The Tide is Hire
At LONG last, I can share! I was thrilled beyond belief to have my quilt, The Tide is Hire, juried into the prestigious Viking Masterpieces exhibit which will be in Houston, Chicago and (I think) the next Expo in Europe in 2 years. Reflecting on it, I don’t know why this exhibit is so prestigious, and I can still barely believe I made it in, but I did…..a new internet friend who is at Market confirmed for me before I got to Houston that indeed my quilt is there and on p. 95 in the accompanying show / exhibit catalog! Now that the exhibit is public, I can share this quilt here and on my website (that’ll come next week).
The picture above is, of course, the full quilt. I used a technique I learned from Dianne Hire for “curvaceous squares” for the center blocks, then went on from there. I wanted to use the blocks for the Viking entry, but the quilts must be 51 x 51 inches, and the blocks were nowhere near that big. So I added red! and the inner border, and it worked, especially once I added the “waves” appliqued and satin stitched to the top.
I did beading and sequins on this quilt…more than I’ve ever done before, and I’m in LOVE with the sparkle and glint of bugle b eads (the long ones that look like colorful chocolate sprinkles). I also learned from Eco (a friend from an on-line group) that using larger b eads, size 6 and 8 instead of little 11 seed beads, gives a great impact with fewer stitches! So I used them, too, inside the appliqued waves.
I thought the squares on point looked like the surface of the ocean. The show theme is “Imagine That,” so I imagined a technicolored ocean. The color of the thread ranges from yellow at the top to deep blue at the bottom, and I quilted in a seagull (see detail photo), a parrotfish swimming into the quilt, and swimming out of it on the other side, an anemone on a rock, a starfish and lotsa wave froth and bubbles. FUN!
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:36 am
This is very exciting for you! Congratulations and much more continued success!
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:43 am
Can’t wait to see your quilt (again!) AND YOU in Houston!
November 2nd, 2006 at 4:52 pm
The quilt is absolutely wonderful! You’re really on your way to the big time and I can say – “Hey I know that famous person!”
I’m going to need a tutorial from you next time I’m back up in New England! Congratulations!
November 2nd, 2006 at 6:00 pm
Beautiful quilt Sarah! You deserved to be in the exhibit. Congratulations.
November 2nd, 2006 at 6:14 pm
FINALLY!!!!!
November 3rd, 2006 at 9:04 am
Sarah, I love it! The detail on the surface is fantastic.
November 3rd, 2006 at 9:45 am
Sarah, CONGRATULATIONS!! It is wonderful and you are a wonder! Hope you have a great time in Houston. Wish I could be there.
November 3rd, 2006 at 10:11 am
Congratulations! I will be looking for your quilt in Chicago.
November 4th, 2006 at 4:57 am
What a GORGEOUS quilt! and i really appreciated reading about your process – I’m not a “design it all at once and then sew it” kind of person either. This piece DESERVES its place in the Viking/Husqvarna show, well done!!