Last time I posted I remarked that summer is always a creative time for me. Is it the heat? The countless sunny days? Or, could it be the lack of other distractions? This year I feel like I am multi-tasking like seldom before. From enhancing my wardrobe to giving the camper a face-lift to my long-term evening project, the hexagon quilt for my grand-niece I am not lacking imagination. It could also be due to having undergone a tremendous amount of healing. Chronic, debilitating migraines (15 – 21 a month) are a thing of the past! Yes, I am celebrating and am so very grateful.
But, back to the topic at hand: Last month, while once again moving some boxes around in my storage area, I came across a large container with silk. There were about 4 yards of white silk which immediately called out to me. Contained along with the white yardage I discovered a variety of colours I had collected over the years, each sparking ideas and literally making my fingers itch. I didn’t hesitate! Within an hour I was layering silk with cotton gauze to stabilize the top. I fused non-woven interfacing to coloured pieces… soon I was fully immersed in the process of exploring possibilities.
And isn’t it interesting? I suddenly realized that one of my last workshops I taught at Quilting by the Lake in 2015 was a three-day class sharing tricks and techniques for a successful outcome when working with silks. As I built on my original knowledge the first quilt began to emerge. I used circles in three different reds as my challenge. I am exploring a number of themes which include modern quilting principles, geometric shapes and prime numbers. What can I say? I have had a lot of fun and best of all I have broadened my knowledge base when it comes to working and combining different silk fabrics.
The quilting itself is based on Modern Quilting principles. The vast negative background has been stabilized with quilting designs inspired by the shapes in each quilt top. Each quilt measures 31″ h x 26″ w. This has been a great start to a small series. However, it will have to wait until later in September as I am getting ready for Art Quilt Campus 2019 with 16 wonderful women returning from across Canada. We gather in Muenster, SK at St. Peter’s Abbey on August 18th. Let the packing begin!
Anna Hergert, Art & Design 