Australian Patchwork and Quilting Magazine

The latest Australian Patchwork and Quilting (AP&Q) magazine is in the shops at the moment and it has a lovely 2 page article about me.

It is Vol 38 No 3. Jessica Harlow interviewed me a few months ago and asked for some photos of some of my quilts. I think she has done a good job with the article.

It never gets old seeing my quilts in a magazine, thank you AP&Q for the invitation.

Bye for now,
Linda

Susan is Craft Filming

I was invited to film another episode for the TV show Susan is Craft. The show is on Channel 31, one of the free to air digital, community TV channels here in Australia. This month they are filming series 6, the last show that I did was series 2.

I was going to do my show on Crazy Quilting the same as last time but this time I was going to demonstrate the way I do foundation piecing for the base and then talk about the various ways I sew the motifs. The foundation piecing section took so long that they decided to do my show over two episodes.

Here is a photo of myself and the host Susan Francis.

Susan and Linda

The air- conditioning wasn't working in the studio and it was so hot under the lights with the stress of three large cameras filming your every move and stutter! I think it was about 40degrees Celsius (Over 100F) outside, so it was very hot.
When I was demonstrating the hand stitching my fingers were slipping on the needle I was so hot and perspiring.

Here is a photo of the set and the cameras.

Susan is Craft set

From the look of the photo I must have been getting ready to demonstrate the stitching on the motifs.

Control room

There are three cameras now, when I filmed the series two episode there were only two.

Look at the detail on those cameras; it makes my digital SLR look like child's play.



Camera close-up

In the third section of the show I was saying how I use all different methods to make the motifs on my quilts.



Stem Stitch

Needle turn applique

Satin Stitch

I also showed fusible applique and outline stitching on motifs.

The filming went well and I had no trouble filling in the time.

When I had finished they asked me if I would film another segment; they wanted me to interview the host Susan. I found this much more difficult because I am used to talking about myself and my work.

I wish that I had more time to prepare questions and go through it with Susan before we started to film. I had an ear-piece in my ear so I was listening to the producer prompting me as well as listening to Susan's answers! Who knows what it ended up like, they might not even use it.

They said that the series would be shown in March and they would let me know the dates. So I'll let everyone else know when it's on. They think that the show has been sold to Cable TV in America as well.

If you miss a show there is a chance to watch it on the computer on Catch up TV.

Susan also runs a shop in Moonee Ponds, Victoria  and has a online shop called Craftgate and she is doing very well with sales and is running classes, including beginner classes.

Susan is working very hard to have a successful business and I wish her all the success in the world.

Bye for now,
Linda

Merelyn Pearce

If you have been following my blog, you will know that I have recently been studying the work of Margaret Preston with the Waverley Art Quilters.

Merelyn Pearce is an Australian Quilter from NSW and she has spent the last ten years studying the works of Margaret Preston and making the most wonderful and detailed quilts as a tribute to one of Australia's most famous Australian female artists.

I asked Merelyn a few questions about her interest in Margaret Preston and the quilts that she has made and she kindly gave me permission to put them on my blog.

I took these photos of Merelyn's Quilt, Preston Dreaming at the Australasian Quilt Convention (AQC) this year. This quilt won Best of Show in Sydney in 2011 and Best of Australia at AQC in April this year.

Preston Dreaming ©2011 Merelyn Pearce

1. Have you always admired Margaret Preston or was it a recent discovery?
I have always been drawn to the work of Margaret Preston.

2. What inspired you to make the first Margaret Preston Quilt?
 In 1995 I was given a calendar featuring the works of Aust. artists . One of the prints was a work by M.P and I immediately thought that it would translate beautifully into a quilt. This lay in the mental back burner until 2000 when the opportunity arose to realise my inspiration. The resulting quilt won B.O.S at Sydney in 2002 and also Best of Oz that year.

Detail of Preston Dreaming

3. What was it about her paintings that attracted you?
Her work excited, enlivened and engaged me as well as giving a fabulous feeling of pattern and strength of design and colour.


4 .Did you set out to make a series of 6 quilts based on Margaret Preston?
The first quilt was always intended to be the one and only but as I got further into the study of her designs, inspiration just kept coming.

Detail 2 of Preston Dreaming

5. Do you draw up your designs completely before you begin or do they evolve as you go?
Most of my quilts have evolved as they have gone on. The first was completely revised as it progressed and subsequent ones were designed as they went, mainly because to design another enormous hand applique project was just too enervating.

6. What was the most difficult part of making the quilts? Did you have many problems?
The most difficult part of making the quilt is in the design process. Everything after that is a joy.
You just go with the flow and solve any problems on the way.

Detail 3 of Preston Dreaming

7. Will you miss making the quilts or are you completely over it now?
There are more quilts in this theme that I can see as great inspirations but I feel I now need to explore other options after 10 years devoted to the same subject.

8. Did you discover any interesting stories about Margaret Preston?
I love the fact that Margaret and her husband moved into the Hotel Mosman in 1945 so that she could paint uninterrupted by housework or cooking which she hated. She also loathed gardening...."I let God make the flowers. I paint them" she said.
She also trained in pottery so that she could teach it to shell-shocked soldiers after W.W.11 to get them used to using their fingers as a form of therapy. She was a commanding personality..."she was like a bomb in a room...everything sparkled and shook when she was about", and this to me sums up the impact of her work.

 

detail 4 of Preston Dreaming

 

I wish I could direct you to the website or blog of Merelyn Pearce but she is too busy making her wonderful quilts and hasn't the time or inclination to have one so far!

There is a link to some of her photos on the AQC (Australasian Quilt Convention) site.

There is also an interview with Merelyn by Luana Rubin of equilter on the Web explaining one of her quilts

 

Thank you Merelyn for kindly answering my questions. Merelyn has been working at the Bernina Quilt Stands at the shows around Australia, please say hello to her if you get the chance.

 

Bye for now,

Linda