Contemporary Quilts

A selection of contemporary quilts from the 2007 Sydney Quilt Show can be viewed in Issue 7 of online quilting magazine www.iquilt.com.au


Landforms #4 by Anna Brown
(3rd Prize Art Quilt, Quilt Show 2007)

If you enjoy making contemporary quilts or experimenting with unusual design or construction techniques, please consider submitting an entry to Guild's forthcoming exhibition The New Quilt 2008:Contemporary Quilt Textiles.

Entry is open to all quiltmakers (including non Guild members and non-Australian residents). Work must not have been previously exhibited in New South Wales and must have been completed since January 2006. Entries close on 5 October 2007 (new closing date).

New Beginnings

Blogging is a powerful social networking tool and enables people all over the world to share their passions and interests. Former Guild committee member, Chrissy Sheed, now resides in New Zealand and has recently ventured into Blogland with her aptly named new blog: Chrissy - New Beginnings.

Chrissy also enjoyed success in the Guild's 25th anniversary exhibition, Sydney Quilt Show 2007, and was awarded first and second prize in the Miniature Category with her delightful quilts Waltz of the Flowers (left) and Erica's Hearts:
    
If you are a Guild member, and have a quilting-related blog, contact the Guild Webmaster to have your blog added to the Guild's blog roll in the side bar (see right).

Calendar Quilt Corner

One of my favourite parts of the Sydney Quilt Show 2007 was this corner display of entries into the calendar quilt challenge:





Don't forget that you can purchase a 2008 Guild Calendar for $15 from the Guild office. The Calendar Challenge Quilts are also available as a travelling suitcase exhibition. Contact the office for more information.

Announcement of Viewers' Choice

The votes are in and counted. Here are the results:

• Viewers' Choice, First Prize - Kay Haerland
• Viewers' Choice, Second Prize - Rhonda Pearce
  

Other prize winning quilts from the Sydney Quilt Show 2007 can be viewed on the Guild's website gallery.

A Different View, 153 x 123cm by Kay Haerland
A forest walk made me wonder how things look to a tiny forest floor creature. I love mushrooms and, after untold "crawling" photos, it all came together. Maybe we should try to see the world from someone else's perspective more often?


Insanity, 200x 220cm by Rhonda Pearce
This quilt began as therapy and ended up as insanity. It contains 10,650 half inch hexagons, put together the traditional way and quilted by hand.

A word about Quilt Show Photography

If you are fortunate enough to be able to join the Sydney Quilt Show festivities at Darling Harbour, please remember to bring along your camera. Due to lack of access to relevant expertise, the Guild will not be producing a CD of quilt show images for sale this year. However, images of prize winning quilts are available on the Guild's website gallery.

Bundanoon Past & Present by Needles and Natter
First prize, Group/Collaborative Quilt

Sydney Quilt Show 2007 Awards

The Guild's 25th Anniversary member's exhibition opened at Darling Harbour today and it is my great pleasure to announce that Best of Show (sponsored by Bernina) was awarded to Mariya Waters for her magnificent quilt Renaissance Revival:

A gallery of prize winning quilts has been posted on the guild's website. I hope you can join us at the Sydney Quilt Show - don't forget to purchase a catalogue to get your voting slip for Viewer's Choice. Alternatively, you are welcome to leave a comment on this blog.

25th Anniversary Silver Thimble Pin

While the photographer was taking photos of the prize winning quilts at judging day yesterday (my lips are sealed!), he kindly took this photo of the 25th Anniversary Silver Thimble pin that will for sale at the Quilt Show:

$4 each or three for $10

Special Edition Pins & Badges

Only a few more sleeps until Sydney Quilt Show 2007 opens and the 25th Anniversary celebrations begin. To mark this occasion, this special enamel badge will be for sale for $5.00:

In addition, you can purchase a special edition silver thimble pin - $4 each or 3 for $10.

Pe-ac- ed with Love Quilt Show Talk

The Sydney Quilt Study Group has arranged for a special guided talk of the Pe-ac-ed with Love exhibition at the Sydney Quilt Show. See the SQSG blog for more details.

And don't forget that 20 June is D-day for delivering your exhibition quilts to your Drop Off Lady!

Kidskills at Quilt Show 2007

The Sydney Quilt Show is a source of inspiration for many a would-be quiltmaker including children. The weekend "Kidskills" program is a free activity aimed at introducing children to the delights of colour, fabric and block designs.

Kidskills:
Saturday 30 June 10am and 1pm
Sunday 1 July 10am and 1pm

Junior quiltmaker Taylor Brown participated in Kidskills at a previous quilt show and has gone on to make prize winning quilts.

Ladybug, ladybug where are you? by Taylor Brown
3rd Prize, Junior Member A (up to 12 years) 2006

Update on Quilt Show 2007 Gala Dinner

If you've been thinking about joining the festivities at the Guild's 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner, it's not too late! The deadline for registration and payment has been extended to Friday 22 June 2007. Contemporary quiltmaker, June Brown from ZIG ZAG, is the guest speaker and here is the menu to whet your appetite:

Starters:

• Balsamic Roasted Tomato Tart with South Cape Goats Cheese, Herb Salad and Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Tiger Prawn Salad with Avocado & Tomato Flan, Mango and Ginger Dressing
• Chicken & Vegetable Roulade with Mesclun Leaves and Lemon Pepper Dressing

Mains:

• Pan-fried Barramundi Fillet crusted with Parsley and Zest & crushed Herbed Potatoes and Lemon
• Salt Roasted Beef Sirloin with Honey Roasted Root Vegetables and Onion Gravy
• Orange Marinated Duck Breast with Potato and Bundled Vegetables and Madeira Jus

Desserts:

• Mini Pavlova Bomb with Whole Berry Compote and Chantilly Cream
• Tiramisu with Espresso Anglaise
• Australian Cheese Plate with Dried and Fresh Fruits

Freshly Baked Bread Rolls and Tea & Coffee are included.

The price of the three course menu is $55 (not including beverages). Click here for the payment form that can be faxed or mailed to the Guild Office.

Guild Calendar 2008

In 2008 you can have a quilt brighten every single day with the Guild's special calendar. The following winning quilts were selected from the entries in last year's calendar challenge:

• Cover: Christmas Bells – Merelyn Pearce
• January: A Little Beauty – Maree Witney
• February: Pennsylvania Dutch – Karen Malone
• March: Shimmers – Sandy Corry
• April: Hitomi's Flower – Alan Tremain
• May: Garden Pathways – Stephanie Knudson
• June: Antique Wrought Iron – Julie Woods
• July: Feathers & Flowers – Judy Day
• August: A Walk in the Mist - Kay Haerland
• September: Seven Daisies – Sue Rowles
• October: Chicken Stir Fry – Deb Nichol
• November: Spring Carnival – Liz Imrie
• December: Natures Flambé – Denise Sargo

Smaller images of the remaining 45 entries also feature in the calendar. Calendars will be available for sale at the Sydney Quilt Show or from the Guild Office.

Price: $15+ postage (if applicable)
Add $1.50 per transaction if paying by credit card

ALL calendar challenge quilts will be on display at the Sydney Quilt Show.

Cover Christmas Bells – Merelyn Pearce

Sydney Quilt Show 2007 Gala Dinner

Come along for great company, and a sumptuous dinner as well as interesting words from our guest speaker, June Brown. June is a member of the ZIG ZAG group of textile artists and the group's tripARTite exhibition will be a highlight of the Sydney Quilt Show 2007. Artist journals from this exhibit will be available for review at the Gala Dinner and you'll also be able to view up close the 13 winning quilts from the Guild's 2008 calendar challenge.

Date: Friday 29 June 2007
Time: 6.00pm for 6.45pm dinner
Venue: Novotel Rockford, Little Pier Street, Darling Harbour
Cost: $55 per person for a 3 course menu

Bookings with payment must received by Friday 15 June 2007 at the Guild office.

Hanging Offences

In just over a month, the Sydney Quilt Show will be in full swing. That means NOW would be a really good time to finish your quilt entry, and I mean really finish it.

A label stating the name and address of the entrant must be securely sewn to the back of the quilt. The same name must be clearly marked on the bag in which the quilt is sent. (You will find a pattern for a simple quilt bag here - scroll to the bottom of the page - but a pillow case works too.)

All quilts more than 120cm wide must be submitted with a 6cm rod pocket/sleeve to facilitate hanging. All quilts less than 120cm wide require velcro strips top and bottom. Also, to prevent damage, it is essential that the velcro is "sealed" when you post or deliver your quilt. Check the instructions for exhibitors included in your acceptance letter for more details.

Guild member, Maggie, has posted a tutorial on her blog showing how to make a velcro casing strip so that you can easily remove the velcro after the show if you wish. This technique has the added bonus of keeping the hook and smooth velcro strips together with the quilt so nothing goes astray in the hanging process.

Remember, failure to comply with the quilt show hanging instructions may result in your quilt not being displayed as the organisers do not have time to sew on sleeves and velcro for you!

Art to Wear: Feature Artist Trudy Billingsley

The spectacular Art to Wear exhibition is always a popular feature of the Sydney Quilt Show. Each year about 22 garments are selected from those submitted by Guild members. To be selected the garment should be an original design and concept, demonstrate craftsmanship and skill, with finish and presentation being of great importance. The very best of textile artists participate in this exhibition. It is also an opportunity for students and novices to participate.

To celebrate the Quilters Guild 25th Birthday, and to acknowledge the textile art and instigator of the Wearable Art Exhibition, Trudy Billingsley is this year’s feature artist.

Trudy has been a practising artist for 28 years, exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in Australia, Canada, Japan, Germany, Spain and New Zealand. Her work is included in the Powerhouse Museum collection. Come to the Sydney Quilt Show in June to see some more of Trudy's textile art.

It's in the mail

Quilt show acceptance letters were dispatched today together with special edition, 25th anniversary exhibitor ribbons for all individual entrants. Please contact the Exhibition Secretary if you do not receive your notification by 7 May.

      

The office ladies are currently preparing the volunteer roster for Quilt Show 2007. Every volunteer will receive a specially minted Quilt Show 2007 badge and we will have a daily prize draw for volunteers. If you have entered a quilt we would hope that you could give up to 4 hours of your time to help during the period of the show. If you have not entered a quilt, we would still appreciate your help so we may present The Quilters' Guild of NSW Inc. in the best possible way and ensure that the show runs smoothly. If you have not already done so, please complete and return your Volunteer Form as soon as possible.

Pe-ac-ed with Love

On this Anzac Day, it is timely to highlight the exhibition Pe-ac-ed with Love - Story Quilts by War Veteran Families that will be on display at the Sydney Quilt Show in June.

Maree Gebhardt received a $3000 Guild Scholarship in October 2005 and used this funding to coordinate the Partners of Veterans Association quilt exhibition United in Love We Create Peace that was held in Canberra in August 2006. Family members of war veterans were invited to "record their life journeys in textiles through the design and creation of individual quilts and an accompanying written story."

Forty seven quilts were featured in the exhibition. 90% of the participants had never made a quilt before and 50% had no sewing experience.

Expertise Events have selected this exhibition, renamed Pe-ac-ed with Love, to be a major touring exhibition for 2007. Maree Gebhardt and Margaret Rehorn, National Project Coordinator from the PVA, urge all Australians to see these historical quilts and consider the trans-generational cost of war to veterans, their families and the wider community.

Peaced at Last by
Margaret Rowe-Keys, Melbourne
Peaced at last is a play on words indicative of the peace I have found at the end of my long journey as a daughter affected by the Vietnam War. The tree is symbolic of my life. When I was sixteen my father left home and that broke my heart. The tree branches off in different directions - one going straight up showing how I believed my father's life was heading; the other is my life veering violently sideways, losing direction.

Quilt Show Acceptance Letters

Acceptance letters for the Sydney Quilt Show 2007 will be posted out to entrants at the beginning of May. We received over 370 complying entries and ALL have been accepted. If you are one of our entrants, you will need a suitable bag for carrying your quilt(s) to your Drop Off Lady. For smaller quilts, a pillow case will do the trick but, for larger quilts, you will need something more roomy. You will find a pattern for a simple quilt bag here (scroll to the bottom of the page). Don't leave it until the last minute or you may find yourself going to pieces - arrgh!

Going to Pieces by Tanya Coxsedge

Don't forget that all of the Going to Pieces challenge quilts will be on display at the Sydney Quilt Show 2007.

Quilt Show Catalogue Advertising

Are you looking for a highly specialised advertising print medium to promote your quilting business and associated quilting services? Each year in preparation for the largest quilt show in the southern Hemisphere, The Quilters Guild of NSW Inc, currently celebrating its 25th Year, offers exclusive advertising in its highly sought after Sydney Quilt Show catalogue.

Covering all aspects and information of the Sydney Quilt Show, this publication is certainly the way to go!

You can feature your new business, special show items or if you are a current Template supporter, add extra punch to your profile by extending your presence in the market through this special publication. New advertisers, who wish to take advantage of the 20% discount for four consecutive advertisements in the Template, can have their first advertisement diverted to the Sydney Quilt Show catalogue with the three remaining advertisements appearing in the next three issues of the Template.

Advertising rates start from $82.50 for an eighth of a page ad, with discounts for ads running over four consecutive issues - see our advertising brochure for more details.

For your ‘no-obligation’ advertising quote or any further information, contact the Guild's Publicity Officer, Alan R Tremain before the advertising closing date, Friday 27th April 2007.

Quilt Show Entries Have Closed

The deadline for submission of entries for Sydney Quilt Show 2007 was Thursday, 1 March 2007. While we have received and processed a handful of late entries, no further entries will be accepted. If your entry form is still sitting on your sewing table, it really is too late!

I can promise you that there will be many wonderful quilts for you to enjoy at Darling Harbour this year. Approximately 370 entries have come into the Guild office and the next challenge for the Quilt Show sub-committee will be to work out whether and how we can display all of the quilts in the exhibition space available. As noted in the conditions of entry, a member may submit up to two entries but only one may be selected. Acceptance letters will be sent out to entrants at the beginning of May together with contact details for your "Drop Off Lady" who will help deliver your quilt for judging. Acceptance of entry doesn't automatically guarantee display but we will be making every effort to ensure that as many member quilts as possible are included in the Guild's 25th Anniversary exhibition.

This means we will need a full contingent of white glove personnel and people to sell catalogues. While entries may have closed for the Quilt Show, it is never too late for members to volunteer - complete and send in your volunteer form now!