Risking Life and Limb

I took my life in my hands this afternoon, deciding to drive to the city, to see the Etobicoke Quilters Guild show, link here. All under threat of a snowstorm, combined with the price of gas nearing $1.36 a litre, and the possibly of a nightmare drive home from the city in Friday afternoon rush hour. It all worked out wonderfully, though, and I had an enjoyable afternoon of quilts, and a pleasant drive, too.

The EQG has secured themselves an amazing venue, in the Nielson Park Creative Centre, and their quilts are shown to best advantage in the natural light, with a natural park setting just outside the windows. I had been to their show, maybe eight or ten years ago, and I must say that the quilts have evolved, much like the rest of the quilting world, towards more colourful and artistic representations of the quilting arts. There were many traditional quilts displayed, too, and the overall effect is one of great beauty and balance. Such a joy to see.

I must speak about the quilts that really caught my attention. Two were by Judith Veinot, very amazing techniques to show the natural world. This one, Through a Rose-Coloured Porthole, is not exactly nature-based, but really was spectacular, with beading and other embellishment. This link takes you directly to the other quilt she had on display, called Wilderness Splendour, which I just loved. Her work is quite wonderful, and moved me greatly.

The other photo here is a very cute quilt, called Razzle Dazzle, by Nancy King. Full of colour, energy, and life, it inspires me to do more of my own quilting. It's easy to think I could replicate her fabulous quilt, but that would miss the point. It is a great quilt because it represents her own creative slant. I could do something similar, but I am much better off, indeed more interested in, generating my own creative ideas. I have been sketching out a few things to use some of my scraps in a log cabin style, in a red/black/white theme.

I never tire of seeing the work of other quilters, of which there is an infinite variety. I greatly enjoy travelling to see quilts, and this show did not disappoint me. I like the way other people put together colours, patterns, stitches, and quilting lines to make a very unique and creative work of art, that becomes a true expression of who they are.

In other news, the forsythia has been in bloom for a week or so in this area, and I've been seeing it on nearly every street corner and back road for miles around. Its bright yellow seems quite a shocking contrast to all the grey in the landscape, before the leaves break free and green up the world. It is a very fleeting spring show, soon forgotten in the face of other spring flowers, and then reappears next spring, to surprise us all over again.

And in the sewing room, I've been working on a white/creamy coloured Winding Ways quilt. The blocks are all sewn together, which to me is a major milestone. The border needs to be cut and sewn, but once those blocks are made, the rest seems do-able. No photos yet, but progress will be reported at some unknown future dates!