DQ July-Aug'13 Challenge - Entries

The DQ July-Aug'13 Challenge tested the participants on their understanding and utilization of 'Negative Space' in their designs. A difficult challenge, yes, and here are the entries of the eight awesome DQs who rose up to the challenge:

Entry #1 - Chopsticks 34" x34"


Entry #2 - Blue skies, twinkling stars


Entry #3 - FMQ Tray Cloth 19"x14"


Entry #4 -  Flowers and Butterflies, a child quilt 48"x48"


Entry #5 -  Machine quilted silk appliqué wall hanging 24.5"x 20.5"


Entry #6 -  Wall hanging quilted with some bobbin-work techniques with metallic gold thread for the decorations and presents 25” x 22”


Entry #7 - Jigsew tray cloth 13"x16"


Entry #8 - 'Summerwala Happy', a small table topper for a cute bistro table. 18"x18"


The DQs have voted and the three entries with the max votes are:
Entry #1
Entry #5
Entry #6

to be cont..

Indo-Canadian Pieceniks

Anybody remember this pic?

This pic was splashed on DQ and after the initial excitement, there were no more talk about it. Talks have been going on backstage and there's a lot to reveal, but we shall do that in stages.

For those who don't know/remember, thats the representatives of 'Desi Quilters' from India (me,Tina) and 'Quilting Corners Guild' from Ontario, Canada (Irmgard Jacob), discussing possibilities of linking up as SISTER GUILDS.

I've been wanting to do a nice blogpost about our meeting but looks like the stars are not in its favour yet :-). Thought no point keeping everyone hanging forever in the hopes of writing that elusive blogpost, so here's a copy of the summary I sent Irmgard after the coffee meet...

- Irmgard gives her guild's charter, pin and some lovely FQ packs for a contest and outlines that they would love to work with a sister guild in India and explore possibilities of doing so.

- Tina, on behalf of Desi Quilters, a virtual pan-Indian guild, coveys willingness to the same.

- The following possibilities of working together were discussed:

1. A joint BOM, where responsibility for posting the Block of the Month (BOM) instructions are alternated between the two guilds, participating members follow the instructions and make blocks for themselves and post pictures in a common forum of the individual blocks every month, as well as the finished quilt at the end of 12 months.

2.A block swap, where every month we choose one queen from the Canadian side and one queen from the Indian side. Then the participating Indians make and send blocks to the Canadian queen and the Canadians make and send blocks to the Indian queen. The duration of swap depends on the number of participating members. The number should be equal from both sides. At the end of the swap, everybody has blocks made by their sister guild counterparts.

3.A secret swap, where from an equal number of participating members, the admins randomly pair up each member with a secret partner from the sister guild. Everybody posts a little bit about their favourite colours or styles or what inspires them. Their secret partner, taking inspiration from that, makes them a small doll quilt/mug rug and send it across. The names of the secret partners are revealed in the end. This is a one time swap event.

4.A supplies swap - Since quilting tools/notions are not available in India, we would be happy to swap with you guys in return for Indian fabric. Here also, each participating member is randomly paired with a sister-guild counterpart (not secret tho) and they swap these items and everyone's happy. The admins can decide beforehand what sort of items can be swapped and the maximum value. 

5. Since a common forum is needed for communication to be open and effective and also to provide a platform for sharing pictures, ideas and thoughts, it was decided that Facebook is superior to Flickr in terms of ease of usage as well as potential. So, a Facebook Group page can be opened and participating members can join.

Phew! Done !

Do let me know what your guild members think. We can start off with any one activity and then take it from there.

Best wishes

Tina

After the serious discussions, I took Irmgard to my favourite place in all of Chennai - cotton street ! :-)

We also visited a fabric store. I should have warned Irmgard about the mind boggling variety of fabric available in India. She was a bit overwhelmed I think. The happy kind of overwhelmed :-).

So, watch this space for further developments. Its gonna be exciting for sure.

DQ Hyderabad's first meet, 04.10.13

(Guest post filed by the host, DQ Manju) 

Dear DQ friends….we missed you here today same as you all missed being here with us beautiful quilters ! It was really nice of Ashley, Ipshita and Anu to come for this get-together! We had a short but very nice chat-session of getting to know each other. Anu and Ashley already know each other and are part of an international organization that meets often in Hyderabad for various activities. And Ipshita is a new entrant to sewing and is very enthu .



 We have plans to meet again in Nov / Dec….so the others should keep it in mind and join us….ciao al.............Manju

Manju's Circles-Drunkard's Path QAL - Part 2

Manju's Circles-Drunkard's Path QAL - Part 1

Here's the second and final part of the lovely QAL. Do share pictures of your work with us and we'll be happy to add it to our gallery.

Manju's Circles-Drunkard's Path QAL - Part 2

Manju's Circles-Drunkard's Path QAL - Part 1

Desi Quilters was founded with the idea of providing a platform for sharing and adding to the collective knowledge of the art that is Quilting.Taking the idea forward, we have with us another delightful Quilt-Along (QAL), this time from the delightful DQ Manju, a lady who is all elegance both in her self as well as her work.

So do join us in this journey along the drunkard's path (er..that didn't sound right, did it?) and try your hand at this deceptively simple QAL.

Manju's Circles-Drunkard's Path QAL-Part 1

Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#4

Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#1
Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#2
Aliya's Seminole Patchwork QAL#3

Aliya's Seminole Qal Part 4

DQ Sept-Oct '13 Challenge

Oops, looks like the rules for the DQ Sept-Oct '13 Challenge are not up on the blog yet ! My bad. Shall remedy that rightaway.

After a tough one last month, here's an easier challenge this time :-). Rules for the DQ Sept-Oct 2013 Challenge:

1.The theme for this challenge is 'Flowers'. Make a quilted item of any size interpreting the theme as you like.

2.Email 3 pics (1.of the full front, 2.of the full back, 3.close up of the quilting) of the finished item to desiquilters@gmail.com. Please do not send more than 3 pics as the admins do not want to have to choose. And please conform exactly to the pic requirements or you risk disqualification.

3.Please include dimensions and a short description of your entry including your interpretation of the theme.

4.Please send in your entries by the midnight (IST) of October 30th, 2013

Do NOT post on the DQ FB page since we are still following the anonymous entries format.

For more details on the format.. http://desi-quilters.blogspot.in/2013/01/jan-2013-challenge.html

The winner gets these goodies..

1.A gift voucher for Rs.1500 from Bernina India, redeemable against purchases of sewing, quilting, patchwork notions, thread, etc. from the 'Bernina Creative Center' (BCC) or Bernina or Bernette machines or accessories




and

2. A set of 4 co-ordinated Fat Quarters from Quilts of Love




Best of luck DQs ! Go floral !