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ZIGZAG'S A3 CHALLENGE

© June Brown

Ozquilt Network Newsletter Issue #55, March 2005

During the year of 2004 members of the Zigzag Group set themselves a challenge which tested all three members' creativity, time and determination. Susan Mathews, Yvonne Voss and myself enjoyed a challenge in 2003 of doing a drawing each day so after some considerable discussions we set ourselves another challenge for 2004. We were all very enthusiastic about the 52 pieces we promised to make.

We planned to make an *A3 sized quilt each week for a year. The quilts would alternate each week between a 'landscape' aspect and a 'portrait' aspect. Each quilt was to carry a label with its name on it and the date on which it was made. There was much excitement and planning about this new program. It was great to have an ongoing reason for creativity. A different theme for each week was chosen. We commenced with 'Machine quilting' then 'Hand quilting'. These were followed by 50 other themes,  'Writing on fabric', 'Patterns', 'Wool', 'Painting on fabric', Paper', 'Lace', 'Silk screen printing', 'Machine embroidery', 'Trapunto', 'Holes', 'Weaving', 'Sun printing', 'Glitter' and 'Embedding' and so it continued. The whole project required considerable concentration! It was so easy to become over enthusiastic and carefully stitch a portrait style art piece only to find that a 'landscape' piece was needed! Some weeks I really loved the theme and others became quite arduous. 'Black and White' and 'Foil' were just two that fell into that category for me.  It gave us the opportunity to use a great variety of techniques and ideas. It was a challenge to try new edge ideas for doing that finishing touch. There was not time for a lot of deliberation so 'on with the show' so to speak. Sometimes a 'good' idea simply would not come and next month's theme was in the brain waiting to be executed! Sometimes there was a dearth of ideas and other times there were too many ideas to stitch at the same time!

At the end of May our quilts were exhibited at Brown Brothers Cellar Door during the Wangaratta Textile Festival. These 66 small quilts were enjoyed by those people who viewed them.

We still continued with our stitching until December 31st. The year of 2004 has now drawn to a close and all our A3 Quilts have been completed. We whole heartedly encourage any small 'art quilting' group to set themselves a similar challenge as it is very valuable for increasing both creativity and productivity.  The Journals we have prepared about our 'A3s' have been completed. 2 small suitcase Exhibitions are now ready to be shown in any venue within Australia or overseas.

If the gallery or quilting group in your area would like to hire our A3 Challenge quilts please make contact with Yvonne Voss, by emailing your details to her at admin@ozquiltnetwork.org.au

June Brown © 2005

*A3 is a standard paper size of 29.7cm x 42cm (11.7" x 16.5").

 

Goods and Services Tax (GST) For art quilts purchased in Australia, a Goods and Services Tax (GST) is applicable to those items labelled "includes 10% GST".

For international purchases, the GST is only applicable to those items labelled "includes 10% GST" and where a quilt is purchased and not delivered within 60 days of the date of purchase.