Colleen sent a few photos of what she is doing at her home in Nova Scotia. Our friend Joanne in Florida thought it would be interesting to see what people are doing as they “shelter in place.” if you’ve followed this blog for six years you might remember Colleen’s cookbook collection post. Thanks Colleen what a colorful and beautiful quilt.
What are you doing today? Send photos.
This is a collaborative guest post by two wonderfully creative women who have been friends since forever.
Colleen and Joanne hail from Nova Scotia. Joanne, living in Florida, collected the photos and good information about Colleen and her love of colorful quilting.
Get to know Colleen and her colorful quilts-
Colleen says “I have a huge stash of fabric that I like to look at for inspiration. Some I have had for many years and almost everything was purchased in the US. I order online occasionally but it gets expensive with taxes, customs and shipping and delivery to Canada can take a long time – so much for instant gratification! Currently Florida is my “go to” shopping locale because I’m there at least once a year. Found a great quilt shop in St. Augustine” http://www.beesquiltshop.com
Here is Colleen, looking to the sun.
We lived in Clarion PA in 1981 and I created this State Capitals Quilt for my 5 year old son Mark ( he’ll turn 43 next month). Bicentennial baby. My grandmother actually knit a red white and blue Afghan to match. Anyway, Mark learned all the capitals of the states at an early age thanks to my dad. It’s fun to hear a two year old say “Sacramento.”
I’ve seen the quilt in grandson Michael’s and also in Jack’s room but today it was hanging over the banister here in Ohio so thought I’d post it.
I used a National Geographic map as the template for the states, machine appliquéing them onto the squares in the order they entered the union. Delaware and Maryland State the First square. I embroidered the capital on each. Texas and Alaska are on a different Scale so they’d fit onto the their square. I wish I knew how many miles to the inch The last square I embroidered a bit of the Nation’s Capital.
Then my Aunt Rhea and my cousin Beth (both whom have passed) took it to their church quilting group in Illinois and the group hand quilted it, completing in 1984. We were living in Germany that year. I can’t remember having it there but must have been reunited with it in 1986 when we moved stateside to Kentucky.
Pittsburgh Poet Fred Peterson is the guest blogger today. Fred posted the quilt photos on FB and said he thought he knew I would like them and I did! Thanks for sharing your photos, Fred.
Quilt of Valor presentation of military family (Navy father and two Air Force sons) in Horseheads NY.
Quilt window and television display windows on Market Street, Corning, NY.
The scenics of tree, flowers and barn were taken on ride down western side of Seneca Lake.
The bullseye is Corning Glass logo.
As I got into my car at The Lakes parking lot, I saw this card by my foot.
The late afternoon light made the pavement and painted line come alive. The business card appeared to float.
Do I put the knitting down and begin to quilt?
Thought I should identify whose card I found…
Ben H at WordPress says “This week, share a photo of something that says “heritage” to you. It can be from your own family or culture — a library, a work of public art, a place of worship, an object passed down to you from previous generations.”
Mary Alta Kerr Hendricks my paternal grandmother. Farmersville, Illinois. She taught me to knit when I was four years old.
She knit the Afghan and made the quilt. She. Luke tat snd crochet, too. I held the quilt to the window so the light could show how beautifully it is pieced snd stitched.
My father Roy J. Hendricks is the boy standing on the left. Uncle Alan Hendricks is the baby on my grandmother’s lap. My grandfather is standing, Floyd Merle Hendricks.
Five years ago I received unexpected mail from quilter Colleen. Today I found it in my cloth napkin basket and pulled it out to set my hot lemonade and honey mug on top. Feeling festive! Added a couple of Nurnberger Lebkuchen. A hot drink helps when the temperature drops to single digits.
Thanks Colleen.
To say Art All Night in Lawrenceville is a happening, would be an understatement. Over a thousand pieces of art are hung and displayed for 24 hours.
No jury, any medium- just ONE piece per artist. No exceptions.
It takes a ton of volunteers to organize, create and support this community event. Check all the art in, check all the art out. Make sure the artists get back their artwork.
There’s lots of music, comedy, yoga, mosaic making, live art, children’s activities and T-shirts for sale to wear until next year which will be the twentieth year.
Here’s the great part- thousands of people attend the show. This year Steve and I went on the peaceful Sunday morning instead of the wild and crazy and heavily populated Saturday night. An artist friend had taken in my Mill at Night photograph along with his painting. He’d encouraged me to participate again this year.
When I saw the piece below on one of the panels, it spoke to me. I got the contact information off the tag and called the artist right away. This afternoon we met at the bookstore in the Waterfront and check out how she packaged her art.
Thanks Jill. I am thrilled to have your “Corona” in my home.
We exchanged email and contact information and hope to knit together sometime soon.
A gallery from Art All Night so you can get the feel for the event. Remember my visit was early Sunday morning so it was sparse as far as viewers go but there were plenty of volunteers.
What we saw when we left the exhibit
Austin, Texas is noted for live music and creative artists.
And stunning hand-dyed, uniquely-patterned fabrics, by Malka Dubrawsky. Touring her studio, I was reminded of my color theory class, studying Josef Albers.
In between wedding and celebrations, Colleen, who hails from Nova Scotia, made arrangements to meet Malka at her studio, A Stitch in Dye.
Colleen is an avid quilter and follows Malka’s blog.
The four of us piled in Joanne’s car and her son Chris, ferried us to A Stitch in Dye where Malka welcomed us and generously gave a tour of her studio.
Malka Dubrawsky – Fiber Artist
Malka explained the dye process. We learned about the addition of soda ash.
Lengths of fabric soak in dye. Wax in electric frying pans for making the designs on the fabric
Wax design drying, ready for a dye bath
Button jar
Joanne spotted these gloves on a shelf. Thanks J.
Custom designs available and international shipping! Click for her Etsy Store to see samples of her vibrant hand dyed fabrics. She has written two books.
Color Your Cloth: A Quilter’s Guide to Dyeing and Patterning Fabric and Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design, and Inspiration.
Left Handed Appliqué Scissors.
Stacks of fabric to be sewn into quilt designs
Thanks for a wonderful tour. Malka saw us out to the parking lot.
Glad Colleen had such a cool connection in Austin. The fabrics she bought were richly colored and fabulous designs. Can’t wait to see your quilt creation, Colleen. Send photos for upcoming blog post!
Intricate. Complicated or detailed.
Photographed by iPhone specifically for the challenge