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Inspired by Italy and made in Japan, this stunning quilt, Santa Maria del Fiore by Mieko Sasano, features exquisite symmetry and hand craftsmanship. The roses look so real you can almost smell them.
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This looks like some kind of Gordian or Celtic knot. What do you think it's called? Play the game and find out.
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This week in our Design to Quilt program, we focus on Unity. Unity can be thought of as everyone in a group working together. Unity represents calmness and order through repetition, either by shape or color. It can be achieved with pattern, color or theme.
Let's use the example of a quilt guild annual quilt show. Such a project requires many entries. Everyone in the guild is encouraged to include a quilt that will, of course, be displayed. Quilts on display will fall into various categories (e.g. Traditional, Contemporary, Art, Mixed Media, etc.) and due to the exhibit space may only be between the sizes of A-B inches high and Y-Z in width.
As the quilts are dropped off at a designated location, workers begin sorting. You know the drill. You might have even helped with your local guild quilt show set-up. All of the Traditional quilt here. All of the Contemporary one's there. And so on...until all of the quilts have a place. The quilts are then hung by group in their designated areas. By presenting all of one grouping together, it offer the show attendee a unified and harmonious view. All of the handmade traditional quilts play well together, while all of the contemporary quilts play well together in their area as well. It is this unity that makes for a sense of harmony.
In this example notice how all of the circles on the left are the same color while in the area on the right all of the circles are different color, but the same size.
Now that you understand the ways that you can create Unity, let's look at some excellent examples of quilts featuring Unity:
This week, Ann P. Shaw (Show 2006) shares how she auditions fabric for a quilt from start to finish when looking to create maximum visual Unity by incorporating a variety of the same type of fabric.
Fabric selections are a good way of creating unity with variety in a quilt design. Often, when we think about fabrics for a quilt, we choose a few colors that blend or select thoughtfully coordinated colors and prints. And when we run out of some particular fabric have way through a project, it can lead to a desperate search for another yard of the same fabric to complete the quilt.
For many of my quilts, I like to think broadly about how different printed fabrics can have a very similar visual impact. This is a good way to expand one’s use of fabrics and develop a richer look to one’s quilts.
My quilt, Grant’s Zebra, is a good example of creating unity from variety in my fabric selections. I love Zebras and I’ve seen many wonderful zebra quilts where individual black fabric pieces are appliquéd or fused onto the white body of the zebra to create its stripes. However, I thought it would be an interesting challenge to create a pieced zebra quilt where the fabrics did the design work without having to piece each individual stripe. That meant I would need to carefully consider the black and white printed fabric I would use. In this case, different fabric choices, each with some kind of black and white stripy print would help create the overall look of the zebra.
I started pulling black and white prints from my stash and found a zebra print (Image on the left). Perfect, but the scale of my other zebra prints was too small (Image on the right). Besides, I knew that using other kinds of prints would add spark to the overall look of the quilt.
Some prints had swirls or dots or leaves, but didn’t provide the look of a zebra ((Image on the left). Other prints had a stripy look, but had too much black (Image on the right).
As I began winnowing down my choices, I focused on stripy-like prints, and found several prints that were the right large scale.
I then experimented with the placement of each print, using the largest print in the neck of the zebra (Image middle) and smaller prints around the eye (Image far right). The trick was to use prints that had a stripped look and had similar amounts of white (or cream) background. I also liked that some of the prints had little bits of other colors (even lime green, my favorite color!) that helped break up the mass of black and white.
To create unity from variety in a quilt design, identity printed fabrics that:
by Don Masse
This exercise can be done using scraps of printed fabric or paper. Fabric will be a bit more tricky, so we recommend that you starch heavily before cutting out the 6" squares.
Supplies
6" x 6" squares of white and colored paper
1 large sheet of paper to mount your finished squares (e.g. poster board, foam core)
Scissors
Glue Sticks
Crayons, colored pencils or markers
For instructions, click on the link below:
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Award: Judge's Choice Award (Marlene Ingraham)
Artist Name: Nancy S. Brown
Artist's Statement: The quilt was made for all of the endangered species who have no voice. This is an Amur Leopard which is critically endangered. This leopard lives in southeast Russia and northeast China and it is estimated that there are only about 60 of these leopards remaining in the world.
Watch Nancy in Show 701: Animal Magnetism
The nonprofit Quilt Alliance presents a contest, exhibition and auction of small wall quilts every year. This key fundraiser supports this mission of documenting, preserving and sharing the history of quilts and their makers, and is an important opportunity to showcase and record the work of quilters in the U.S. and all over the world.
The 2017 theme is “Voices” and the only requirements were that entries must be a quilt (3 layers--top, filling and backing) and must be 16”x 16”. All techniques and materials were encouraged. As part of their mission, the Quilt Alliance records the stories of quilts and quiltmakers through their oral history projects. They value the human voice as well as your voice expressed in cloth and thread. They encourage everyone who makes quilts to enter their annual contest regardless of their style (traditional, modern, art) or technique (longarm, hand quilting, applique, pieced…) –all are welcomed and valued!
They invited entrants to share their opinions, memories, language, conversation and truths in the form of a quilt. Let all voices be heard!
Thank you to all of the artists who entered and donated a quilt (or quilts!) to the 11th annual Quilt Alliance contest!
Next year's contest will be StoryQuarters helping the Quilt Alliance celebrate 25 years. Click here for more information.
This year's online auction is split into 2 groups.
Group 1 starts November 13 at 9:00 AM EST ends November 20 at 9:00 PM EST
Group 2 starts November 27 at 9:00 AM EST ends December 4 at 9:00 PM EST
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Each week you will process your images in Lightroom and graduate to using Photoshop. These are the most popular and powerful tools for photo editing. Don’t worry, we will take it one step at a time!
Frankly, everyone! The class starts with the basics which are so important to beginners. However, the experienced photographer will also have a fun challenge to meet. Perhaps an experienced photographer lacks skill in composition or editing. Perhaps someone who knows how to use Photoshop doesn't really know how to use their camera. It all works together. Young, old, new, or experienced - this course is for YOU.
If you want to grow as an artist, photography is the best option you have. It’s a fast and friendly medium to learn more about art.
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We have 308 partners and there are more US Quilters looking for International Partners!
IMQE participants are at all stages of working on their miniature quilts to be exchanged. Be sure to stay in touch with your partner and share the experience with other quilters.
Here are a few things to remember when constructing your quilt:
Quilt Size – Quilts should measure no smaller than 18” (45cm) on any side or greater than 24” (60cm) on any side. Quilts may be square, vertical or horizontal in orientation.
Quilt Style – Quilts can be traditional or artful in nature, but need to represent a full quilt in miniature.
Quilt Techniques – Work may be done by hand or machine and include surface design treatment or embellishments. Quilting must be through all three layers and have an appropriate edge finish (not framed or mounted).
Quilts must have a label with the quilt maker, date and location – at a minimum.
Sleeves – no sleeves are required for the IMQE quilts selected for the Exhibitions
IMQE Timeline for Exhibit Selection:
Now through December 31, 2017 we will continue to match partners!
January 5 – Video tutorial on “How to photograph your Quilt” by Ricky Tims will be available.
February 1 to March 30 – Artist Statement and photos are submitted and a $15.00 entry fee is paid. Details on the process will be shared in January.
April 15 to April 30 – Teams are announced to have their quilts exhibited.
More Questions? Get all the details here.
1 International Quilter + 1 United States Quilter + A Passion for Quilting
= A Priceless Experience
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Pat Bravo over at WeAllSew.com has a cute little project. Make these adorable pouches and give them as gifts or use them to wrap gifts. It's a great project for a beginner and you can get them finished on one evening.
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Alex Anderson is a big fan of Gilbert Muniz and his amazing Fashions & Wearables. Alex speaks to Gilbert about his work in the video below. Then scroll down to the slideshow and see even more of his wonderful work.
Click on the picture to start the Slide Show
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Learn about
Apliquick appliqué tools!
Watch Show 1912
with Rosa Rojas (free!)
Apliquick - 3 Holes Microserrated Scissors
