of colour.  It positively glowed!  The pattern Susan used was "Zen" by Amy Walsh; the quilter, Ardelle Kerr and her husband, Roger, own Quilting from the Heart, a lovely quilt shop in Camrose, Alberta.  I have some dupioni in neutrals (tans, golds, browns) and this has given me yet another idea what to do with it!

For another local quilter's 'take' on the same show, see Cathy Tomm's post here.

Now, aren't you glad I got my camera back?  :-)

At a Loss...and in a Project

I spent the past two days at quilt shows.  I have no photos of the one in Stettler, because I left my camera at home -- and I have no photos of the one in Wetaskiwin, because it would appear I left my camera at the show. Somewhere.  I have sent e-mails to the show's e-mail address, to the office of the church in which it was held, and to the women at the last two stops I made (Extraordinary Extras of Vermilion, AB, and Lucie Heins at the Royal Alberta Museum).  Lucie is on the road giving talks (more about that in a minute), so per her automated reply, won't be looking at office e-mail till Wednesday.  I can only hope about the other two.  Sigh.  And try not to beat myself up too much in the process of waiting.

Both shows were very nice, but the Wetaskiwin one was larger (as is the town altogether) and a bit more imaginative.  There was a wonderful, humourous quilted clock challenge that I wish I could show you (!) and an absolutely stunning quilt made entirely of silk dupioni, in simple rectangles, that I wanted to bring home with me.  You'll just have to take my word for it!

But for me the most exciting part of the day was the presence of the above-mentioned Ms. Lucie Heins, quilter and Assistant Curator of the Western Canadian History Programme at the RAM.  She's spear-heading part of a larger project, showcasing Alberta craft and its history.  The aim of the Alberta Quilt Project is to expand the documentation of Alberta heritage quilts, while concurrently updating the museum's data on what Alberta quilters are doing now -- that is, on what will become Alberta's quilting heritage fifty+ years from now.  The wee video below is a taste of what Lucie's up to.  If you want more information, try to get to one of the talks she's giving around the Province.  This week I believe she's up in Grand Prairie and Peace River area.  On Wednesday, June 20, I'm going up to Camrose to hear her speak at the Bethel Lutheran Church, 4102 - 73 Street, at 7 p.m.  Admission is FREE.  Come out to learn how you can be part of the Project!

If you can't get out to a talk, but are going to be at the Central Alberta Quilt Show in Red Deer June 8 and 9, Lucie kindly gave me a packet of her research questionnaires.  There are 3 different versions: one for traditional quilters, one for art quilters and one for long-arm quilters.  The questions explore who you are as a quilter, what materials you use, the history of your quilting education and experience, etc.; all material is kept confidential by the Museum in the research process.

I will make sure the questionnaires are available for pick up on June 8, either at the SAQA Exhibit table or at another central location chosen by the show organizers (likely the check-in or info table).  If you want a questionnaire but they're gone when you get there, or you aren't going to the show, e-mail Lucie at lucie.heins@gov.ab.ca or write her at Royal Alberta Museum, 12845 - 102 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5N 0M6.  Alberta quilters, this is our opportunity to share "Why Quilts Matter" to us in Canada, and in Western Canada in particular.  If you're an Alberta quilter, passionate about quilting in any and all of its wonderful forms, stand up and be counted!