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.

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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!

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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!



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Catherine Wheels

A quick post to show you the *probably* finished (and revised) quilt! Here is a full shot and a detail showing the switched blocks (note that I went with the original Libra in the small block) and the constellation stars in place. I think it is about as done as it gets. Label, secure the sun to the center and good to go! I have decided on Catherine Wheels for a name--a type of firework that spins like a pinwheel.
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Yikes!

You will not believe this. I woke up this morning having glued stars on all but one constellation in the border and looking forward to completing the four larger constellations, representing the zodiac signs of the family this quilt is going to. For no good reason, I rechecked their birthdates. Dec. 4, Sagittarius. May 1, Taurus. January 23, Aquarius. September 21, Virgo. WHAT? September 21??? How is it that I have Libra in that square? Frantically recheck lists of dates. Nope, September 21 is never Libra, always Virgo. Good Grief, now what? I had redrawn Libra because it was the only illustration I didn't feel worked in the larger squares and now--it doesn't even belong there! No sense crying. I thought about ripping out all the quilting stitches, but after 20 minutes spent ripping out Virgo's foot I realized that wasn't going to fly. So I cut out new blue squares, hand appliqued them over the finished blocks, then quilted Libra in the small block and Virgo in the large block where she belongs. 5:00 and I am caught up to where I was this morning. Well, it would have been the END if I had gifted it with such a major mix-up. "That's nice, but my daughter is a Virgo." You can see the mixed up squares if you click on the detail photo. I'll post a new photo once the blocks dry--had to spray water on the fabric because I don't think the quilt should go thru the washer with all the rhinestones glued on, but the new blocks look flat since they haven't been washed. Fingers crossed!

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Bound and washed!

That close! I got the binding and hanging sleeve done while away on a business trip last night. Tonight I put the quilt in the wash. Now to attach the central painted/appliqued Khorshid Khanoom and start madly glueing on stars. Just about a week before we leave--I'd really like it to be done in time. Today's pictures don't look much different from yesterday's--except hopefully better color, and imagine the hand sewing is done--big relief for me! I want to call this Cartwheels or Catherine Wheels but I can't find a Farsi translation for either. That's the connotation I want though--any ideas?

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Quitled Motifs

Seems I missed posting a shot of the zodiac motifs. Here is Sagittarius--I will be adding crystals in the constellation positions as a final touch. The quilting is done--I can't find anything more to quilt! Feathers filled in open space as did some echo quilting. While I mostly used matching thread for texture and background, allowing the motifs to take center stage, I did go back and quilt over the petals/flames in each corner of the motif blocks with gold thread to match the center. They were lost once the whole background got quilted in. Take a look at the binding--a small flange of hot pink will peek out of floral binding using the star fabric . I have to thank Heather for her unerring eye and good ideas. I haven't been happy with the color of most of the pictures of this quilt --in artificial lighting it has been photographing more gray than in life. Any ideas? Except take it outside since it is pouring rain?

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