One More Coral Reef Quilt

My solo quilt exhibition in Kyabram begins soon and I felt that I needed one more coral reef quilt for the exhibition. I am expecting that this will be the last one in this style. I might explore the coral reef theme a bit more but my next work will not be so pictorial. It's been a fun 5 years though.

I only decided to do one more coral reef quilt about 3 months ago and I also had the Wonder of Eyes quilt to make so I have had a very busy start to 2020. I always say that I won't put myself under so much pressure again but then I think that I can do it one more time!!

I already had some coral and fish made so I wasn't starting completely from scratch. You can see from the photo below, the markings that I make with a Fabrico marker really help to make the fish look more lifelike.

I took a photo of lots of them.

I ended up putting some gold paint on them as well, you can probably see that in the photo below.

I did some blue fish and added some yellow marker to improve them.

I machine quilted some fish onto the quilt and added some colour with another Fabrico marker.

I never regret buying those fabric markers.

I made some coral by machine as I knew that I didn't have time to do all the hand embroidery that I usually do. I machine stitched them on wash-away solvy and then put some felt behind them and added some colonial knots by hand. I like the effect.

Coral by machine

I also made some coral by machine by couching some circles onto purple felt; I didn't think I would use them as they looked too plain, but I was inspired to add some beads and they looked so much better. It's amazing what can pop into your brain when you are under time pressure.

Couched coral

The Kyabram Town Hall Gallery exhibition space is very large, that's why I thought I needed another quilt. This quilt is so new that I haven't even taken a photo of it yet but I have this week to put a facing and rod pocket on it before I hang the exhibition on Saturday.

My husband named this quilt, I couldn't call it another coral reef quilt, could I? It's called Coral Symphony; I loved the name as soon as he said it. A fitting end to my series.

My coral reef, crazy quilts, pictorial and applique quilts will all be on display in March.

I am planning to be at the exhibition on Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd of March, Monday 9th March, Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th March and Friday 27th March and Monday 30th. Hope to see some of you there!

Bye for now,
Linda

The Circle Holiday Challenge

Last week, the Waverley Art Quilters had their first meeting for the year and we had to unveil our holiday challenge. As usual it was a challenge; we all had similar calico coloured fabric with circles on it as well as some stranded DMC embroidery floss in various colours.

This was my challenge fabric and thread.

We could make what we like with it but I found it quite uninspiring. I had to work on a few quilting deadlines over the holidays and in the end, I decided to make a book cover. Originally, I had thoughts of dyeing or screen printing the fabric but I had to be quick and just used it as it was.

I wanted to learn something from the challenge though so I decided to get out my sewing machine instruction book and learn how to sew using the alphabet. I know it's hard to believe that I have been sewing since the 80's and have never sewn with the alphabet function.

Here I am with my practice piece of fabric.

I used a tear-away stabilizer behind the fabric and had to remember to press the pattern end button as the last letter was sewing or it would start repeating the words again.

Here is the front cover of the book, I had decided to cover a blank display book for me to draw various quilting designs that I come across or like.

It's hard to see but I used the green thread to stem stitch around the inside and outside of the circle.

I used black and white fabrics for the back and the lining.

Let's hope I can be a bit more creative in our next challenge!!

Bye for now,
Linda

The Wonder of Eyes

One of the exhibitions at AQC this April will be The Wonder of Eyes. This is a fundraiser and people have been asked to make a small 20cm x 20cm (approx. 8") quilt. The little quilts will be on display at the Quilt Convention and when the Convention closes a swap will take place and we will be sent someone else's little quilt as well as making a donation to the Fred Hollows Foundation, which helps to restore sight to people in under privileged countries.

I was going to make a little quilt with a fish eye of course! But I couldn't find a photo that I was happy with and in the end, I went to my bird photos and found a photo of a peacock that I could use.

The Peacock fused onto the background

Then I heavily thread-painted him on the machine.

Thread-painting the peacock

Then I quilted it with silk thread and faced the quilt instead of adding a binding.

The Peacock©2020 Linda Steele

I was happy with him and I hope the person who receives him is happy too. I wonder which one I will receive?

Another exhibition at the Quilt Convention is the Visions 2020 Textiles and my image has been one of the quilts used in the promotion.

Fragile Future advertising

Fragile Future was one of the hardest quilts I have ever made. I now have a new respect for anyone who makes a portrait quilt. One incorrect quilting line on the face changes and deforms the face and has to be unpicked. I think I might try to make more so I improve.

Bye for now,
Linda

My Exhibition in Kyabram

I am having a solo exhibition in Kyabram in March this year. My crazy quilts, applique quilts and Coral Reef series will be on display.

The Kyabram Town Hall Gallery is in the main street of Kyabram and the exhibition will be on during everyday of March except Sundays.

Kyabram is approximately 2 and half hours north of Melbourne, beyond Bendigo. Kyabram is a lovely country town that has a great cafe across the road and a quilt shop called Catharina's Country Collections a couple of doors down from the gallery.


Here are some of the quilts that will be on display.

A Time for all Seasons

Crazy about Ballet

6 Pack Shame

Magical Coral Reef

I hope people will make the trip to see the exhibition. I will not be staying up there for the month but if people let me know that they are going, I'll make the effort to be there.

The Gallery is attractive and spacious and my exhibition is in one room and there will be two other exhibitions in the other two rooms.

I have made some flyers to advertise the show.

I hope you can make it to the exhibition in March 2020.

Kyabram Town Hall Gallery
Allan Street,
Kyabram
Victoria
Australia

10am to 4pm every day except Sundays.
Admission is $5

It is a great place for a mid-week day out with some quilting friends.

Bye for now,
Linda