Some Modern Opportunities

Putting aside the use of Modern Quilting as a term to define a trend, or make something seem trendy even when it isn't really a modern quilt, there are some changes afoot in the traditional quilting world that I wanted to share with you.

Quilt Canada 2014, the big show, conference, and workshops put on by the Canadian Quilters Association added Modern to its categories for the National Juried Show. For my American friends, this is the equivalent of the show in Houston for Canadians. The CQA worked with The Modern Quilt Guild to define the category and judging criteria. Entries are open to Canadians - including Canadian citizens living elsewhere. (Oh, and I'll be teaching there for four days...)

Enter here.

Did you notice there are some pretty hefty cash prizes?

Closer to home, the Calgary Stampede's Western Showcase also added a modern category to its quilt show. The Western Showcase is quite a wonderful part of The Stampede. A little oasis of calm and creativity in the midst of the midway, rodeo, and wallet draining. And it isn't all just horses and cowboys there either.

Entries aren't open yet, but stayed tuned to the Western Showcase site, entries will open at some point in the new year.

Putting yourself out there by entering a show is a scary thing, I know that. And show quilts are not necessarily the quilts you snuggle up with on the couch. Sure, your entry may not be accepted and it is quite easy to wholeheartedly disagree with any comments from the judges. That being said, entering a show is a new experience, a challenge, and rather exciting. I urge you to consider it, put any fears aside, and jump in feet first. Don't worry, I checked the water, there are no sharks. Just a lot of black drapes and white gloves.

Fall Quilt Festival

This is the first time I've shared a finished quilt with you that you didn't see anything of the process. I hope you aren't angry with me. I know, more than a little contradictory with the Workshop in Progress ideals. But I was testing the idea for a quilt along and wanted to be able to unveil it during the Blogger's Quilt Festival.

This is Gratitude (63 inches square).

Gratitude is for our neighbours. The neighbours who have saved our damn black dog during more than one thunderstorm - indeed, this is how we met them. The neighbours who always stop to say hi when they are out for an evening stroll. The neighbours who drew the plans for our basement and then refused payment for their work. And so we are giving them Gratitude.

Said neighbours, B and M, live in a renovated house in our 50 year old neighbourhood. They've added on and opened up and it really is an homage to late 70s design. Parts of it may be dated, but I love their house. So the colours in this quilt are inspired by their house. They have rich red carpet, beige walls, and terra cotta and brick. It is a warm house that inspires creativity and friendship. They are lovely neighbours after all, and an architect and designer to boot.

Victoria once asked her readers if there was any fabric that you wanted to buy on the bolt. I tend to get bored of a fabric, no matter how much I love it, after I've used it a few times. This red Kaffe, however, could change that. I did still see some at a LQS the other day and was tempted the buy the remaining yardage. I used it on the front as the red (along with another Kaffe in purple) and showcased it on the back.

You can also see the quilting on this photo. I did an all over swirl design, done free-motion. It was actually doodled from the scrollwork when I was in Banff. More hotel inspiration. I used my favourite thread, Presencia, in a cream colour. I actually wanted the quilting to be relatively subtle here, so as not to take away from the bold design of the top. I tried, but I couldn't just stipple it. I know there isn't anything wrong with stippling, but I wanted more. And more I got. As usual, it is heavily quilted. I swear, I don't mean to, but it seems I am unable to lightly quilt anything!

The binding was a lovely purple and red combo that matched so, so perfectly. I debated using a light brown so the red and purple on the top design popped a bit more, but when I found this fabric I knew it was meant to be. Funny, the LQS had it sitting right next to the Kaffe fabrics!

And finally, over a year after we received the plans from our neighbours and started the work to get the basement finished, here we are. Piles of concrete and wood. We've got the permits (renewed once already), picked the plumbing fixtures, and daydreamed about the master bath and quilt studio. But still it sits. (I took this photo today.) We're like the cobbler's kids with no shoes. Hubby works hard, the last thing he wants to do at the end of the day is put on the tools again. Sigh. At least I know that however overdue, Gratitude will be well-received.

Thanks for visiting, old and new friends. I am indeed going to launch this design as a quilt along. It is very easy, trust me. Stay tuned, I will launch the quilt along with a discussion about sizing and fabric choices on October 21.

Quilt Festival

Did you know that the Fall Quilt Festival is here? Take the time to visit Amy and all her guests. This is the most comprehensive on-line tour of quilts and blogs I know about. My own contribution will be up in a few days. (I'm still getting the binding on.)

Heritage Park Quilt Show

As promised, here is a report about the Heritage Park quilt show.  I managed to get a very fast tour in last Saturday.  Hubby graciously let me escape the backyard mess and the girls for a couple of hours alone, surrounded by history and quilts.  Peace.

Heritage Park is a historical village that demonstrates life on the Prairies and in the Calgary area. For the quilt show they display the quilts throughout the park - in tents on the grass, in the different homes and buildings, and even on the buildings and fences.  Wandering through the park you can see the park entertainment, visit the buildings, and enjoy the quilts.

To be honest, I didn't find much of inspiration in the show. In fact, the day confirmed that I really don't have a traditional bent for quilting, not at all. I can appreciate craftsmanship and good use of colour, but earth tones and traditional piecing kind of bore me.  Sorry to those who love it.  I'm sure my stuff is too much for some people as well. To each their own.

Here is the biggest building on site - the Wainwright Hotel.  I love how they hang the quilts from the verandas.  If you look closely, you can see my Tuesday Night Quilt hanging on the lower veranda.  The next picture shows it better.

See, there it is, hung randomly by that crane.  It doesn't seem like there is much thought put in to the relation of quilts from one to the next.  They do have 500 quilts to show after all.

Here is my black and white quilt.  Honestly, I was a little disappointed with the display of this one.  I didn't mind that it was inside a building, but folded in half and hanging over a counter? You certainly lose the impact.  Oh well.

Other than the fact that they hung this one the wrong way (see the original here), I thought it kind of looked neat on the washing line.  This building is actually the Chinese Laundry.  My black and white quilt was at the front of the building, and this was in one of the back display rooms.
Is it just me, or does this quilt look out of place in a replica turn of the century hospital?

This is a pretty traditional quilt.  Despite what I said above, I liked this one, especially the quilting.  Mostly the quilting.

My picture doesn't do this quilt justice.  The use of fabric and colour was amazing - the quilt was luminous.

I'm showing a close-up of this one.  These are actually square blocks, can you tell?  If anyone has seen something like this elsewhere, please let me know.  Otherwise I'll be studying the photo to figure it out, a lot.

The front of this quilt was nice, but I loved the back!  Those are gorgeous fabrics, but there was no note as to what they were.  They were ridiculously vivid.  The front had fabric with elephants and hindu gods, so I'm almost wondering if it was an Indian cotton?

Under the category of "why didn't I think of that?" comes this monster quilt.  So, so cool.  And the detailed quilting was phenomenal.

Here it is on the line behind the school, with some other kids quilts.

Heritage Park also has a number of vintage quilts in the Park's collection.  Isn't this one gorgeous?  I can't go anywhere without finding circles!

By far, this was my favourite of the day.  It is too bad the shade is dappled because it takes away from the luminosity of the quilt.  Interestingly, this quilt is made up of the same block, repeated.  At first glance it looks improv, but it isn't.  Unfortunately, there was no detail on the construction.  I can tell you that it is a lot of small pieces!  Don't you love the colour gradation?

I just love this image this display the best out of any in the park.

This is a Bento Box, but the entire thing is done with Denyse Schmidt.  I'm sure there are some of you out there who will love this, I took the photo just for you.

Oh, and in case you are wondering why I didn't share the artists or names of the quilts it's because the program has already been recycled.  Oops, sorry.

Off to the Races

If you're here for the Sew Mama Sew giveaway, welcome. The giveaway is in the previous post. In the meantime, enjoy my latest quilt: Wednesday Night Races.

This is my Project Improv quilt. I pieced it entirely from scraps and stash, and sadly barely made a dent in my stash. The blocks are all triangles, pieced like wonky log cabins. I've said it before, it was a challenge to piece the top together and I couldn't avoid a few inset seams, but it worked out well. The whole thing squared up nicely too. (I know it doesn't seem like it in the photo, but it was a breezy day.)

The name came to me after I shared the photo of the top with the Project Improv Flickr group. A couple of people mentioned that it reminded them of flags at a marina. Back in my university days I would join some friends for the Wednesday Night Races at one of the sailing clubs in Halifax. It was an exhilerating, raucous, and slightly scary event for this Prairie gal. My friend did his best to scare the crap out of me, but I always came back. That wasn't entirely the experience with this quilt, but I liked the memory and decided to pay homage with the naming of the quilt.

The entire quilt is quilted with straight lines. I started following one triangle and went around and around it. This I repeated across the quilt with triangles of different sizes and filled in spaces with lines. Very bold. For thread I used a Mettler silk finish 100% cotton, my latest favourite for quilting, in three shades of yellow. White seemed too stark on the coloured parts, but I didn't want something too dark on the white parts. The yellow was perfect.

Sure, I could have used a multi-pieced binding, but because the quilt isn't that large (slightly larger than crib, but I can't remember the exact measurements right now) I thought a single binding would provide a bit of rest to the eye. I picked up a few pieces of Katie Jump Rope and Flea Market Fancy in a sales rack a few weeks ago and the green was perfect.

We had to take pictures in the park across the street from our house because we currently have no front steps. The Monster was quite keen on holding the quilt herself for me to take a picture. How could I say no?

Wednesday Night Races, along with this quilt, this one, and one more I have to share with you are headed to a show this weekend. My first quilt show! No, not just my quilts, let's not get too excited. But it is the first time I've shared my quilts in public, other than through the blog. If you are in the Calgary area please stop my Heritage Park Festival of Quilts for the show. They hang hundreds of quilts throughout the historic park - on buildings, fences, clotheslines, and in some of the old houses. It is quite the sight, really. I'll post some pics next week.