Sisters

Sisters
by Ilene Atkins

One day in October several years ago, three of my sisters were here in Ontario for a visit. The weather was one of those perfect warm sunny fall days that we all love so much. We just had to go for a drive to see some of what Southern Ontario has to offer. 

We were all quite taken with the fall colours, and stopped a few times to take it all in. On one of those stops, near Collingwood, these two sailboats happened to go by. I snapped a few photos, and later printed this on onto fabric. 

I spent many an hour doing the threadpainting, and thinking fondly of my sisters and that great get-together. 

This quilt was chosen for exhibit at Quilt Canada, coming up June 15 to 18, 2016, in Toronto.

Update:  My quilt won first place in its category at Quilt Canada, in the National Juried Show. This is quite an honour, since my name was called with many other big names in the Canadian art quilt world. I am quite pleased. When I was at the show in Toronto, talking to people about my quilt, I was joined by one of my sisters who enjoyed that October day with me, and my good quilting friend from Alberta. It was a sweet moment in my life. 

Quilt Canada 2013

The Quilt Car
Quilt Canada 2013
Penticton, BC
Maker unknown

I just arrived home from Quilt Canada in Penticton, and what a trip it was! I met my sisters from Edmonton there, and we all had such a nice time. One sister grew up without the sewing gene, and has somehow magically turned into a quilter, and the other sister also has quilting magic. One brought along a husband who also enjoys quilts, perhaps more than your average husband. And he's a great driving tour guide. We all loved seeing the quilts in the National Juried Show, the Invitational show, and the SAQA Western Canada exhibit. No photos of the quilts, though, you had to be there for that.

Silmakeen River, BC

Okanagan Lake overlooking
Penticton, BC

Kelowna Harbour, BC

Orchards near Kelowna, BC

We also did some driving tours, through the beautiful scenic BC mountains. Stopped at all the quilt stores and fudge shops in the Okanagan. Bought lots of quilt fabrics and supplies. Shopped for shoes and dresses. Found good restaurants. Had a few lot of laughs. Found those houses at the top of the mountain. Checked out the vineyards and orchards. Covered a lot of ground, had a great time. We are talking already about meeting up for next year's Quilt Canada in St. Catherine's.

This week I am on holidays, and I will be taking in the quilts at the St. Jacob's Quilt and Fibre Art Festival, see the schedule here. It is a lot to take in, and I have four days, but I will see as much as I can. There is also a lot of garden work to do this week. I'm also thinking of starting a quilt for an upcoming wedding present, so I'll be very busy. If you are interested, I wrote about the 2012 St. Jacob's Quilt and Fibre Art Festival here, here, and here.

Seams Like Home, Quilt Canada 2012

Mini Quilt Demo, Quilt Canada 2012
with TrendTex Challenge in background

I think I am ready now to post some photos of the quilt events at the 2012 Quilt Canada show, Seams Like Home. Except for the Grand National Show, of course. Photographs are not allowed there, so you either have to go there to see the quilts yourself, or order the catalogue, to see the quilts. And really, you must see all of the quilts in one room, in person, to fully comprehend the beauty of it all.

Mariner's Quilt Guild show at Quilt Canada

Nova Scotia Miniature Quilt Challenge
at Howe Hall, Quilt Canada

I think  I can show you some of the other elements of the show that I enjoyed, though.

Mayflower Quilters Guild
at Quilt Canada 

Needlework Exhibition
Canadian Needlework Guilds

That Needlework exhibition, shown on the right, was really something. I have done only a very small amount of embroidery in my lifetime, and I have great respect for the work of these artists.Link to the Canadian Embroiderers' Association here.  I speak every year, at the St. Jacobs Quilt Festival, with the guild from Guelph, and love their work, too. To see work from all across Canada, on such a scale, and in such variety, was truly amazing.

I must say, I am looking forward to next year's Quilt Canada show, already making plans for it.

Halifax Harbourfront

Halifax skyline

Citadel Hill, Halifax

Halifax Harbour

Nova Scotia Crystal, Haliax

We spent our last day in Halifax on the waterfront. On such a sunny day, it was very pleasant.

Took in Citadel Hill, the farmer's market, an art gallery showing quilts of course, a ferry ride across Halifax Harbour to Dartmouth, a nice lunch, and a wee purchase at the Nova Scotia Crystal store, link here. On the ferry ride, the wind was up nicely, and the harbour filled with sailboats. What a sight to see.


The whole Halifax quilt show is finished for this year, and I'm back at home today. I'm taking it easy, still taking it all in, and getting ready to go back to reality at my job tomorrow. Sigh.

I've been looking this morning at all my photos of the whole trip, and I do not regret taking so many. I like to get photos of a lot of details of my trip, for one thing to help me remember where I've been and what I saw, and for another to help me remember what I felt and how I reacted when I was there. Reviewing my photos months or years later brings it all back, and I almost always wish I'd taken more pictures! There is a fine balance for me, between taking enough photos to remember the event, and taking so many that it distracts me from the experience of being at the event.

Anyway, what a trip it was to Halifax. Like many of my other big trips, this might be one of those life changing ones. I was so impressed with the city itself, and with the quilts, too, it may take me a while to absorb it all.

More of Nova Scotia

Swiss Air Memorial

Peggy' Cove

Peggy's Cove

Peggy's Cove

So, quick survey!  How many of you can go to Nova Scotia without going to Peggy's Cove? I thought so. Me too!  We rented a car today, and took the scenic route, through the world famous Peggy's Cove, and on to Lunenberg. Very beautiful. It was like at the Grand National Show. Every time you turned a corner, you saw something more wonderful than before. We really took our time, to savour the scenery, get a lot of photos, take in the Atlantic Ocean. It was wonderful. We even managed to take in some quilt stuff. Like yesterday's post, have a look at the photos. If you email me, I would be willing to send you more photos.

Lunenberg

Lunenberg

Laurie Swim's Shop
Lunenberg

Mahone Bay Quilt Store

Halifax

I know some of you are waiting for my posts from this fine city, so here goes. Halifax itself, and Nova Scotia in general, are both very beautiful. I can see why people move here and never leave! The water is never far away. Every green space, and there is a lot of green space, is well cared for.


One of the first things I noticed is that cars still let the good folks on foot cross the street without trying to run them down! I am not used to that, and it is quite refreshing to see. And everyone is very friendly here, too. I'm enjoying that as well.

Another thing I have noticed is the unique architecture here. As a lifetime unofficial student of art and architecture, I love it.

And the rhododrendons are in full bloom at the moment. I am trying to figure out why they grow so beautifully here. They are growing all over the place.



Check these photos of Halifax, and watch for quilt news soon. The quilts at Quilt Canada are spectacular, too. Loving every minute.

Quilters' Guild Amazement

Last night, I was at the Waterloo County Quilters Guild meeting. Always amazing, always inspirational.

Our guest speaker was Sandy Simmilink, from Burlington, with a wonderful presentation. She graciously allowed me to photograph her quilts, which she had all on display when I entered the meeting. This is unusual, because most presenters do not display their quilts until they speak, so I enjoyed talking to Sandy, and looking closely at all the detail work in her award-winning quilts. Photos also are presented here with her permission.

Sandy's work includes a lot of antique fabrics, 3D flowers, hand and machine quilting, embellishments, and great design elements. She told stories of her life, how she was encouraged to make things at a young age, and the women in her family all being able to do hand work of all kinds. Sounds like my family!   It's not surprising she makes such wonderful heirloom quilts.

Also, at every guild meeting, we have a featured quilt shop from the area, from which we may purchase goodies. It's great, to have the quilt store come to us!  This month's feature vendor was Grantham books, which sells only books related to quilting. One may think one has died and gone to heaven, when one first encounters the display and general vastness of books available, all at very reasonable prices, I might add. If only one could purchase a copy of every book!  They have been around at a few area quilt shows, so I have a number of books in my collection from there. Last night, I did not escape unscathed, leaving with three new books. It's all good.

Red Admiral Visitors

Red Admiral Butterfly

Earlier today, when I was outdoors doing my day job, I saw hundreds, maybe thousands of a very quick and pretty butterfly. I was intrigued, but went on about my day. I was wishing I could carry my good camera with me at work, but that would not be practical, or wise.

So this afternoon, as I was out working in my back yard, weeding and trimming and such, I saw more of these butterflies. Wow. I ran inside to get my camera, and managed to capture a few good shots.  They seemed to like the wooden retaining walls we have, probably resting in the sun before continuing on their crazy flight. Isn't it pretty?

A quick search on the www revealed that they are Red Admirals, latin name Vanessa Atalanta, common to much of North America.  It seems they overwinter in Texas, and migrate north in the spring. Here's how I see it. I think they are very early, maybe 3 or 4 weeks, largely because of the warm winter we've had. But I also think the huge stormy weather the US has had this weekend might have played a part. The butterflies may have been migrating faster towards better weather, because they would instinctively know that surviving a tornado wouldn't be possible. Do you think that's a reasonable assumption?

In any case, they were a real treat to see, and an even bigger treat to capture with my camera.  You may be wondering what all this has to do with quilting and quilt blogging. I'll explain that. I have a keen interest in nature and photography, and I'm usually snapping photos all over the place.  Also, it is my intention to use my nature photos as inspiration for my quilting. . . . someday.  Lately, my energy has been elsewhere. Re-negotiating my mortgage, a mean and nasty cold that won't let go, and a new more difficult job at work have all conspired to keep me from much quilting. But I can't go for very long and my quilt/blood levels get low, so I'll be back at it soon.

After a bit of a lull, there are three quilt shows in Southern Ontario this weekend coming up, with many more coming after that. So I'll be blogging about all that. And I have a trip to Halifax for Quilt Canada at the end of May coming up, too, so I'll have my fill of quilting.

Still Bubbling

Haven't actually done any quilting this week. It's been a tiring week, with overtime and an otherwise busy schedule. And there's a mountain of laundry that needs tackling. What happened to the maid?! Haven't been in the garden much either, it's either raining or I'm away.

Ideas and inspiration have come fast and furious this week, though, and I've been writing and sketching in my sketchbook. I see ideas everywhere, in dried flowers, on a walk downtown, in a metal grate, in the sunrise sky, in the budding trees, the spring flowers. I'm lucky if I have a camera in hand. The photos don't always record the way I take it in, but it helps me remember the moment, recording the mood or colours.

I don't have permission to post photos of the quilt art I saw at Quilt Canada, but here are a couple of links to the artists that were showing. Lesley Turner, Donna Clement, and Elaine Quehl.

Talk about Inspiration

Whew! I finally had a moment to sit down and upload my photos from Quilt Canada 2010. Amazing. I really loved seeing all the excellent quilts, walking amidst the energy of creativity.

Enjoyed the company of my sister and sister-in-law, who are also quilters, and my niece and ten year old great-niece. She's a budding crafty quilty little girl It was a treat to see the world through her eyes!

Spent a few dollars, toured Calgary a bit, collected a lot of ideas.

A Big Adventure

The Canadian Quilt Association hosts a really big show every year, which travels to a different city each year in Canada. This year is Calgary, and I'm off tomorrow to see all it has to offer. Very excited. It's also turned into a family event, since many of the women in my family will be a part of my adventure, which may be the best part. Several of my sisters and in-laws are also quilters. I usually go to these things myself, so it'll be a real treat to be there with family.

Hopefully the weather clears up in Calgary before I get there. They've had big snow there this week. This is my first taste of travelling to a big quilt show, so I'm expecting all the logistics to work out. I'm sure I'll have stories to tell when I get back.