25.12.10

Quilting and Plotting

After a project is finished, I am often left with many bits and pieces of material too small to be of use on another project.

The triangles cut off from the strips intended for binding a quilt come to mind. I prefer to cut my strips three inches wide instead of two and a quarter inches. Strips of this size enrich my quilt in colour and design, so when I cut off the triangles at the jointing points I am left with small but manageable triangles. These I collect in a see- through plastic bag and when a good supply of colourful triangles of the same size has accumulated, I try to join them imaginatively.

Tablemats or small artistic hangings can be created in this way. It is a bit of a fiddly job, but nothing gives me more pleasure than to sit comfortably in front of the TV with my work basket on my knees and to create what I consider small works of art while watching my favourite programmes.

Whilst I quilt I also like to plot. My books were written after they had been plotted during solitary quilting sessions.

15.12.10

Quilts - Art - Christmas












Quilts - Art - Christmas



On Monday 13 December, we had our Christmas party and Show and Tell event. We have been meeting weekly since the beginning of July. We hardly knew each other before and yet sitting around the dining table to enjoy our Christmas lunch, we felt like old friends. We were full of life, jokes, laughter and good will. Before lunch, we had our Show and Tell. Our various pieces had colour, vitality, skill, ambition and imagination.

Each of us revealed a side of ourselves that we would never have discovered if quilting had not brought us together.

Each piece, whether made by our beginners or those more expert in this art form helped to tell a story and had movement and life of its own.

Monica Perry, the well-known textile artist from Poundbury, talked to us. She has accepted to become our Patron and we thank her for it. She said that we have ambition and that we are on the right path. She emphasized the value of thrift. Quilts are just that: a combination of thrift and art.

We exchanged fat quarters as presents. We had good wine to drink and plenty of food to share.
From 11 am until 2.30 pm we left all our problems outside in the cold. Inside Pat’s house we found inspiration, warmth and laughter.

We start again on January 10 at the Poundbury Campus of Weymouth College.








13.12.10

AMISH, THE ART OF THE QUILT, text by R Hughes

Robert Hughes’ text in the book “AMISH, The Art of the Quilt” reinforces the notion of the power of the quilt as an art form.

Mr. Hughes, a distinguished Australian art critic and an expert on American art, recognizes the Amish quilt “as a major art form in the context of twentieth century American painting and sculpture”.

Quilting, as an art form, needs such critics from the mainstream art world to appreciate their value and their proper place within the Visual Arts. Robert Hughes and Tracy Emin (as an artist) have done just that.

“AMISH, The Art of the Quilt”, contains eighty-two masterpieces from the Esprit collection of Amish quilts.

Julie Silber curated the Esprit quilt collection, which was held at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco in 1990.

Douglas Tomkins was a co-founder of Esprit and originator of the Esprit Collection.
“AMISH, The Art of the Quilt” epitomizes critical recognition of quilts in the wider art world.

The book was published in the UK by Phaidon Press Limited, 1994, ISBN 0 7148 3136 0

10.12.10

Last day in the kitchen!

Monday, 6 December, marked the day of the last meeting in my kitchen. Two more people joined The Poundbury Quilters.

From 10 January, our workplace will be at Weymouth College (Poundbury Campus).

For lunch, we had trahana, imported all the way from Argyrokastro, Albania. Some liked it others didn’t.

Our beginners are making good progress.

Next Monday (our Christmas party), we shall paint the town red!

2.12.10

Monday, 29 November, 2010

One member showed us her work in progress; a stunning wall hanging.

This type of quilt is something special. We all agree that quilts are not just functional items for covering the bed.

Another member, having finished her project, started a new one, putting drawing paper in front of her. She started drawing exactly what she wanted, away from books and repetitive patterns.

As for me, I am still struggling to finish my project for Christmas. I am missing three buttons (small, two holes, dark blue polka dot design).

Today we had almost a full house. My house seems to have shrunk. The Weymouth College (Poundbury Campus) will be just the right place for us, plenty of room to spread out our work, good facilities, parking, cafeteria and much more.

I am looking forward to moving our group there on Monday 10 January 2011, at ten o’clock.
Our Christmas Party and Show and Tell event will take place on December 13 at one of our homes. We will not use the Garden Center as a venue this time.

Next Monday is our last meeting for this year.