"Transition in Tradition": Canadian contemporary textile works travel to France

You may remember the title of this post after reading it in the 2012 Autumn issue of 'The Canadian Quilter'.  The article written by curator, Sandra Reford got so much attention that we were asked to delve a bit more into the quilters and their quilts.    In her news release, Sandra tells us:

From September 13 to 16, 2012, Canada has the place dʼhonneur at the 18th Carrefour Européen du Patchwork and will be exhibiting in LʼÉglise de la Madeleine. International award winning textile artist and quilter, Sandra Reford, was asked to curate a body of work that is of an exceptional technical standard and that represents the current state of quilting and textile art in her country, Canada. The Canadian exhibit is just one of many in the carrefour. The event organizers are expecting 22,000 visitors to grace the Val DʼArgent area this September. 

The first quilter to be introduced is Yvonne Mullock.  Her story is unique.

I'm the lead artist on this community led quilting project. The project involves the skills and expertise of 23 individual quilters, 2 church groups and the local artisans guild 'The Wind and Waves', all of whom reside on Fogo Island and Change Islands - Newfoundland, Canada. Our collective aim is make beautiful, locally-made quilts for a 29 roomed 'Fogo Island Inn', currently being built in Barr'd Islands, Fogo Island. 

Here are four of the quilts.  All images are credited to Yvonne Mullock.

Made by AnnMarie Newman

Made by Doris Budden

Made by Iris Newman

Made by Iris Newman

Judith Tinkl lives in Ontario and her quilt Oma/Opa/Obi made in 2011, is in the show. 

It measures 73" wide, 63" high, machine pieced and hand quilted made from Opa's ties, Oma's fabric and a Japanese obi with buttons. Oma Opa Obi is a work that incorporated many of the elements of traditional quiltmaking. The fabrics are all recycled and have a personal connection. My mother-in-law died in 2010 – her husband had died in 1996 – but I found all his ties (and other clothes) in her cupboards. The star shape in the piece is constructed from the ties. She was a dressmaker and I found a bolt of brocade silk in her sewing room.  It was very bright but the back had a lovely subdued pattern and texture which I used to frame the work. I had long stored a black Japanese obi and the silk had a lovely damask pattern which caught the light in interesting ways depending on its orientation. This I used to surround the star.

The pattern structure consists of only two triangles, one making an octagonal shape and one making a square which fits onto the octagon, see working image:

 Here is the final version of the quilt.

Next up is Karen Neary from Nova Scotia.  Here is how Karen describes creating 'Log Canada'.

I have a real love for red and white quilts, and this one started simply as a full-sized red and white “Courthouse Steps” log cabin. The weekend I made the top, my sons were away on a Cub/Scout camping trip so I had three full days to sew (bliss!) I sewed all weekend and had it finished by the time they returned home.  Perhaps it was seeing the badges and uniforms on the boys that put me in a patriotic mood, but when I had the blocks pieced, they made me think of our flag.  A red maple leaf was appliqued in the centre of each block, and a wavy edge added to the border to emulate a flag blowing gently in the breeze.  I used the same maple leaf to draw a vine for the border, and a wreath for the white areas and had these motifs expertly quilted by Jacqueline Pohl of The Vintage Quiltery in Gladstone, Manitoba.  Jacqueline did her usual spectacular quilting.  Log Canada has been very well received: it toured the United States as part of the first “O Canada” exhibit with International Quilt Festival, made an appearance in a booth at Quilt Canada in Calgary and was featured in the book “Canadian Heritage Quilting” which I co-authored with Diane Shink. 

Riel Nason lives in New Brunswick.  She tells us about her quilt.

My quilt is called the 2010 Selvage Sampler and was made to celebrate my first year of quilting. I have been intrigued by the idea of quilting with selvages from the very first time I saw a picture of a selvage project online. It is such a new area of quilting too, with so much territory to explore. I wanted to go beyond simple string squares and see what I could come up with. So, I saved all my selvages from my first year of quilting, and then, as is the tradition for many beginner quilters, I made a sampler quilt to test my skills.

Hope you enjoyed taking a closer look at the quilt talent in Canada!

Check back on Friday to see our progress on 'Stitch Across Canada'.

Fun Tips and Giggles #2

We had such great responses to our first ever 'Fun Tips and Giggles, that we are back with another one!
Do you love going to workshops, but detest waiting in line to use the iron?   Here is a simple, fast and very inexpensive way to make your own mini ironing board using a TV tray.   Click here for the tutorial.  It took  23 minutes to make mine.

Do any of you have a lovely chair that you just can't part with but it desperately needs a new cover?   Our very own Vice President Judy Kelly came up with a fantastic way to cover her grandmother's chair.

Here is what Judy had to say about her 'Grandma's Going Green' chair.

Last spring when I moved into my new studio, I brought my Grandma’s old armchair with me. At the time I wondered what I could do to make it “fit in”?

I asked the ladies in my quilting guilds to save selvedges from their quilting projects. Every month they came with little piles of brightly coloured selvedges, so I quickly built up my stash! 

Reading the various names on the selvedges was exciting. One can only imagine what ”Chalking It Up To Success” or “A Quilters Home” fabric looked like?

During the summer I sewed the selvedges to a muslin base, layering a woven edge on top of a raw edge, so everything was covered. I removed the original upholstery fabric and used it as a template to cut my selvedge fabric . I then stretched it in place and stapled it with a heavy duty staple gun.

The chair “fits in” quite nicely and has a special place in my studio. I wonder what my Grandma would say if she saw it now?

Everyday, while raising her family, she practiced 'going green'and didn’t even realize she was doing it! 

Thank you Judy for the great idea and wonderful instructions!   I bet a few of you are going to take another look at that old chair in the corner of your room.

Lastly, your giggle for the day.

Introducing Diane Carson

Here is a lady that accomplishes so much in a little amount of time, and has wonderful insight into the world of long arm quilting.   I am pleased to introduce you to Diane Carson.

Can you tell us a little about your quilting career?

My cousin called one day and asked if I would go with her to a local guild meeting. I was blown away by the show and tell. I signed up for a workshop right away. That was in 1985. In 1999 after my husband took a job transfer and I had to leave mine, I got to enjoy staying at home, so I began looking for something to do that would keep me home. I had never heard of longarming but read about it in a magazine and called the Gammill company for a video. Not long after that I ordered a machine over the phone without even a test drive. There were no dealers in Ontario so it had to come from MO.  Also lessons were only available in Springfield, Illinois at a  Machine Quilters Showcase which I attended every year for the next few years.   

Diane Carson with 'Pillars of Islam' 2010

When did you start long arm quilting?  

After I got my machine I quilted a few of my own quilts and some close friends quilts before I really got into the business in 2000.  

 "It's the Berrie's" Quilt Show June 2012

Tell us about the Canadian Machine Quilters Association.

In 2000 I was a founding member of the CMQA and our goal was to promote machine quilting and educate quilters. Now ten years later a lot has changed and we came to the conclusion that we had realized that goal. At Quilt Ontario 2011 we merged with CQA/ACC. There is no longer a CMQA, but in the end that is how you got me as a Longarm Representative for CQA/ACC. I hope longarmers can contact me ( bcarson@hay.com) if they have questions that need to be brought to the CQA/ACC Board and I would also like longarmers in Canada to feel they too can shine at Quilt Canada. A longarm category has been added to the NJS which is a great advancement for Longarmers and shows acceptance. This is a good thing that I believe came about because of the CMQA being there.       

                Viewer's Choice  "Fussy Cut Fixation"  CQA Ribbon

                Pieced by Anne Beaudoin, Quilted by Diane Carson

Why long arm quilting?  What is the perk or benefit of it that encourages people to try it and then pursue this avenue for quilting their quilts?  

For me it was being able to work at home and that is probably why some machines are bought. If you have to finish the laundry or housework before you get to the longarm, this business is probably not for you. It takes a lot of discipline and  is a lonely job most days.  The other perk is  meeting quilters and seeing the fantastic quilts being made today. I like to fit in at least 2 of my own quilts on the longarm every year, which sometimes is hard to do .  There are a lot of 'toppers' working faster then we are.

What do you see is the future for long arm quilting? 

Well I think we're here to stay and I see some very impressive quilting happening. I don't think you can stop the momentum.   

Do you think there is much more they can do to advance the long arm machine? 

This I'm not sure of, not having an advanced machine.  But I do try the new ones out  when I get to the big quilt shows.  They are really amazing. 

 In my spare time I take my friends to Quilt Shows

Can you give the readers some tips for long arm quilting? 
To the longarmers I want to tell them they are performing a very worthwhile and sometimes tedious task, but never under sell yourself. If we think we are not worth it, what will our clients think.  I have this saying in my studio. "There are 3 types of work, Fast, Cheap & Good. You can pick two. If you want it fast and good - it won't be cheap. If you want it cheap and good - it won't be fast. If you want it fast and cheap - it won't be good." 

If I had to pick one tip for the Toppers (our clients) I would ask them to please PRESS.  We can do a much better job for you when this one step is done. For me, a quilt is not quilted properly unless it has been stabilized with 'Stitch in the Ditch' ( a technique longarmers find difficult, time consuming and try to avoid), and if a top is pressed it makes this job so much easier.  

 

What is your favourite food while quilting?   

Well I am a lucky lady and every fall my husband and I travel to PA.  I get to the Amish fabric shops and he gets to the antique car shows which happen to be in Hershey . We usually bring home a years supply of chocolate. Do you know any quilters that would not like that?  Did I mention that the chocolate is all usually gone in 3 months so I switch to Chai Tea Latte. 

Thank you so much Diane for the insight into the world of longarm quilting.   If you hear a knock on your door, it is just me asking for some chocolate.

Fun Tips and Giggles #1

Have you ever wanted to print something off the internet, such as a quilt tutorial, but did not want all the extra 'stuff' that shows up when printing?   Here is a free and very easy to use solution.   It is called Print Friendly.

This site allows you to type in a url (webpage) and it transforms it right onto the screen into an easy to read document that you can print without getting all the excess stuff.  Or you can email it to your friend and they can print it.

 It gets better than that, you can choose to get it with or without images, which when downloading a tutorial, sometimes you get  more than you need in a paper copy format.

 It also allows you to download into a PDF format.  This is a great website to use for quilt tutorials,recipes and so many other things.

Now this is camping!   Eliza Fernand goes around with her tape recorder and camera and records stories about quilts.

 

Courtesy of Eliza Fernand

In the last 'Canadian Quilter' newsletter, Sandra Reford wrote an article and showcasing several quilters.  One struck a cord and I googled it and found Gordana Brelih's fibre art.   If you want inspiration, you should check out her gallery.   Are there any galleries of quilters that you look to for inspiration online?  If so, leave a link in the comment section.


I will sign off with how my husband sees my machine.

Found here on Facebook.

Introducing Kathy Tidswell

Kathy Tidswell is a remarkable quilter.  Her workshops are so varied and unique, and that is reflected in her  breathtaking gallery of quilts.  Kathy is  down to earth and her students adore her classes, so much so that she was CQA/ACC's Teacher of the Year in 2005.  Interviewing her was just like sitting down  for a cup of coffee with a good friend.

Please tell us a little about yourself outside of your quilting career.
My two children are grown and out of the house.  My daughter lives in Norwich England and my son in Stratford Ontario, so visiting isn't as  frequent as I might like. My husband has his own business repairing scientific equipment and travels quite a bit. I enjoy going with him when I can spare the time. There is never a problem entertaining myself while he is working. There are always museums, art shows, quilt shops and even shopping. We also enjoy travelling when he isn't working.
My dad is 90 and still lives in his own home about 100 km away. I try to spend a day a week with him making meals etc. We have a large property and a house that was built in 1784 so there is always work to be done. I enjoy gardening and we have just started a new rose garden.

How do you come up with an idea of a quilt and getting that onto fabric?

The design idea for a quilt often takes  longer than the execution. I muse on ideas, consider and also try different techniques to accomplish what I want to do. I prefer finished edges and often create a lot of extra work for myself.

Ode to Vulpes vulpes

This wall quilt was juried into the 2006 Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery Grand National themed exhibition "Wildlife".

Many of your quilts have animals in them, why is that?

Animals are a source of inspiration for me. I was trained as a biologist and I gravitate towards all things in nature and the great outdoors.

Great Horned Owl

3D Thread Applique

You have mastered the art of both 3D Thread Applique and Thread Painting, can you define the difference between the two?

 I consider 3D Thread applique a subset of Thread Painting. The 3D thread appliques are made using just one technique. I have developed the technique on my own. You can never really "discover" something new because someone else will  have already developed it but I didn't find the technique in a book or anything. I just started making birds because I felt that the stitches really looked like feathers. In order to write notes for my first class, I had to keep going back to the sewing machine to see what I actually had done. I have considered writing a book and the idea is appealing, but the fact that it consumes your life for up to two years has held me back.

Serenity

Thread Painted

What are some of your favourite aspects of quilting? 

I really enjoy teaching. It is very fulfilling to give students some tools and watch them fly. I have taught the last 5 summers at the edVentures vacation summer learning program in Fredericton and my "away" teaching seems to come in fits and starts. At QC 2012 I taught 4 full day courses and gave a professional development course so that was pretty hectic. My husband has just built, in our house,  a teaching studio that will accommodate 6 students. He has recently given me a "dig" that I have not yet used it. This coming fall is quite hectic, so I have not yet organized a series of classes, but I envision having a block of 4 or 6 classes where students could build upon the knowledge gained each week and have time to practice at home.

Majestica

This wall quilt was juried into the CQA/ACC National Juried Show in St. John's, Nfld. 2008

Wearable Art  at the NJS is not one of the  popular categories to enter, can you give the readers some encouragement on this?
I find entering National Juried Shows to be stressful. I put a lot of pressure on myself when making a piece that I want to be worthy of a show. I think that that is just a personality trait. I want to enter the shows but I certainly don't find it relaxing. I enjoy creating "one of a kind" garments. Years ago I saw things from the Fairfield fashion show and decided they were suitable only for the fashion runway. I decided I wanted to make unique garments that could be worn in a normal setting, so that is why I have gravitated to Wearable Art in the NJS. It is certainly no more difficult than making a quilt.

How often do you get into your studio/quilting space?

 I try to get in my sewing room at least 3 times a week.  I produce thread paintings that are framed and sold at a gallery  and arts and crafts sales, so I spend more time working on these than on quilts.

Bank Machine Blues

What are some highlights in your quilting career? 

I was pretty excited when I got the phone call that I had been accepted to teach at my first Quilt Canada back in 2000 but the highlight of my quilting career has definitely been receiving the CQA/ACC Teacher of the Year Award in 2005.  I am  also quite excited about being invited to teach in Luxembourg this fall.

What is your favourite food to keep you quilting these masterpieces?
At a meal I love prime rib roast beef, and as a snack unsalted peanuts.

We look forward to hearing more about Kathy's 'in house' classes.  No doubt they will be popular!

Trend-Tex 2013 Challenge

 CQA/ACC's biggest fundraiser could not happen without the generous people at Trend-Tex Fabrics who donate all the fabric for our Trend-Tex Challenge.   Did you know that this is the 25th anniversary of the Trend-Tex Challenge?   How fun would it be to look back on the past 25 years of challenges and see all the different fabric this wonderful company has donated to CQA/ACC?
This year's theme is 'Sunshine and Vines'.  Very appropriate for the Quilt BC conference being held in Penticton in May 2013.

Come October 1st, members can send in their payment and receive 5 fat quarters of fabric donated by Trend-Tex Fabrics.  Next they create a fabulous wall hanging following the guidelines set out by Vice President Judy Kelly.   The completed quilt is then dropped  in the mail by the due date, and auctioned off at the conference.

Do you want a sneak peak of the fabrics chosen for the next Trend-Tex Challenge?

Do these fabrics not scream creativity and imagination?   Get out your pen and sketch pad and get designing your quilt. You may be the next Trend-Tex Challenge winner!

If you want to get some inspiration, check out previous Trend-Tex Challenges here.

Trend-Tex Challenge Winner - Lise Belanger

Meet Professional Member - Pamela Allen

Pamela Allen is one of those rare quilters that sticks with you.   We all have different tastes when it comes to quilts, but Ms. Allen creates such works of art that no matter your quilting preference, you can't help but remember her quilts.  That is a true gift.   Not only that, but this quilter can inspire her students.  Having been fortunate enough to take a workshop with her, I know that Pamela is a motivating and very patient instructor.  

Tell us a little about yourself. 

I live in Kingston, a small university city on Lake Ontario . Lucky me....I married my professor of painting when I had returned to university for a BFA in my thirties.  As a result, I have acquired 16 grand and great grandchildren which makes for a lively family life!  I am on the cusp of becoming a bona fide senior citizen next year. The most significant element of this is that I will finally have a small, reliable income in the form of old age pension.  Who knew I would welcome THAT particular milestone?  When I am not working in my studio, I am reading, or cooking/baking, or cycling, or tracking family members for our Family Tree.

My Town Markey Square

What got you into quilting?

Haha!  It certainly wasn't any skill I had as a seamstress!  As a full time painter and sometime collage artist, it occurred to me that some of my images would work well in fabric.  In fact a friend who IS a quilter, made a beautiful wall piece based on a collage I had done in coloured and patterned paper.  I was still hesitant because of my abysmal sewing, but at the same time discovered my hero, Susan Shie.  Her work was all about what fabric can do as an art medium, and not about perfect stitching, quilting or binding.  After spending a week at her Art Camp in Ohio, I was hooked.  I have been working in textiles exclusively since 2001 and loving it.

Is there a technique in quilting you are passionate about?

I am not so much a technique person, as I am passionate about creating FINE art in the fabric medium. To me that means taking advantage of all the characteristics of fabric to make a unique and recognizable art piece. Those characteristics such as the fact that it frays, it comes in delicious patterns and colours, you can scrunch it, pleat it, fold it, and dye it. You can cut it up and reassemble it into a new form or design.  The possibilities are infinite once you give yourself permission to try anything. This of course is the definition of creativity anyway, no matter what the medium.

What are some of your favourite things about quilting?    

Very quickly I discovered that quilting and particularly art quilting is a huge sisterhood (with a few brothers), who are eager to mentor, give technical assistance and offer  advice.  Furthermore there are many, many opportunities for a professional fabric artist to enter juried shows, international shows, and museum shows. As a corollary, becoming active in the shows brings offers to teach.  I love teaching, and find it stimulating for my own work as well as a way to meet and enjoy fellow companions in the field.  I was honoured this year to receive the Teacher of the Year Award by the International Association of Professional Quilters.  Although I am not a member of a guild, I do keep in touch with literally thousands of fellow quilters online by belonging to the quiltart list and Studio Art QuiltsAssociation.    I also offer three or four online quilt workshops each year. 

A Rather Attractive Prison

Does anything frustrate you when it comes to quilting?

Hmmm, alas it now seems I have a bit of a reputation about the issue of judging art quilts.  Many times I have posted or written letters about art quilts being judged using the same strict  criteria as bed quilts.  I believe the two are apples and oranges. Art quilts should be viewed and judged as would a painting for instance. Based on the artistic merit, design, composition etc., and not on whether the stitching is even, or if there are knots on the back! I liken it to an art judge criticizing a painting because the staples are not evenly distributed on the stretcher frame!  I'm not sure I have convinced anybody yet though!

Neutral Still Life

What is your next quilt related goal?

Well jokingly I refer to myself as a "quilt show slut" because I enter so many shows. There is some rationale to this strategy.  I make a lot of new work each year and want as many people to see them as possible. Also I am aiming for a higher and higher level of acceptance.   For years I dutifully try for Quilt National and Visions quilt shows, as they are considered the crème de la crème of fabric venues. So far, no luck with the former but I have had ONE quilt shown at Visions. So I guess one of my goals is to be accepted at Quilt National.

As an artist my ongoing goal is simply to get better, and not be satisfied with what has gone before. In some cases this has meant changing my style somewhat, or changing my palette, or subject matter, or even scale.  These experiments keep me on my creative toes so to speak, and interested in what I am doing. They are not always successful or even liked by some viewers, but art-making is risk taking and living with the consequences.  Otherwise work can become mundane and boring. Right now I am working in a limited palette of fairly monochromatic colours. Quite different from my usual in-your-face brightness. Also I am exploring landscape, cityscape, and interiors rather more than my former figure compositions.

What is your favourite food to eat while quilting?

What a great question. And furthermore, very a propos as I am a BIG food person. I snack on frozen treats, mixed nuts, chocolate, toast and cheese.  But never when I am working. My husband says I am an accident waiting to happen and if I ate while I worked, food spills would be part of the "surface design" on my fabrics.

Nocturne Brewers Mills

We certainly look forward to following Pamela's career as she continues on her journey!