Quilt Study Group Tour of The Opera Centre on 27th May

The Quilt Study Group has arranged a guided tour for Quilt NSW Guild members to The Opera Centre – Surry Hills, Sydney on Monday the 27^th of May. Because there is a limit of 20 people, please ring the Guild office before Friday the 24^th of May to reserve your place. The cost is $20 per person, payable on the day to the Opera Centre. 

The Opera Centre is where the costumes and sets for Opera Australia are made and stored and we will see the vast production workshops and rehearsal studios. People from many disciplines (milliners, wig makers, cobblers, costumiers, designers, carpenters, model makers, and scenic artists) work to stage the operas and we will see examples of their work.  

Participants must have a good level of fitness for this walking tour. It includes many stairs and there are no passenger elevators.

The address is –

The Opera Centre
480 Elizabeth Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010

The Opera Centre is a 10-minute walk from Central Station (take the Chalmers Street exit). Please assemble at the Tour Meeting Point 15 minutes prior to your scheduled tour start time of 10am. The tours take approximately 90 minutes. 

Volunteer at the Sydney Quilt Show 2019!

To showcase our beautiful quilts, and to keep your quilts safe, we need your help. Please consider giving a couple of hours of your time to being surrounded by our wonderful quilts while being a tour guide to our visitors. We need lots of people to make up our happy team and you do not need to enter a quilt in the show to volunteer.

If you have entered a quilt in the Show, it is a requirement that you volunteer for at least two shifts during the exhibition.

As a thank you, a Volunteer Quilt Show badge will be yours as a reminder of this fantastic event. Unfortunately, QuiltNSW cannot supply Craft & Quilt Fair tickets for our volunteers.

How to Volunteer at the Sydney Quilt Show 2019

QuiltNSW is using SignUp.com to organise our volunteer registrations and reminders for the Sydney Quilt Show 2019. Here’s how it works in 3 easy steps:

• Click this Sign Up link to see the volunteer roster
• Review the options listed and choose your shifts.
• Sign up with your e-mail address! It’s easy – you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.com.

NB:

• SignUp.com does not share your email address with anyone and your name and e-mail is not displayed publicly.
• There is a comment field in the Sign Up form where you can leave notes.
• Extra assistance is especially welcome for Set Up Day and Take Down. If you are bringing others, please add their names to the comments field that will appear after you have registered for your spot.

Please direct any other queries to volunteers@quiltnsw.com

Sydney Quilt Show 2019: Call for Sponsors

QuiltNSW relies on the generosity of sponsors for prizes to members in recognition of their achievements and also for raffle prizes. Thank you to all the sponsors who have pledged support for the Sydney Quilt Show 2019 so  far - see the listing at Sydney Quilt Show 2019 Sponsors

Sponsorship spots are still available for all tiers - Gold, Silver and Bronze. This is an ideal opportunity for businesses to gain exposure to our members and other visitors to the Sydney Quilt Show and the Craft and Quilt Fair. Please contact Sponsorship Manager Kate Rose for more information.

Reminder: Sydney Quilt Show 2019 Entries Close 11 March

Entries for the Sydney Quilt Show close on Monday 11 March 2019 (midnight). That's soon! If you don't submit your entry in time, you will miss out! Please don't leave your entry to the last minute. Jump online and submit your entry now so that you know that your entry and payment are received in good time and any technical issues are worked out. If you are lodging a paper entry, it must be physically received in the office by the closing date.

Also, to avoid disappointment, if you are entering Entrant's Quilt Top Quilted by Another (Categories 5 and 10), please ensure that your quilter is a current QuiltNSW member as at 11 March.

Online Entry Form
Conditions of Entry
Quilt Show Handbook & FAQs

Quilt Study Group Talk by Dr Annette Gero on 9th March 2019

The first QSG of NSW talk for 2019 is titled “War and Pieced -  Extraordinary Geometric Masterpieces and Appliquéd Quilts made from Military Fabrics” and will be given by Dr. Annette Gero. She will talk about her spectacular and now famous collection of complex geometric masterpieces and appliquéd quilts made from military fabrics and will be bringing some of these fabulous quilts along to show us. The talk will take place at 2pm on the 9^th of March at The Glover Cottages, 124 Kent Street in Millers Point.

Annette’s blockbuster exhibition of quilts, "War and Pieced", has just returned from Broadway in New York where 55,000 people attended the display at the American Folk Art Museum. All were made by men however nobody knows why these quilts were made and how men managed to sew them in such magnificent style. Many have up to 25,000 pieces in a quilt. Some quilters have even started sewing their own replicas of them!!!

The exhibition, “War and Pieced - Extraordinary Geometric Masterpieces and Appliquéd

 Quilts made from Military Fabrics” is going to be on display at the Cowra Regional Art Gallery from the 16^th February to 28^th April 2019.  This is a wonderful chance to hear about the mystery of the makers, the fabrics and designs as well as the sewing techniques used in making these quilts before going to see the exhibition. Even if you can't get there Annette will give a detailed talk about the collection and the design of these magnificent quilts, and you can see some of her quilts from her book up close.  If you have anything similar at home please bring it along.

Please encourage everyone you know who is interested in quilting to come along to the Quilt Study Group of NSW talks. The Glover Cottages is a beautiful light-filled venue for the talks and it is an easy walk through The Rocks area from either Wynyard or Circular Quay train stations. Quilt NSW guild members pay $5, non-guild members pay $10. Afternoon tea is provided and the talks start at 2pm. Check the Quilt NSW website or the latest Template Newsletters for more details.

Friday Showcase - 1 March 2019 with Linda Butcher

Linda Butcher will be our presenter at this Friday's Friday Showcase and has titled her presentation, "The good, the bad and the ugly!".

Linda's first item of patchwork was sewn when she was in high school but her "official" patchwork/quilting journey commenced 24 years ago at classes with Shirley Gibson. Since then Linda have sewn a myriad of quilts in many varied styles, preferring to sew by hand and her favourite methods are applique and English paper piecing. Linda summarises her journey as:

"Although officially retired now, I have been lucky enough to make my passion for quilting my job. For almost fifteen years I worked in specialty patchwork shops and am an accredited patchwork teacher, having taught many classes at various locations over the years."

Join us to hear more about Linda's passion for quilting. Friday Showcase is held in our office at 276 Pitt Street (Level 5), Sydney on the 1st Friday of most months from 10 am to 11.30 am. Members and visitors are welcome.

Two Week Reminder: Sydney Quilt Show Entries Close 11 March

This is a reminder that entries for the Sydney Quilt Show 2019 close on 11 March. That's only two weeks away. Be kind to yourself, and the quilt show administration team, and don't leave your entry to the last minute. Enter online today!

By the way, the quilt show system depends upon your entry form being as complete and accurate as possible including proper attribution of the design source for your quilt(s). In 2019, the design source section gives three options:

• your own ORIGINAL design; OR
• your own design based on a TRADITIONAL QUILT BLOCK or DESIGN in the public domain (provide details); OR
• from ANOTHER DESIGN SOURCE as specified in the entry form.

All entries if Category 13: Art Quilt must be you own original design, not a copy or variation on the original design of another artist working in any medium.  Here's a screen shot of the design source section of the online entry form:

When you submit your entry via the Online Entry Form, you will have an opportunity to review your entry prior to submission. You will also receive a confirmation e-mail with a receipt for your payment and a copy of your completed entry form. Please let us know if you notice any errors in your entry form.

Please direct any technical queries about the online form to forms@quiltnsw.com
Direct other queries to quiltshow@quiltnsw.com or the QuiltNSW office (02) 9283 3737.

We look forward to receiving your entry!

The New Quilt Countdown

entries close 2 October 2020: on exhibition 5 February- 4 April 2021

It's just under 20 months until entries for The New Quilt close on 2 October 2020 and exactly two years until The New Quilt opens at Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, Windsor, NSW on 5 February 2021 for a two month exhibition.

We know that seems a long way off but we also understand that designing, making and creating takes time. Check out the images from the Wild and I Can (Sing) Paint a Rainbow exhibitions, start planning your entry and visualise YOUR artwork in this fantastic space! Hawkesbury Regional Gallery is generously proportioned so large works and sculptural/dimensional works are especially welcome.

Remember, The New Quilt is a juried survey exhibition showcasing the art of quilting and is open to any textile artist resident in Australia whether or not they are QuiltNSW members. Entries close on 2 October 2020.

Think big, think bold – be adventurous!

Note:

• there is no set theme – submit your best work reflecting your creative practice
• a quilt means stitched and layered materials using any technique
• 2-D, 3-D, installation work, ceiling hung work, work on stretcher bars, and framed work are eligible subject to certain size parameters

Jurors: Judy Hooworth, Anna Brown and a representative of Hawkesbury Regional Gallery.

Download Conditions of Entry or see the QuiltNSW website.

Sydney Quilt Show 2019: Call for Entries

Entries for the Sydney Quilt Show 2019 are now open! Jump online to view/download these key documents:

• Online Entry Form 
• Categories & Conditions of Entry
• Worksheet plan your entry
• Membership Form - if you are not a current financial member

The closing date for entries is 11.59pm Monday 11 March 2019.

Please use the Online Entry Form 
as it streamlines the payment and data collection process and allows our volunteers to better administer entries. Pay by credit card through our secure ANZ portal and you’ll receive immediate email confirmation of your entry on payment.

Use the Worksheet to plan your online entry. Please only submit the worksheet as a paper entry form if you do not have access to the online entry and payment process.

Don't leave it to the last minute! Prepare and submit your entry early so that you know that it will be received by the closing date Monday 11 March 2019

2019 Updates

Here is a summary of updates for 2019. See the November issue of The Template for more information:

1. Quilt size: The maximum quilts size is 280x280cm.
2. Entry Fee: The non-refundable entry fee is now $30 for up to two quilt entries (except for Junior categories 18 & 19). There is no guarantee that two quilt entries will be accepted.
3. Limit of 400 Quilts &Selection Ballot: QuiltNSW has set a limit of 400 quilts in the members' exhibition having regard to space and resource considerations. In 2019, if we receive valid entries for more than 400 quilts, a ballot will be conducted of second choice entries to a number we consider manageable. We will not be asking for voluntary withdrawals in 2019.
4. Coverlets & Miniature: these categories will run in 2019 but are under review for future years due to low participation levels.
5. Art Quilts: All entries in the Art Quilt category must be the entrant’s own design, not a copy or variation on the design of another artist working in any medium. In 2019, this category is open to both abstract and figurative works communicating an idea, emotion or concept through the medium of textile and stitch. Entries must be at least two layers stitched together.
6. Pictorial Quilts: In 2019, the Pictorial Quilt category is a dedicated category open to any 3-layer quilt depicting a person, place or thing regardless of design source.
7. Techniques-based Categories: If a quilt does not qualify for the Art Quilt or Pictorial Quilt categories or the entrant does not wish to enter these categories for any reason, the quilt may be entered into the relevant techniques-based category. Techniques-based categories are open to any quilt regardless of style.
8. Best of Show: only quilts made by Australian residents are eligible for Best of Show

Follow the flow chart to choose your category.

Timeline: Key Dates

• Monday 4 February 2019: Entries open
• Monday 11 March 2019 (11.59pm): Closing Date for Entries
• Monday 29 April 2019: Acceptance Letters Dispatched
• Friday, 7 June 2019: Deadline for Quilts to be delivered to Drop Off Person
• 9am-4.30pm, 19-23 June 2019: Sydney Quilt Show, International Exhibition Centre Sydney, Darling Harbour
• Sunday 30 June 2019: Deadline for Quilts to be collected from Drop Off Person

Further Questions?

See the Online Handbook and FAQs. Please direct any queries to quiltshow@quiltnsw.com or the QuiltNSW office (02) 9283 3737.