Sunday, December 9, 2012

Hosting SAQA/CT

Our exhibit(s) Indigo and Postage Stamps at the Guilford Free Library was the venue for SAQA/CT's Regional Meeting.  It is always a pleasure to host this dynamic group...it gives us a chance to see our friends from across the state and show them what we have been up to.

I have randomly chosen photos of some of our work along with a couple of panoramas.  I'll let the photos speak for themselves.  For more check our my own blog.  Between the two you will get an idea of how much fun yesterday was!

AND several asked for our recipes when they tasted our "Soup's on for SAQA" lunch.  Little do they know that we have a cookbook in the works. Maybe next year we'll have something else to share with them.  :^)
Carol Ludington's

East Wall
Debbie Bento, Robin Wolek, Diane Wright, Evelyn Judson, Carol Ludington,
Janine Anderson-Bays (2), Martha Wolfe, Yvette Howard, Diane Wright and Liz Shore

Evelyn Judson

Martha Wolfe detail

West Wall
Ruth Anne Olson, Barb Adams, Robin Wolek, Gail Kotowski, Linda Zimmerman, Robin Wolek
Sisters Self-portraits, Postage Stamps, Diane Wright (2)

Yvette Howard

Barb Adams

Linda Zimmerman

Liz Shore

Friday, December 7, 2012

Indigo
Last Saturday, Diane and her hanging crew hung our latest collection of quilts at the Guilford Library http://www.guilfordfreelibrary.org/contact-us/about/hours-directions/.  They really look terrific.  It is amazing the variety we have within our group.  If you have a chance and are in the neighborhood drop in and take a look.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

A WEDDING QUILT

Last winter I had an idea for a wedding gift for a very special couple who I knew would cherish a quilt made from fabric sent to me by the entire guest list. I wanted to create a unique quilt with fabric chosen by family and friends that reminded them of the bride and groom. Early spring an email was sent out explaining my idea asking the wedding guests to send me some fabric. Here is a portion of the letter.

To help me create this gift, I'd like to ask you to send me a piece of fabric that you'd like to include in the quilt. Here are some parameters:
  • It can be almost any kind of cotton, linen or wool.
  • Unless it's a particularly sentimental piece, please don't send tulle, sequined fabric or silk, because these fabrics don't stand the test of time.
  • The pieces of fabric can be as small as 6"x6" and as large as a half yard, from which I will use multiple cut pieces.
  • If there is story behind the piece of fabric that you'd like to share with Erin and James, please include a note about that, as well.
The fabric can come from anything or anywhere. I've included some suggestions below, but I welcome others, too!
  • clothing (shirts, pants, dresses, socks, etc.)
  • a towel
  • pieces from an old quilt that you're not using any longer
  • a tablecloth
  • cloth napkin
  • a purchased piece of fabric in a color you love (ask for a "fat quarter," or 1/4 of a yard)
  • lace doily
  • t shirt
  • curtains
  • sheets
  • if you live in another country, send a piece of fabric from that country
  • You can also design a piece of fabric with paint, applique, embroidery or any other technique! (You can design and create anything you would like, about 6"x 6," just please make sure it is machine washable)
I stress almost any textile will do! The goal is to use fabric that you love, have used, created or that reminds you of Erin and James in any way.



I received all types of fabric with very sweet notes explaining why a specific piece of fabric was chosen. When I gave Erin and James the quilt I gave them the notes which they poured over and enjoyed! While I didn't get any sequins or tulle, the most challenging piece of fabric was the neoprene. It was too stiff to use in or as a square so I cut out little sea turtles and attached ...a very important memory to Erin and James.
The quilt includes pieces from memorable t-shirts, lyrics from love songs embroidered by the bride's mother, upholstery fabric from a chair once in the home of dear friend, many versions of blue as a connection to the oceans where hours were spent researching sea turtles, childhood memories embedded in small ways, some family photographs, a man's shirt, and a special piece of fabric used by the bride and her sisters to hide the torn ceiling in their very old, but very dear, car.  There is fabric from France, Canada, India and Japan. Each square was touched and admired... all with a big smile and a full heart!

Designed by Linda Zimmerman