Blog Archives - Nicola Foreman Quilts

FOQ 2016 Quilt Creations

31/8/2016

All entries in this category must qualify as clothing, wearable art or three dimensional pieces. 3D items (this does not include double sided quilts) must have length, breadth and depth. Entries can be made by an individual or a group.

Jane Bonney - "All That Remains"
Inspired by the discovery of Richard III's remains. The cape is made up of symbolically embellished rainbow panels and represents internment. After all the excitement, after all the pomp and ceremony, all that remains are bones, no crown, no regalia like any other skeleton just bones.

Kate Crossley
"Vessel"

Kathy Knapp
"The Mourning Coat"

Daisy May Collingridge
"The House of the Unmade Bed"

....jiggling jobbling juggling gut. Wobbling wibbling warbling butt. Singing your praise, you. You object most desirable.

FOQ 2016 Linzi Upton - "Purdah"

30/8/2016

In the section of Art Quilts, there was one particular exhibit what I was absolutely fascinated with. "Purdah" by Linzi Upton, was a wonderful piece of work, and one of the stewards was extremely patient while I tried to photograph all the individual layers.
This is an extract from the show guide... "after purchasing a black shawl at a world music festival, I researched Purdah and the complex reasons that Muslim women have for wearing a covering garment. The juxtaposition of the practise of purdah as a means to hide or reveal is explored in this connecting series of hangings".

The outer layer was black, and beautifully embroidered with black threads...

...next was a layer of black voile, the edge trimmed with sequins...

...a black quilted layer, with a solitary embroidered motif...

...another layer of voile, this time a vibrant orange, again trimmed with sequins...

...more of the motifs embroidered onto this layer, the quilting designs really show up on the back of this layer...

...a layer of hot pink voile next, again trimmed with sequins along the lower edge...

...and finally this stunning piece of work is fully revealed. Beautifully quilted and embellished with sequins and Shiska mirrors. This really was an incredible amount of work, and has to be one of the most incredible creations that I've ever see.

FOQ 2016 Art Quilts

29/8/2016

Here is a selection of my favourite quilts in this group. The remit is follows: Quilts with a strong visual impact a high quality of execution designed to be displayed as artwork and communicating an idea, emotion or concept through the medium of textile and stitch.

Montse Forcadell Blasco - "Contrasting Flavours"

Linda Burgess - "In The Fields"

Janet McCallum - "Headland"

Joanne Hill - "Through the Sea to the Horizon"

Linzi Upton - "Purdah"
This quilt is so fascinating, I'm doing a separate blog post all about it, and will share that on here tomorrow!

FOQ 2016 Quilters Guild Challenge

28/8/2016

This category is open to all members of The Quilters' Guild of the British Isles and all European Guilds which are part of the European Quilts Association. The theme can be interpreted literally, metaphorically, poetically, as widely as the maker wishes. Quilts should reflect the theme for 2016: On the Beach.

Laura Kemshall - "52 32'N, 04 03W"
This was also the winning quilt from this class

Sandra Newton
"Out to the Windy Beach"

Roberta Le Poidevin
"Ebb and Flow"

Lucy Poloniecka
"Gold Foot"

Hazel Ryder
"On the Beach with Alice"

Jane Appelbee
"Starry, Starry Night"

Marion Thompson
"Acceptance (On the Beach)"

Brenda Thomas
"Postcard From Devon"

Terry Donaldson
"Walking on the Beach"

Anderson's Farm Month 6 The Old Barn

27/8/2016

A few weeks ago Block 6 "The Old Barn" arrived in the post - this is a mystery button club called "Anderson's Farm" by the Australian designer Lynette Anderson Designs. When I signed up to this project a few months ago, I also ordered the fabric pack (made with gorgeous fabrics all designed by Lynette) and a thread pack (a selection of beautiful variegated Valdani threads). These were all purchased from Lynette's shop in Australia, the Little Quilt Store. These blocks are embellished with cute hand painted buttons...

...this block is made with a combination of applique and hand embroidery. The barn, the silo, the stables and the windows are all made using the applique paper and glue stick method (along with apliquick rods too) and the roofs are made with wool, which was fused to the block with steam a seam lite and then secured in place using hand blanket stitch. The weather vane, the cats and the handsome cockerel were hand embroidered with those gorgeous Valdani threads. I use "Thread Heaven" on my embroidery threads if they feel rather dry, as this stops the threads from breaking easily. Now I need to get a wriggle on and finish block 7, as block 8 will soon be on it's way!

FOQ 2016 Pictorial Quilts

27/8/2016

This is just a very small selection of the most amazing Pictorial Quilts that were on display at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham this year. The remit for this group is as follows: Quilts depicting a scene or subject eg: people, animal, flowers etc, as the main body of the quilt. A figurative or representational piece.

Katalin Horvath - "Mother Earth Is Our Home"

Marleen Jonkers - "Flight of the Bee Eaters"

Joanna Wilcynska Halassek - "She's a Wildflower"

Bara Bartosova - "Frog"

FOQ 2016 Group Quilts

26/8/2016

There were some stunning quilts in the Group Quilt section, but this was by far my absolute favourite! The remit for this group is a single quilt made by more than two makers. There are 5 members of this group. This amazing piece of work was machine pieced, machine appliqued, hand embellished, using paint, beads and an assortment of yarns. The group stated they love the view from the window in the Alva Pensioners hall where the group have met for 10 years. Every changing season provides constant inspiration but for this piece they chose autumn. Each member of Alva Divas made a section of this beautiful landscape. Oh how I wish I was a member of this amazing group!

Alva Divas - "The Ochills in Autumn"

FOQ 2016 Two Person Quilts

25/8/2016

These were my favourite 2 quilts from this group. The remit was as follows: For quilts made by two makers using any technique, to include quilting (hand, machine, long-arm or a combination). participants must decide whether their quilt is a result of pure collaboration or was professionally long armed. The services of the same professional quilter may be used by more than one entrant in this category...

Jo Colwill and Eileen Luxford - "Vintage Bouquet"
Machine pieced, hand appliqued and hand quilted. This quilt was designed for Jo Colwill's second book "Patchwork Quilts and Gifts". This was made with a mix of new and old fabrics, including a check dress that had never been worn! jp oieced it, and Eileen did most of the hand applique and the hand quilting.
(I actually bought the kit to make this gorgeous quilt from Jo's stand Cowslip Workshops at FOQ. Shhh - please don't tell Mr F as he thinks I've got enough quilts already!!)

Constanze Botel and Britta Beutnagel - "The Photographer"
Photograph by the second maker printed onto cotton by passion-prints (a Dutch company), two layers of batting and backing closely sewed, modern and traditionally quilted by first maker.

FOQ 2016 Modern Quilts

24/8/2016

The remit for this group is for quilts that are functional, minimalist and inspired by modern design. Bold colours and modern prints may be used, as well as areas of neutral colour to provide "negative space". modern quilts often use asymmetry in design, improvisational piecing, the re-interpretation of traditional blocks or the lack of a visible block structure. They are generally quilted with lines of stitching or grid patterns. I only took a couple of pictures of quilts in this group - not because I didn't like any of the others, but because i was so busy admiring them I forgot to take any more pictures! I only realised when I was looking back at them on my way home, and by then it was too late to worry about it!

Lisbet Borggreen - "Background Noise"

Fiona Macintosh - "Sursum Semper"

FOQ 2016 Contemporary Quilts

23/8/2016

The contemporary class is always the one that I seem to take the most photographs of! The remit for this group is for quilts that draw on the traditions of quilt making, through piecing, applique or wholecloth, but have an original approach. Makers may use non-traditional fabrics, fabric printing and dyeing, embellishment and unusual construction methods. Quilts should have an original design and demonstrate sure use of colour. They may be sewn by hand, machine or any combination. Well there was one quilt that was absolutely outstanding - and was by Claudia Pfiel. Her quilt - "Fern Rising" - was getting a lot of admiring comments, especially when the steward showed the back of the quilt too - it really was stunning!!

Claudia Pfiel - "Fern Rising"

...this shows the back of the quilt, and you can see the most AMAZING quilting!

Diane Dixon - "Fire Island Hosta"

Janet McCallum - "After The Rainbow"

Helen Howes - "Enchanted Forest In Autumn"

Fiona McIntosh - "Furaha na Rangi

Sheena Hughes - "Journey's End"

Naoko Hirano - "Starting Lime"

Hanne Asbey - "Strictly Fuchsia"

Grit Traum - "On The Wildside"

Ana Belen Montero - "Shady Garden"

Chris Dixon - "The Edge of Autumn"