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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Exhibiting

My local guild has an exhibition on at the Portrait Gallery until Sunday 5th October.  If you're in the Wellington area go and have a look, its a ideal venue and there are some great quilts.

After viewing all the quilts I did think there were a few 'interesting' choices for awards and wondered why the judges hadn't recognised other quilts that appeared to be better.

Does this mean me and my entries? No, not this time, as I had no expectations, especially as I've been focusing on entries for other exhibitions.  My entries were small quilts (A3 and 12"x12") that I hadn't even made specifically for this exhibition. I think this enabled me to have a different perspective when viewing the quilts and the judges awards.  

It has taken me awhile to learn and accept that judges decisions are exactly that, they are their decisions and you're never (well hardly ever) likely to get an explanation as to how and why they made their choices.  

As long as you like your quilt, enjoyed making it, what does it matter that someone else has thought that another quilt better meets a particular category and gets a lovely prize?  Actually this is quite hard and I'll try and remember these words!!

I've also realised that I prefer to enter juried exhibitions where a specified number of quilts are selected, and often there are no awards.  If my quilt is selected then I know I've met the required standard and that the quilts are often selected to fit a theme and an overall look for the exhibition.

Don't let any of this stop you entering quilts in exhibitions.  After being on 'white glove' duty today, all the quilts in this exhibition were enjoyed by quite a wide range of people, many weren't even quilters.

Well after this bit of a ramble I'll leave you with a picture of my 11 year old's quilt 'Hockey Rules', and yes it is way bigger than my entries and she won an award with a bag of goodies.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Sold

My SAQA 2014 Benefit Auction quilt has sold.  Thank you to Maureen for purchasing my small piece from down under.

The next section of the auction starts 2pm Monday 29 September EDT (Tuesday 6am here in New Zealand).  For details on how the auction works click here

Monday, September 22, 2014

SAQA 2014 Benefit Auction - Section 2 starting soon

The next section of  SAQA's 2014 Benefit Auction starts 2pm Monday 22 September EDT (Tuesday 6am here in New Zealand).  For details on how the auction works click here.  
Kikorangi Kowhaiwhai

My contribution 'Kikorangi Kowhaiwhai', appears in this section

Might be pressing refresh a few times!

Monday, September 15, 2014

SAQA 2014 Benefit Auction - starting soon

SAQA's 2014 Benefit Auction starts 2pm Monday 15 September EDT (Tuesday 6am here in New Zealand).  For details on how the auction works click here.  
Kikorangi Kowhaiwhai

My contribution 'Kikorangi Kowhaiwhai', appears in Section 2 with the bidding for this group starting next week. 

Quilts from other NZ quilters include, Charlotte Scott and Averil Stuart-Head (both in Section 1) and Mathea Daunheimer (Section 3).

The quilts are all 12"x12" and feature a wide range of techniques and styles, they can be viewed by Section or individual listing by quilter.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Back home again

My little quilt 'The Backseat Band' has arrived home. 

It has been touring New Zealand as part of Bernina's 'Music Challenge'.

I visited the exhibition when it was on at Minerva Gallery here in Wellington. Even though I'd seen pictures on-line, seeing the quilts for real was quite different and I noticed more details.  It was interesting seeing the range of styles, techniques and abilities yet none looked out of place.


The first thing I did when I got the quilt home was to check for residual pink marks and was happily surprised that there weren't any!!  

Why? when I was making the quilt I had a great idea (well at the time it was but soon after wasn't) to use a pink Frixion highlighter pen.  I wanted a nice thick line to stitch either side of before I coloured the line in with Tsukineko ink.  The highlighter was the right width and would easily iron out, as the other Frixion pens do (mostly).

When I went to iron out the pink it didn't totally remove.  I washed the piece, that didn't remove the pink but did lighten the ink.  From memory the only thing that did remove the pink was nail polish remover - not sure what the long term effect of that might be!!

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Purple is appearing

What is it about purple? back here I posted about my slight dislike of the colour purple, well maybe that is changing a little.

One of my latest quilts features purple ...
snippet of 'Increasingly Modern'











and I'm working on two entries for Aotearoa Quilters Purple 12x12 challenge, a couple of sneak peeks ...


However, the other two quilts I'm currently working on - definitely do not include any purple!!

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Spring time

This is the first week of Spring and there has been a great range of flowers appearing in the garden over the past few weeks.
selection of spring flowers in the garden
The Tuis have been visiting the Kowhai trees and a smallish tree, that I don't know the name of, that has lovely pink flowers.

Tui - this photo isn't sideways!
Kowhai flowers and last seasons seed pods