Dianne Finnegan @ Burwood

Dianne Finnegan is the guest speaker at the Guild Meeting this Saturday:

1pm, Saturday 6 December 2008
Burwood RSL
96 Shaftsbury Avenue, Burwood

Dianne has made quilts for nearly thirty years and along the way has been president of the Guild for the Bicentenary, exhibited internationally, curated exhibitions, explored the history of Australian quilts, written books and articles, fundraised, and travelled around the world teaching. An exhibition of Dianne's work completed during her artist residency with North Sydney Council is to be shown at the Primrose Park Gallery, Matora Lane off Young Street in Cremorne, NSW continues until this Friday, 5 December (10 am to 4.20 p.m. daily).

Apartment by Dianne Finnegan

Please note that there will not be a demonstration at this Saturday's meeting BUT historical costume maker Elizabeth Elwell from Cote & Cutler Outfitters will be selling a selection of spectacular remnants of ecclesiastical brocades, silks, linens, some prints, as well as calicos, wools and other bits and bobs at discount prices. An ideal Christmas present for people into crazy patchwork or something a little bit different in their quilting stash. Remember, non-members are welcome to attend Guild meetings. If you can join us, be sure to introduce yourself!

Christmas Meeting @ Burwood: 6 December 2008

The final general meeting of the year is next Saturday:

1pm, Saturday 6 December 2008
Burwood RSL
96 Shaftsbury Avenue, Burwood

(Please note that the 13 December date in the last newsletter is incorrect.)

Coast and Country Prize Winners

There were 39 entrants in the Guild's 2008 challenge - Coast & Country. The following prize winners were announced at the Annual General Meeting last month:

• First Place - Sentinel by Bernadine Hine
• Second Place - Under One Sun by Amanda Daly
• Third Place - Our Sunburnt Country by Helen Godden
• Viewers' Choice - Girls Day Out by Marilyn Lowder
• Judges Commendation - Winter in the Southern Highlands by Carolyn Sullivan
• Judges Commendation - “T & L” FOR “C & C” by Sandy Price

You can view the prize winning quilts on this slide show (the balance of the quilts will be added shortly). The theme for the 2009 Guild Challenge is What Tickles Your Fancy. In the meantime, don't forget that the closing date for the 2010 calendar challenge is next week - Friday, 28 November 2008.

Photography by Brett Bridger

Braidwood Quilt Event 2008: 22-23 November

The New South Wales heritage listed town of Braidwood and Braidwood Quilters Inc welcome you to the 14th Annual Braidwood Quilt Event:

Outdoor airing of the quilts: Saturday only - 22 November
More exhibitions and fringe festival - 22 and 23 November

Contact Braidwood Quilters (email) for more information or check out the website.

Palace Patchworkers Exhibition: Friday 14 November

The Palace Patchworkers Inc are celebrating their 25th year of quilting with a Quilt Exhibition.

DATE: Friday 14th November 2008-11-05
VENUE:Uniting Church Hall, 18 Morts Road, Mortdale
(a short walk from the railway station)
TIME:10am – 2pm

Quilts on display, Handmade items and quilts for sale. Morning tea available. The Palace Patchworkers support St. George Hospital.

Contact: Lyn Sharpe 9547 2152

Alchemy Exhibition: 13-23 November

Alchemy - from the Ordinary into the Extraordinary Fibre Alchemists Exhibition:

Seaview Gallery, Seaview Street
Dulwich Hill
Opening: 13 November 6pm-8pm
14-23 November 10am-4pm

No entry fee. Art textiles, wearable art, collaborative works. For more information, see: www.atasda.org.au

Social Meeting at Campbelltown: Sunday, 9 November

A special social meeting is scheduled for this Sunday:

10am-3pm, Sunday 9 November 2008
Campbelltown Arts Centre,
Cnr Camden & Moore Oxley Roads

The program includes sew and chat; show and tell; lunch and guest speaker Anne Archer. Door prizes. Cafe on premises. Please bring afternoon tea to share.

7 November Friday Showcase: Liz Bonner

Name a quilting technique, she's tried it! Name a quilting gadget, she's tried it too. Liz Bonner was encouraged to start quilting by her partner and has gone on to make a wide variety of quilts from intricate hand applique to classic bow tie blocks in Amish tones; from Jan Mullen crazy housez to sashiko elegance. Come and see for yourself at the Friday showcase at the Guild office, 10 am on Friday 7 November.

Sashiko Reversible Log Cabin by Liz Bonner
4th Prize Traditional-Amateur (Sydney Quilt Show 2007)

Quilt Exhibition @ Kincumber: 1 November

A quilt exhibition will be held this Saturday 1 November (8am-2pm) at Kincumber Uniting Church (on the Central Coast north of Sydney)in conjunction with the popular monthly car boot sale.

On the day, there will be a mix of quilting groups, busineses and quilts from private collections and commmunity groups. Devonshire teas will also be available.

Helen's Houston Hat Trick

Warm congratulations to Guild member Helen Godden who has been awarded three top prizes at the International Quilt Association festival in Houston as follows:

• First Prize, Painted Surface Category - Screeching Cockatoo
  
• Second Prize, Painted Surface Category - Mother Earth
• Inaugural World of Beauty award ($7500) - Seasonal Sisters, a collaboration with Gail Thomas and Annette Hendricks
  

Seasonal Sisters by The Three Sisters

Sanae Hattori Kimono & Quilt Presentation: 5 November

Japanese quiltmaker Sanae Hattori will be giving a presenation of her beautiful quilts and kimono at the Guild office on Wednesday, 5 November at 10am. Space is limited so please telephone the Guild office (Tel: 02 9283 3737) to reserve your place.

Sanae Hattori studied Japanese embroidery at Joshi Bijutsu (Women's College of Fine Arts) in Hachioji, Japan, and concentrated on traditional design. In 1978 she founded SANAE Art Studio, and began reconstructing Japanese classical designs by using American patchwork techniques. Hattori's quilted uchikake have since become internationally famous.

Refabricating Environments@ Springwood: 31 Oct - 7 Dec

An exhibition of fine art quilts shows at Braemar Gallery, 103 Macquarie Rd, Springwood in the Blue Mountains from 31 October to 7 December 2008 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10am-4pm).

You are invited to attend the opening of the exhibition on Saturday 1 November at 2pm. The guestspeakers will be Simon Ambrose, the Director of the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, and textile artist, Dianne Firth, who is the guest artist and who has selected this exhibition.

Contact: Annabelle Solomon amsolomon@people.net.au

Gees Bend Quilts @ Canterbury Next Week!

NSW quilting enthusiasts are in for a treat next week. An amazing display of more than 200 international quilts to be hanging from 31 October to 2 November at the Canterbury Racecourse, Canterbury as part of the Quilt Indulgence Festival presented by Guild sponsor Creative Living Media (publisher of Down Under Quilts).

The quilts include art quilts from Gees Bend USA, charming quilts from France, extraordinarily-executed quilts from Japan, and fabulous quilts from New Zealand and around Australia.

The creators of the quilts from Gee’s Bend are four generations of African American women isolated for decades by geography, outside indifference, and extreme poverty. Their lives were and are rich with family, faith, and community, and they have quietly created one of the most astonishingly beautiful and original bodies of artwork.



Many of the older quilts of Gee’s Bend have received international acclaim at art museums throughout the United States including the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and the Whitney Museum in New York. Hailed by The New York Times as “some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced.”

This is the first time any of these quilts have been seen in Australia, and only the second time outside America.

10-4 daily – Canterbury Racecourse. Free parking, free shuttle bus from Canterbury station.
Visit www.quiltindulgencefestival.com.au for more info

APQ/AQC Fantasy challenge for quilters

Australian Patchwork & Quilting and Expertise Events are both generous sponsors of the Sydney Quilt Show. Now Australian Patchwork & Quilting and the Australasian Quilt Convention, in conjunction with Expertise Events, present their new and exciting quilt competition – the 2009 AP&Q AQC Challenge.

With three generous cash prizes to be won including $5,000 first prize, $2,000 runner-up and $500 for the best entry by a quilter under eighteen years of age – quilters best stop fantasising and start quilting!

The theme for this year’s challenge is FANTASY and is sure to inspire some magical and imaginative quilts. Entrants may choose a traditional or contemporary approach to their quilt and will be judged on their interpretation of the theme, excellence in design and craftsmanship.

A selection of up to thirty finalists will be chosen to form the FANTASY exhibition which will be displayed over four days, February 26 – March 1 2009, at the Australasian Quilt Convention at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton – with winners announced at the event on February 28. The exhibition of quilts will then embark on a nationwide tour throughout 2009, travelling exclusively with the Craft & Quilt Fairs.

Entrants are provided free reign with quilt design and may apply techniques including piecing, appliqué, embroidery, whole cloth and/or manipulated fabric. Any materials may be used but the final result must be flexible in nature and consist of three layers of fabric held together with stitching.

Entries close on 10 December 2008. For more information about this competition, please visit www.apqmagazine.com.au or www.aqc.com.au

2008 Annual General Meeting: 18 October

This is a reminder to all members that the Guild's 2008 Annual General Meeting is at:

The Quiters' Guild of NSW Inc
Annual General Meeting
1pm, Saturday 18 October 2008
Burwood RSL, Shaftesbury Ave, Burwood

In accordance with the Guild's constitution, the following business will be transacted:

• confirmation of the minutes of the last AGM;
• receipt of the Committee's report upon the activities of the Guild in the last financial year;
• election of office bearers (President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary) and other members of the committee;
• receipt and consideration of a statement from the Committee regarding the Guild's financial affairs; and
• the appointment of the auditor.
  

Sharing Our Legacy Seminar: 17-19 October

The Quilt Study Group of Australia's 'Sharing our Legacy' seminar, which is held every two years, will be in Brisbane between the 17th and 19th of October. It will start with an informal dinner on the 17th October followed by Saturday's full day of presentations by speakers such as Annette Gero, Margaret Rolfe and Pam Holland plus a number of Queensland presenters on local topics of interest to us all.

The details and seminar registration form can be found at http://www.sydneyquiltstudygroup.blogspot.com/

At the same blog address, the current newsletter which contains more details on the agenda and presentations can be downloaded.

Houston 2008 A World of Beauty Finalists

The International Quilt Association has announced the finalists in Houston 2008 World of Beauty judged show. The list features many talented Guild members including:

• Esther Aliu
• Rachelle Denneny
• Helen Godden
• Jocelyne Leath
• Beth Miller
• Lisa Walton and Nic Bridges
• Mariya Waters

What's more, Helen Godden has been advised that all three of her quilts have been awarded a prize including Three Sisters which has been awarded a top level prize. Keep a lookout on the IQA website to see when the winners are announced later in the month.

2008 Wollongong Quilt Show: 11 and 12 October

The 2008 Wollongong Quilt Show is presented by Illawarra Quilters Inc at:

Ribbonwood Centre, Dapto
Saturday and Sunday, 11 and 12 October
9.30am to 4.30pm daily
Admission: $5 per person (12 years and under - free)

Offering an array of superb handmade gifts. A variety of shops will be there to cater to everyone's needs. Delicious morning tea, lunches and afternoon tea will be available both days. The proceeds of this year's raffle will be donated to Wollongong Women's Refuge.

Enquiries: Diana (Tel: 02 4284 4517)

Twelve by Twelve: A Collaborative Art Quilt Project

Guild member Brenda Smith belongs to the Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt Project, an international group of twelve quilt artists who have embarked upon an online art challenge together. Every two months, they each make a small quilted art piece -- 12 by 12 inches – based on a theme chosen by each member in turn.

The group share their process and progress on their blog and the finished works, together with artist statements, are showcased on their dedicated website gallery. The group's latest challenge quilts are due to be revealed online today (1 October US time). The theme is "shelter" and it is always interesting to see how the theme is interpreted

"Favela" ©2008 Brenda Gael Smith

The 12x12inch/30cm square format offers plenty of scope for exploration and experimentation. Don't forget that entries for the Guild's calendar challenge close on 28 November 2008. Entry is limited to individual financial Guild members and quilts (3 layers) must be 30cm square. Details and entry form in the September newsletter.

My Country Exhibition@Newcastle: 4-6 October

“My Country” is an exhibition of Novocastrian Quilters exhibition on this weekend:

New Lambton Community Centre
14 Alma Rd, New Lambton, NSW.
4, 5, 6 October - Friday, Saturday & Sunday
9am – 4pm (Friday), 9am – 5pm (Saturday), 9am – 2pm (Sunday)
Entry – $5, Member’s work, 2008

Challenge, Goods Stall, Quilt Raffle

For more informationElizabeth 4967 4363/Joyce 4929 3386