June Meeting - Joanna O'Neill

Our speaker this month was Joanna O'Neill. She described herself as an Embroiderer and Quilter and said this was 'all encompassing'.

Joanna is a member of the Contemporary Quilt Group, a specialist group within the Quilters' Guild of the British Isles. Joanna's talk 'Bitesized' was about her journal quilts. To the uninitiated, this is a miniature quilt, often an A4 size. The advantage of working small is that the process can be less daunting than embarking on a full sized bed quilt.

But . . . as we all know, why think just one quilt when we could make twelve?

Joanna's talk centred on the Contemporary Quilt Group's annual challenge of making a series of twelve journal quilts; images of each to be posted online to a monthly deadline. To add variety, each year a new theme or size (or both) is specified.

A selection of the 2014 collection using space dyed fabric

... and all properly labelled!

We were treated to Joanna's collection of quilts - she's been an active member of the challenge for over seven years, so we had nearly a hundred quilts to look at. She explained how a theme developed as she worked through a year, and explained the techniques she used, often using Markal paint sticks and stencils. She also has a special love of the Heide Stoll-Weber space dyed fabrics (seen above).

A selection from 2015 - coloured crayon, white fabric and sketchbook images

Detail of a 2016 quilt, with an unexpected background fabric.

Joanna's talk was amusing, (who knew that discarded boxer shorts contained enough good fabric to be the background for 2016?) and very informative. It showed a method of working small and exploring lots of techniques within an over-arching disciplined framework. An idea that could easily be translated into many other embroidery techniques. A really interesting talk, with the added bonus of being able to see and handle so many quilts.

In other things . . .

The July meeting is our Big Stitch day. Bring along something to work on. It's also the judging of the Chairman's Challenge where the theme is Blackwork. Also a reminder that the cafe will be closed, so bring your own lunch if you are staying all day.

The Regional AGM is 14th October at Scarcroft Village Hall. We are the hosts this year, so an advance announcement that we would like volunteers to steward, plus donations of inspiration bags and cakes (which sounds like the important bit!).

The Guild has a stall at the British Woolshow at Thirsk 8th-9th July 2017. If you have pieces of work to display there (NOT for sale) please bring them to the July meeting.

AND ANOTHER PLEA FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN HELP IN ANY WAY, PLEASE SEE A CURRENT COMMITTEE MEMBER TO OFFER YOUR SERVICES.