Closed for the Holidays

This is a quick post to remind members that the Guild office will close for the holidays at 3.3opm on Friday 14 December and reopen on Monday 14 January 2008. Library loans will be automatically extended for the period. (Please do not attempt to return any library books over the office holiday as the mail hold sometimes doesn't work for parcels.)

On a related note, this blog will be taking a short break too. Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season. Do come back and visit in the New Year when there are lots of Guild activities in store including The New Quilt Contemporary Textiles Exhibition at Manly starting on 25 January.

Invisible Landscapes ..domesticity 2006
by Rosie White will feature in The New Quilt 2008
(Photograph by Mark Marriott)

First Blog Anniversary

This week marks the first anniversary since this Guild blog was officially launched.

As you will see from the counter at the bottom of the sidebar, the blog has had over 10,000 visitors in that time. As far as we know, this is the first and only blog by a major Australian quilting guild. The Committee hopes that members (and prospective members!) have found the blog a valuable resource to catch up on all the latest Guild happenings and other quilting related events. To ensure that you don't miss out, we encourage you to electronically subscribe to blog updates by either of these methods:

Enter your email address to receive new postings to this blog via e-mail
(Remember - you can unsubscribe at any time)


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If you subscribe with Bloglines, this allows you to set up a list of your favourite blogs on your computer. Then you can simply go to the list to see if a new article has been added to any of the blogs. This is much more efficient than manually checking the blogs one by one and means that you can quickly get back to quilting or other activities:-)

You can also subscribe to the Comments feed:

http://quiltersguildnsw.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default/

Comment moderation has been set up on this blog which means any comments will be reviewed and approved before they show up but most messages are cleared promptly. While we have received only a handful of comments in the first year, we hope that more comments will be made in 2008 as this is all part of the fun of blogging and blog reading. Alternatively, if you have a news item that you think might be suitable for posting on the blog, you can e-mail details to the Guild Webmaster.

Christmas Meeting @ Burwood - 1 December 2007

The final general meeting of the year is at at Burwood RSL (96 Shaftsbury Avenue, Burwood), this Saturday, 1 December 200:

Shop: Anne's Glory Box
1pm: Balance of the AGM to present financial statements (adjourned from October meeting) + General meeting
Guest Speaker: Gloria MacKinnon on her travels, crazy quilts and antique quilts

Bring something yummy to share for afternoon tea. Those inspired to make Artist Trading Cards, following Erica's demonstration at the October meeting, are also encouraged to bring ONE ATC (3 1/2" x 2 1/2") to go into a draw to swap with other participants.

Quilt Show 2008 Entrant Information

In 2008, the Guild hopes that as many members as possible will take up the opportunity to exhibit their quilts at the Sydney Quilt Show. A complete listing of categories is set out on the Guild website (or download 50 KB pdf version). Please ensure that your category and quilt size are correct when planning your entry. The Guild highlights the following changes:

• Commercially Machine Quilted Quilts – this popular category has been split into two categories, amateur and professional, based on the status of the quiltmaker. The prize is only awarded to the quiltmaker entrant but your quilter will receive acknowledgment, a rosette and a certificate. If you are an amateur and your quilt has been commercially quilted, you should enter Category 5. If you are a professional and your quilt has been quilted by another person, you may either enter your quilt in Category 11 in your own name or enter another professional category in your joint names.
• Pictorial Quilts– the definition for Category 14 has been expanded to clarify that quilts must be representation of a person, place or thing.
• Domestic Machine Quilted Quilts – this category has been deleted due to lack of participation. However, the overarching special award of Excellence in Domestic Machine Quilting continues and you may nominate your quilt for this award by ticking the relevant box on the entry form.
• Machine Embroidered Quilts – a new category 16 has been introduced on a trial basis. See below for details.

In addition, subject to sponsorship, there will be a new special award for Excellence in Long Arm Quilting. As special awards are given to individual entrants, quilts entered into Categories 5 and 11 are NOT eligible for the Excellence in Long Arm Quilting award.

Important Quilt Show 2008 dates to note on your calendar include:

• 1 February Entry forms posted out to members by this date
• 29 February Entry closing date – this will be strictly applied
• 1 May Acceptance letters posted out by this date
• 4 June Deliver quilts to “Drop Off Ladies” by this date
• 8 June Judging Day
• 10 June Set Up Day
• 11 June Opening Day and Awards Ceremony
• 15 June Final Day and Take Down

Remember, you don’t have to be a star quilter – the Guild welcomes entries from the full spectrum of its membership from beginners to experienced quilters and from traditional to contemporary designs. Join the Guild and start planning your entry today!

Please direct any queries to the Exhibition Secretary.

Judy Hooworth Exhibition until 1 December

The Ewart Gallery & Sculpture Yard in Willoughby is currently holding an exhibition of contemporary quilts by Judy Hooworth:

16 November - 1 December 2007
33 Laurel St, Willoughby, Sydney
Tel: 9958 6540
Hours: 9.30 - 4.00 Monday to Friday
10.00 - 3.00 Saturday. Entry is free


Impressions of Dora Creek #11
© Judy Hooworth

Vale Alysoun Ryves

Longstanding Guild Member, Alysoun Ryves passed away on Saturday worn out by a very brave battle with cancer. Alysoun generously contributed to the quilting community at all levels: as a driving force behind Hunters' Hill quilters; active participant of the Guild and Sydney Quilt Study Group; and as a contributor and technical advisor to Australian Patchwork & Quilting magazine. Alysoun has influenced many people and will not be forgotten.

There will be a service on Friday the 16th of November at 1:30pm at the Camellia Room, Macquarie Park, Plassey Rd North Ryde. This will be followed by a big party back at the the family house in Woolwich, everyone welcome. Wear whatever you think appropriate however Alysoun's family is encouraging people to wear bright colours and a flower.

New Quilt Show Category: Machine Embroidered Quilts

Did you notice the prize-winning quilts in Computer Aided Machine Embroidery section at Houston? The Guild is introducing a Machine Embroidered Quilt category for the Sydney Quilt Show on a trial basis. New category 16 is defined as follows:

16. MACHINE EMBROIDERED QUILT (OPEN)
Embroidered quilt made using computer embroidery design software or designs created for computerised embroidery systems including original, digitised design cards or discs. At least 25% of the surface must be embroidered.
Minimum size 150cm x 150cm. Maximum size 290 x 290cm.

If you have a computerised embroidery system on your sewing machine, this is a great opportunity for you to make and exhibit a quilt utilising its features. Quilt show entries close on Friday, 29 February 2008 so join the Guild (if you are not already a member) start planning your entry now!

Quilt Show Calendar

As a service to our members, the Guild endeavours to maintain an online calendar of New South Wales quilting events in addition to the calendar contained in the quarterly newsletter, The Template. If you organise a quilt show in New South Wales and would like the event to be included in the calendar, please e-mail the details to the Guild Webmaster and/or the Template Editor.*

Another very useful resource is the comprehensive listing of Australian quilt shows produced by Sydney Quilt Show sponsor, Down Under Quilts. If you are looking for a quilt show anywhere in the country (plus there are a few shows in New Zealand listed too), visit the Diary Dates section of the website. It is handy if you are planning a trip and want to check if there are any quilt shows on in the vicinity.

*The Guild still seeks an editor for the quarterly newsletter.
Please see the Position Description for more details.

The Airing of the Quilts @ Junee: 9-11 November

THE AIRING OF THE QUILTS is at:

The Broadway Museum in Junee from 9-11 November.
Street stalls 10-11 November. only.
Opening hours: 10am – 4pm.
Entry $5, Concession $3, Children $1.

Enjoy the Junee Heritage Lolly Shoppe & Coffee Bar. Participate in the Brian Beasley bushcraft woodwork workshop. See the Going to Pieces, Guild 2006 theme challenge quilts.

Enquiries: Dawn Lindsay (02- 6924 1146) or Peter Morris (02 -6922 9337).

Heritage Lost by Val Duncan

Conservation Know How for Quilters

This Saturday, the Sydney Quilt Study Group will have a textile conservator coming to talk to members and non-members about how to look after their textiles and quilts. Christine McKenna is a costume maker, and most recently has been specializing in reproduction historical clothing for house museums and historical societies in the Parramatta and Liverpool areas. This presentation will be held at:

Conservation Know How for Quilters,
2pm, Saturday, 10 October
Burwood RSL,
96 Shaftesbury Road,
Burwood.

Please bring along any textiles, including quilts, you have that you would like advice on looking after.

Selection for The New Quilt 2008

Selection for The New Quilt 2008 took place at the Manly Art Gallery on 22 October. Christina Sumner, Principal Curator, Design and Society at the Powerhouse Museum, and Therese Kenyon, Director of the Manly Art Gallery had the difficult task of jurying 28 quilts from the 74 entries. This year for the first time, selection was made from digital images provided by the artists. Successful applicants are:

Kerrie Bowles, Susan Cunningham, Helen Ducker, Michele Eastwood, Dianne Firth, Cherry Johnston, Camille Lord, Glenys Mann, Barbara Macey, Deborah McArdle, Thelma McGough, Alison Muir, John Parkes, Cath Phillips, Clare Plug, Gail Putz, Beth and Trevor Reid, Elizabeth Rose, Alison Schwabe, Carolyn Sullivan, Sarah Tucker, and Rosie White.

Congratulations to everyone and, if you missed out this time, don’t give up! Keep working on what you are doing and next time you may be successful. Remember that non-selection is not a criticism of your work; all chosen pieces are considered in the context of the entire exhibition. It will always happen that good work misses out, and largely because of restrictions in the number of quilts that can be hung.

The New Quilt exhibition at Manly Art Gallery will run from 25th January to 24th February 2008. This will be the 12th show, an initiative of the Guild in collaboration with the gallery in which many of our country’s finest quiltmakers have shown their work since 1991. As part of the programme, curator Christina Sumner will give a floor talk on Sunday 3rd February at 3pm.

Concurrently in the small gallery there will be an exhibition of quilts of former guild member, the late Judy McDermott, curated by Sarah Tucker, titled Judy McDermott: Speaking for Themselves. Sarah will deliver a lecture during the exhibitions tracing the development of Judy’s unique work in relation to the work of other Guild members in the period 1989-2004.The lecture is scheduled for Sunday 10th February at 3pm.