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International patchwork quilt teachers who will be presenting workshops during the International Quilt Convention Africa 2012 in Johannesburg, South Africa, have been announced by the Convention’s organizers, Little Bird Media.
Among them is own very own Dena Crain, member and officer of the Kenya Quilt Guild! We are pleased that Dena will be teaching in Johannesburg for the Convention, we congratulate her on her selection and we wish her all the best!
Other international teachers include those listed below:
- Pat Sloan
- Susan Brubaker Knapp
- Jodi Barrows
- Cynthia England
- Barbara Groves and Mary Jacobsen of Me and My Sister Designs
South African teachers have yet to be announced. To find out who will be the South African teachers presenting workshops at the IQCAfrica 2012, register for updates by clicking on “Sign Up” on the gold bar at the top of the site’s home page to receive notifications by email.
This link has come in from Rowena Buxton, a fellow Kenya Quilt Guild member: Bosna Quilt Werkstatt, quilts made by Bosnian women.
Look closely at the random quilting patterns these women use on their work, reminiscent both of early Amish, and early Welsh in patchwork design but without the full-blown geometric or floral quilting patterns we’re accustomed to seeing there.
These quilts and their history look set to give Gee’s Bend a run for their money!
Thanks for sharing, Rowena!
The November meeting of the Kenya Quilt Guild was a quiet one after Paula Benjaminson’s visit and workshops, although we welcomed several new visitors. We had the chance to see what some of Paula’s students had produced during the classes as well as enjoying our usual show-and-tell quilts.
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- Drumming Up Support
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- Carol, First Time Visitor to the Kenya Quilt Guild
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- Deanna LOVES quilting!
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- Fooling around!
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- No, not praying; showing off quilted oven gloves!
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- Doodle Darling!
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- Intense!
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- Kundan’s beautiful medallion quilt
Patty Arensen gave a digital presentation on the charitable activities focused around the obstetric fistula problem in Kenya. This presentation was a sobering reminder of how much work remains yet to be done to help young women reclaim their health, self-confidence and roles in society.
We welcomed into our midst Mukasa Irine Kyalikoba (Irene), a woman from Uganda who now lives in Nairobi. Irene, with the help of one of her daughters, supports herself and thirteen children by producing hand-made West African style tie-and-dye cotton fabrics for sale in the Masai Market. These portable open-air markets move from one prominent venue to another, depending on the day of the week. If you’re in Nairobi, ask anyone where is the next Masai Market and on which day it occurs there; almost everyone knows about the one nearest to them. Then, when you find the market, look for Irene. She will be waiting to welcome you with a warm and friendly smile and plenty of great fabrics!
After the meeting, an afternoon workshop was held and about fifteen members stayed on to work. We are preparing a raffle quilt or two for our exhibition to be held over the weekend of May 10, 2012 at the Village Market. Many of our quilts and other products will be on sale there, so mark your calendar now!
The Web site for IQCAfrica is changing every day!
To keep up with the goings-on, to know who is talking about going to the Convention, to learn more about teachers and their workshops, you can register to receive updates by email.
Simply go to the site, IQCAfrica, find the gold bar across the top of the page, locate the link to “Sign Up” and click!
Then, sit back and relax! You will be kept informed of all changes at YOUR convenience!
Need help with your free motion quilting?
Have a look at Design and Technical Considerations for Free Motion Quilting.
If you haven’t been to the Kanga Exhibition at the Nairobi Gallery, next to Nyayo House, try to fit in a visit before the end of the month when it closes. You have to enter through the Nyayo House entrance and they are doing security checks at the moment but its worth standing in line for!
New Exhibition Dates: July 13-November 31, 2011
Venue: Nairobi Gallery
Location: Next to Nyayo House
Time: 9am-6pm Daily
Entry: Museum Rates Apply
Kanga stories, the cloth that reveals is an exhibition on the kanga cloth, an essential aspect of the Kenya’s cultural heritage. The Kanga is an effective way to chronicle history and convey both literal and social cultural messages which sets it apart from other cloths used by our communities.
