Raise a glass

When I hear that my quilts have actually arrived in Beaujolais for the Quilt Expo next month, I will  raise a glass of the appropriate beverage! Quite frightening to see the stamp go on and the package disappear... consigned to its postal fate.

I was asked, out of the blue, if I had some quilts to send to the show and I sent these favourites, made over the past 10 or so years.

"After the rain" is 1.5m long (the others are about a metre long) - the metallic organza leaves are made separately and caught into the diagonal seams. Beads are included in the diagonal quilting along the ribs of the leaves -

 "Blown away" was inspired by a painting of desert gardens by Aboriginal artist Gloria Petwarrye. It's made in seven sections, each with slightly different colourways of "leaves" (thumb-nail size), joined together by appliqueing yet more leaves on the joins -

 "The other side of the river" is one that just happened - the method of making fell into place in seconds as I looked at a picture of Mbuti mudcloth with the mapping marks; I made up my own marks, embroidering in almost-black shades onto already-quilted neutral cottons -- with no idea of what would make the "fissure" in between the two panels -

The most recent one is "Rainstorm", from the time when I was obsessed with weather as a topic for my textile work. Some parts are monoprinted; some of the applique represents bands of rain and others represent glimmers of sun between showers -