Merry Christmas

Calendar Quilts

Calendar Quilts
For the last two years I have sewn one block a day and made a calendar quilt. In 2014 I used white background blocks and reverse appliqued a circle of fabric. I used special colours to signify certain special days.
My 2015 calendar quilt is almost finished-at least the blocks are almost done. In January I will try to get it quilted. this years quilt is black background with half square triangles sewn to two sides. So far this is looking pretty good. I do like a black background.


Now...what am I going to do for next year??? I have come up with several ideas but not really a concrete plan-yet.


I  think that I would like to change the shape a little bit. For the last two years I have used 3 1/2 inch blocks and assembled them by the month. This makes for a very long and narrow quilt. The size and shape might disqualify it for submissions to shows. I want this year's project to be a little bit more square in shape. But I want it to be as simple in execution as the previous years. I could just change the shape of the blocks. By using a rectangle rather than a square I could change the finished shape of the quilt. I don't really have to follow the monthly assembly either. I could just make it about 20 blocks long and that would make for a more quilt like finished size.


Well I have a few days left to ponder!! What to do...what to do???


Karen

Robynne Cole.... Artist and Friend.

So I have posted about my fellow Fabrics... all except Robynne Cole.

Robynne I met before the Fabrigo's formed. She and I were both  members of the Art Galley of Burlington Fibre Arts group at the time. We started sharing rides and became friends.

Robynne is a great person to get to know. She has taken many classes and is always open to new ideas. She has spent several weeks at the Halliburton School of the Arts. Trained first through Ryerson  in Toronto in textiles she moved on to a career in accounting. She never gave up her sewing. Making clothing of all kinds for many years. Moving into traditional quilting then branching into Art Quilting.

Robynne is a person who is attentive to detail. She sometimes claims that she is not as free in her creativity but I think at times she is more reflective and that adds to her work.

She keeps us on track with her organizational skills as sometimes us more free spirited members can get off on a tangent.

Her curating and work with Fibre Content 2012, 2014 and upcoming 2016 has greatly promoted fibre art as fine art.

Through Robynne I finally joined SAQA and met Karen and Al through the parlour meetings held by Central Ontario Rep Dwayne Warner.  Robynne assists with the organization of these meetings. The meetings allow us to see other artists work and have some inspiring speakers as well.


I know she remains involved with the Burlington Fibre Arts group at the Art Gallery of Burlington and now also is a board member of the AGB.


Here in her own words she describes herself

Robynne Cole

Artist’s Statement

Fabrics are like paint for me, and batiks are my favourite.  I am happiest when I am lost in thought of all the opportunities each fabric can bring.  Making quilted art is a true passion for me and like most avid quilters I seem to have an addiction to fabrics.  I have a huge stash of things to make and lots of fabrics just waiting for my attention.

My first attraction to sewing came from an aunt who made my cousins clothes.  I was amazed by this process.  I used to admire and praise friends who got to wear things their Mom had made; much to their embarrassment as they preferred store bought new!

Making collages as a teenager I would clip and paste things from magazines to make my own poster pictures.  I grew up surrounded by the ongoing work at my grandparents’ florist shop.  I originally attended the Fashion Diploma program at Ryerson, but after two years I changed career paths and went on to University and became a Chartered Accountant. 

For years I made clothes and window treatments for friends and never had any intention of making quilts, which seemed “old fashioned”.  About 15 years ago I took a beginner quilt class.  I was hooked, “bitten by the bug” and have never looked back.  I no longer wish to sew anything other than a quilt!

I have read that many quilters have a mathematical or technical background as the patterns really are a lovely play on angles, shapes, and colour and how they all come together and interact.  There is also the artistic side that allows you to venture outside the given structures and find the inspiration for something unique.

Attending classes at the Haliburton School of Art, I felt so at home and was so enthused it was as if my feet did not touch the ground while I was there.  It is a moving spiritual thing to sense this connection to what you are creating.  I love when I can just let the project come together in a manner that flows from my inner being or intuition.

My work often features combining batiks and traditional fabrics when they “talk” to each other and embellishment with textured ribbons, yarns and beads.  I like to work on projects that have a special and lasting impact for the recipient; connections to special events, or people in their lives, or milestones of their accomplishments, which can form the story of the quilt. 

I think all paths in my life have taken me to this point and have contributed to where I am now, following my passion to make quilted art.

Get your fill of fibre at the Grimsby Public Library

 Al



Congratulations on your wonderful exhibit at the Grimsby Public Library.



Follow this link to see the article in the local Get your fill of fibre at the Grimsby Public Library about this exhibit.



The Library and Art Gallery is in the same building. The Gallery has a wonderful shop filled with great gift ideas and is easily located off of the Ontario Street exit in Grimsby!



Al is doing exciting things. He offers workshops, lectures and retreats. http://www.imaginationtextile.com/

Al Cote



Posted Jo

the birds flew away

I made this piece a few years ago. its made of cutouts of birds raw edge appliqed onto window screen and then stitched together with large gaps. I hung in on the patio for two summers until it faded so badly that I threw it out. yes Threw it out.
It was a good idea worth revisiting I think.

Bloom Where you are Planted

Karen here.

Bloom where you are planted-a self portrait.

I used to own a lot of red shoes. They've pretty much lost out now to brown leather slip-ons and Dr. Scholl's sensible footwear.

I also used to colour my hair-sometimes red, sometimes brown-now its white. Although I must say my hair has not lost a lot of its  do your own thing attitude. 

In the quilt my red shoes have planted themselves and have decided to bloom. the petals are lined with red seed beads.

I always have had an attitude that things would be better if I lived somewhere else, had a different job, lost 50 pounds --and on and on and on.

Our friend Al Cote has been blooming. His latest work is on display at the Grimsby, Ontario library. The show will be there until the end of December and is really a great display. He works in a small controlled way with lots of interesting details and texture. Al has recently started to use natural dying techniques and rusted stained fabrics that give his work a very organic feeling.  Lots of surface design, many beads and found objects and hand stitched embellishment are skillfully employed.

Congratulations Al. A beautiful display.

Buying new things

 In June my husband switched our provider to Bell Fibe TV. I wasn't too keen on it because I like to watch WNED and I couldn't find it on their list - but it got switched anyway. It is more economical.


We had a few kinks that had to be fixed the first month but it has worked well since then and there are a few features  that I really like- plus my husband found WNED-even when the rep couldn't.


Yesterday, Robynne, Al and I were at a luncheon and we were talking about Fibe tv. Robynne has just had it installed in her house and she likes the wireless feature. I said that I really didn't think that we were wireless.


I checked when I got home and, no, we are not wireless. The reason for that is that our TV is not SMART. It is so old that the new technology is not available.


I don't know how old the TV is but neither my husband or I can even remember how old it is or even where or when we bought it. It still works well-we have had to replace the remote a few times but have never had any problems with it-so why would I buy a new one? Just to get a smarter one?


I really hate buying new things.