One Step Further 2024 and good news

 Last Saturday, I went to the opening of One Step Further in the charming town of Kyneton, Victoria Australia.

As usual with these events, one of the most enjoyable experiences is catching up with friends and meeting new people. I managed to catch up with quite a few who I only know by name and have never met before.

The quilts were of a high standard too, I think the exhibition was even better than the last one in 2022. One Step Further is on every two years and is organised by Victorian Quilters Inc.

Here are some of the photos that I took.

Windswept by Anna Brown

Goddess by Grace Di Muzio

Joy Shines Through Life's Blurred Lines by Judith Oke

Earth Blanket- Leaf Litter by Judy Hooworth

Cicada 2 by Julie-Anne Rogers

Heat Stress by Sally Swan

There were two Highly Commended prizes and they both happen to be on the Ozquilt Network committee of which I am President, so I was really thrilled for them.

River Bank by Linda Balding

Eucalyptus 1 by Julie Tasker

Julie Tasker lives in Queensland and she made the trip down so she could visit her brother at the same time. She didn't know that she had won a prize when she organised her tickets.

Second prize went to Zara Zannettino.

Full Circle by Zara Zannettino

The winner was Bree Thomas, one of the judges, Lynda Worthington did a talk and said that this work went Two Steps Further!

New Beginnings by Bree Thomas

I heard Bree talking about her quilt and she said that the rolled fabric behind the butterflies were old quilts that she didn't want anymore. What an innovative idea.

The Old Auction House Gallery is at 52 Mollison Street, Kyneton and there is a large art supply shop attached to the gallery. Oh my goodness, I had to be strong and only bought two things.

The exhibition is on until the 14th October 2024, so plenty of time to get there.

Someone took a photo of Julie and I together.

Julie and I at OSF.

I didn't have a quilt in One Step Further because I was busy trying to make an entry for Quilt National.

This morning I got the email saying that I was accepted!!

I still can hardly believe it. Quilt National is the most prestigious contemporary quilt exhibition in the world. People try for years and never get accepted. It is held every two years and I tried in 2020 and 2022 with no luck.

I guess it was third time lucky!

Bye for now,

Linda

Working in a Series- Seasons

In our Art Quilt group, we have decided to try working in a series again. This time we were to do a series of four quilts over four months. I chose The Seasons. I wanted to start doing some fabric printing again and thought it would be a good way to begin.

I started to print some PFD (prepared for dyeing fabric) in various oranges, yellows and reds using the gel plate and some fabric paints. I was planning to work on Autumn first.

Then Charlotte Scott from New Zealand came to our group to run a class on printing leaves and painting organza to make an art quilt. I enjoyed the class, especially as I had been meaning to get back into this type of work. I made a small quilt, that I called The Wetlands in class.

The Wetlands

Well, you know what it is like when you do a class, afterwards you pack everything away and forget what you did.

I changed my mind and decided to do my little series using her technique, so I could remember how I did it.

I  printed leaves or a stencil on white fabric and overlaid some painted organza and some appliqué to create each one.

I started with Summer.

Summer

Then I tried Spring, I couldn't help but think that the organza dulled the quilt down a bit, so I added more little pink blossoms to try and brighten it up.

Spring

Next came Winter, I didn't use leaves this time, I stencilled on some winter trees with bare branches.

Winter

Finally, I did Autumn, the season that I was going to start with and I used some of those fabrics that I had printed for the autumn leaves.

Autumn

It has been a busy year and to tell you the truth, it was a struggle to get these little quilts done. They are only 12inches square.

Today, I listened to a talk by Jane Dunnewold, near the end she said that if creating the work does not give you joy, then why are you doing it?

I have lost some of my joy because I have too many commitments. I have decided to cut out two of the responsibilities that I have next year. I have to be brave and say no.

I have some good news, I have won a prize in the Sydney quilt show. I looked at flights to go there for the day, but it would have been so expensive and travelling to the airport and back is an ordeal so I have decided not to go.

Bye for now,

Linda