A Couple of Shows and All Things Dyed

This past weekend was our annual National Juried Show and conference put on by the Canadian Quilters' Association. My hosta bud quilt, "Rise" was in the show this year, after several years of not entering due to not having any new show-worthy work. I have managed to enter a few shows this year because I made new work early in the year, in preparation for my show in Spain, and also because I'm carrying a bit lighter load of teaching these days. The show this year was held in Vancouver. Next year's will be here in Ottawa, where I live. If you click on the high-lighted links in the above text you can see all the award winners and more information about the show. Thank you to Tracy Brittain Loyek of Purple Katz Quilts, and many others who shared photos.

The quilt to my right is by Leslie Forbes of Osoyoos, BC. I think she has very successfully captured an Okanagan Valley feel with her vineyard quilt.

The quilt immediately to my left is by Millie Cumming of Fergus, Ontario.

While that show was happening, I was in Montreal teaching at Courtepoint Quebec's Salon 2018. This is Quebec's provincial show. Not all of my classes filled, but my Intro Dyeing class did. Montreal was in the midst of a heatwave when I arrived on Friday night, and everyone at the show looked wilted and HOT! Fortunately things cooled down a bit for my Saturday class.

Last week I decided to dye myself some new garments. I found a few dress blanks and scarf blanks in my basement that I had  purchased from Dharma Trading Company some time back. I'm pretty pleased with these two dresses. The one on left is short enough that it looks really nice with white leggings. I used elastic bands to bind various round objects in different sizes. I miscalculated a bit on the amount of dye powder and ended up with grey instead of black, but I am really starting to love grey in my wardrobe so I am happy with it. The dress on the right is in that currently popular colour that I would describe as gold? It was first dyed gold using a low water immersion method, and then wrapped on a pole and immersion dyed.

I tried the same circle idea on a velvet scarf. The dress to the right and the two scarves below were my first attempts this time around. While I love the indigo blue colour, I am not that thrilled with the way the circles fall on the dress to the right.

And while I was looking for simplicity for these scarves, one single circular motif on each end doesn't seem enough for me. Maybe because the contrast is so strong. I do love the colours though.

 The last couple of weeks I also got immersed in dyeing the palette for my garlic quilt. See my May 11, 2018 blog post for photos of the garlic that I find so inspiring. I am really happy with the palette I've produced in the left photo. In the photo to the right, the reddish colours near the back of the photo were also dyed for this project. The 3 fabrics furthest right are too pink, so they will go to my store. In the middle of this photo, and the one below, are the fabrics that I've pulled from my stash that may work in this quilt.

 

This month will be a quieter month for me. I am spending some days planning a commission proposal, and writing an article (more information on that later). I'm also having a bit of dental surgery and wanted that in a quiet month when I wouldn't need to talk too much ;-)

"Encore" Wins First Place

I am finally back home after five days at Quilt Canada in St. Catharines, Ontario, and a couple of days touring around the Niagara region after the conference. Much to my surprise, my piece "Encore", won a First Place in the "Abstract-Pictorial" category at the National Juried Show.

You can see I am a blur as I cross the stage. It sure felt like a long walk, but obviously I was moving pretty fast. Thanks to Jennifer Brennan of Northcott Fabrics for the photos below.

Guess who I found in attendance? To my right is Patti Carey, the VP of Northcott Fabrics (she showed up in two of my classes as well!). It was great to meet her and put a personality and face to the person I deal with on the distribution and pattern end of my Northcott fabrics. 

Jennifer shot this photo of Patti and I, and a few of the teachers.  Left to Right, Patti Carey, Lenore Crawford, Daphne Greig, me, and Jan Krentz.

I will be posting over the next few days with more details about Quilt Canada, and my adventures on the road.

News (Shows, Articles and Workshops)!

Checking in tonight to share news and some photos of recent workshops.

I learned yesterday that "Encore" was accepted and will hang at the National Juried Show of the Canadian Quilters Association in St. Catharines, Ontario in June. In the mean time, it took a little detour today. I shipped it, and other work, as well as a lovely stack of hand-dyed fabrics, to the office of Quilting Arts Magazine in Massachusetts, whether they will be photographed for an upcoming feature article about me. Stay tuned! The expected publication date will be the June/July issue, but I will let you know when the date is definitivelyconfirmed! I am very happy to be showing "Encore" in Canada and in the US (in Quilting Arts Magazine) before it travels to Europe for the "Crossing Oceans" international group show.

Sunday I taught Part 5 of my Art Quilt Series here in Ottawa. A few students brought some of their design experiments. This exercise was about working with value (while also keeping other Elements and Principles of Design in mind).

Isn't Barb's blue dog just the coolest?

Monique's Chinese lanterns are so graceful.

Inez chose to depict a milkweed pod. Great choice of complementary colours.

You could walk right into Mary's forest scene.

Ruth's dynamic close-up of a portion of sunflower focuses on the green area below the flower. (I can't think of the technical name of that part of the plant right now?).

Monday I was off to Perth, Ontario, to teach "Liberated Radial Piecing" for the Lanark County Quilters Guild. It was great to spend time with this group again. What an innovative and relaxed group of quilters.

We had a wonderfully large and bright classroom. I actually got some exercise while moving around between students ;-)

Most students in the class had worked with free-form cutting and piecing methods before, so there was no one intimidated by trying this.

The process starts with making a series of strip sets, all cut and pieced without rulers.

After that, wedges are cut to form the radial design.

Bev brought her finished poppy quilt that she started in my workshop at the Ottawa Valley Quilters Guild about a month ago. She did a fantastic job with the values!

I know I've been quiet this month. We had a two-week trip to Spain to celebrate my husband's retirement. I will share some photos shortly. 

Teaching travel is gearing up, and I'll be off to visit the Windsor Quilters Guild next week.