Fusing The Grid

These are two quilts I started in Sue Benner's one day workshop 'Fusing The Grid'. I enjoyed designing with my cut fused squares and strips and using a variety of fabrics and seeing Sue's quilts! I also attended a presentation by Sue the previous night called 'The Working Path' and in seeing examples of how she combines varieties of fabrics - including ones she's dyed and painted - with fusing and dye painting, I feel closer to finding the way of working that fits for me. I like to have a minimum of technical fuss so that I can focus on the design and see results faster. And I like not limiting myself to just cotton or only fabrics and not paint. I want all the options - the cake and the icing, too - while still eliminating some of the possible ways to work that don't feel native to me. Pamela Allen also gave a humorous presentation and I enjoyed seeing one of her works in progress, as well as new work and some I'd seen before.

Match Making

Yesterday I went to the Parksville Quilt Show, where I bought these fat quarters. When I take recently purchased fabrics to my studio, I feel compelled to introduce them to their new neighbours - I love the surprise of finding potential matches. I enjoy this with new clothing purchases as well, bringing home an item and discovering matches made for each other. At the show, I also met Gladys Love and bought her new book 'Embellishing With Anything'. The quilt that I was most interested in was one where three women had each created a third of a quilt depicting a bridge that was based on the design of a painting they had gotten permission to use. I saw quilts that were made in classes with Barbara Olsen and Martha Cole, as well as one applique quilt based on William Morris designs. I notice I am drawn to novel presentation and interpretation of subjects, as well as good design and workwomanship. In seeing what other quilters and fibre artists are doing, I enrich my base of possibilities and refine my direction.