In a recent email chat with my friend Jo, she reminded me that her Button Candy quilt (featured in the previous post) started as a single block -- one made in reply to a design challenge we had in our Beyond the Borders (BTB) art quilt group. Nancy Dickey, our leader at the time, had us create something (a drawing or quilt) using buttons. I managed to pencil sketches (which I may post, if I locate that sketch pad).
Jo stitched up her first button candy -- the bag of hard candies. She told me that:
"I had so much fun making the bag of candies that I dived into my button stash, found it wanting, and proceeded to look for "vintage" buttons or newer interesting ones. Now I have collected enough buttons for several projects"
I like her quilt so much, I plan to stitch up my own version of Button Candy.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Button Candy
Jo Sweet, one of my Beyond the Borders friends (BTB), has made a great quilt favoring the sweet things in life. Her quilt was in the latest quilt show by the Quilt Guild of
Greater Houston (QGGH). In case you missed
that show, I have a few photos to share. First a full view of Jo's quilt, which she calls "Button Candy."
The multi-color polka-dotty sashing is a great offset to the four blocks of this fun quilt.
Every candy store always has a big vat of Jelly Beans --- what fun to scoop your own!
I love a tasty hard candy, especially when fighting a sore throat.
One huge jaw breaker to chomp on is also a fun candy treat. Who wants one of these?
My favorite of all is Jo's Box of Chocolates! Are they truffles or some other yummy chocolate treats?
I'd write more, but first I think I'll go grab a bit of chocolate .... Actually, I want to make my own Button Candy quilt, don't you?
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| Button Candy by Jo Sweet |
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| Jelly Beans |
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| Hard Candies |
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| Jaw Breakers |
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| Box of Chocolates |
I'd write more, but first I think I'll go grab a bit of chocolate .... Actually, I want to make my own Button Candy quilt, don't you?
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Alice's Odyssey
Look at this! It's the Best Of Show quilt from this summer's Quilt Show extravaganza held by the Quilt Guild of Greater Houston (QGGH). See the names? Mine is on that list !
This quilt, Alice's Odyssey, was made by members of Beyond the Borders art quilt group (BTB) - my fiber art friends. It began a few years ago when we were dreaming up a new challenge to taunt everyone with. Bethany suggested we do a puzzle quilt and off we ran ..... this quilt is a puzzle, made of separate smaller quilts shaped as puzzle pieces. Each puzzle piece depicts some aspect of our many favorite stories and plots found in the classic "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll.
We each "signed up" for a specific puzzle piece -- they vary in size -- and also selected which mini-story within the larger story we wished to illustrate. Then we were off and running, tackling many problems as they arose, and forever pushing back our "must be complete by" deadline (beware of this phenomenon if you choose to participate in a group piece).
Perhaps the largest puzzle, err, challenge, was figuring out how in the world to put all the puzzle pieces together. Or how to transport the final version of our quilt may have been a larger stumbling block. Regardless of the many issues we hurdled together, this is our glorious end product. I find it stunning, if I may be so bold to say so.
Good news: Alice's Odyssey will be in a special exhibit at this year's annual International Quilt Festival and Quilt Market that start later this month. As it is very true that photos simply do not do justice to fiber art ... this is one quilt that has to be seen in person, so be sure to come to the International Quilt Festival this year!!!
Back to Alice's Odyssey -- Above is simply another photo of our prize-winning group quilt. Congratulations to all my friends in Beyond the Borders (BTB)! We were quite pleased when our group quilt won "Best of Show" this summer in our local quilt show. It is the highest place one of our BTB group quilts has every achieved!
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| "Alice's Odyssey" |
We each "signed up" for a specific puzzle piece -- they vary in size -- and also selected which mini-story within the larger story we wished to illustrate. Then we were off and running, tackling many problems as they arose, and forever pushing back our "must be complete by" deadline (beware of this phenomenon if you choose to participate in a group piece).
Perhaps the largest puzzle, err, challenge, was figuring out how in the world to put all the puzzle pieces together. Or how to transport the final version of our quilt may have been a larger stumbling block. Regardless of the many issues we hurdled together, this is our glorious end product. I find it stunning, if I may be so bold to say so.
Good news: Alice's Odyssey will be in a special exhibit at this year's annual International Quilt Festival and Quilt Market that start later this month. As it is very true that photos simply do not do justice to fiber art ... this is one quilt that has to be seen in person, so be sure to come to the International Quilt Festival this year!!!
 |
| Best of Show! |
Back to Alice's Odyssey -- Above is simply another photo of our prize-winning group quilt. Congratulations to all my friends in Beyond the Borders (BTB)! We were quite pleased when our group quilt won "Best of Show" this summer in our local quilt show. It is the highest place one of our BTB group quilts has every achieved!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
I'm ready ...
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| I'm Ready For My Closeup, Mr. deMille |
Liz Broussard, the creator of this cute bird quilt, sent me this photo to share with everyone. I must agree, it is much better than the one I snapped at the QGGH Quilt Show this summer. Enjoy!
For more details on Liz's quilt, read the post below .....
Bird-Brained Blocks
This is the latest group quilt made by my friends in
Beyond the Borders (BTB), a local Art Quilt group affiliated with the
Quilt Guild of Greater Houston (QGGH).
Our original challenge was to create a small 8" x 10" quilt (no larger and no smaller) with a whimsical bird theme. Additional parameters were to use "Honeysuckle" (declared the 'color' of the year - as of last spring) and to use silk (preferably raw or dupioni). Five quilts were gathered to create our finished quilt "Bird-Brained Blocks". The five bird quilts were made by Elaine Connelly (our current BTB leader), Jo Sweet (the longest participating member of BTB), Janice McKeehan (who made two quilts for this challenge) and myself. We were quite tickled and honored to win a 2nd place ribbon in the Art Quilt category at our guild's 2011 Quilt Show, "A Quilt's Odyssey".
Barbara Jensen made "Tripped by the Tulle, a Ballerina's Fall". Her original piece was inspired by the movie "The Black Swan". She had fun adding detail elements to her prima donna ballerina -- such as her false eyelashes, her fancy tulle and her glamorous hot-fix crystals.
Barbara won a 2nd place ribbon in the miniature quilt category for her birdie quilt! Go Barbara!
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| Bird Brained Blocks |
Our original challenge was to create a small 8" x 10" quilt (no larger and no smaller) with a whimsical bird theme. Additional parameters were to use "Honeysuckle" (declared the 'color' of the year - as of last spring) and to use silk (preferably raw or dupioni). Five quilts were gathered to create our finished quilt "Bird-Brained Blocks". The five bird quilts were made by Elaine Connelly (our current BTB leader), Jo Sweet (the longest participating member of BTB), Janice McKeehan (who made two quilts for this challenge) and myself. We were quite tickled and honored to win a 2nd place ribbon in the Art Quilt category at our guild's 2011 Quilt Show, "A Quilt's Odyssey".
I confess, I was surprised to find myself making another variation of my oft-repeated Big Foot theme. My piece is the flamigo curiously peering at the egg that is cracking open to reveal a new member of the family. Click here to see a few of my earlier Big Foot pieces.
Two other bird-brained quilts were in the Quilt Odyssey show as solo entries. Liz Broussard named her quilt "I'm Ready for My Closeup, Mr. deMille". She used snow-dyed silk as a backdrop for a henna inspired design. Inktense pencils, crayons and acrylic paint were also used.
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| I'm Ready for My Closeup, Mr. deMille |
Barbara Jensen made "Tripped by the Tulle, a Ballerina's Fall". Her original piece was inspired by the movie "The Black Swan". She had fun adding detail elements to her prima donna ballerina -- such as her false eyelashes, her fancy tulle and her glamorous hot-fix crystals.
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| Tripped by the Tulle - A Ballerina's Fall |
Barbara won a 2nd place ribbon in the miniature quilt category for her birdie quilt! Go Barbara!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Focus on Fiber 2011
presents their
Annual Member Gallery Show
Annual Member Gallery Show
FOCUS ON FIBER 2011
Juror: Mari Omori, Professor of Art,
Lone Star College Kingwood
Lone Star College Kingwood
October 1 thru October 26, 2011
Opening reception Saturday, October 1, 2011
from 6 to 9 PM
includes a Silent Auction
Opening reception Saturday, October 1, 2011
from 6 to 9 PM
includes a Silent Auction
Complimentary valet parking will be available.
Betz Gallery
www.betzgallery.com
1208 W. Gray in Houston, TX
(713) 576-6954
Gallery hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10 am – 6 pm
www.betzgallery.com
1208 W. Gray in Houston, TX
(713) 576-6954
Gallery hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10 am – 6 pm
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
A call for entries
The deadline for applying for this year's Texas Museum of Fiber Arts Exhibit is nearly here.
Deadline for entries is September 17, 2011.
Texas by the Yard and Yarn – Texas a Fabrication
Fiber Arts Exhibit
Fiber Arts Exhibit
THEME: The art may reflect the wondrous and varied landscapes of Texas by “the yard,” may tell the tall tales of Texas by “the yarn,” or may show “Texas a Fabrication – the People and Sites of Texas in Fabric or Yarn!”
ELIGIBILITY: All submissions must be original in content and executed in a fiber arts technique or process. Applicant must be currently living in Texas, born in Texas, or is currently or has attended or graduated from a Texas educational institution. Once a Texan, always a Texan. (No age requirement.)
The annual event provides a social, cultural exhibit of fine artworks of Texas fiber artists. All events are free and open to the public. For more information go to www.texasfiberarts.org or
Click here for further details.
SPONSORING ORGANIZATION: The Texas Museum of Fiber Arts (TMFA) fosters education and creativity in fiber art expression, experience, and appreciation. TMFA exists to generate expressions in fiber arts of all kinds through its emphasis on fiber arts education, acknowledgment of established and emerging Texas fiber artists, and celebrating art made from natural and man-made fibers. In keeping with TMFA’s mission to exhibit excellence in Texas’ fiber arts, and to educate Texans about a wide range of original fiber art works, we call for entries that reflect the biggest and best Texas has to offer.
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