Quilt Show 2007 Entry Form

By now all members should have received their fabulous, new look Template together with forms for entering Quilt Show 2007. You can also download a PDF copy of the entry form from the side bar or the Guild's website.

I am delighted that already a handful of members have submitted their completed entry forms. With each entry have between 25 and 35 items of unique information attached to it, processing quilt show entry forms is a significant data entry task for me as Exhibition Secretary. The deadline for lodgment of entry forms is Thursday, 1 March 2007. However, it makes my job much easier if everyone doesn't leave it to the last minute!

Don't worry, this does not mean that you have to have your quilt finished by the beginning of March. The photograph that you submit with your entry form is primarily for identification purposes so we are not concerned if you still have some quilting left to do or the binding is not on yet. Needless to say, a photo of a stack of fabrics with a pattern and a dash of wishful thinking doesn't count however!

If you have an query about your category or completing your entry form, you are welcome to e-mail me. We hope that as many members as possible take up this opportunity to share their quilts and to celebrate the Guild's 25th anniversary.

Best of Show 2006
Floriade by Margo Hardie
(Photography by Bard Haerland)

Position Vacant - Teacher Accreditation Coordinator

The Guild seeks a a new co-ordinator for the Teacher Accreditation Subcommittee. Key tasks are:

1. Hold and maintain the records of the subcommittee. Maintain confidentiality of all information seen as part of the subcommittee involvement unless permission has been granted for disclosure. This must be documented for protection of both The Quilters’ Guild of NSW Inc and the applicant, as well as the subcommittee members.
2. Arrange and attend monthly meetings of the subcommittee.
3. Record the minutes of subcommittee meetings, type up the minutes and distribute copies to subcommittee members.
4. Receive applications for Teacher Accreditation, check that all requirements are received.
5. Organise assessment of applicants’ Stage 1 and Stage 2 work by at least two accredited teachers, and arrange the final interview as required. Type up assessment reports and critiques and distribute copies appropriately.
6. Hold master copies of all subcommittee internal paperwork and provide as necessary.
7. Complete the Progress Report, updating the records as applicant progresses through Stages 1 to 3.
8. Hold and update a list of teachers accredited by The Quilters’ Guild of NSW Inc.
9. Liaise with the members of the subcommittee as required.
10. Keep record of recipients of Stage 1 leaflet and paper work.
11. Organise advisers (an accredited teacher from the list) for applicants who have successfully completed Stage 1, and assessors for the written stage 2 course outline. applicants who have successfully completed Stage 1, and assessors for the written Stage 2 course outline.
    

So if you have a computer at home; are able to keep records and send out form letters, you have the key skills required for this position. For more information, contact the outgoing co-ordinator at accreditation@quiltersguildnsw.com

Online Calendar & Workshop Form

One of the great new features of the Guild newsletter, The Template, is a consolidated calendar listing forthcoming meetings, Guild activities and other quilting events. This calendar is also available online as a 55KB pdf attachment here. Please contact the Guild Webmaster or the Template Editor if you have a quilting event that you would like to be included in the calendar.

As another service to our members, the Guild has also set up a generic workshop booking form. This form can be used for the forthcoming Creating Pattern Workshop with Sharyn Hall and other workshops scheduled for 2007. See the Workshops page on the Guild website for more details.

Template packed and posted!

There's the evidence of the packing - the envelopes have a copy of The Template, information on the Sydney Quilt Show, and the all-important orange volunteer form (just look at those flying hands!) and 1000 filled envelopes, waiting for collection. The Template packing team is just one of the many volunteer subsets in the Guild who help make the Guild's work possible - thank you to everyone who helped today and to all those regulars who give their time.

The second picture also shows you some of the Guild's library - click on the link to find out more and access the online booklist.

Quilting in Cyberspace: Silks

One of the regular features in The Template is Quilting in Cyberspace, and with issue 25/1 we welcome Rowena, who has found some wonderful links about silks. Read her full column in The Template (posted out to you this coming week), and you'll know why she chose these: but here are the links, live, for you to click and enjoy.

• SILK TRADERS
• HYENA
• SILK TRADING CO
• THAI SILK CLOTHES
• LOOPY LACE
• WEE WONDERFULS and especially this link on pojagi.

Thank you, Rowena!

(Note: the internet is an ever-changing medium: we've done our best to provide and check these links, but do be aware that sites can change/vanish overnight).

Workshop by SHARYN HALL

The "CREATING PATTERN" workshop is about fabulous fabric, dye, print, discharge, and stitch. Our tutor Sharyn Hall from Brisbane will inspire students to apply colour and pattern to natural fabric (cotton, linen, rayon, silk) using thickened fibre reactive dyes and various textile paints with assorted printing processes. Click to enlarge images:


In addition to the Guild's workshop fee of $110, a materials fee of $25 per student is payable to the tutor to cover costs of all dyes and chemicals and the use of equipment supplied on the day. Click here for a full requirements list.

The Guild provides members the opportunity of two days in which to explore the world of colour using a contemporary medium for either traditional or non traditional impact. As well as fun, students will take home a bag of goodies for future creations.

The workshop is on Sunday/Monday 11 and 12 February at the Epping Creative Centre.

Please refer to the Workshops page on the Guild website for more details and complete and return this booking form.

Exotica Quilt Exhibition

The Exotica travelling suitcase exhibition is drawing to a close. Your last opportunity to view these 2004 guild challenge quilts is at:

St Vincents Hospital

390 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Exhibiting from today until early February 2007

Tulipa Exotica 70cm x 50cm
©2004 Brenda Gael Smith

It's almost here! And what's that about Letters to the Editor?

Have you been wondering where your December Template is? It got caught up in the Great Australian Christmas shutdown, but the printers are back now, the colour proofs have been approved and it's all go. Fingers crossed it will be in the post next week!

One of the innovations in this issue is a Letters to the Editor page - it's not only a chance for your voice to be heard as a Guild member, but also every eligible entry (Guild members with an address in Australia) will go into a draw to win a 6-issue subscription to Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazine.

How can you participate? Each issue a topic is set for you to write about. In this issue Lynn Hewitt has written about "The problem of UFOs". Read her piece, write your response (under 100 words) and send it to editor@quiltersguildnsw.com with "Letters to the Editor" in the subject line, and that's it! Easy as pie. We may not be able to publish all the letters we receive, but every letter we receive goes into the draw. Please make sure you include your name, surname, town/suburb and state.

The closing date for your letters about UFOs is 31 January - I'm guessing if you're reading this blog that you have email, but snail mail to the Guild offices is fine too (addressed to Template Editor, Letters to the Editor/UFOs, Quilters Guild of NSW Inc, Level 5, 276 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000).

I've started work on the next issue - today was the deadline for copy, so if you've a quilt show date for the calendar or photos to send or you want to advertise - I need the information now! Editorial content to the Editor at the address above. Advertising enquiries should be directed to the Publicity Officer: publicity@quiltersguildnsw.com.

A New Member Blog

Those of you that attended the December 2006 meeting at Burwood will be aware that former Minutes Secretary, Monica Johnstone has left Australia to take up an exciting new job in America. Monica continues to be a member and strong supporter of the guild (and, indeed, has the honour of being the first entrant for Quilt Show 2007). You can follow Monica's adventures on her new blog: Monica in Michigan

Remember, if you are a guild member and have a blog you would like to share with others, you can e-mail the Guild Webmaster to be included on the member blog listings.

A Sneak Peek

To welcome in the New Year, it is my pleasure to give you a sneak peek at some of the contemporary quilts that will feature in the TripARTite exhibition by ZIGZAG (June Brown, Susan Mathews and Yvonne Voss) at Quilt Show 2007.



The Outback Sleeps; Studies of the Outback Sleeps



The Outback Awakes; Studies of the Outback Awakes;



The Outback Lives; Studies of the Outback Lives.
All images courtesy of the quiltmaker, June Brown.

The word tripARTite means:

• having 3 corresponding parts or copies;
• divided into 3 parts
• made or concluded between 3 parties.

For this exhibition, each artist has chosen a theme:

• June Brown - Back of Beyond
  
• Susan Mathews – Plant Forms
  
• Yvonne Voss – Apertures
  

Each artist then explores the chosen theme within a series of 3 sets of 9 small studies which, when combined, will fill an area measuring 75 cm X 99 cm. To compliment each set of studies, a large textile work measuring 75 cm X 99 cm will be created. The complete exhibition comprises of 18 pieces of work.

Advertising in the Guild Newsletter

Is your favourite quilting business advertising in guild's newsletter, The Template? The Template reaches 1000 dedicated quilters every quarter, a worthwhile market for any quilting business, and our quilt show is the largest in Australia, with entries from members across Australia.

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

To advertise in The Template, contact the Publicity Officer publicity@quiltersguildnsw.com

The deadline for submissions for the next [March 2007]issue of The Template is 8 January 2007 so don't delay!

Blog Housekeeping

Apologies to any subscriber that received multiple updates overnight. This happened because yesterday this blog was upgraded to Beta Blogger. In the process, some of the layout was also a little scrambled so you may notice some "tweaking" from time to time as I get images of those lovely Mini Marvel quilts back into the side bar.

The good news is that the new format enables "labels" to be applied to posts. This means that you can quickly find all blog entries relating to Quilt Show 2007 or Workshops and so on by clicking on the relevant label at the end of the post. Try it and see what I mean!

Calling Junior Quiltmakers

If the young quiltmaker (or prospective quiltmaker) in your home is at a loose end over the holidays, why not encourage them to make a quilt to enter into Sydney Quilt Show 2007?

There are some great prizes on offer including an encouragement award of Bernette 80E sewing machine generously sponsored by Bernina. What's more, there is no entry fee for guild members under 18 years of age to enter their quilts into the show.

Grinspoon by Nicolette Ahern
3rd prize - Junior Member B - Quilt Show 2006

Visit the guild website to view other winners of the Junior Member A (up to 12 years) and Junior Member B (13-18 years) categories from last year's quilt show and to download a membership application form.

Festive Artist Trading Cards

Here is a selection of festive artist trading cards (3 1/2in x 2 1/2in) exchanged at the last general meeting at Burwood:

Meroogal Women's Art Prize

The Meroogal Women’s Arts Prize is a regional non-acquisitive competition and exhibition across the fields of visual arts, crafts and design. It is open to a work using any media made by a woman 18 years and over who is a resident of the south coast and greater Illawarra region.

This year's exhibition with the theme Reduce, recycle & renew at Meroogal includes Lisa Johnson's striking woollen quilt "Red Blankets Are Warmer" and Judith Bentley's wagga-style quilt "John's Jumpers".

Members and guests of The Quilters' Guild of NSW Inc receive free admission and a complimentary cup of tea or coffee when visiting the exhibition at:

Historic House Trust Members Lounge
The Mint, 10 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW
10 October 2006 – 29 January 2007
Open Monday to Friday, 9.30am – 5pm
www.hht.net.au

The Template's cover: 2006 challenge winner

How good does Tanya Coxsedge's quilt look on the cover of The Template?

Tanya won the Guild's 2006 Challenge, Going to Pieces. In this issue, she writes about making this quilt - not an easy task, with such a confronting image being stitched.

In each issue, you'll find a piece about the cover quilt, so you can find out its story. This was one suggestion from the Guild's recent survey - the committee received lots of valuable input from this and is working through it all.

This issue doesn't use the usual Template masthead - mostly because the quilting hoop/needle would have done unkind things to Tanya's head!

Tanya included this comment about participating in Guild challenges:

I really enjoy the NSW Quilters' Guild challenges, for they force me to consider ideas I wouldn't have imagined on my own.

Read more about the Guild's 2007 Challenge, Looking Forward : Looking Back. Entry doesn't close until September 2007, and is open to all Guild members.

Look for your copy of this issue (Vol. 25 No. 1) in your letter box in mid-January.

It's Show Time!

Well almost...the Sydney Quilt Show 2007 will be at the Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre from 27 June to 1 July 2007. The forthcoming issue of The Template includes an article setting out ways you can help make this 25th members' exhibition the best show ever. Pending the mail out of the entry form, here is a link to the categories and conditions of entry for Quilt Show 2007. These details are also set out in the attached pdf (60KB) document.

This is the beautiful Feather Medallion raffle quilt made by St Ives Quilters. The needle turn applique is just exquisite and is complemented by machine quilting by Jenny Campbell of Coastal Quilting.

Where's my Template?

Thanks for asking!

Coming soon, is the answer. If you'd like a taster of the contents of the new look Template, check The Template page on the Guild website - click here.

As the Guild's newsletter, it's packed with Guild news - and I do mean packed, it's remarkable how many activities are undertaken under the Guild's umbrella. So many people doing great work.

A Colourful Guild Calendar

Around sixty 12inch (30cm) quilts were entered into the Guild's calendar quilt challenge which closed last week. What a wonderful response! The quilts utilise a wide variety of techniques and styles. Here is a very small sample of entries that are already in the public domain:

The quilts will be on display at the 25th Sydney Quilt Show in June 2007 and the calendars for 2008 will be on sale. The quilts will then become another suitcase exhibition available to groups.

By the way, Lisa Walton, Nicole Bridges, Brenda Smith, Erica Spinks and rooruu also happen to have blogs and you will find links to their blogs on the side bar. If you are a guild member and would like your blog to be added to the list, please contact the Guild Webmaster.

Official Blog Launch

Today is the final Guild general meeting of the year and, as a kind of Christmas present to Guild members, we will be officially launching this Guild blog. Welcome to all new readers who are visiting for the first time!

The Committee hopes that members (and prospective members!) will find this blog a valuable resource to catch up on all the latest Guild happenings. 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)


Powered by FeedBlitz
OR

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:-)

Neither of these services will notify you if comments have been left on the Guild blog. Nevertheless, we hope that you will leave comments from time to time as this is part of the fun of blogging and blog reading. Comment moderation has been set up on this blog which means any comments will be reviewed and approved before they show up but we anticipate that most messages will be cleared promptly. 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.

As far as we know, this is the first blog by a major Australian quilting guild. The Committee is very excited about this initiative and welcomes feedback from members. Come back soon to see a selection of festive Artist Trading Cards from the swap at today's meeting: