My guild hosts an annual challenge. This year I got to name it! I thought that Carnival/Amusement Park held much possibility. The results are in, and wow, it was an awesome and inspired reveal yesterday!
"Wonder Wheel" is my entry. Beginning with a Google search I found an old image of a Ferris wheel I liked. I stumbled upon a painted resist in a circular orientation and thought it would make the perfect base. I had to actually draft a pattern to the size of the circle. The tracing paper was then used as my thread sketching pattern. I found info online advising to use a short thread length, about 1.0. After many stitches all around, I cut the organza overlay to define the center star. The cars were fused down.
Added the mitered stripe border and when the binding was sewn down, I spent over 2 hours gluing scrapbook crystals, or "lights" to the wheel. The final addition was old wooden Bingo #'s.
I loved every step of this project, finishing up Friday night on the challenge we knew about since last February! Why do we do that? Everyone did it, (with a couple exceptions for very organized people).
My friend Karen had the entry with the biggest impact.
I saw this work in progress and the result is magazine worthy! Her original design. It is future award winner.
Elaine used the portrait technique MaryLee taught us last year to make this gorgeous quilt.
Martha's was a celebration of carnival color. The quilting and surface design on it needs to be seen up close.
Lori's love of photography and quilting marry wonderfully!
Beth, Lori's daughter, awed the crowd with her 3 dimensional Zoltar! She used clay to make the face and hands. It was the most exciting reveal for me. Beth is one of our youngest members, in her mid-twenties.
I have always loved the free, uninhibited aesthetic of my mail woman, Cynda. She works most Saturdays but Gloria had her two entries to show us. Art quilt....roller coaster! It is show worthy. I loved this piece.
Cynda made 2 pieces. I love the woven background of purple and green.
Gloria's exemplifies the theme. It is most playful and most amusement park!
Gloria also made 2. This one drew the most ahhhh's! Remember the wooden painted figures that have oval holes for your face? Celebrating the Royal wedding Gloria put oval mirrors where the faces go so you see yourself when you look at her quilt. Imagination indeed!
Mary Ellen's carousel horse under a tent, her own design, was magical! I wish the quilting showed on this piece. Excellent. Mary Ellen is also a new member of our art quilt group.
Kate was inspired by the colorful, twisted lollipop! She made a lollipop flower. The fringe she added at the last minute was just right.
Alex used a sentimental memory of her and her husband riding a double Ferris wheel. Her interpretation is just adorable. Making it with Halloween fabrics was especially charming. Alex has young children and this quilt will be great holiday decor.
Chris, a recent new member of our art quilt group, made this carousel horse piece. She used a Laura Wasilowski weaving/fused technique for the umbrella. Cool quilt!
Mary Lee also memorialized the carousel horse using her portrait technique. Her background fabric is her own snow dye. Love this quilt.
Dodie's art quilt perfectly emulates for me, the way I feel on all the round, swirling rides at an amusement park! Great job on this little piece.
Mary Lu used her memory of a trip to New Orleans post Katrina. I really love the 3-D jester hat...a lot. The saxophone is for the music, and in particular, hearing one of the Neville Brother's daughter performing. The key addition to her piece the the tag she sewed to the bottom right corner. It was the symbol they used on the properties during the hurricane to tell rescuers information regarding inhabitants.
Connie tried out some new techniques and made this colorful, festive quilt! I do believe she is one of the only ones who stared hers last summer! I love the rickrack she used.
Melanie is one of our procrastinators! She took Friday off to work on her carnival piece, even working on it on the drive to guild! She always pulls one out of the hat though. Her carnival quilt is great! I especially love her hand stitched fireworks.
Susan, also a new member to our art quilt group, does inspired work. She used her snow and ice dyed fabrics to make this truly gorgeous mask. Note the beading and the background.
Donna used photos from her childhood, printed on fabric, surrounded by beautiful batiks. Recalling the memory of family and fun, "Peachy's" sentimental entry was a treasure.
Diana's little quiltlet struck a chord with me. Using a picture of her granddaughter on a carousel, she recreated it in fabric. Never having taken a class for this, she nailed it! I love her use of lame for the poles. Wonderful piece that proves size does not matter!
Eileen's memory of fairs from her childhood always included fireworks. I absolutely love that she used this vintage symbol of a firework!
There you have it! I was awed by all the creativity. It will make a display to be proud of at our Richmond Library here in Batavia, the entire month of February!
I love a challenge. I love to have an assignment and a deadline. Wonder what Tracy will announce next month as our challenge for this year!
I had a good sew day. Worked on my HGTV UFO challenge today. I managed to sew an entire quilt top today. It won't win accolades, but it is growing on me. I need to quilt it and finish to post by Feb. 15th. I am on target.
My art quilt group started our embellishing RR. I have 3 idea's for Emmy's traditionally pieced, Amish inspired quilt. I love that it's all solid colors. The blocks are baskets. The first thing I thought to do was flowers of course. Then I thought I would like to work with the wide border. I will set the tone for this piece, so I am carefully pondering my options!
Michael leaves in 16 days for boot camp.
I have learned:
- -4 lbs this week. It's a good start.
- Melissa is a good caretaker for Sophia, Dave's 18 month old daughter. She sent me a pic of Sophia helping her make dinner.
- Feeling like a last man standing with friends retiring.
- Project Runway All-Stars is missing something. May be the I-already-know-you factor instead of the anticipation of getting-to-know-you each week. Regardless, I do like to see what they all come up with. I did think Rami's dress was more Miss Piggy than Michael's.
- I just love my cats. Chester the old coot, Clifford the eater of all things cat food, in every dish, and Fiona the sweet round fur ball. Chester's hyper thyroid condition is advancing, in spite of his daily medication. It has been almost 2 years on the meds.
- I want to see the new Sandra Bullock/Tom Hanks movie about 9-11. Waiting to get it on Demand and view at home is probably a good idea. I suspect it will invoke intense emotion.
- Michael is addicted to "Lost". I have been encouraged to start season 1.
3 comments:
These pictures are great! No need to make apost to the guild's blog at all!
Oh WOW!! Great show of great quilts. I don`t think I can pick a favorite. I really like them all.
And so glad to see young people participate.
I saw this while looking at blogs on my cell phone the other night and couldn't comment - but wanted to tell you that I la,la,love your Ferris Wheel! The beading really adds a sparkle to it and looks like it's lit up like at night at the Carnival :)Great job!!!
I'm also anxious to see the new Sandra Bullock/Tom Hanks movie about 9-11. The other day at Target, I saw the book and picked it up to look through it - I have a Nook Color but wanted to get a look first before purchasing. I found it odd that several pages were blacked out!?? I picked up 4 or 5 books and all the same??? perhaps a bad printing job on those few?? Will check another store before purchasing on my Nook.... and like you will one day get it on Demand - b/c we never go to the theater anymore.
Oh and you will la,la,love LOST!!!! I was so sad when that show ended! We now watch a few other shows that the actors from Lost are on....
Love from Indiana! ~bonnie
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