I have always seen tradition as a two sided coin, and it’s a very human thing to cling to traditions. \u00a0On one hand there are some people who like things to be done they way they always have been since time began, and who go to considerable trouble to maintain traditions – these are the quilters who always make traditional designs, and perhaps others’ more modern patterns but essentially always work from a pattern, \u00a0It’s safer that way – you know how its going to turn out, and they are perfectly happy quilting this way. \u00a0There are others, though, in being very human in their behaviour, too, \u00a0just can’t help changing things a bit, or a lot, whatever! \u00a0These people start to make a variation on a traditional or an original design because they can’t find a \u00a0pattern for exactly what they want. \u00a0They tend to be the experimenters, people who venture beyond the boundaries of traditional quilt patterns. \u00a0As they continue in this process they can find themselves learning something about design, ultimately strengthening composition skills and learning the basics at least of colour theory. \u00a0In the making of art quilts such skills assume more importance because they are needed to convey the message\/artist’s vision, via almost infinite choices of materials and techniques – and in that mission the choices need to be effective. \u00a0It’s a less safe zone than the securely traditional, but a quite challenging and and exciting way to make quilts. \u00a0\u00a0This\u00a0 PPP will be available to Ozquilt members to present to groups of quilters and individuals around them, and naturally we’re hoping some will realise perhaps they already make art quilts and others become motivated to extend their quilt making boundaries.<\/p>\n
I made a traditional quilt once, a flying geese design, back in 1988. \u00a0Begun in a symposium class conducted by Blanche Young, the doyen of the flying geese pattern in the ’80’s – here it is, with apologies for being so poorly photographed – I will get it out sometime I’m back in Aus and do better! <\/p>\n![\"Flying](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.alisonschwabe.com\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Flying-Geese-1988.jpg?resize=487%2C650&ssl=1\")
<\/a>\u00a0Flying Geese wallhanging, \u00a0 approx. 100 cm x 60\u00a0cm, 1988.<\/span> \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n