Textile Tour of Morocco

 Yes, I am actually going to Morocco! A friend mentioned that she had booked into the textile tour of Morocco that is being hosted by Gloria Loughman. I know Gloria because she lives in the same state as me and we go to the same quilt shows etc, but she is world famous and I love her quilts. Click on her name if you don't know Gloria Loughman's work.

Anyway, I am leaving for Morocco on Thursday and I am flying by myself! I fly to Dubai and then to Casablanca and then to Marrakesh, where I will be met by a guide who will take me to our first hotel. My friend is meeting me at Marrakesh because she is going to London first. 

I have been busy tying up loose ends and getting prepared.

I have been making another portrait quilt that features my grandson, Jack.

I managed to get the top finished and basted it yesterday, so it is ready for me to quilt when I get back.

I am still doing the art course on-line with Laura Horn. She's a lovely young artist from South Australia. I follow along with the lessons but it's quite time consuming learning a new craft. I hope to apply my new skills to art quilts. In fact, I have decided to spend the Christmas holidays doing fabric surface design. But I have had that goal for the last couple of years and didn't get around to it. We'll see, I just might do it this year.

Last month, we had to make abstract marks onto watercolour paper and then cut it up and try and resolve the compositions. I hated mine and they sat in a pile for a couple of weeks. Finally, I thought I might start trying to draw on them and see what happened.

I ended up enjoying it and liked the end result. I haven't got a photo of what they looked like before I started decorating them because they looked so bad to me, it didn't occur to take a photo. I used posca pens for the mark making.

Next time you hear from me, I'll be back from Morocco, I'll be gone for two and a half weeks.

Bye for now,

Linda

One Step Further Opening

 We had the official opening for One Step Further last Wednesday. One Step Further is an Art Quilt exhibition run by Victorian Quilters, it's run every two years. I left early for the long drive, it usually takes 2 and a half hours to get there but I always stop off for a coffee at a lovely bakery in Murchison on the way, so it takes 3 hours.

We had about 25 people attend, numbers are still down compared to the pre-Covid numbers. A local lady provided a lovely lunch of sandwiches, sausage rolls and cakes. There was a lot of food and it was absolutely delicious.

I managed to take some photos of people that were there in front of their quilts.

Here is the current President of Victorian Quilters, Marie Lee (on the right) with Leslie Edwards, who coordinated One Step Further this year. I took their photo in front of Judy Hooworth's quilt, Mangroves- Low Tide at Lake Eraring, which won first prize.

Leslie Edwards and Marie Lee

Leslie also had a quilt in the show, Leslie loves doing lots of surface design.

Leslie Edwards with her quilt, Silkience

Beth and Trevor Reid came all the way from Canberra to be there. It was good to see them again. They had two quilts in the show. This quilt was called The Eyes Have it.

Beth and Trevor Reid with The Eyes Have it.

Some one took a photo of me with my quilt, Time Flies. I cannot believe how tired I look, I am so busy all the time, I really must slow down.

Me with my Quilt Time Flies

I met Christine Beardsley from South Australia for the first time and we had a good chat.

Christine Beardsley with her quilt, Winter Playtime.

Linden Lancaster won the runner up prize and she was at the opening too. I loved her quilt, she was also excited because she's just heard that she got into Quilt National this year.

Linden Lancaster with Bottlewashers no. 1

It was a lovely afternoon catching up with friends that we haven't seen for a couple of years or more.

I almost forgot, Lyn Weeks also came and I took a photo of her too.

Lyn Weeks with One Green Thread

There was a very diverse range of quilts, so many different techniques. I hope people manage to see the exhibition.

It's on at the Kyabram Town Hall Gallery. Allan Street, Kyabram, Victoria. 

10-4 everyday except Sundays. The exhibition is open until the 26th November.

Bye for now,

Linda

One Step Further 2022

 I was at the opening for One Step Further today, it's the Art Quilt Competition run by Victorian Quilters and I was absolutely thrilled to win a Highly Commended prize for my quilt Time Flies. Actually, I was gob smacked, because I thought my quilt wouldn't be arty enough to win a prize.

Time Flies by Linda Steele

However, I am not complaining.

Jan Preston won the other Highly Commended prize for Shadowed Leaves.

Shadowed leaves by Jan Preston

I don't know how she got such strong colour with her eco printing.

The Runner Up or 2nd prize went to Linden Lancaster for her quilt Bottlewashers 1. I really love Linden's work.

Bottlewashers 1 by Linden Lancaster

Drumroll for the first prize!!

First Prize went to Judy Hooworth for her gorgeous quilt, Mangroves- Low Tide at Lake Eraring.

Mangroves- Low Tide at lake Eraring by Judy Hooworth

The exhibition is help at the Kyabram Town Hall Gallery, Victoria and it will be open everyday except Sundays until the 26th November.

It was a long 3 hour drive there and another 3 hours back, so that was a lot of driving in the rain today. It was a wonderful opening and great to catch up with friends. I'll put more photos up in another post but after all that driving, I am pretty exhausted.

Bye for now,

Linda