Colour Collision
Each year Quilt NSW ( formerly known as the Quilters Guild of NSW) has a suitcase challenge where members are invited to submit mini quilts of 40 x 40cms (16 x 16 inches) in a set theme.
Some of you may remember that I made some quilts for the Mini Modern theme last year. To jog your memory you can pop over to the post about my Trio of Quilts here.
I decided to continue the recipe of steel coloured linen combined with solids and a few patterns thrown in. The use of negative space features strongly too. Oh and they have to have rhyming names too, coming up with titles is half the fun! I've made a few now and I like that they work as a series.
The first quilt I made for this years challenge was Collision Vision- a square of half inch wide strips. It reminds me of those sprinkles used on cakes, or a game I used to play when I was a little girl called Pick Up Sticks. Is that still around anymore?
I used different coloured perle8 thread to sew the strips. It took a while to make because I sewed a layer or two and put it aside for a month or so. When I came back to it I added more strips, and got distracted again but eventually came back to it and added more strips. I really like how dense the square of colour ended up, but that you can still see glimpses of the background linen which adds an airy look to it.
On to the next quilt I made - I've named this one Collision Indecision because I'm not sure it really works. I was going for the clashing colourful fiesta look but I don't think the randomly mixed colours do the idea any favours. I can't help but wonder how it would look if I'd used cool colours for the circles and warm colours for the ribbons, but then maybe that would look too controlled? I guess I'll just have to try it one day to find out.
Asterix Tricks is a fun one - My idea was that the ribbons come together, or collide, to create colourful sparks.
I also played with colour with my quilting stitches.
and the mixed coloured threads tied through each star.
It was a toss up whether to send Asterix Tricks or Collision Vision...
but in the end it was Collision Vision that was sent off the Quilt NSW head office.
When I sat down to write an artist statement it came out as a poem - it's funny how my brain works sometimes with things just popping into my head. Could I really just write a poem?? I'm not even a poet!! I decided to go with it and this is what I wrote:
Colour collision. Following a vision,
Fabrics I choose. Pink, orange, green, yellow, blues
Cut and stitched. Fingers bewitched
Layer upon layer. Colour, the player
Soon what is there. Becomes a square.
A few weeks later I received a call from Quilt NSW. I'd forgotten about the challenge and had no idea why they were calling but when I returned their call it was the exciting news is that my little quilt had received a Judges Commendation award! Woohoo!! I couldn't make it to the meeting to receive my ribbon in person but I'm thrilled with the award.
So what happens next? All the quilts entered into the Suitcase Challenge are packed into a suitcase and travel to several shows for the next 2 years or so. In the mean time you can have a look at all the entries here at the Quilt NSW website. It's always wonderful to see how different people interpret a the same theme.
Does it make you wonder what you would make for Colour Collision?
45 Comments
Well Done Collision Vision is the most sophisticated of your trio but I enjoy the explanation . The design process is always such an individual approach. Love your willingness to experiment.
ReplyDeleteCongrats!! Love your little quilt Collision Vision. Love bright colours always! Your little poem is perfect too! The quilt reminds me of a pile of bright crayons.
ReplyDeleteI do love your Collision Vision, it is wonderful how your mind actually thought it out! And the poem - well, what can I say??!! Congratulations XXXX
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, they work really well as a set!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, looks like you had a lot of fun with colour collision quilts. I love that you made the stitching such a strong feature too.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the Judges Commendation award for your Colour Collision mini quilt. It's so lovely and bright, a real riot of colour. Like the different coloured seeding stitches on another of your minis. So another of your quilts is off on its travels. Wouldn't it be fun if it had a camera and mike attached so you could see and hear all its adventures? Took a look at the Quilt NSW website - you are right, a great collection of quilts, all so different. Thought the Oops one was great too.
ReplyDeleteC'est simply moderne, c'est simply colorful, c'est simply funny, c'est simply formidable!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Rachael, I seldom post a comment but I love your freedom and your new ideas!
Katell, France
Hi Rachael wow these are amazing my friend ,you must have hundreds of ideas running through your head,they are all awesome xx
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the ribbon! You are such a talent Rachael! Personally I love "Collision Indecision". Maybe its because it is a bit more controlled and ordered? And I have always admired your ability to put words together, so your poem is no surprise to me! Off to check out the other entries!
ReplyDeleteWonderful news Rachael - another amazing and creative quilt!
ReplyDeletecongratulations on your recognition. It was interesting to read through the process of your series of quilts. I always like to see the hand stitching you do.
ReplyDeleteYour artists statement is great - well written and very poetic.
Your finished piece also reminds me of a brightly colored pile of lego.
Congrats Again!
yeah!! as fun as prints are i love the saturated loveliness of solids. clean and modern. superb my dear!
ReplyDeleteWow Rachael these are great! You really took the idea and tried out all kinds of possibilities! Your hand stitching adds a special touch.
ReplyDeleteThe poem sounds like a spell ... I love it !
ReplyDeleteI don't know what I would have made, but it wouldn't have been as clever as your three quilts! They are all wonderful. I love the layering and the stitches. The asterix are really darn cute!
ReplyDeleteI think Collision Indecision is perfect ....the cool background lets the bright colors (Travel) from one circle to the next....like mixing paint...this color plus this color makes that color. All 3 are great pieces of art !
ReplyDeleteYour trio of color is so fun and playful. Congrats on your recognition! I always enjoy reading your thought process and then seeing your finished idea. Here's my poem: Being an artist, is always the hardest. But for you, it's just easy to do!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! Look what you've done with all those confetti strips! Always coming up with something new--that's you! Congratulations on the award. I love your new techniques. It's such a joy to see your fresh, fun spirit.
ReplyDeleteHow fun!! This challenge was right up your alley and the results prove it. Each of these pieces is humming with energy. They're so evocative of the spirit of childhood too. Love them!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving Collision Vision! It has my own creative juices flowing. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful ideas of color. You did a great job on all of your quilts, but
ReplyDeleteam glad you entered the one you did. Congratulations!
You clever thing :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd I love your Trio!
xx
Love the colour collision, thought of pick up sticks immediately.
ReplyDeleteColor indecision is great! What does the whole piece look like? Love the collision of ribbons the knots make.
Asterisks somehow misses the mark for me, it needs a bit more electric or neon sparks in it maybe clearer colours....I like it but it doesn't have the wow factor the other two have for me.
Love your poem!
Oh these small pieces are just wonderful, a true colour explosion going on!! Love them to bits, especially Asterix Tricks.
ReplyDeleteWell, what do I know...NOTHING obviously!! I loved Collision Indecision but I guess that is because it is more structured. The poem is perfect for your winner quilt and am glad you sent that one off. Sometimes that little bit of writing makes a big difference.
ReplyDeleteand you sent me to Cutting corners and I loved it. You always have such great fabrics and ideas. As you can see Google 'allowed' me to set up a new account so i could annoy you with comments :) but since I never go there, any comments should be sent to the woofmckee@msn.com if you want of course.
Glad you are broadening my horizons re colour etc Thanks.
Some more beauties, Rachael. Congrats on the award. Keep on stitchin'.
ReplyDeleteWell done on your commendation Rachael, I think the very worst thing about entering quilts in competitions is writing the quilters statement, I always leave it to the last minute, a poem is a great idea. Collision Vision reminds me a bit of the colours in licorice allsorts particularly the one that is covered with multi-coloured sprinkles.
ReplyDeletelove all of your minis - I saw collision on the NSW Guild website just this week and immediately pinned it !! I wasn't at all surprised when I discovered it was one of yours :)
ReplyDeleteOh, your well-traveled quilts!
ReplyDeleteI have to say that Collision Indecision is my favo(u)rite -- it looks like a birthday party -- cupcakes & presents!
But they are all delightful & look like RachaekDaisy at play.
Congratulations!
What a wonderful challenge! I love the way you approached it and came up with the three quilts. They all have a special spark about them but I do agree that Collision Vision was the stand out.I am loving all the stitching in it.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the award and now having your quilt travelling all around the place.
Well done! What a fun challenge. I love how your quilts came about and how they look. Great poem too.
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful! Again, I would love to spend my time in your mind---so....... creative!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAhhh, you made the right choice! I love them all -- so very creative -- but Collision is my favorite. Congratulations!!!
ReplyDeleteI am waiting for a shipment of zippers...At first, I thought that they had sent the zippers to you instead...but, oh, no...you were a girl just wanting to have fun!!
ReplyDeleteAnd you did. And I love it all..especially the circles with the little bows..so love
Well done you! A worthy winner. Collision Vision really does remind one of pick up sticks, I love the way they also tie on with last year's entries. Hopefully I will see it in person at a show somewhere.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Rachael!!! I see your magic touch in all those three minis. What a creative and fun way to use those confetti of scraps. Colors collided into three beautiful quilts. I love all that stitch love! Keep us posted on where all they are traveling. I hope to see them some day :-)
ReplyDeletexoxo
These are all lovely to look at! So lively- love them in every way. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful! There is nothing better than colour, beautiful colour collided together like this :-)
ReplyDeleteI would love to spend just one day inside your mind, lol. I LOVE these. Oddly enough, I love the Collision Indecision the best! Congrats on your award, may I say I'm not a bit surprised!
ReplyDeleteSuperbe travail. Je suis convaincu que tu es une artiste très joyeuse, aimant la vie, le mouvement, aimant les autres aussi. Cela se sent dans tes créations. Oui, vraiment superbe. Félicitations.
ReplyDeleteAmitiés.
Roger
Loving your Colour Collission RAchael especially when you can see through to the linen. If anyone can make the cool/warm work I think you could..it would look wonderful! You are so original! You Go Girl!
ReplyDeleteCongrats!!!! That's a lot of color in your mini! I love the background of asterisk--reminds me of cupcake sprinkles.
ReplyDeleteI love all your little quilts Rachael. Your imagination, even stretching to poetry, is amazing!
ReplyDeleteYour quilts are delightful whether their washable or not. I wash my lap quilts frequently but I am finished a couple of walk quilts that are ready to hang and they'll only get washed when they appear dusty every year or two I'm guessing.
ReplyDeleteAll your quilters look so colorful! That looks so pretty)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for leaving me a comment. Your kind words encourage me to keep sharing my work and stories.