Janine's Journey - April 2025
Hi Subscriber,
April is my favourite time of the year in Perth. The local Noongar
people call this season Djeran and it is the start of the cooler
weather. Mild temperatures during the day with beautiful blue skies and
its lovely and crisp overnight, so a good excuse to dig out your
trackie dacks and Ugg boots!
While the weather might be perfect, we have been very sad in the Judge
household this week.
We had to say goodbye to our beloved Simba. My constant companion for
nearly 16 years. He had lymphoma so the end was very rapid (a couple of
weeks ago we were still doing our usual 4km walk each morning and Pete
would take him for something similar in the evening!)
To say I am feeling lost without him is an understatement....
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We head to England for the next 2 weeks of Clipper Round the World Race
training in early May which will be a welcome distraction. When I get
home there might have to be a quilt to commemorate the amazing dog he
was with all his quirkiness...
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Australian Quilt Show
I am excited that both quilts I entered in the AQS will come home with
some bling.
I was really surprised when "Royal Gaze" was runner up in the
Embroidery category. After winning the category last year I wanted to
at least put an entry in this year, but didn't think I had anything
particularly suitable.
Royal Gaze didn't win anything at Quiltwest and as it is rather a
simple portrait didn't have much thread painting (embroidery) in it!
I was more optimistic for "Frame by Frame" especially as they have a
themed pictorial award. Pictorial is a very competitive category with
the winner going on to win Best in Show like last year.
"Frame by Frame" didn't win anything in Pictorial but did win the
Judges award from Isabella Ceravolo.
It just goes to show you can never tell...
Here is a link to this years winners
Congratulations to everyone
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"Glacier"
I have been steadily quilting the different strips in this quilt. When
I was in Adelaide last month I got Bethanne Nemish's book Quilting
textures from A to Zen at AQMF. I have been having fun trying all
different fillers I never would have thought off.
The blue section below the strips (what I consider the water) has been
quilted as a refection. This means it is a mirror image of what is
above.
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So this is where it is up to...I still have to do the sides and across
the top and I am still deciding how I want to quilt them.
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"Look at me"
My Antarctic Fur seal is done (well the thread painting anyway!)
This month I added the reflection so he was grounded in the scene and
finally his long whiskers.
I love how he turned out. We were in South Georgia during mating season
and all the males were trying to attract the females as they came
ashore. The best territory was close to the waters edge but he was
being rather cheeky trying his luck in the water!!
This was there standard pose to attract the ladies, with their nose up
in the air regardless of whether they had any chance or not.
Like I said, I considered him done but my husband thinks the wave needs
more work. I just quilted the sun dye without adding any detail and
think of it as a blurred background, to keep the focus on him.....I
think I will let it sit for awhile before making the final decision and
finishing the quilt (adding the facing and hanging sleeve).
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The "real" Heard Island
I am on the organising committee for Quiltwest so feel obligated to
enter the max 4 quilts each year. I had been contemplating what else to
do and decided I wanted something quick and fun that was different to
what I usually do....
I have never had any interest in American politics but when the
decisions being made over there effect everyone in the world you have
to start taking notice.
I also have Karen Eckmeier's Happy Village book and have been thinking
about making a village quilt for awhile and this seemed like a perfect
opportunity...
The Heard and McDonald Islands sub Antarctic islands in the middle of
nowhere. I thought South Georgia was remote but these islands take it
to another level! Nobody lives there and they are so remote to ship
anything to the US via there is impractical. Putting a 10% tariff on
them is a joke!
The idea for this quilt is that, perhaps, Trump knows something that
the rest of the world doesn't? That the penguins on Heard Island
actually live in a real village and make goods that they export to the
US, and they are protesting about the tariffs!
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So this is as far as I have got...
You start off with certain geometric shapes then add doors, windows,
stairs and trees that transforms it into a village.
You can see more on her website here
I still have to add some penguins, protest banners and maybe seals
before quilting.
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Upcoming Events
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Teaching in Port Hedland
I am teaching in Port Hedland this weekend (May 3-4) at the Courthouse
Gallery. Although it has been in the pipeline for a few months I was
only convinced it was actually going ahead yesterday. I have just got
the flight details - 6:20 am so its going to be an early start on
Friday!
Once I get this newsletter finished I need to get organised, put
together some kits for the students and pack!!
The workshops are on Saturday a 3 hour Intro to Dyeing and a 3 hour
Mosaic Banksia and Sunday is a 4 hour Scrappy Applique.
_____
AW9
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AW9 is continuing its tour of WA
* Katanning Art Gallery
, Western Australia 12 April - 17 May 2025
* Arts Margaret River , Western
Australia 12 June to 10 July 2025
Barbara Weeks and I will be giving an artist talk at Margaret River
Heart on Monday 23 June at 11:15 am.
_____
There wont be a newsletter from me next month as I will be in the
middle of the English Channel on our last week of Clipper training
before the race starts 31 August. While over there we also find out
which boat we are on (and if it is the same one! - fingers crossed)
Got to fly...
Take care
Janine x
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