One of my annual treats is to attend the awards ceremony on the first day of the Sydney Quilt Show and applaud the winners, often friends I’ve met through online quilting groups and blogs, or in my local groups.
I thought you might like to see some of their inspiring work from this year’s show (with their permission, of course).
Ann-Marie Smithers was awarded 3rd Place in the First Time Entrant section for her stunning quilt “Blue Mariner’s Compass” which she made in a class with Chris Jurd, the “queen” of the Mariner’s Compass.
Ever since I saw Cinzia White’s prizewinning quilt “Trails” in the Sydney Quilt Show a few years back I’ve admired her work. “Raconteur”, her entry this year, won a Judges’ Commendation in the section “New Traditions from Old Favourites”.
She says that each of these hexagon collections took her about 30 hours to cut and piece, and six hours to quilt and weave in the ends. With her mathematical background Cinzia’s amazing design skills make me wish I’d paid more attention in maths at school!
Just added: I’ve just learnt that Cinzia’s quilt won 2nd prize in the Viewers’ Choice competition. Congratulations, Cinzia!
It was a special thrill for me to see this next quilt sporting a 2nd Place rosette among the works of Junior Quiltmakers 13-18yrs.
Tiarne Baker made “T-Light” for the HSC exam last year, and many of us in Southern Cross Quilters followed her progress as she experimented with different techniques to achieve her unique 3-dimensional design appealing to children and the visually impaired.
Imagine sewing on all those sequins and applying them to create the shimmering mermaid’s tail?
The last quilt I’ll show you today belongs to Jenny Bowker, and is not only jaw-dropping in its complexity but reveals enormous warmth and empathy with her model and friend, celebrated Australian quilter Margaret Rolfe OAM.
The designs of the myriad of small quilt blocks, a glowing colourwash radiating across the quilt, come from Margaret’s own quilts.
And just look at the texture of that quilted background!
Pop across to here to see all the prize-winning quilts, and next time I’ll show you more of my friends’ quilts from the show.
Di
