Our May Guild meeting had the theme of "Gifting" and it reminded me of a few small quilts which I made as gifts last year and two others which were gifted to me! I undertook to make small quilts for the 3 International teachers who taught at the 2017 Festival as we always like to give our teachers a handmade gift. It was a challenge to choose a colour palette as I did not know the favourite colours of the 3 teachers, Jenny Bowker from Australia as well as Ekramy Hanafy and Hany Mahmoud, two Tentmaker teachers from Cairo, Egypt.
As time was limited, I chose to make them small mandalas as I was teaching Design a Mandala at the festival and it was the logical option for me at that stage. Choosing a palette for Jenny, was a bit easier as she shared her new kitchen with her Facebook friends (I used her lovely new tiles as colour inspiration). The 3 quilts below were individually designed and made for them and were all about 50cm x 50cm. All the motifs were fused down and raw edge applique doubled up as construction and free motion quilting method. Cords were couched onto certain sections to add texture and definition, my only regret was that I did not have enough time to add more detail... I mainly used my own brush rags fabrics combined with Bali prints, batiks, silk, commercial printed and plain cottons.
Siyadala #1 for Jenny Bowker
Siyadala # 2 for Ekramy Hanafy
Siyadala # 3 for Hany Mahmoud
We had a wonderful time at the festival with Jenny, Ekramy and Hany and our three international teachers were extremely popular with sold out classes and lectures.
Ekramy and Hany presented me with a beautiful wall quilt stitched by Hany, how absolutely special and much appreciated. The participation of the Tentmakers of Cairo in our National Quilt Festival is a memory which I will always treasure and a visit to the Khan Khayamiya
– The Market of the Tentmakers in the heart of Old Islamic Cairo is definitely on my wish list! Hopefully I will be able to twist Willem's arm for a trip up to the north of Africa sometime...!
Ekramy Hanafy, yours truly and Hany Mahmoud with my beautiful gift.
Photo taken at the Siyadala - We Create 2017 National Quilt Festival at Collegiate Girls' High School, Port Elizabeth.
To top up this lovely gift from Hany and Ekramy, I received a huge surprise at the first Guild meeting after the festival! After I thanked the festival committee and guild members for all their hard work, support and commitment, I was given a huge parcel! I had no idea what was in the parcel, but all the faces looking at me from the floor were beaming! The parcel contained a lovely quilt made especially for me from my very own brush rags fabrics! I was so gobsmacked and speechless as this was the first quilt ever made for me as a gift! I was so busy with Siyadala that I did not even pick up any sneaky business going on behind my back! Guild members were asked to make and donate blocks for this quilt. So many blocks were handed in that there were enough for both front and back for a reversible quilt! I believe the quilt was the idea of Angie Franke, the Creative Director of Siyadala. I felt so blessed as I could feel the love and goodwill from my wonderful quilting friends and co-workers.
Yours truly sitting in front of the beautiful quilt made by members of the Dias Quilters' Guild
July 2017
JENNY BOWKER:
Congratulations:
The renowned artist added another achievement to her list when she was made an officer in the Order of Australia in Monday’s Queen’s Birthday honours list, which recognises her work on Australia-Middle East cultural relations through the preservation of traditional arts.
Note:
It was through Jenny that we secured the attendance of Ekramy and Hany at the 2017 Festival! It was the first appearance of the world renowned Tentmakers of Cairo at a SA National Quilt Festival! We salute a very special lady and quilting friend!
