A blast from the past!!!

I was totally blown away by the feedback that we got from our impromptu meeting. I got more e-mails throughout the day!  Wow!  We are definitely going to do this again for next guild year. Now here's the big question - what comes first? the members or the topic?   Hmmmm - that's an interesting dilemma - it's like the chicken and the egg.   If you have any suggestions on cool topics - let me know and I'll see how I can compile them. It's basically the same thing I do with my blog.   I get story ideas from everywhere and then one day - it all comes together. I've got several in mind - just have to think the logistics through.  Like that will happen - I need a 48 hour deadline and it will come together no problem!

Love my job - love my job.  Some quilters were in the warehouse yesterday and of course, I had to zip out to meet them.  Turns out one of them used to be a member at the Mississauga guild many many years ago.  We had a great chat, I gave them an impromptu show n tell and got them organized for the challenge - more on that in a second and they were good to go.    Ooops - I'll give you more details on that challenge another day. 

However there are downsides to the job.  How about being asked to make something out of "this" and "this" so it will sell.  Yikes!   No presssure!!!!!  I don't really call that a down side - it just means that I have to put my thinking cap on - break out EQ7 and away we go.  Plus I found a recent book that is perfect for one of our new panels that will be released at Spring Market in Salt Lake City.  Never mind the tutorials and patterns that need to written - OK - I need 48 hours in a day!  

But since I love what I do - I'm not worried. I just need to find some quiet time to focus on that writing, but once I set my mind to it - it won't take long and it really is just revamping some stuff I wrote a while ago. But I'm off to the Lancaster show in about 10 days and this stuff needs to be done by then. So I think a bit of discipline is in order. Got to get my new phone working in the car and download some books as I'll be driving to Lancaster! Yeah - road trip!  I wonder how much stuff I can shove in the car for the trip home??  Too bad row by row hasn't started yet.  I've got more details on that for another day!

Got to do some tidying on my computer.  I'm in the process of writing for three different blogs and all three are on different platforms. All three are open as well as my photo editor and my computer is starting to protest. I guess I had better reboot it after this post gets published!

Back at the end of February, I managed to get to PAMA (Peel Art Gallery and Museum Archive)  to see their display of antique quilts.  It was definitely worth going to.  Actually when I think of it, the timing was pretty funny since I was prepping to leave for QUILTCON which is Modern Quilting.   However - the two styles (modern and traditional) are married in more ways than you think. 

Entrance to PAMA

In downtown (or is that old town) Brampton

PAMA is in the older part of the city and I don't know if they have a name for it.

Home to a half naked squirrel - I wonder how he lost his hair?

And I thought this fence was brilliant.  There is a real door and a real window - now how cool is that?

Artistic fence

It's really interesting to see how people react to quilt shows. I know of two different people who went to this show and one person was "oh it's OK - saw one quilt I liked".  The other person encouraged me to go and I'm very glad I did.  I must confess that I look at most things through the eyes of a child. My eyes are always open to little details, to the creativity, to the workmanship (good or bad), and I can't stress enough how little things amuse me. If curiosity killed the cat and I was a cat - I'd have been dead years ago - even with nine lives. I want to know EVERYTHING!

I would love to post all the photos I took, but here is a sampling (a rather large sampling) and how I saw the show.

Title of the show

Info about the show

And let's give credit to Cathy who is a VERY accomplished quilter and a master when it comes to quilt history

And now on with the show.................


There were a LOT of log cabin quilts.  Log cabin is my favourite block in the entire quilt world and if I could only make one block for the rest of my life - it would be the log cabin and it's many variations.

Log cabin quilts

 Now I know you are thinking - that middle quilt is NOT a log cabin. Doesn't look like it - does it?  BUT have a look at the detail.

Detail of the log cabin

 AHA - that is a log cabin after all.  And wow - what about those pieces. How small are they???

Those pieces are THAT SMALL.   One block is about 2 inches square

  I am suspicious that the pieces are folded and sewn along the edges?   A little hard to tell when you can't touch.  But the quilt was magnificent and in excellent condition.

Can you guess how many pieces are in that quilt????

Yep - that many!!!!

Then another quilt caught my eye.  Annie May Johnston made this quilt and reproduced images of local schools and churches.

Quilt commenorating local schools and churches

Detail of one block

 Now I want you to read this label below and tell me if you know what she used to create the blocks????

Information about the quilt blocks

Did you ever use those products????   Does the name Artex come to mind?????   I know there was another brand, but the name escapes me at the moment.  And how do I know????  

Well around the time that Annie May was making this quilt, a young girl (still in high school and living in Saskatchewan) was also making a quilt using those same darn tubes of liquid embroidery. And she still has the quilt to show you.

MY beautifully painted blue roses

I painted those squares when I was in high school and put the quilt together when I left home and got married at a ridiculously young age (gasp!).  I used this quilt on our bed - the dog jumped on the bed and probably slept there too and sunlight and well a few of the squares aren't holding up so well.  I think I did a beautiful job on the roses - not so much on the leaves!

Ooops - a few squares are deteriorating

Badger (my dog at the time) did have a field day one day with the quilt and many years ago, I took it apart and repaired it. But it has gotten worse. And look at that lovely polyester batting of which I think I used several layers and the quilt  is THICK.  Hand quilted no less.  My intention is to take it apart and save the good squares (back them with interfacing) and put it back together again using COTTON, not polyester, although the polyester (the blue) has held together quite nicely.

Anyway - I digress.

There were also a number of crazy quilts.  I love the fact that each one is different. Some are whole cloth style, some are blocks, embroidered or not. Anything goes with crazy quilts.

Crazy quilt

 One of the things about crazy quilts that I absolutely love is the use of RIBBONS.  A lot of political ribbons, cigar silks and other commorative items were created and used in the quilt.  Imagine if they still had political ribbons today.  I wonder what some of them would say!

Commemorative ribbons

Another ribbon and this quilt has jewelry on it

 There were also many different styles of signature quilts.  These are always fascinating - who were all these people.  What were they hopes and dreams?  Since many of them were used for fund raisers  - what did they do with the money they raised?   And did they have the same issues with getting the projects done and the same people doing the bulk of the work?

Signature quilt

I always get a laugh out of these type of signatures.  Remember when everyone was MISS or MRS?  I guess I'm dating myself there. OK - mentioning that I made a quilt using liquid embroidery dates me!

Mrs. Fraser!

Signatures on a crazy patch!

The other thing I love about quilts is TEENY TINY pieces.   And this next one didn't disappoint.

Teeny tiny pieces in this quilt

Made from silks or sateens

Information about the quilt

 You see why it is important to put a label on your quilt???   Not only is it fun to read about why the quilt was made, but where, by whom, etc.  There are so many quilts out there today - they all can't possibly end up in a museum.  But that label information should be important to your family? friends?

I would hate to see a quilt made by me with this label on it.

Not a lot of information about this quilt

There were a couple of quotes on the wall and I think you will get a kick out of this one.  Bottom line - quilting beats the gym any day!!!  Although I get fired up at the gym so I can quilt more!  Oh yes - pay attention to the DATE!

Quilting beats the gym!

Looking at some of the quilts and the dates of the quilts, you wonder how the heck they had time to make them. Some of these quilts are very labour intensive. I just hope that the quiltmakers of today can also take pride and joy in their quilts because most of us don't have a lot of time to sew.

Saying that is as true today as in pioneer times

In another exhibit at PAMA, I stumbled across this quilt commemorating Canada's Centennial.

Canadian Centennial quilt

Quilt information

 Yes - 2017 will be the Sequicentennial for Canada!  Can you say that word???   I know that Northcott has some things up their sleeve for Canada's big birthday and I had better get my butt in gear to get my part finished by this coming week.  You must stay tuned for that big event - it's going to be fun!


Now check out this last picture.  If that isn't a modern quilt, I'll eat the next quilt I make. But look at the date!

A modern quilt from 1941

Just keep this in mind as you move forward in your quilting adventures. NOTHING is new - NOTHING.  It's all in how you look at it.

Wow - that was quite a trip. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!!!!

Have a great day!!!!!


Ciao!!

PS - the show closed at the end of February just in case you are wondering.

Gallery Sitting

I LOVE the Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre so much - I decided to volunteer there. Last Friday was my first day. When I arrived the parking lot was PACKED!!!   Wow - what the heck is going on? I went into the gallery - it is empty. I go to the house and there is a huge crowd of people sitting around the table just finishing their lunch. WHOA!!!!   Who are all these friendly people?????

Turns out they are from the Friday watercolour class. They do a pot luck for lunch. After chatting with several of them, they have been coming for YEARS while others were fairly new. All ages, mostly women, but a couple of men. Wow - they sure looked like they were having fun!!!!!

Well - I had a goodie (homemade fruit cake) and then went to the gallery. It was very quiet but I was perfectly happy with that. No noise - no radio, just peace and quiet. Several of the students wandered in for inspiration and so I got to chat with them and of course Sybil - the inspiration behind the gallery, also the owner.


Have a look - how could you NOT want to be there................

This is the "great room" or the extension of the kitchen. Pieces of artwork are also hung in this space. But look at that big table just waiting to be used!!!!!

Same room - looking back to the kitchen (a fully equipped kitchen )

Looking out the side of the same room. On a sunny day - this place will be awesome.

The view!!!!   OK - I can't wait for the weather to warm up so we can sit outside. 

Anyway - I am back at the gallery this Friday from 1 to 4. I've been invited for lunch. Hmmm - got to see how my day goes. This is the LAST week for the watercolour show by Mercedes Horne. It really is a neat show and even if you aren't into watercolour, I was IMPRESSED by the INK WORK that she did on every single piece. And the colours are BRILLIANT - literally!!!!


The new show which is going up on Sunday is called ART from the HEART. It is a show about artists who have experienced adversity and challenges. You can read more about it at the web site.


Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre



I'm looking forward to seeing that show. While I LOVE quilting, I think it is very inspirational to look at other art work, do other things (like learn to play bridge!!! - but that's another story), ride a bike. Anyway - you get the picture.


And in order to do that - one must learn to eat healthy so you have the stamina. I have booked an appointment with the chiro to talk about a detox program. What is involved and how helpful will it be???

Ooops - let me tell you about my other ART GALLERY story. I was at PAMA (Peel Art Gallery and Museum Archives) on Sunday afternoon to do the demo on the MOLAS. I was CERTAIN that I took pictures of our set up, but well - I guess I didn't. I was too excited????


Here is a sneak peek at the Secret Garden in the tunnel which joins several of the buildings............

The Secret Garden

A VERY small part of the tunnel walls

The gallery has hired some very nice ladies (actually quite young) that are the guest services people. They were very informative and personable. Apparently future displays in the tunnel will be community based displays. I love it. I think the quilter's guild should get something in there!!!!!


And the MOLA exhibit - well it was STUNNING. There were a LOT of MOLAs and so many different kinds than I ever thought existed. It was great fun to see them and realize what they depicted.

PART of the MOLA display

If you get a chance, you should go and check this out. It is on loan from The Textile Museum, but I don't know how often it gets on display so check it out NOW!!!!!!


Someone asked me the other day - what "pills" I take to keep up my energy level. Hmmmm - I sure hope it isn't sugar since I am going to try and cut that out of the diet. I do know that my ENTIRE life, I have worked out at the gym or walked or did some form of exercise EVERY DAY. OK - so MOST days - there were a couple of times when I was a tad too sick (I was a sickly child!!! and a NON-ATHLETIC one too). But in my adult life, I have worked out or walked almost every day. While I do not eat super healthy, I do try to watch what I eat.  Although there was a time when I had a COKE (the real thing) and a chocolate bar EVERY DAY!!!!!!!!      Of course now I have replaced that with hot chocolate!!!


The other thing I was blessed with is the HALF FULL/HALF EMPTY thing. I don't know if you are born with that or you make it happen, but my cup is NEVER half empty - it is ALWAYS HALF FULL. I try to find the silver lining in every cloud (which bugs people a lot) but life is too short to get down on yourself or others.

So instead of having toast with jam for breakfast (which is just horrible) or cereal (which is equally horrible) , here is my new breakfast...........

That is half of an everything bagel, a tablespoon of cream cheese, cucumbers, tomatoe (the carrots are for the dogs), a calcium chewable, a glass of milk and some melon. 

And I had almonds when I got up so I had something in my stomach before I went to the gym.

Got to make an honest effort to make this happen. And for no other reason, than I want to.


Well - I have so much work to do today and I am so far behind that my brain is wanting to say HALF EMPTY - let's have a bad day. BUT - I can't do that. So - we are going to focus on one thing and move forward.



Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EXHIBIT ON MOLAS

Here is a great textile exhibit that you should visit............

The Peel Art Gallery and Museum Archives (PAMA) has an exhibit on molas that is on loan from The Textile Museum  in Toronto. 

Mola Exhibit

If you have no idea what a mola is - click on the link above and you will see. I will be doing a demo on reverse applique/mola making on Sunday, February 3 from 2 - 4 PM. I can't wait.

There is also another show that you should visit while you are at PAMA. 

An artist has turned an underground tunnel into a FLOWER garden. Crafters/quilters/sewists from around the area have contributed flowers of all kinds - crocheted, quilted, knitted - you name the craft - someone made a flower. Sue Sturdy has taken those flowers and created a secret garden in the tunnel!!!!!!  

Secret Garden exhibit

PAMA is located at 9 Wellington St in Brampton. Come out on Sunday and see my demo or just visit the exhibits when you can. It promises to be a suburb show. 

Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS - I have had the busiest weekend ever!!!!!   I have decided to download all the pictures from my card to my computer - a mere 3000 pictures and it it taking a LONG time. So I will have all the details of the FUN FUN FUN weekend tomorrow.