Adding your thoughts about our challenges

Can I suggest that when you have thoughts about how you are thinking or how your ideas are turning that you add them as a new post rather than comments - they show up better and you can add images of some of your sources of inspiration (without giving too much away).  Even if you are frustrated or abandon an idea let's hear it!

Hilary

Thinking about connections

My head is full of ideas for the 1st challenge.  There are so many things that can be connected, are connected or connect.  I started by thinking of forms of transport because of Robbie's idea of trains and Rosie saying that trains could still be involved.  Then I thought of communication and the different forms we use.  There are family trees.  Almost everything in life is connected in some way or another:  a seed is connected to a plant and a bee is connected to a flower.  What about zips, buttons and press-studs?

This is such a wonderful theme.  The problem will be narrowing it down and concentrating on one idea.  I think I know which way I'm going and I don't think you will be surprised.....

Hilary

For Rosie

Sunflower Sutra

Marion and I are thrilled to announce that Sunfl0wer Sutra, our latest collaborative effort, has been accepted as a finalist in the New Quilts from an Old Favourite competition. We are currently packing it up and sending it off to Paducah, where it will hang in the National Quilt Museum and travel for 2 years. After working on it everyday for months on end, it will be very sad to say goodbye for such a long time.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Marion and Helena! Their latest collaborative piece, Sunflower has been accepted to Paducah and will be on tour for the next 2 years.
Colleen

Round #1 Connections

What a lovely theme, Dianne, connecting all of us around the world.

Just a reminder that this first round does not need to be finished until the 31st March next year. The official start of the project is January 1st but we have been treated to some extra time to think about our interpretations of the theme.

The idea is not to reveal our little quilts until March 31st. 

In the meantime it would be lovely if everyone shared their thought processes and ideas, even images that they find interesting or inspiring along the way without revealing too much about their quilts.

Good luck,

Hilary

Connections

This morning as I arrived home after a nice walk with the dog, there were all sorts of birds in the trees in front of the house.  Both hairy and downy woodpeckers, a pair of cardinals and chickadees.   As well as the usual assortment of starlings and LBJs.  There is an urgency in the air - winter is nearly upon us and some of them are on their way out of here.  

Since I won the lottery and must select a theme for our January start I've been stewing over it for a while.  My husband thinks that trains would be a good idea.  However after seeing Marion's studio and noticing her African baskets, the word CONNECTIONS jumped to mind.  I've met several new people lately and am surprised by the number of connections that we made - mostly places we've lived in and people we've known.  But the word is broad and I hope can be interpreted in many ways.

So Connections it is.  Have fun with it.

Dianne

Rust Dyeing

This is the first time that I have ever blogged, so hopefully this will all come across okay. My latest venture is rust dyeing. I was inspired by an article in the Oct/Nov '09 issue of Quilting Arts magazine. I used an old cast iron fry pan and my son's high school art project. Waiting a few days for it to "brew" then "view" seemed like forever but I am very pleased with the results. Can't wait for it to go into an art piece! Now I'm off to the junk yard to see what interesting shapes I can find....

My Workroom

trial run

This is my first attempt at posting a photo- my helper cat , Cedi. she always knows when I am working. Marion

My work space

I'm back from York and the one day refresher for quilt judges.  It was well thought out and the presentations were interesting, provocative and thought provoking.  It was a good day and worth the horrendous journey up in bad weather compounded by accidents, tail backs and road works.  Thank goodness the return journey was completely the opposite and I was safely tucked up in bed by midnight last night.

I thought you might like to see where I work.  This is my sewing room - between projects so relatively tidy.  I am NOT tidy when I'm working!

This is the cutting table (it often becomes the dumping table !).

And this is my extra wide ironing board (home made) which sits on top of the ordinary ironing board.  The mobile design wall I made from plastic electric conduit pipe, matching 'elbows' at the corners and a fuzzy cloth with sleeves on four sides.  It disassembles in minutes and can be rolled up and has even been to South Africa on the plane!

Ducklings

Finally some cooler weather after long dry days, the ducks are pleased to get a few drops of rain on their heads. These are my Swedish ducklings.

Breeding ducks is my hobby, enormously calming to watch, fun to play with, and a good way to get rid of some snails!!

LOL!!

Catchya

Rosie

Countdown

50 days to go - and counting. 

Hilary

Welcome

Hi everyone

I'm looking forward to the challenge of producing something to a theme.  Hopefully it will stimulate a few dormant brain cells!  

Right now we are in the midst of an Indian summer here in Montreal.  It's defined as 3 days of above normal temperature and we're lucky enough to have sun.  It's almost my favourite time of year as the colours are all gold and brown with touches of green from the remaining grass, and set off with bright blue skies.  The trees are mostly bare, the autumn leaves have all fallen and we are just getting ready for winter.  There has to be a quilt in that, right?

take care

Dianne