We will miss you, Jeanne Marie

Last Saturday several of us spent a couple of hours in the a.m. at the Calico Quilter's annual show then off to lunch at a very nice Indian restaurant in Brunswick. After lunch it was over the bridge to Topsham to spend the afternoon drinking in the quilt artistry of the late Jeanne Marie Robinson, a member of Art Quilts Maine. A ballerina in her youth and co-founder of the Robinson Ballet in Bangor, Maine, Jeanne Marie created mostly hand stitched quilts that combined traditional blocks with amazing applique, often featuring animals. Maine Fiberarts Gallery hosted the restrospective. You might still be able to see some of her work on their site.In looking through her quilt photo albums, we were struck by a rather dramatic shift in her work. Over a year or two the quilts went from following traditional patterns to springing to life from her own, fertile imagination. Just breathtaking.

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts

Art Quilts Maine

I went to the guild meeting Saturday. It was, as usual, lots of fun. Sally Rowe taught a workshop on "Happy Villages", a technique by Karen Eckmeir that you are probably familiar with. Sally makes it all so easy and fun. She is working on a series of village quilts--I think she said one for each letter of the alphabet! The technique is fabric collage, and I figured out a way to glue that was actually fast and not at all frustrating, so that's a bonus. Here's a shot of my tiny village in process--4" x 6"! The guild exhibit this summer is at the Central Maine Artist Gallery in Skowhegan. Opening reception is Sunday, July 11 at 3:00. The show runs through August 11. All pieces must be 16" x 20" or smaller, and most are available for purchase. I am planning to show "Tiger Two" and if there is room for a second, "Rags to Riches" (see photos below.) We saw some wonderful pieces during show and tell--a beautiful Caspian Trout by Anne and intricately woven fabric art by Kathy. As I was leaving, I browsed the guild library and found three books to borrow. Definitely worth the trip!

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts

The One Week Quilt

Here is a quick little baby quilt for a shower I am going to soon. I pulled the blue and yellow fabrics from my stash, and when I found the dark blue batik with dinosaurs, I decided on a pattern that showcased it. I had already started the swirly quilting when I hit upon the idea of adding the pink dinosaur, so she got placed in a corner that wasn't yet quilted. I don't know if you can see it in the photos, but I am using several different variegated threads--four total, just for a little variety. Just one quarter left to quilt. Don't you love the dinosaur applique? I think it really makes the quilt! I've got a mix of blue fabrics pieced for the binding, which I hope to apply by this weekend--that would be a new record--concept to completion in One Week!



Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts