Quilting – it no longer fits the image of your granny sitting by the fire with needle, thread and a treasured selection of fabric in hand.
These days, as will be displayed at the Mountain Cabin Quilters Guild’s 16th annual Visions show, high-tech has crept into the popular discipline.
The free show, themed Dreams, will feature 25 art quilts in sizes small and large created from among the ranks of the Guild’s 85+ members. The show runs March 6-24 at the Canmore Artisans Guild (CAG) gallery in Elevation Place, An opening reception will be held March 6 from 7-9 p.m.
Guild members representing Banff, Canmore and Cochrane have been working on a range of art quilts in sizes ranging from about 20 x 30 inches square to about five-foot offerings.
“The size has to be limited to the space,” said Lynn Cooper, co-chairs the show with Jillian Roulet. “It’s a beautiful place to host the show and it’s (Elevation Place) such a wonderful centre that brings sports and arts together.”
In choosing the Dreams theme, said Cooper, “we had members throw ideas at us from a broad base then chose it. There are no patterns, all the quilts will be original designs and there will be a real variety.
“Art quilts tend to be much more challenging and this year I’ve made a quilt from a photo, photography is a hobby of mine, which was projected onto it. It was all quilted, then stretched on a frame.
“Canmore is known as an art quilt centre. Sugar Pine used to have workshops that people attended from all over. The Guild has picked those up now and we offer workshops on things like dying and painting of fabric.
“The Guild works hard to get people to step outside the box. We offer a lot and people can take part in workshops to see if something is for them or not.”
Those who attend the show can also fill out ballots to nominate works for a viewers’ choice award. Each quilt will have a story about it posted, relating how they came about.
Between the quilts themselves, the stories attached and the filling out of ballots, Cooper said interest in quilting is often sparked, which is what the Guild encourages.
“I never sewed as a child, but I love the art of it and it’s so much fun to play,” said Cooper. “I love this community and the people are absolutely wonderful and quilters are such friendly people.”
As an example of the community aspect of the Guild, members create HUGS (Hope U Get Better Soon) quilts for Bow Valley residents receiving chemotherapy treatments at Canmore General Hospital, as well as for members who have become ill.
Chemo treatments take place in a cool room and it was thought that quilts would provide a comforting warmth. HUGS quilts are 50 x 70 inches, large enough to cover a patient in a chemotherapy chair. Patients choose a quilt for a photo album and it is then theirs to keep.
“You should hear some of the wonderful comments from people when they get a quilt made for them by a stranger,” said Cooper, “they’re heartwarming.”
