On Its Way

 

In this simple box is the result of a year's work and planning and stress and sleepless nights!

Unbelievably all the quilts for my Jewel Pearce Patterson Scholarship Exhibition - Textured Treasures are packed into this innocuous box. It might look small but is quite heavy and has been dispatched to Houston. Nervous few days until it arrives but I am so relieved that it is done and on it's way.

Here are a couple more of the gorgeous quilts in the Exhibition.

This is Windows on Orvieto. Robyn Anderson joined me last year at my workshop in Orvieto in Italy and most of the fabrics in this quilt were created in our wonderful studio and balcony in the Italian sun. It was such fun that Robyn is already talking about returning for my next class this time next year. If you would like to join us here is the link to the Adventures in Italy site.

 Jenny Bowker has made this amazing quilt called Talisman and more information can be found on her blog

 Maggie Gilbert has combined a wonderful selection of fabrics with turtle motifs from her trip to Hawaii last year. They are so cute and there is some excellent hand embroidery on their backs.

Small Quilts for the Exhibition

Here are some of the small quilts which are part of my Houston Exhibition. These are all about 25in square or less and done in or as a result of my Textured Treasures workshop.

Rita Summers Odyssey

Sally Westcott - Poppies 

 These are from my Bicheno workshop - Sue Smith - Square in a Square

 Julie Robertson - Day in the Life

 Pam O'Hara - Glasgow Roses

 Sue King - Textured Circles

 

Pam King - Transisitions

 Helen Rhodes - Nautica Botanica (from the perth workshop)

 Pamela Troode - Poppies for Rememberance

 Marlene Wells - Forest Floor

 

I am so thrilled with these. I think they will make a perfect addition to the exhibition won't they?

Been Busy

It is a week since I last posted which is very naughty but I have been snowed under with work for my Houston Exhibition. With everything finally coming together and so much paperwork I am going mad but the quilts that my students have made for the exhibition are really wonderful.

I also had  great weekend teaching at Forster/Tuncurry (above) on the north coast which was a really beautiful place and it was great just to breathe the fresh air and watch the pelicans.

I taught my Textured Treasures workshop and as I usually do demonstrations of each technique I thought it would be silly not to have an idea in the back of my head to use some of the lovely pieces which get created. Even workshop samples should have some thought behind them.

So I have an idea for a Venetian inspired quilt as I just love Venice and we spent a week there after Orvieto last year. I took so many photos and I was really drawn to the amazing window and door shapes. This little collage is a small representation of some of them.

So while i was demonstrating I had these shapes in mind which is exactly the sort of thing I encourage my students to do too.

Using Wet and Grow - I cut this stamp with a craft knife and then popped it in water and it expanded immediately.

 

I stamped with a gold acrylic paint and when it was dry I overpainted it with transparent paints. I really like the effect and now I am tempted to just quilt this piece all by itself. I can always make more can't I?

I also drew a freehand window design on an Ezy Carve block which printed up quite nicely too. I like to create these stamps freehand as it gives my work my handmade feel.

I think my students had a great time and some of the work they produced was amazing. I can definitely see some incredible quilts happening.

As we left the next day we drove along the river and the morning was so calm that the reflections were just perfect.

Don't forget that I am posting more regularly on my new Facebook page and also having regular giveaways of fabric and Aurifil Threads so why not join in the fun.

Orvieto Quilt Finished

This is the quilted top once the freezer paper was removed and here is the back. The Handiquilter Sweet 16 made it all so easy. It was hard to stop
I then tested a few paints and discharge products on samples but decided against the discharge and decided a transparent paint would be best (but not too diluted). I used Prochem Profab paints with a transparent base and a touch of the opalescent base.

 

I painted it first with a pale brown but it was too pale so did it again with a darker green. 

However layering the two layers really negated the transparency so it now is more opaque. It was lovely sitting out in the garden painting for a few hours.

 So here it is finished and I really like it.

 It will be on display at my Textured Treasures Exhibition in Houston.

Influenced by Gaudi

I am working on one of my Houston Exhibition quilts. I had two main inspirations - the mosaic above from Gaudi's Parc Guell and his paving stones design in Barcelona.

I made a thermofax screen of the paving design and printed hundreds before hand stitching them together. I must be mad.

 I am now in the process of overpainting the quilt using the mosaic as inspiration.

My Aurifil Threads have been ordered and I can't wait to start quilting.