Kitambaa

My Newest African Collage quilt, cont'd

2012-02-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

It's sometime since I posted, but I have a good reason. Believe me! After a brief visit in Victoria at the end of January (there's a photo of Nora at the bottom of the post - isn't she great?), I headed over here to Hornby Island for a 6-week "artist's retreat". It's the first time in several years that I haven't gone to Uganda at this time of year, so I decided to use the time to hunker down and "do the work". That is, to play with my fabric. When I last posted, I had just spent a few days on Hornby, and had begun working on a new African collage quilt. I thought you might like to know what became of it. First of all, I added borders to all of the silk-screened prints - 4 different borders in all. Then I began figuring out how to put the whole thing together - decided to work in three columns. I used strips of leftover fabric for fillers and constructed two zebra-stripe and black columns to separate the different sections, and then I just sewed it all together. It still didn't look complete, though, so I constructed a strip of huts for the bottom, which helped to balance the sun on the top left and the stars on the top right. I had a lot of fun doing it,
although I couldn't seem to step away from a symmetrical setting. I've moved on to a couple of new projects, and will show you those once they're a little further along. I'm going to do my best to post once a week - think of it as a weekly report on my retreat. I am without TV and internet service (I can come to this office and use theirs if absolutely necessary). I have a cell phone but no land line. I have music and CBC radio, or just plain quiet if I want it. When I wake up in the morning I can hear the eagles in the nearby nest, and there are lots of beach or forest walks when I need a little exercise. Most of all, I'm away from my usual commitments and obligations, and can sew to my heart's content. Or read or write. Pretty wonderful. I'll let you know if I am as productive in this environment as I hope to be. I anticipate learning a lot about myself as well as progressing in my work. Until next week . . .

My Newest African Collage quilt

2012-01-09T11:14:00.000-08:00

Today my daughter Jessie and I head over to Hornby for a couple of days. She works as a masseuse at a spa in Tofino, and has a few days off. Charlie (my yellow lab) and I are happy to accompany her there, where my newest African Collage awaits me. When I get there, I have been known to sew all morning in my nightie and caftan. I'm an early riser, and love to use those hours when I'm most alert and alive, to do my designing and sewing. Some things can wait until later in the day, but not designing. I think I forgot to show you all seven of the silk-screened prints with their borders, so I've included them this time. You will remember that I added half-square triangles to two sides of two of the prints. Now I'll be deciding on borders for the other 5 prints, and then begin to think about what to use as fillers. I've also added a photo of the African fabric binding (double-fold) that I will use on this quilt. It will also be available online on our new website, for $1.50 a metre. It's the perfect way to finish off a quilt which incorporates many different African fabrics. Lastly there's my "hut quilt". I called it my "hut quilt" for so long, that I had a hard time coming up with a proper name for it when it was finished. Somehow the present title - "Home is Where Your Hut Is", just isn't quite right. What do you think about "There's No Place Like Home"? I think I like that better. And it's not too late to change it.

News from Kitambaa Designs - Bundles and Limited Edition Kits

2012-01-06T17:35:00.000-08:00

As some of you already know, a new website for Kitambaa Designs has been in the works for some time now. It will also include items for sale from the Bitengye Designers, and it will have a shopping cart! Yahoo! I thought I'd give you a sneak preview of a couple of the new items. First are our bundles - of African Fabrics, of Black and White Fabrics, of Safari-inspired fabrics, and so on. It will make it much easier for you to shop for our fabrics (other fabrics will still be available by the metre). Secondly, Kitambaa will soon be releasing a line of Limited Edition kits - all inspired by Africa. These are the result of realizing that I can't be sure that I can get a fabric I like more than once, so I'm going to design new wall-hangings and quilts that use what I already have on hand. Then when they're
all gone, they're gone, and I'll design something new. The first of the Limited Edition kits is "Home is Where Your Hut Is", and features the hut buttons available through South Africa's Incomparable Buttons. Don't you love the guinea fowl in the foreground! The pattern for this is an original design. The second Limited Edition kit is "Esther's Choice", and it's made entirely from hand-batiked fabrics made by Esther from Accra, Ghana. We met Esther last year on our way home from Uganda, and were so impressed by these fabrics. They're quite a departure for us - much more earthy colours and designs - but we think you'll enjoy them as much as we do. The pattern itself is an adaptation of a pattern by Blue Underground, which is included with the kit.A third kit is in the works, and will feature guinea fowls. All the kits will be for sale as soon as our website goes public, and I'll be sure to announce that as soon as it happens. In the meantime, save up your
sheckels so that you too will be able to order online from us. We can hardly wait! Lastly, for those of you who are also readers, I've chosen my 5 favourite reads from 2011. I love to hear what other people have read and enjoyed, so if you'd like to comment and add your own choices, they would be very welcome.

Happy New Year 2012!

2012-01-03T17:04:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year to all of you, wherever you are and whatever you're doing! Now that the January 1st marker is behind us, it's time to start sewing. When I last posted, I was making a list of completed projects from 2012. The pleasant surprise was that there were more than I thought. The next thing I did was to make a list of all my quilting goals for the coming year - everything - an unedited list. There were 39 things on that list. No wonder I sometimes feel overwhelmed! Next I narrowed it down to 9 specific goals for January. A bit easier to deal with, although still over the top for
do-ability. The first item on the list was to make a new African Collage - just because. I love piecing. I love bright colours (especially at this time of year). And I love working intuitively. First I pulled out a North American multi-coloured piece that has a very definite African feel about it. (You can see it in the first photo.) I would like to have bolts of, but with less than a yard left, I decided that now's the time to use it. After all, I could be dead and gone by next year, and then what use would it be. I used that favourite fabric in choosing my other colours - reds and golds, greens and browns, and some black and whites. Next I pulled out 7 of the
silk-screened animals I designed and printed when my South African supply ran out. On a whim, I'd printed them on a lettered fabric, and I am very pleased with how crisp and clear they are. Next I chose borders for each of the prints. Each has an inner green border, and then two other fabrics for the outer borders. Already they have so much more life! Then I began contemplating what other borders to add, and began with trusty half-square triangles on two sides of two of the prints. They're pretty bright, I know, but everyone needs some colour in their life. All of this happened when I was over at my
cabin on Hornby Island for the weekend. And now I'm home in Comox again. I've left everything over there until I return, so I'm going to have to leave you hanging off the edges of your proverbial seats before I can tell you what happens next. But stay tuned, and I'll let you know in a later post . . .

Time to Reflect

2011-12-30T08:58:00.000-08:00

The end of a year is a time when I like to think back over the last twelve months, and reflect on those things I have managed to do, and those things that still remain undone, and make a few choices about what comes next. I don't like the idea of New Year's resolutions - I'm so lousy at keeping them - but I do like to set quilt-related goals for the coming year. To begin the process, I first think about those quilts I am most pleased to have made, and these are the three that came to mind this year. The first one is called "Just for the Joy of It", because that's what it was. I made all sorts of log cabin blocks, using fabrics from my scrap box. Some had diamond shaped centres and some had door shaped centres. I kept making them and joining them to one another until the quilt seemed about the right size to snuggle under when I'm reading a good book. It has gone to live in my cabin on Hornby Island. What did I learn from making this quilt? That I am thrilled to use up little bits of leftover fabrics from projects made many years ago. Each time I reach into the pile, it's like encountering old friends. That I enjoy intuitive piecing, in which I don't really know what the
outcome will be; that it's the process of asking myself "shall I use a little of this or a little of that?", of deciding quickly, or risking not
not knowing what it will be and then being happy with the outcome. So whatever else I choose to do this year, I would like to make more
quilts like this one. The second quilt is "Encounters with Kente", a piece in which I was inspired by an original piece of Kente cloth purchased while in Ghana, in designing an original accompanying piece, while remembering the crowds and heat and colour of Ghana. I sold this piece the first time it was shown, so haven't had the opportunity to live with it, but felt so alive while I was making it - there was a "rightness" to a move in that direction - that I am now committed to making more pieces in what I now see as a series. The third quilt was finished this year, although it was started some time ago. It's called "Celestial Dance", and I've shown a close-up photo as well as one of the whole quilt. When I learned to "couch" threads in a Carol Taylor workshop, I had no idea where it would take me. I have adapted her method and made it my own, and am using the small folds of fabric cut when I am making up "fat quarters". I have made other smaller pieces using this technique, and in the coming year, plan to make other larger pieces. You will notice that I've also used it in "Encounters with Kente". So this is how far I've got so far in my end-of-year, taking-stock/listing accomplishments/setting goals for the new year process that I'm goind through. I would love to hear back from any of you who go through a similar process yourselves. And of variations in this practice. Thanks for letting me share my own.

Other Africa-Inspired Quilts

2011-12-26T17:20:00.000-08:00

I hope you have all enoyed a wonderful Christmas, full of all the good things that bring us together - especially friends, family, food. And that you have been enjoying a relaxing Boxing Day - tidying up the leftover bits of paper and ribbon, cleaning up the remaining turkey and trimmings, bringing back some sense of order to your home and life. Boxing Day is one of my favourites of the year - I indulge in reading a good book, doing a Sudoku or two, and possibly bringing out a new jigsaw puzzle to try. It's also been a day to begin thinking about what I want to work on next - which quilts I have managed to work on this year
and which quilts I hope to work on during the coming year. I thought you would enjoy seeing a few previously unposted Africa-inspired quilts, to get your own creative juices going. First is Sandy's African Collage piece - beautifully balanced, and most effective in showcasing the African art work. Next is Margaret Kelly's scrap piece, which I might have showed you before. It's been donated to the Kitambaa Sewing project, and will be quilted and bound shortly, with Opportunities to Own it being offered to you whenever it makes an appearance.The next two photos show the front and detailed quilting on
Janet Archibald's African Collage. Just gorgeous, Janet. She took the motifs from around the silk-screened animals and used them as the inspiration for the quilting designs she used in her border. And lastly are three little hut Christmas ornaments - made by the Niger quilters I introduced you to earlier this month. Perhaps they might be a fund-raiser for us for next Christmas? I also wanted to let you know that most of the money to finish Alice's new sewing school has now been raised. Christmas sales were terrific! There have also been donations of 5 new sponsorships for students to her school, and several donations of sewing machines, so that graduating students can be provided with treadles, fabric and thread as they begin their own businesses. My husband will be leaving for Uganda the day after tomorrow, and will be gone for 4 months. He is taking new "fashions" for Alice and her students to start producing, as well as some of the fabric they need for borders, new sewing machine
needles, more embroidery floss, and various other things for the Bitengye Designers. He will be seeing all of them at one time or another, so will send photos that I will then be able to pass on to you. Thank you to all of you who have continued to support this work, and who have bought items made by these remarkable women, and so have enabled them to provide for their families in all the ways we take for granted we can provide for our own families. You have truly made a difference in their lives!

Quilters in Niger, and other news

2011-12-09T16:48:00.000-08:00

Recently I received a very interesting email from Shannon - a quilter from Niger in West Africa. Her mother had purchased my It Takes a Village pattern in the US, and she sent me photos showing me a couple of ways it had been used with local fabrics, as well as telling me about the quilting going on in that part of the world. The first photo is Shannon's own design, based on an enlarged version of my African hut. Then there is 10-year old Micah, with his very own Village Quilt. And the third photo is of an auction quilt, made by Shannon's quilting group to raise money for a local school. Thanks so much for writing, Shannon, and telling us all about yourselves. It's pretty exciting to hear, and encouraging to us too.

Then there is this lovely photo of a very happy Nerissa (from the Comox Valley), the proud owner of this year's Opportunity to Own quilt. (I hope the dog is only invited onto the quilt on rare and very special occasions, Nerissa!) And the last photo is of our sweet Nora - now 5 months old and chewing on everything in sight. She's just delightful - smiling readily, gurgling and chortling, and especially happy when she is in her jolly jumper. I was able to visit her earlier this week, and to help out by looking after her for a few hours at a time. Now I am back home again resting up for their Christmas visit to us. One last note. When I posted the photo of Gladys's winning 12 X 12 quilt on my last blog, I neglected to link you to her own blog - http://www.fibresoul.blogspot,com/ - where she describes her process in making this piece. My apologies for not including that info earlier.

Water Challenge Quilts - The Group formerly known as TheTamagawa Textile Artists

2011-12-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

I returned this week from a quilting retreat at Honeymoon Bay Lodge. Eighteen of us, most of whom have been going on retreats together for the better part of 10-15 years, experienced a new venue for us, and it was a great success. Queen sized beds for all (no more bonking our heads on upper bunks), a hot tub, cosy common rooms and catered meals. It was great. There was even a massage therapist on site! It was great to see everyone, and what they were working on, and once again to vote on the challenge quilts. This time the theme was water/the coast, and it was interpreted in a number of
different ways. I'm only able to show you a few of them here. Some were in a 12" X 12" format, while others grew to be the size they wanted to be. We had winners in both categories - Gladys Love's in the "12 X 12 category" - its the last shown here, and incorporates a slice of stone from the Lower Mainland. Just gorgeous! And in the "Other size" category, the winner was Carol Seeley's polar bears. Her hand applique is exquisite, and the theme of polar bears who are becoming homeless as the polar ice cap melts, is beautifully portrayed. I feel so fortunate to be amongst these friends - such a creative group - twice
a year. Nothing like the creative energy that abounds at such a gathering.

Pumpkin Seed Quilters and Boundary Bay Quilters

2011-11-24T17:42:00.000-08:00

To continue where I left off - my week of travels began with two most enjoyable events. First, there was the Pumpkin Seed Quilters Show and Sale. This is a group of quilters whose purpose is solely to make charity quilts. This year saw them making more than 500, which are then distributed to several worthwhile causes. I was invited to attend with my Bitengye items, in which there was lots of interest (see the two happy shoppers, picking up Alice bags for their two daughters).

Then it was off to Tsawwassen, where I taught a one-day Ferns and Flowers class. So many colourful quilts were in process by the end of the class. I can't wait to see them finished! And now I'm home again for the rest of the year, and nearly giddy with all the possibilities dancing through my head. I just had a few days on my own on Hornby Island, playing with fabric and reading, walking down to the beach with our dog. But I forgot to take a sketch book with me, and could hardly sleep last night, thinking about what I might make next and getting home to write them down before they depart like fairy dust. It was storming like mad - a true south-easterly - in fact I think I was on the last ferry off Hornby before they shut down the ferries - but it felt like a sunny day in Mexico to me.

Fall Visits to Vancouver and Victoria

2011-11-19T07:55:00.000-08:00

After a week of travelling, I'm happy to be back home again, and ready to work on all those things that were put on hold while I was busy teaching. One thing that couldn't be put off during the fall, though, was Nora's quilt. And I came home via Victoria so that I could deliver it to her in person, and have a little visit at the same time. I think she liked the pink bunnies, as she was already dressed in coordinating clothes. At four months now, you can see that she's thriving - a happy baby, giggling away as her father (Ben) tickles her tummy. I also managed to fit in a visit to one of my daughters - Emily - and we had a delicious time walking through the leaves that were covering the ground - red and green mixed together - the aftermath of the previous day's storm. Another highlight was discovering a new fabric store - A Spool of Thread - at Fraser and 15th. It's actually called a Sewing Lounge, and is high and open and well lit, and full of bolts of modern fabrics as well as solids (which was what I was looking for). An inviting gathering place for young people to learn how to sew, with a full slate of classes on how to make pajama bottoms, or
pillow slips or bags. It was refreshing to see young people engaged in these activities, and made me feel as though the baton has been passed to the next generation.

Alice Bags at Aspen Park School

2011-11-10T17:12:00.001-08:00

Sarah, Gabby and Max are three Grade 6 students at Aspen Park School who, along with their class, are looking for ways to make a difference. They're learning about the world community, as well as the local community, and already proving the old addage that even one person can make a positive difference in the lives of others. Just over two weeks ago, I was invited to speak to this class about the work I do with the Bitengye Designers in Uganda. I showed them photos of the women at work, and shared their stories, ending by showing them some of the crafts the women make in order to provide for their families. Well, Gabby and Sarah, with their teacher's encouragement, went to other classes in the school, telling them what they'd learned, and particularly about the bags I've been selling to raise money to build Alice a new sewing school. They took orders from anyone who wanted to buy a bag, and took my breath away when I heard they'd raised over $800 in Alice bag sales - enough for her to buy many of the supplies she needs to finish the interior of her school. Today we delivered the bags, and other items, to the school. And cleaned us out of Alice bags
almost entirely!!! A most happy event. Many of the bags were purchased as gifts for family members, and others will become their school bags. Sarah and several others have been using Alice bags in just this way for sometime, and it seems it's become a bit of a fashion statement within the school. And what a difference it will make to Alice! And what a wonderful thing for these young people to have done. Next on the agenda, I understand, is a presentation Sarah, Gabby and Alex will be making at one of the local high schools. Congratulations to all of you!

2011-11-07T19:56:00.000-08:00

Collaging with the Blue Mountain Quilters

2011-11-07T11:38:00.001-08:00

I'm just home from teaching another class of African Collage - still one of my all-time favourites. This time I was with the Blue Mountain Quilters in Port Coquitlam. I was thrilled to see the amazingly different quilts develop, and to witness the creativity of each and every person in the class. They all started with the same fabrics, more or less, but tackled the questions of how to bring balance to the different design elements in their work, of deciding what "worked" and what didn't, in their own personal ways. For some, the process of designing their own quilts was quite new, but they
were all enthusiastic, and I can't wait
to see photos of the individual wall-hangings when they are finished. In the top photo, Brenda and Gail are deciding where best their pieced borders might fit, and in the next, Janet and Mary Ann are figuring out how to put an unconventional top on Mary Ann's piece. Works in progress by Carol, Brigitte and Louise are also pictured. All in all, it was a great weekend, complete with a Trunk Show and an evening dinner at the home of the President (Louise) I'd like to thank you all for being so welcoming. It really was a treat to spend the weekend with you.

A New Shipment from the Bitengye Designers

2011-10-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

Just before I left for Canmore and Calgary, a new shipment of goods made by the Bitengye Designers arrived. This is always exciting. We unpack the large posho (cornmeal) sacks in which they come, and look to see who made what, and to exclaim over colours and fabrics and the women's craftmanship. We check off the order against Athens carefully listed inventory, and then begin taking them out to various sales. This being the season for Christmas sales, is our busiest time of year. We were delighted to receive cosmetic bags (we'd sold out of these), paper bead necklaces and beaded bracelets, as well as being able to replenish supplies of Alice bags in two different sizes. Trudy Thorne continues to be the one looking after all this inventory, and re-orders items from Athens whenever the stock is getting low. Athens then contacts Alice with the order, and Alice divies up the work amongst all the Bitengye members. You can also see that lots of paper bead necklaces and bracelets arrived in this same shipment, and soon - very soon - we will have the new and improved Kitambaa and Bitengye website up and running, so that you will be able to
order these items directly from the web, using paypal, if you're not close enough to attend one of the sales where these products will be sold. The great thing in all of this is how well all the women are doing, that the order system we set up is now working well, and that we're able to communicate with Alice via emails to Athens during the year, as well as when we travel to Uganda. Thanks again to all of you who support this project. Nothing would have been possible without all of you.

Time Flies . . .

2011-10-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

What have I been doing lately? Something I've never done before - taking an online class through Quilt University. The class was called Working in a Series, and it was instructed by Elizabeth Barton. What I hadn't reckoned on, was how totally absorbing it would be. I've posted a few photos of the sketches I made in class, which give you a hint of where I'm headed, but are only the beginning. Elizabeth gave us so much material to work with, referred us to many artists (quilt artists and other artists) who work in series, and I haven't quite finished it even now. Life intervened too, of course - visits to Nora and her parents in Victoria, the FAN (Fibre Art Network) retreat in Naramata, BC, teaching on Mayne Island and again in Canmore and Calgary this coming weekend. You know how it happens. I feel I learned so much and am looking forward to working with what I learned for weeks to come. More on that later. I'm also reading a book on creativity that recommended to me - Fearless Creating, by Eric Maisel - and there is lots of meat in this as well. Fall always seem to be a time of re-evaluating for me, this year as much as any. For
those of you who receive Robert Genn's Newsletter, you have already read a profound quote from Steve Jobs of Apple fame. But I think it bears repeating here: "Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important." And "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the
noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your own heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

A Visit to Mt. Vernon, Washington

2011-09-17T10:07:00.001-07:00

Last weekend saw me in Mt. Vernon, Washington, where I was the guest speaker at a meeting of the Northwest Quilters Connection (NQC). This is a group of quilters from BC and Washington. I was to give them an update on the Bitengye Designers, the group of women I teach sewing and quilting to, in Uganda. My car was full of their samples - everything from jewellery pouches to quilts. Well, sadly it was my turn to get stopped at the border. After more than an hour, I was told that while I was welcome in the US, my samples were not. I phoned Arlene in a panic - she's one of the organizers of the group, on the Canadian side of the border.
Thankfully she had not left home yet, and I was able to drive up to her place, drop off all the Bitengye items, and drive back down to Mt. Vernon with my Powerpoint presentation. I had the great pleasure of staying with Patty and Bill Mitchell in Bellingham, and that's where these photos are from. Patty has ventured into various ways of quilting, and these are just three examples of her work. I am particularly drawn to "The Corn Maidens", the second very graphic quilt made up in the colours of the Southwest. There are elements in this that look almost African. Thanks for letting me post these, Patty, as well as calming me down after my border-encounter. The last photo is of Nora, now two months old. I managed to route my return to Vancouver Island via Victoria, so I could fit in a quick visit to her (and her parents too, of course). She's smiling and starting to coo when you sing to her, and beautifully healthy. (I'm not sure I should be using the blog for family photos, but I heard from a little birdie that there was someone in particular from southern Ontario, who wondered why there hadn't been more pictures of Nora. I'm more than
happy to post them from time to time.)

More From APWQ

2011-09-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the APWQ juried entries that particularly caught my eye. This first one is called Mitchell's Awesome Mexican Adventure, and was made by Faith McLeod from Delta BC. I love the way it captures the sense of the wind, the sun, and the colour of the parrots. It has a lovely border treatment too, as well as being marvellously quilted. Next is Barb Shapel,s heron quilt (I forget the exact title of this, unfortunately). The quilting was exquisite, but the composition itself was so also compelling. Without that red tree in the background, and the vertical shading in the fabric, the quilting itself would not have been so successfully
supported. The applique quilt pictured was in a class
of its own,
and again, I have come away without writing down the name of the maker (can anyone out there help me with this?). It wasn't a prize winner, but was so exhuberant, so representative of the Hawaiian flowers the artist recalled in making it. The final photo is called Natural Wonders, and was made by Kathy McNeil from Tulalip, Washington. The close-up gives you some idea of the attention that has been given to detail included in this work.Everything is so realistic, and her use of value is so masterful, that you almost feel you are there. One of the things that surprised me about many of the entries in the APWQ, was how densely machine quilted many of them were. There were many instances in which this supported the quilt, but sometimes I felt that it was overdone, and overwhelmed the quilting. However even in the traditional category, the extent of the hand quilting blew me away.

APWQ - In Living Colour

2011-09-06T18:26:00.000-07:00

Oh my word - how can it possibly be September 6th already? The days have been gloriously sunny of late, but summer was so late coming this year that I'm not quite ready to see it go yet. But the days we're enjoying now are golden, for sure, perhaps because we know they won't last that much longer. So to catch up - what happened to August? What were the highlights? One of them has to be attending the APWQ (Association of Pacific West Quilters) Quilt Show at their new venue in Tacoma, Washington. It was fabulous! The calibre of quilts was unbelievably high, and could be quite daunting. I had entered by quilt, "There's an Elephant in My Garden", and was honoured just to have been juried in, especially when I saw the competition. The quilt photos I'm blogging about today were part of one of APWQ's Special Exhibits - In Living Colour, just one small part of the exhibition. The first piece was made by Cher Cartright from White Rock. I was really drawn to this explosion of colour, radiating out from a circle that appears to be spinning with life. Next is Janet Steadman's piece - recognizable for her piecing in solid colurs - more subtle tones, but
just as dynamic as Cher's piece. Then comes the full-to-overflowing
overflowing entry from Kathryn Botsford from Campbell River. I think I only managed to take in a fragment of the detail in this layered and heavily embellished work. Lisa Jennie's palm leaves were a different interpretation of the theme again - magnificent - such a celebration of the colour green. You could almost hear the breeze chattering overhead, and imagine a sea of blue a few steps from you when you looked at it. The last piece is made by Lorraine Torrence, whose designs I have long admired. The justaposition of the greys and the bright saturated colours is so pleasing. I believe that this collection of quilts is soon to be auctioned as a fund raiser for the APWQ, and I will be sure to let you know when I hear the specifics of that as soon as I hear them. And I'll post more from the quilt show in the days to come. And if you think you will be travelling anywhere near Tacoma/Seattle the 4th weekend in August next year, I would highly recommend you attending this show. It truly showcases the best of the best from Western Canada, and the Western US, now including more states, provinces and territories than ever.

Hornby Island Community Quilt

2011-08-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

Every year, the quilters of Hornby Island are asked to make a block for their community quilt. There is an overall theme - this year it was Hornby Island trees - and some of the fabrics are provided, so that it has a cohesive look to it. It hangs outside the co-op under a cedar shelter, and raffle tickets are swift every year. The beneficiaries change each year, but it goes to a Hornby Island recipient. Things like the new medical clinic, and the program to neuter and limit the numbers of feral cats on the island. The blocks are exquisite in their own right, and I felt sure you would enjoy seeing close-ups of some of them. Marg Bennett, Gayle Lobban, and Eleanora Laffin are the creators of three of these gems. The fourth quilter is not known to me. Wouldn't you love to have this hanging on the wall of your home or cabin? Just in case you're wondering why you've been hearing so much about Hornby lately, it's because after five years of owning a small piece of land here, and almost fifteen years of coming here regularly on holidays, we have just built a cabin here, complete with a sewing loft. It is such a gift to come here - so quiet and peaceful and
soul-restoring. And there's a wonderful group of quilters, as well as many other artists on the island, so I feel very much at "home".

More of the Hornby Island Quilt Show

2011-08-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more photos from the Hornby Island quilt show. Such delicious quilts - wonderful to see them all hanging around the garden. Made me want to rush home and begin to sew strips together!

Hornby Island Quilt Show

2011-08-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

On the August long weekend, I participated in the Hornby Island Quilt Show. Held at the farm of Eleanora and Heinz Laffin, it is a super outdoor event, showcasing the quilts made by members of the Hornby Island quilters since they last had a show (2 years ago, in this case). Quilts were hung on the sides of the farm house, on the walls of the guest cabin, under the apple trees, even on the outhouse. I was invited to bring items made by the Bitengye Designers, and had my own little corner between a double swing and the workshed. As in previous years, the sun chose to shine, and it was well visited by residents of and visitors to Hornby Island. The
day ended with pizza from the Cardboard Bakery for all the quilters and invited guests. I was thrilled when Nora and her parents (and my husband David) arrived just as things were winding up. I'll have more photos from this event and from Hornby on my next post.

The Arrival of Nora Moore

2011-07-21T16:57:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have wondered where I've been the last little while. Those of you who are already grandmothers will understand. I am quite besotted with my new and first grandbaby - Nora Moore. She arrived on July 12th, after a long labour, but both Mom (Emily) and babe are doing well. She weighed in at 8 lb. 5 oz., and 21 1/2" long, has lots of dark hair, long fingers and feet, and is a mellow baby. I've just had the treat of spending time down in Victoria where Nora and her parents live. Lots of time to hold this little bundle, as well as to help out with household responsibilities. It is quite something to see one's own child become a parent, to see such tenderness and in-love-ness with their new infant. I find I am just a little pre-occupied these days, wondering how they're doing, how Nora has changed. The great thing is that they live down island from us, about 2 1/2 hours away - not so long to drive when there is such a lovely bundle awaiting one at the other end. Quilting has taken a bit of a back seat for now, but I think you'll understand why!

Ruth McDowell Workshop

2011-06-29T16:26:00.000-07:00

I have just returned from Kalispell, Montana, where I took a week-long workshop with Ruth McDowell. This was my second workshop with her, and even more enjoyable than the first. Perhaps because I had a little more confidence going in to it. Ruth is such a generous and relaxed teacher, spending lots of time circulating around the classroom, and seeming to have unending patience in demonstrating the finer points of line drawings and section definition - the preparation that takes place before the quilts are pieced. We all started with a photo of our subject matter - everything from flowers to old family
photographs to landscapes. We began by making a tracing of the photograph, and then simplified this into lines and sections. Once that was completed - no quick and easy thing to do - we moved on to making fabric selections. While one person had her quilt top together by the end of the five days, most of us were still choosing fabrics, and some decided to do a second line drawing, rather than start sewing in the workshop. One thing I've learned about myself, is that I am a piecer. While I have dabbled in and quite enjoy many other methods of construction, it is piecing that I find most deeply satisfying. My goal in taking the workshop again, was to see if I enjoyed it as much this time as I did the first time (I did!), and then to commit myself to working in this method as much as possible over the next year. At the end of this time, I will evaluate how much I want to use Ruth's method in my ongoing work. I am so admiring of the flowers represented by people like Linda, the whimsical quilts, like Bonnie's Volkswagons, and the family photos interpreted in fabric, like Becky's piece. But the real draw for me is to landscapes,
particularly west coast landscapes. For now, I'll finish up the Yorkshire scene I worked on this time, and see where it leads me.

Whistler Quilt Show

2011-06-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I put on my vendor's hat, and headed up the Sea to Sky highway to Whistler for their quilt show. It was terrific to see so many people I had met teaching at other spots along the coast, and even to see old friends from spots in the interior of BC. So much so that I've decided Kitambaa won't give up on doing show altogether, but choose two or three shows a year to attend, just to let everyone know that we're still alive and well, with new African fabrics coming all the time. Of course it was also fun to see the quilts on display. The first one - Over by the Pond, made by Rhonda Harvey - won the ribbon for Viewer's Choice. It really was marvellous.
Next is a quilt that is part of a travelling exhibit of quilts made by the Fabricators - a group of art quilters from the Okanagan. I felt drawn in and down the path by the view captured in Pacific Vista, made by Evelyn Schmaltz. Sabrina Perfitt is the quilter who made the next quilt - Random Squares - to give to good friends of hers. I like the simplicity of it, and its controlled randomness. Paula Bohan's 1930's Scrap Zigzag was also very pleasing. I couldn't help but wonder what it would look like made up with African fabrics. And then there was this amazing hooked Hit and Miss rug, made by Nairn Stewart, as part of a display of other handwork done in Whistler. I haven't space to show everything, but I was thrilled to see the Africa-inspired corner of the show, and an amazing display of antique quilts too. All in all a most enjoyable weekend. And now I'm packing up for a workshop with Ruth McDowell in Kalispell, Montana. I am so thrilled that I'm able to take another class with her, as I've admired a work for a very long time. And at heart, I'm a piecer, so her construction process fits very well with my preferred way of working. But can I learn the design process well enough to use it in my own work? That will be the challenge.

More Quilts from Czar

2011-06-14T20:34:00.000-07:00

There were so many great quilts underway by the time I left Czar, that I thought you'd enjoy seeing a few more. All designing happens on the floor in Czar, so first there's Laura showing us her "work in progress". Then there are quilts from four other members, the last of whom is Dianne. She just sent me a photo of her completed quilt top, and I think it's just terrific. The one before that is Anita's. The other two? I'm hoping that the two of you will remind me of your names. I am utterly hopeless at remembering the names of everyone in any given class, although as soon as I see the fabrics, I can see your face and imagine exactly where you were sitting. This must say something about my priorities!

African Collage in Czar, Alberta

2011-06-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

I have just returned home from a wonderful teaching trip to Czar, Alberta. Where is this you ask? Well, it's 2 1/2 hours drive southeast of Edmonton - a town of 200 with a Quilters' Guild that draws members from all sorts of nearby rural communities. This 75-member Guild was celebrating their 10th anniversary, and I was fortunate enough to be invited there for this event. I can't tell you how impressed I was with these women, most of whom are traditional quilters, but wanted to try something a little different. They opted for my African Collage class, and each and every one of them created thier own unique wallhanging. I'd like to introduce you to just a few of them in this post, with more to follow in a day or two. First is Vicki. She had to prepare breakfast and lunch for the men on the ranch, who were branding cattle this weekend, before coming to class and designing this beautifully balanced and colourful piece. Next shown is Elaine, who added touches of blue to the warm fabrics provided in her class kit. Just the right touch to cause the eye to travel around her collage, and totally unlike anything she'd
made before. Carole used a deep blue and rust colour combination, to set off her batiked and silk-screened animals and people. The beads she's auditioning are the final touch. Ann went from saying that she wasn't sure what she was doing, to adding a row of squares on point in just the right colours to bring all the elements of her piece together. And lastly there's Miriam's work, with the unexpected addition of blocks from another quilt entirely, a curved pieced border, and a village scene in which rounded roofs of the huts echo that curved border. I am always amazed in this class, how individual each wallhanging is, how the personality of each person comes through. Apart from being a brave group of quilters, willing to try something quite new to them, they're also a phenomenally strong group of women. No matter what's going on in their lives, as many as can make it meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month in the Czar Hall. Once a year, on the weekend before Halloween, they have a quilt show, which draws people from as far away as Moose Jaw and Red Deer and Edmonton. And there's an annual sleepover at the
hall, and an annual bus trip, although now that they're up to 75 members, it's harder to do that. And then there's the food - home made soups and salads and desserts to die for. I was introduced to Saskatoon berry crumble, and will remember what a treat that was for a long time to come. So thank you to all of you in Czar and surrounding communities. You gave me such a warm welcome. I hope our paths cross again one day. And for any of you who might be travelling through that part of the country at the end of October this year, be sure to stop in and enjoy their quilt show, which is a much-anticipated event for the whole community every year. You'll be in for a treat.

Silk-Screen Printing

2011-05-30T19:30:00.000-07:00

Today Joan and I enjoyed a terrific "play day", even though it was a "work day". On the weekend, our friend Eileen Neill came up to Comox, and gave us some excellent instruction in silk screening. She'd made the screens from the drawings of African animals I had done, using a Thermofax machine. (The lino prints we used to be able to import from South Africa are no longer available to us, so we thought it was time we started to make our own.) Today we put her instruction into practice, and made somewhere between 80 and 90 prints.

The first thing you have to do, is to mix up the base with the pigment - in this case black. You position the fabric right side up on a slightly padded print surface, and then you spoon the black goop - it's consistency reminded me of honey - onto one end of the screen but inside the frame, using just enough to cover the screen area.

Then, using a bowl scraper or any other suitable spreader, you carefully pull the paint mixture across the screen at a bit of an angle. The trick is to exert equal pressure at all points on the screen so that the print comes out with even printing. (We got better at this bit as the day progressed.)

The screen is carefully lifted and then voila - the print is visible. After lying it flat and letting it dry, it is heat-set with an iron, and ready to trim and to use in any way your imagination suggests.

This shows you just a portion of the prints we made today, lying out on the cutting table to dry. The ironing and trimming will happen tomorrow. We were thrilled with how smoothly the printing went, and are already imagining ways that we can incorporate the prints into our work. At the end of this week some of them will be travelling with me to Czar, Alberta, where I'll be teaching my African Collage workshop. The weekend after that we'll be in Whistler for their quilt show, where Kitambaa will be a vendor, and have sets of all 7 animals for sale. Of course, they'll be available by mail too. Just send me an email if you'd like more information.

Africa-Inspired Quilts

2011-05-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

One of the lovely things that frequently happens, as part of my life as a quilter and quilt teacher, is the arrival of photos of African-inspired (or Art Deco-inspired) quilts made by students and/or other quilters. Here are just a few recent pics. The first two are made by Margot Calvert from the Fraser Valley Quilt Guild in the Fraser Valley. Her rendition of African Sunshine is just terrific. Such a mixture of different and often unexpected fabrics. My eye travels around it, Surprising the viewer, using the unlikely, adds such richness to a quilt like this. I love the quilting lines too, how they give the whole piece such movement. Her second quilt is made from a Carol Piercy pattern. Again it's the choice of fabrics, and particularly the outer bordering fabric, that makes it so appealing. That may be one of the things that draws people to quiltering - that even if two quilts are made using the same pattern, each one is unique as each person chooses different fabrics to work with.

The next quilt is made by Joanne Colleaux from Kamloops. What's interesting in this African collage, besides the observation that many different elements can be successfully incorporated into one piece as long as there are unifying borders and fabrics in the rest of the work, is what a difference it made when Joanne added the outside border. She knew she wasn't finished with it yet, and wasn't truly happy until she added the piano key border around the entire outer edge. Ahhh! Perfect. Thanks to both of you for sharing.

Being Part of a Creative Community

2011-05-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking back on the retreat I participated in, in early April, and find myself full of thankfulness that I am part of such a creative community. Some of us have known each other for fifteen or more years; others in the group are relative newcomers. But the thing we share, the thing that connects us, is our creativity. Some would call themselves artists, others would say they were quilters, but perhaps it's most true to say we're all ready to try just about anything that allows us to express ourselves in the work we do. There are informal teaching sessions that take place over the three days on which we meet, but another highlight of our time together is always "Show and Tell". I thought I'd share just a little from this spring with you. First is Dale MacEwan's collage of Market Square in Victoria. Constructed of her own photos, it captures the rich character of this part of town. Next is Hennie Aikman, with her bamboo piece. She tried out Anna Buzzalino's method of quilting fabric first (written up in a recent issue of Quilting Arts), then painting or silk-screening the surface.

Yvonne Turner's salmon is mounted on mosquito netting and a driftwood embellished wooden frame.
Carol Seeley spends a large part of each summer boating with her husband, and has become known for her hand appliqued landscape pieces. The last photo is of an African crazy quilt adaption that Trudy Thorne made for herself out of scraps left from her hours of cutting fabrics for Kitambaa Designs. This is just a small taste of the work being done by some of my creative friends in this part of the world. I am so admiring of each of them. You can see why I consider myself so fortunate. When we get together, the energy is almost palpable, the ideas flow, the possibilities are endless. I consider myself rich indeed to be part of such a community.

The Glories of Spring

2011-05-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

Spring seems to have arrived late everywhere in Canada this year, including the West Coast. As a result, the blossoms were even more welcome than usual when they opened. Of all the spring flowers, I think daffodils have to be my favourite. Such happy faces, so full of sunshine. The pictures I've included here were taken on Hornby Island just before I headed off to Yellowknife. What a contrast with my last post from NWT! And yet each place, each season, is spectacularly beautiful in its own way.

This spring has also seen me completing pieces for several shows. Pictured here is "Encounters with Kente", made for the Fibre Art Network's Pathways exhibit at Spencer Gallery in London, Ontario, being held concurrently with Quilt Ontario. I drew my inspiration from the Kente cloth I had seen being made and purchased while in Ghana, and from the paintings of Ablade Glover. I decided to include a piece of real Kente on the front, to honour it, and then made a companion piece to the Kente, hanging on the right of it. The shapes in the Kente have become body shapes in my piece. The background for the people is made from couched African strips of fabrics on yellow. The bottom of the piece is made of more African thin strips beaded with Ghanaian glass beads. I so enjoyed making this piece, and have plans for more work inspired by African textiles. A series, perhaps.

More about Yellowknife

2011-04-28T11:37:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I enjoyed most about Yellowknife, after the people of course, was the bright blue skies and the brilliant light. The landscape reminded me very much of northern Ontario. This was the view from the apartment where I stayed for the week. Can you see the brightly coloured boathouses out on Great Slave Lake? And the car on the ice highway, which was still open while I was there? Another highlight was going to Bullock's Bistro for dinner. Here we I am with new friends Hazel, Shona (from Inuvik), Brenda and Donna. We're waiting patiently while the day's catch - arctic char and
pickeral - is cooked up for us. That's what you have for supper - whatever has been caught fresh that day. On my last day in YK, I was able to take more photos - of trees (I can never get enough of them, especially the bare branch variety), of ravens (they're absolutely huge!), more photos of colourful boat houses, and one last one of me, proving that I've actually been to this Canadian treasure. I was made to feel so at home, and think I understand a little better now why people stay so long (some, for the rest of their lives). My hope is that I will make it back again before too long, maybe in the summer
time, which would make it possible to explore some of the lakes and do a little canoeing. Until then, thank you all you Yellowknifers, for a terrific visit.

Teaching in Yellowknife

2011-04-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

I am just coming to the end of a delightful week in Yellowknife. The quilters here are terrific, and jumped right into making their own African Collage quilts. These shots give you a glimpse of works in progress, and in a few cases, of finished wallhangings. Donna plunged right in and in painting the white African figures green, yellow and orange, added her own unique spin to the fabrics provided. Julia's piece grew bigger and bigger over the two days. Not only did she have her own collection of African fabrics to add to the piece, but she also included unusual fabrics, such as Dupioni silk and satin. Next pictures is Diana, who hit a bit of a wall in her construction progress at the end of the class, but reappeared two days later with it all together, having found that working at home was just what she needed to push through that temporary barrier. Pat came with her finished wallhanging on that same day, having added guinea fowl and beads, borders and binding. Her quilt was even labelled already! And lastly is Hazel with her quilt, just about ready for her to add the finishing touches. I so enjoyed spending time with these quilters. And what a treat
to be able to visit Yellowknife for the first time in my life. Yes, there's ice and snow, but also brilliant sunshine most days, and rocky, granite outcroppings topped with trees, which are reminiscent for me of many places I visited while I was growing up. And the welcome and warmth (of a different kind) that I've been shown here has been wonderful.

Tamagawa Textile Artists

2011-04-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

Twice a year for the past several years, I have been fortunate enough to be part of a gathering of textile artists at Tamagawa University Campus near Nanaimo. For three wonderful days, we have been able to do our own work while being totally free of interruptions and responsibilities. We have had the opportunity to share learning and share our lives. There's always lots of laughter, and I always return home newly energized, and counting myself rich in having so many creative women in my life. This spring was our last time at this particular venue, but I am certain we will find a way to continue our retreats somewhere else. We always have a challenge of some sort, and this year the theme was "trees". The photos of the entries this spring give you a small glimpse into the diversity of talents and the skill of some of the members of this group. Some of the pieces fit a suggested 12" X 12" format, but there were just as many members that chose to work to a different size. The first piece, made by Diane Boyko, was voted #1 in the 12" X 12" size, while Paulette's Arbutus Bark (second to last on this post) was voted #1 in the alternate size group. Other
stunning entries were made by Gladys Love (2nd photograph), Dale MacEwan (3rd photograph), and Hennie Aikman (last photograph). Our theme for the next time we meet is "ocean". I'm going to try not to leave it until the very last minute to get my piece done this time, but don't have a very good track record in this regard! And that's putting it mildly. I may even go back to the trees theme of the last challenge - so many unfulfilled ideas still dancing around my head. We'll see . . .

A Visit to Calgary

2011-04-05T15:14:00.000-07:00

I've just arrived home from a week in Calgary, where I was warmly welcomed by both the Piecemakers Quilt Guild and the Quilted Mouse Guild. The classes were a lot of fun, filled as they were with very creative people. I thought you would enjoy seeing some works in progress from the Ferns and Flowers class. I love the way every quilt is different, even though everyone starts off with the same templates. It just confirms that we each have our own sense of design and of colour. What a pleasure it is seeing these emerge!

I'm looking forward to seeing these again when they're finished, when the borders and quilting have been added. In the meantime each of their compositions will add a little spring to their lives, until the real thing arrives. I even experienced a snow storm while I was in Calgary, and they tell me it may not be the last one of the season yet. A big thank you to all of you for four great classes!

Jean Ray Laury

2011-03-14T19:51:00.001-07:00

On March 1st, at the age of 82, Jean Ray Laury died. The world, and in particular the quilting world, is a richer place for her. Back in the 60's, when there were only 3 or 4 books on quilting in print, she published Quilts and Coverlets. My Mum had a copy of that book, and it was my first exposure to non-traditional quilts. But the book that caused me to add her to my personal list of mentors, was The Creative Woman's Getting-It-Together Handbook. I've read that book from cover to cover several times, and am struck by how many of the insights she offers in it are just are pertinent today as they were when the book was written. My personal favourite? Whatever you do (whatever you make),
do it with passion. Do it because you care about the person for whom you are making it, or because you're crazy about the colours, or because it's an issue you're passionate about. Don't waste your time on mediocrity, on the lukewarm. Life is too short for that. (This is quoted from memory, so not an exact quotation, but you can get the gist of it.) It's advice I've taken to heart ever since. Back in the mid 1980's, I was fortunate enough to take a class with Jean at Banff - Applique with Simple Shapes. Tom's quilt, pictured here, had huge appeal for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed being in her class, as much for who she was as for what I learned. Jean had a terrific sense of humour, as well as strong political statements to make, and often her quilts embodied both. The Listen to Your Mother quilt illustrates that. But my fondest memory of her is the story of Jack and the Beanstalk that she gave as the Guest Speaker at Banff. She talked about planting the seed you've been given - the bean being a metaphor for creativity. Because if you don't plant it, if you don't tend to it properly, it won't grow. At the end of the lecture, she gave every participant there a hand-painted bean, to remind each of us to plant, to use, to take care of, our
own creativity. My original bean was chewed up by a toddler who was resident in my home at that time (he shall remain nameless), but when I was going through my mother's belongings in preparation for a move to a facility some thirty years later, I found my mother's hand-painted bean, tucked away in a tiny wooden holder. I have kept it ever since. A great reminder of a great lady. You will be missed, Jean, but not forgotten.

Ablade Glover and Ghana's No. 1 Taxi Driver

2011-03-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

An artist who has been extremely influential in Ghana's art world is Ablade Glover. He had a special exhibit showing at the Artists' Alliance in Accra when we visited it, and the multitudinous splashes of bright colour are evocative of Ghanaian markets and crowds, so much so that you can almost feel the heat and the press of bodies going on around you when you look at the paintings. Or hear people calling out to one another, or small confrontations as negotiations on pricing take place. Everything is so fluid - always something new going on around you or coming towards you or up above you or down at pavement level. With simple lines and shapes and colours, the paintings achieve something that words alone can't convey. The two paintings shown here just give you a taste of his work. The man photographed below, however, is not Ablade Glover, but Harry Jo, Ghana's No. 1 taxi driver. He reliably took us everywhere we wanted to go during our week in Accra. His English was good and his sense of humour even better. So if you're ever going to
Ghana, give me a call, and I'll give you his phone number! (I promised him I would publish his photo and give you all this information!!!)

Victoria and Albert Textiles

2011-03-07T07:02:00.000-08:00

In the textile area of the V & A, rows and rows of framed textiles, dating back to the 13th century and before, are housed in banks of shelves. They're made to take out and study, and desks run alongside the shelves, so that they can be removed and sketched. Here you can see Joan pulling out one of the samples. The remaining photos are some of the textiles I photographed, being careful to get the information as well as the inspiration, as seen on the last sample. I could have spent a week there. Sadly, we were told that on March 1st of this year, this department is being closed, and will be moved to another venue. It will be 2 to 3 years before it will be open to the public once more. So we count ourselves very fortunate indeed that we were able to spend time there again this year. You might just see a version of that tree of life in my own work before too long!

Sketching the Masters - A Time-Honoured Tradition

2011-03-03T09:39:00.000-08:00

On our way home from Ghana and Uganda, Joan and I stopped in London for a couple of nights. As on past journeys, we made a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum our first priority. This marvellous museum was the first of its kind in the world - built to showcase and for the study of design. Students of design, both formal and informal, go to the museum to sketch the masters, in fields as diverse as architecture, sculpture, ironwork and textiles, to name just a few. Most come equipped with their own sketchpads, but more are available in the gift shop if you come without one. Many come with collapsible stools on which to sit while they sketch. Then there is their book store, with books on everything from fashion design to furniture design. For those of you who have never had the opportunity to visit the V & A, this will give you some idea why we like to return there so often. Sometimes in these days of concern over copyright, particularly in quilting circles, it is forgotten that this method of studying the work of the masters is time-honoured and incredibly valuable, in honing one's own sense of design. So
much can be learned this way, about one's preferences for line and shape, texture and colour. The art in it comes from putting all that learning together with skill and practice and experience in learning a variety of techniques, to create one's own work.

Quilts made by Judy Morningstar

2011-02-28T09:09:00.001-08:00

I have long been a fan of quilts made by Manitoba's Judy Morningstar. I was first introduced to her colourful creations while reading an early 80's issue of Quilters' Newsletter Magazine. Since then I have had the treat of seeing several more, as well as meeting Judy some years ago. I'd like to share a few of them here with you. The wall-hanging was made a couple of years ago, and features tiny screen printed batiks enclosed in wonky African huts. The "poverty piecing" she has used as her background works so well with the wonky huts. The two bed quilts were made more recently, and combine African impala fabric with other fabrics,
so that the impalas are shown to best advantage. I love the sun in the centre of the first quilt, and the red and orange bordered blocks. (The blocks themselves were actually made by Sheilla of the Bitengye Designers, and never made it into the tablecloth for which they were intended. Judy purchased these scrappy wonders from me, and in her inimitable way, incorporated them into the quilt. What a creative imagination she has!) Both of Judy's bed quilts were made on commission, for two children whose lives must be enlivened by such beautiful additions to their bedrooms. Many of you will remember a photo I previously posted, Judy's rendition of the Bitengye Designers. It's
fantastic. After the mid-March Victoria event which showcases the entire collection of quilts made by the North Island Quilters for Community Awareness, to raise funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation, some very fortunate person will be hanging that particular quilt in their own home.

Where we were Two Weeks ago

2011-02-24T18:14:00.000-08:00

What a difference two weeks can make!! Two weeks ago we were half a world away, moving slowly in almost 100 degree weather and high, high humidity, in order to meet some of Ghana's Kente weavers, and to learn more about how Kente is made. In the first photograph, Eric Boateng sits at his loom in the craft market in Accra. Kente weaving is something done primarily done by men, and traditionally the craft is handed down from father to son. The bright strips you can see behind Eric are examples of Ashanti weaving. The strips are sewn together to make larger pieces of cloth, traditionally worn for important ceremonies. The other weaver we visited is Bob Dennis, who has made it his life work to keep Ewe Kente weaving alive, and who employs 20 other weavers at his workshop. Ewe colours are a bit softer than Ahanti colours, but the method of weaving is the same. See the threads of the warp extended over many metres, then carefully woven into traditional patterns was fascinating. The weavers' hands move so quickly that it's hard to catch the pattern of them. The last photo shows Bob Dennnis adding
up the total for my purchases. I've brought quite a few strips home with me, and am presently working on ways to incorporate them into my quilts. Soon I will be putting some of these up on my website, in case there are others of you out there similarly interested in this aspect of African art. I also brought home a book written by Bob Dennis on the craft of Kente weaving. Here is a man doing much to keep this art form alive. He tells me that he will be at the Smithsonian in the near future, to give demonstrations there. How wonderful! As for Joan and I? We have now been home a week, where we were greeted by SNOW and COLD and ICE. But in the humidity and heat of Accra, I promised Joan that I wouldn't complain if it was cold here. And I won't. I'll just put on another wool sweater and crank up the heat until I've adjusted to life at home a little better.

Ghana

2011-02-10T00:08:00.000-08:00

Ghana is the first country in West Africa that I've ever visited. It has the same flavour as many countries in Africa, and yet is very different. We came here to explore the crafts, textiles and art found in this place, and have not been disappointed. From meeting Hawa selling her beads, to Esther making magnificent batik fabrics, to the Kente stalls, it has been as much and more than we hoped for. The evening after we arrived, we were fortunate enough to go out for dinner with Trish Graham, a long term Ghana resident originally from Canada, and Maggie Relph and her husband, from the UK-based African Fabric Shop. They gave us the names of
some wonderful contacts, and their phone numbers, and we have been following up on these ever since. It is hot, hot, hot and steamy, steamy, steamy here, so we are drinking gallons of water and placing ourselves in close proximity to any fans we can find, but it is all worth it. Internet connections are very iffy here, so I probably won't be posting again until after we fly on to London on Sunday, but wanted to let you know that all is well, and we can't wait to show you the glass and painted beads, and the cloth we have purchased here. Stay tuned . . .

Exploring Kampala's Craft Shops

2011-02-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

We had such a terrific day with Alice on Thursday, exploring the craft markets and craft shops of Kampala. The first stop was the National Arts Council "Container Village". Each shop is a container, all of them placed side by side in a semi-circle. Resty (in shop #31) is Secretary of the National Arts Council, and part of her role is to help new artists market their work. We had left items for sale with her last year, most of which had sold, and she took most of what we brought this year, on consignment. Even more importantly, she offered to take Alice to the weekly wholesale craft market that takes place every Friday, so Alice can see where she might go
to market her crafts in the future. The next stop was Exposure Africa, another collection of craft shops, and connected with the management there. Their mandate is to help disadvantaged women by connecting them to the market place. But they seemed more interested in having me come back to teach them how to make the same things I've taught the Bitengye ladies than in being of help to Alice. But they did place an order with her. Then we took her to two up-scale craft shops in shopping malls, both carrying the best of Ugandan crafts. "I have seen so many new things" said Alice, at the end of the day. "I have so many ideas for new fashions." After picking up
the "filler" (batting) we have finally sourced out, Alice headed back to Rubingo. She and the Bitengye ladies are going to be very busy over the next weeks, filling orders from several different sources. And I'm pretty sure she'll come up with a few new fashions of her own after her trip to Kampala. I can hardly wait for the first shipment to arrive. And I must confess that we did a fair bit of shopping for Kitambaa Designs too, mostly beads and batiks, that we look forward to showing you on our return to Canada.

Mihingo Lodge

2011-02-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the end of our third workshop, and Ben's imminent departure, David, Ben, Joan and I went to Mihingo Lodge in Lake Mburo National Park for a couple of days. Perched high up on rocky outcroppings were our safari tents, looking out over the acacia-covered landscape. Down below was a salt lick, and various animals came and went during the day - mostly impalas, waterbucks, warthogs and zebras - still, it was just about perfect to unwind and debrief in such magnificent surroundings. It provided space and quiet in which to think about all that had gone on, and the challenges which still await us. After a couple more days in Mbarara to pack up the
sewing supplies and our belongings, we have come in to Kampala, bringing Alice with us. Today we will introduce her to some of the craft markets where we have made connections in the past, hoping that they will be willing to take some of the Bitengye items on consignment, or better yet, to buy them outright. We'll keep you posted.

A Few Last Photos of the Bitengye Designers

2011-01-31T19:45:00.001-08:00

Here are Lidiya, Recheal and Stella - on their way home to Kikagati. Besides their sewing supplies, Recheal is taking home a sack full of dresses for the women of the HIV positive group (thanks to all of you who donated these dresses), money to rent two plots of lands on which 8 members of the group can grow crops, the first monthly installment of funds to buy basic food for those in her group too ill to work, and the assurance of money in a transport fund so those who need treatment can travel to Mbarara to get it. I couldn't resist including the next photo of the women quilting away in a heavy downpour. These heavy thunderstorms arrive quite quickly, and the women simply moved their machines a little further toward the centre of the classroom, so that they wouldn't get wet while sewing. And lastly is a photo of them walking down the road, away from Canada House, to the hostel where they stayed for the workshop, and the community centre where they ate their meals. These women have given so much to us, and as we pack our bags ready to go back to Kampala, we are already missing them.

Justina, Knight and Sheilla

2011-01-30T20:00:00.000-08:00

As in the first two years, several of the Bitengye women needed medical attention while they were attending the workshop. Justina was first to come to our attention. This 47 year old mother of six children, had spent all her earnings last year on food for her family, the needs of the 6 families of relatives who live nearby to her and come to her regularly for assistance, and had neglected her own health. When she saw the doctor at the clinic, he prescribed an amazing 6 different medications for her rampant infection. She was feeling a lot better by the end of the workshop, and hopes she will have enough earnings this year to continue
work on a new house for herself. "One by one makes a bundle", she told me. Knight and Dorothy both needed glasses prescribed this year. And Knight needed ongoing treatment for her congestive heart failure, first diagnosed when we were here last year. As for Sheilla, at 24 she is still the youngest
member of the group, and in much better health than last year. She has realized the importance of taking her HIV medication every day, and feels better for it - an important thing as the mother of two small children. Every day she came early to the workshop, to sweep up the floor from the previous days' scraps and to light the charcoal fire for the irons, and if there was time, to get a head start on her sewing for that day. What I find staggering, is how women have to put up with ill health - they simply suffer and continue working, through ailments that are really grim. I wonder if providing ongoing medical care should be a part of the Kitambaa Sewing Project, to make sure that each of these women gets the care they need in a timely way, year round . . . I think so.

The Workshop Comes to an End

2011-01-29T23:25:00.000-08:00

The workshop for the Bitengye Designers came to a most successful end on Wednesday. Certificates were presented to all the women, and a draw made for some extra prizes. But the highlight of the day was showing Alice one of the two donated Featherweight sewing machines that she will take back to Rubingo with her. She was so excited! She already has plans to have solar power installed, and will be able to connect the sewing machines once the solar power is in place. The second machine didn't fit into our luggage this time, but will go to Uganda and to Alice the next time someone has a little extra space in their luggage. Then on Thursday the women packed
themselves and their luggage, sardine-style, into the "specials", booked to take them home to their villages. There were lots and lots of tears, probably because we told the ladies that we will likely not be back in Uganda until two years from now. Alice assured me that these were happy tears, not sad tears, but I think there was a bit of both. We told them we would not forget them, that we'd tell their story and sell the items they make wherever we can. It's a bitter-sweet thing to have them so independent now, and under Alice's capable leadership. We couldn't be more proud of all they've learned and the distance they've travelled over the two years
and three workshops we've conducted. But now it's time for us to withdraw a little, to let them fly on their own. I will continue to write about their individual stories, and of some of the things that have come out of our time here in Uganda, but in the meantime, I want you to know just how much your support of these women has meant to them. Their lives and the lives of their families have been improved so much. So thank you, thank you, thank you.

New Fashions

2011-01-27T01:07:00.000-08:00

Two of the new "fashions" this year, are pictured here. Kamidah, Knight and Lydia hold the notebook covers they've made, while Alice models the new overnight bag she's made and is now teaching the students. We will be bringing a number of these new designs home with us, and we've just placed a large order for more of these with the Bitengye Designers, so should have these ready for sale shortly after we return to Canada. While the more skilled sewers make these, the other group continues to work on placemats (now a standard and smaller size!!!), table runners and gift bags. Also under construction are jewellery
bags, a new design of table cloth, a new quilt design and several other smaller items. I can't wait to show you all these new "fashions" - there's something for everyone being made.

Recheal from Kikagati

2011-01-25T23:10:00.000-08:00

Recheal is an amazing young woman. At 35, she is the mother of 5 children, 4 of her own and one whom she found wandering in the banana grove and took in. When summarizing what it has meant to her to learn how to sew, she told us that before she never knew if she had enough money to feed her family, but that now she does. She is the person who used her funds last year to buy a door and windows for her house. She is also the founder and leader of the Kikagati group "living positively with HIV". This group supports one another, and travels around the district, performing dramas and singing, in order to
sensitize others to their message of hope. Last year Kitambaa provided uniforms for the choir - we hired Alice made the skirts and trousers and Recheal is wearing one of the T-shirts below. Yesterday she talked to me about the HIV positive group. She is distressed that many of them cannot afford the most basic food, that some are too old to work in the gardens, and that they have nothing to do. They visit one another regularly, always bringing a small gift with them - perhaps a bar of soap or onions or a few bananas. Sometimes they have a speaker come and talk to them, and "then we know", she says, "that 'slim' is like any other disease, and we can stand strong". But hearing first hand stories of men and women in their group, we thought that there must be something else we can do to help. So we are going to arrange for two women to be trained in bracelet making (by Dorothy, from Rubingo),and two women be trained in embroidery (by Florence, Alice's mother in Rubingo). We are going to provide a monthly food fund, so that when members come to Recheal, she will be able to provide them with posho and rice and matoke. And we are going to rent 3 plots of land, so that 12 members can begin to cultivate their own food. Such a small effort, really, but at least a beginning, for a group that has touched me deeply from the first time I met them 4 years ago. Should any of you be prompted to make a donation to the Kikagati group, anything would be gratefully received. Please know that you would be making a major contribution to these incredibly brave and strong people.

A Day in the Life of Bitengye

2011-01-24T19:50:00.000-08:00

The last few afternoons have been warm here in Uganda, although it's still cool in the mornings. But the Bitengye ladies still work right through, from 8:30 in the morning until 6:30 at night. And even then it's often difficult to send them on their way. Today a large black cloud had materialized by 6:00, and I encouraged them to go home before the rains came. Their answer was "If we wait, the rain will go." Followed by hoots of laughter. They have no intention of giving up any working time during these last few days of the workshop. Meanwhile, Joan has begun to teach a new member of the group how to make beaded
bracelets. Dorothy is from Rubingo, and had been hoping she could join the Bitengye group. She is a member of the widows group there, and friend of Annah, and was delighted to produce two finished bracelets by the end of the day. Our days usually end with singing and sometimes some dancing, praise for a good day of work, for the opportunity to learn how to make new things, and that we are all are still alive. Not even that is taken for granted.

The Women and Their Stories - Tumushabe and Nightingale

2011-01-22T21:30:00.000-08:00

Tumushabe is 31, and was the 4th in a family of 7 children in Kabale, near Lake Bunyonyi. Her father abandoned her mother and took a second wife when she was quite small, leaving the family to "struggle for food, digging here and there". There was no money for schooling for her, and no possibility of re-marriage for her mother. "It is a curse for a woman to remarry", she said, "although it is OK for a man to remarry." She married at 16 and had one child and was pregnant with the second when her father called her home, because the dowry had not been paid. She has been on her own with her own children
and her sister's son (an orphan) since then. She is unable to cultivate the little land she has due to a leg deformity, but hopes to buy a plot of land growing bananas or coffee with what she earns from sewing.
Nightingale is our translator. She's 48 and the 6th in a family of 9 children, born in a village near Mbarara. Her father worked as a bicycle messenger, then an administrator, and made sure all his children had some schooling. He sold their cow and some of their land, so Nightingale could go to P-4. She married a school teacher when she was 20, and has 6 children, five of whom have been or are still in university. The sixth is still in secondary school. She has worked and saved and sold small items all her adult life, to enable her children to get the education she values so highly. In fact she was on her way to Kampala this weekend, to see her son Gordon graduate with his degree in Business Administration.

The Women and Their Stories - Lydia and Annah

2011-01-21T20:43:00.000-08:00

Lydia was born in Rubingo, and until the first workshop was held here in Mbarara, had never been outside her own village. She was the firstborn of 12 children, and explained the reason for such large families to us. "People think to themselves, I must have 8 children, because two of them will be snatched by measles." All the children in her family had some schooling, and Lydia herself went to Primary-5, finishing was she was 15 years old. She wanted to be a nurse, but her father was a "drunkard" by the time she was in P-5, so there was no money for her to continue. So at 16 she got married. She told us
that most women do the "donkey work", while many men just build a house and then do nothing. But she had a good relationship with her husband and he helped her. Sadly he got sick and died quite suddenly 7 years ago. Lydia has four children, the oldest of whom is already married with a child of her own and another on the way. One of her children is now in secondary school, and her hope is that she can afford to send the other two as well.
Annah is 40 and was the eighth of 11 children born to a peasant farming family in Bugamba. She spent most of her childhood fetching firewood and water, digging, washing and cooking. The older children in her family didn't have any education, but by the time Annah was 10, her parents realized the importance of schooling, and enrolled her in the village school. She completed P-6. She was married when she was twenty, and was happy until her husband died 9 years later. She has 3 children of her own, two of whom are now in secondary school, also a niece (an orphan) that she cares for. The cow she bought last year with her earnings has now had a calf, which she sold, and she has bought another plot of land.

The Work Goes On

2011-01-20T23:23:00.000-08:00

Alice has taken to spending much of her day at the table under the big tree, where she helps anyone needing it with measuring or cutting or squaring up. Here she is with Justina and Lydia and Sheilla. Meanwhile another table is set up on the porch of the big house, and is used by those working a little more independently. Kamidah and Recheal are part of that group. Those whose work is still not quite up to standard, are continuing to make placemats, while the others are now moving on to new projects. Thankfully everyone seems to be happy with this new way of working. My son Ben has been taking portraits of
the women, both in groups and individually, and we have been meeting with each of the Bitengye women on their own, collecting their stories, hearing about their lives. So many of these women tell the story of not being educated because they grew up at a time when the value of education was not so widely recognized, or there simply wasn't enough money for food, let alone education. Many come from families of 11 or 12 children. Every one has overcome all sorts of almost unimaginable difficulties in their lives, and yet they say enthusiastically "I am alive", in thanksgiving and some astonishment. They are amazing women.

A Marvellous Day

2011-01-18T21:17:00.000-08:00

Tuesday saw all the Bitengye Designers hard at work on their placemats. They were quieter than usual, knowing that the bar had been raised, and that each would be graded on their work. They worked slowly and carefully, under the able and incredibly patient instruction of Alice, while we waited to see the results. The first to present their finished placemats were the finest seamstresses, all of whom received high marks for their work. But then their were the strugglers. As the afternoon wore on, we became more and more apprehensive regarding their work. It was almost 6:30 by the time the last three women presented their mats to Alice, Joan and myself, and we couldn't have been more astonished or more pleased. These three, whom we had even considered not inviting to the workshop this year, outdid themselves and all received passing grades. The placemats are now all a standard (and slightly smaller) size, with loose threads removed, straight edges (or just about), and with even stitching. We couldn't have been happier. I only wish you could have heard the singing and seen the dancing as all the
Bitengye women celebrated at the end of the day. It was a marvellous day indeed!!! (Pictured here are Sheilla, Stella and Liydia, putting the final touches on their placemats.)

First Day of the Workshop

2011-01-17T19:55:00.000-08:00

Monday was the first day of the Bitengye workshop. We had travelled down to Lake Bunyonyi over the weekend, where we met with Maudah. We told her that now that she has all the skills,
machines and income to start her own business, she is a "graduate" of the Bitengye Designers. She has already rented a space in which to teach her own students, and she will continue to sell her crafts at Bushara Island on Lake Bunyonyi. In her place is Dinah, who has been making table napkins over the last year, and wishes to expand her skills. The other women have given her a warm welcome, and all of them have begun to make a slightly revised version of placemat. The idea is that we will evaluate everyone's placemats when they are finished, and those who have made a "top quality" product will move on, while those who haven't will keep making placemats. Alice has taken on responsibility for the teaching, and is doing an excellent job. Day 2 is about to begin, so I must rush and get dressed, so I am ready!

Alice and Athens

2011-01-12T22:21:00.000-08:00

Alice is always full of surprises, and when she produced this large-sized star quilt I was just amazed. And she's already taught some of the other Bitengye Designers how to make this "fashion". She's found a source of solid black cotton in the market since we last saw her, which always looks stunning with African wax fabrics. Yesterday she made a tree block, which might (or might not) become the centre of a larger tablecloth. And now she is working on a notepad cover - one of the samples we brought with us. "I have come to work", she announced yesterday, and the challenge is for us to keep up with her!

Another young woman ready to work is Athens, pictured here. She has been working in the ACTS office for the last year, and now she is going to take on the role of liaison between Alice and Kitambaa Designs. It will be Athens who receives the finished items made by the Bitengye ladies, makes an inventory of them, and packages them off to Canada. We will also place new orders through Athens, and have ready access to Alice and she to us whenever one of us has questions. One more step in preparing to hand over the project to Alice entirely. For any of you who bought the shorter paper bead necklaces when you were attending Quilt Canada in Calgary, it was Athens who made those. At that time she was earning the funds to go to Secretarial School, and she made the beads to help cover her costs. I hope to have more of those beads to bring back with me this year.

Visiting Rubingo

2011-01-11T08:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a long-awaited day. Joan, Ben and David drove two hours over worse-than-washboard roads to visit Rubingo. Sadly I had come down with a tummy bug and couldn't go with them, but they all gave me a full report on their return. Alice's new school - it has most of the doors and windows now, and has been plastered on part of the outside. Now it needs floors, plastering on the inside, tables and benches, shelves, beds and sheets and, and, and. So it isn't quite ready to move into yet, but Alice was so pleased to show it to everyone, and presented us with a big box of fruit in thanks.
Over 110 widows and grandmothers, including the five members of the Bitengye Designers who live in Rubingo, met with the "Muzungu visitors" in a nearby church. As always it was moving to hear their stories, and to be greeted and welcomed by people so full of determination and pride, but with so little material wealth. Alice accompanied the crew back to Mbarara in the evening, and joined us for the first day of her training today. It was so good to get back into the actual work of teaching new designs and to sewing.

Modern Art from Uganda

2011-01-08T20:33:00.001-08:00

I have been intrigued by the modern/abstract art that I have seen on this trip to Uganda. I don't know if it's totally new or if I didn't have the eyes to see it on other visits, but I have so appreciated seeing work a little different than the batik pictures I usually gravitate towards. These paintings were all on display in a gallery at the equator, where we usually stop on the journey from Kampala to Mbarara. The artists themselves are nearly always men, and self-taught. I had encountered a few artists in Kampala on other visits, but it seems there is an increasing amount of contemporary art in evidence. Perhaps this is one of the outcomes of

having a more stable government, or perhaps art will flourish anywhere given the opportunity, even in adverse situations. At any rate, I thought you would enjoy seeing something a little different.

Fabric Shopping

2011-01-07T20:35:00.000-08:00

A return trip to Mbarara yesterday to buy more fabric proved very entertaining. A "special hire" taxi driven by Francis turned into a language lesson. I had no sooner closed the door than Francis began firing words at me in Runyankole. I would repeat the word to the best of my ability. He would repeat it. I would repeat it. He would give me the English, and then we were on to the next word. He was going so quickly that I started laughing, and then I protested, but I think Francis must see this as his mission to "buzungus", because he never let up. In desperation I asked Joan to pass me some paper and a pencil, and I started writing as fast as I

could. We were nearly in hysterics by the time we got to town. I don't know how many of these words I will actually remember, but the experience itself will stay with me for some time. Kobisingye, the woman who owns the fabric shop we frequent here, was reluctant to do business with me the first time I met her four years ago, but now she is the source of fabric for all the Bitengye women, and she gives us a warm welcome. Sadly the Zaire fabric we used to get from her is no longer available, nor is the Tanzanian batik fabric. But there were lots of wonderful veritable wax fabrics, and some new fabrics from Khartoum that we have never seen before. Now we have a good selection of fabrics for the Bitengye ladies to work with, as well as a good selection to bring home with us.

At Home in the Round House

2011-01-06T21:10:00.001-08:00

"Enchanting Africa" says the tire cover on the German safari van, where a mother hen and her chicks scavenge

for food dropped by folk who have stopped for lunch at this outdoor restaurant. And enchanting it is. It feels like home so quickly now, on this fourth trip to Uganda. This time my son Ben is with us, and it wasn't long after arriving at Canada House that brothers Willis and Michael had persuaded him to push them around the garden on a huge bicycle owned by their father. Hoots of laughter amidst the sounds of warm welcomes and ever-present birdsong. Our travels to Uganda went fairly well, all things considered, and now we are settling in, unpacking all the sewing supplies we brought with us, organizing the new teaching materials, and beginning our meetings with many of the Ugandans we have come to know here. Yesterday Rose was here, the same Rose that I first talked to about the feasibility of a sewing project (together with Perez) four years ago. Sheilla, one of the Bitengye students came by to greet us. And Dinah, maker of table napkins visited. She has had a tough year for a number of reasons, and had become very discouraged. We were able to tell her how well her napkins have sold, and after we heard her story we took her to buy new fabrics in the market so she can continue with this. And, of course, we were able to choose some new fabrics for Kitambaa and for the Bitengye ladies. Today we continue with preparations, hoping to find a converter in town for the Singer featherweights we have brought with us, as well as finding interum glasses for me. I managed to break them, sadly, this morning!! But it will be "somehow OK", as the Ugandans say.

On Our Way to Uganda

2010-12-28T10:38:00.000-08:00

So today's the day we leave for Uganda. I'm sitting here in my nightie, not yet fully packed and not quite believing that we're going. It seems to have come up so quickly. Just before we go, though, I wanted to give a huge, huge thank you to all the people who have contributed in so many ways to the Kitambaa Sewing Project. Just to mention a couple - I found the gift pictured above in my mailbox on Christmas Eve. It's from two small children - Hailey and Tanner Sanders - who must have collected small change from friends and family in order to make a donation to the grandmothers. The box of embroidery thread below came our way from the Fredericton

Quilters' Guild. And there have been oodles of dresses and shoes donated by local folks - from the Black Fin Pub and from Comox Massage Centre, to name just a couple. Joan and I managed to get most of these packed into four large totes, and all being well, will meet up with them again in Entebbe.

And then just before Christmas, the last photo was sent to us from Rubingo, where Alice's new sewing school not has had its doors and windows added. It will be terrifically exciting to see it first hand, as well as to see all the Bitengye Designers again. All being well, I will post to my blog several times a week (it always is a bit iffy. So you will be able to follow along on our advantures with us. Until then, thank you, thank you, thank you, for all your support and well wishes and kindnesses to the Bitengye Designers and to us. We will greet the women on behalf of all of you. And have a very Happy New Year!

Three More Africa-Inspired Quilts

2010-12-23T17:06:00.000-08:00

I continue to be amazed at the way various quiltmakers use African fabrics to make quilts. The vibrancy of their colours, their energy, their affirmation of life speaks volumes about the human spirit, and the survivor in each of us. The first quilt featured is one of my own. Circles of Kente-inspired cottons have been appliqued to a background of pieced Shweshwe cloth, then surrounded by couched circles of thin strips of veritable wax fabrics. It's called Celestial Dance. Next is an enlarged version of African Journey, made by Lynne Fanthorpe from Coquitlam, B.C. And lastly is a quilt called A Conversation, made by Margaret Kelly from Courtenay, B.C. I was recently invited to write an article for the Canadian Quilter magazine, on using African fabrics in quilts, and these are three of the featured quilts. Look for the Spring Issue of the Canadian Quilter to read this article - a must-have journal for any Canadian quilter.

A Little of This, A Little of That

2010-12-11T10:27:00.000-08:00

Have I introduced you to the wonderful women from Incomparable Buttons in Johannesburg, South Africa? These are the ladies that make hand-crafted buttons that I am often found selling at quilt shows and in classes. They're fired at very high temperatures, so washing machine safe. Great for knitted items, or in African Collage quilts. Next is a delightful African Collage wallhanging made by Noreen Duncan from Winnipeg. And lastly is a small wallhanging made by Trudy Thorne.

It's just terrific to see so many Africa-inspired quilts, but nowadays so many of us have first or second hand experience of different African countries, so that it's no longer an unusual thing to share stories of time spend on that great continent. In fact when I recently taught my African Collage class in Saskatoon, 11 of the 12 participants had African connections of one kind or another. It's a small world, indeed.

A Canvas for Quilting

2010-11-21T15:42:00.001-08:00

These photos from Donna James of Nelson, BC deserve an entry of their own. She took my African Sunshine class, and chose a limited palate of dark red, black, pink and sky blue. I honestly wondered how it would work out, but when I saw these photos, I knew she had succeeded. Like Amish quilts of old, her piece became the canvas on which she exhibited her quilting skills. All of it, right out to the feathers in the border, proclaim her skill with a long arm quilting machine. As someone who has limited herself to stitching in the ditch on this piece, this quilt was truly humbling to see. As Donna said, "Can you see now that I make quilts so that I can quilt them?" I see, and am full of admiration. She calls her version of African Sunshine "Kootenay Splash".

African Sunshine

2010-11-15T14:18:00.000-08:00

Here is another version of my African Sunshine wallhanging. I've just taught this to the Fraser Valley Quilt Guild, and before that, to my home Guild - the Comox Valley Schoolhouse Quilters' Guild. How's that for a mouthful! I am always intrigued and surprised by how well blocks made by different quilters work together into a whole. The sixteen blocks pictured here were all made by the Comox Valley Guild members. Seeing these should take away any trepidation individuals might have as far as mixing colours. Truly, just about anything goes. The last photo is of the same group after they'd reclaimed their blocks. And already I've had a report from one person in the class, to say that she has made all 16 blocks. As for me? I can't seem to stop making them! They're quite addictive.

Africa-Inspired Quilts, This Year's Grandmothers' Quilt

2010-11-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

Many of you have made quilts which have incorporated small pieces of textile art in them, in combination with a variety of African fabrics. This first quilt photo comes from Langa Lapu in South Africa, and contains many lino prints and block prints. We've been importing them from Lembu prints and Langa Lapu for some time, and they have been so successful that we are hoping to teach this skill to the Bitengye ladies, so they can make something similar.

This next "African Collage" was made by Joanne Colleaux, from Armstrong, BC. She and a group of friends got together to work on their own individual pieces, in this case incorporating batiks as well as lino prints and African fabrics.

And how's this for a colourful rendition Africa-inspired quilt? It's a variation of a Rail Fence quilt, and was made by Trudy, Joyanne, Judy, Noelle and Lindsay, a quilt group based in Victoria, BC. And most exciting for us, it's this year's Grandmothers' quilt. This weekend I delivered it to Marilyn Wickes, who has once again graciously agreed to quilt it for us. As soon as this has been done and the binding has been added, we will begin selling "opportunities to own" this quilt. The tickets will be $5 each, and will be sold right up until the time of the Whistler Quilters' Guild show in June of next year, when one lucky person who has made a donation will become the owner of the quilt.

Sue Benner Workshop

2010-10-29T20:08:00.000-07:00

Where has October gone? I have been on the road much of the month, and it feels as though time evaporates when that happens. But they have been happy days. First I drove down to Sisters, Oregon with my friend Joan Darling, to attend a five-day workshop with Sue Benner. The class was called Driven to Abstraction, and working from our own images, we were encouraged to interpret it abstractly, using a variety of techniques. The class was rich in information - enough to work with for months to come. I especially liked the notion of doint "studies' - something like journal quilts - to see how various ideas work out. Here are some photos of some of my work, and that of other workshop participants:

I worked from a photo I'd taken when on Saltspring Island last summer - two trees leaning against one another. First I interpreted the photo using unrealistic colours, and simplified lines. Then I looked at the lines alone - a graphic interpretation of the photo. The third study was more realistic in colour, but simplified in line - almost a combination of the first and the second studies. Next was a study broken up into sections by a single tree shape. Then a close-up of one element of the design. I fell most compelled by the third of these, but would like to push these ideas further, before committing to a larger piece

A study of poppies, by another student, Sara.

Karen's studies.

And one of a tropical flowers by Laura.

And lastly, Debra's studies.

If you ever have the opportunity to take a workshop with Sue Benner, I would highly recommend it. She was incredibly generous with her knowledge and experience. And as with many workshops, the things you learn are so often above and beyond the specified subject matter. And to have five days to work on this, uninterupted, was heavenly.

Tanglebank continued

2010-09-21T16:16:00.000-07:00

I thought you might enjoy a couple more photos from Tanglebank. There was this lovely little spot called "Meet and Greet", a space provided so that visitors could spend a little time talking to their favourite designers. But the joy of it was that more often is turned out to be a place where the designers themselves could get together for a bit of a visit. So here I am with Joan Darling (my faithful "Worker-Bee"), Cheryl Wall of Country Quilts, and Sue Jensen of Quilted Escapes, enjoying the sunshine and a bit of a chat.
Three of us gave mini-seminars on various techniques. In this case, I am giving a demo on how to make the borders incorporated into my newest design, Geckos in My Garden.

And here is an alternate setting and fabric choice for this pattern. In this case I have used fabrics generously provided to me by Northcott Fabrics - all part of a stunning new fabric line created by Quilt Poetry's Jane Spolar. I think I like this setting even better than the first setting, and now I'm itching to make it up in African Fabrics combined with batiks.

Quilts at Tanglebank

2010-09-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

This last Saturday saw Kitambaa Designs at Tanglebank Garden Centre, in Abbotsford. I joined three other designers - Sue Jensen of Quilted Escapes, Dougal Walker of The Freckles Collection and Cheryl Wall of Country Quilts - in exhibiting our quilts and selling our patterns. It was a perfect day - a sunny day sandwiched between two rainy days - and lots of people took advantage of this and joined us for a day filled with demonstrations, book-signings by Cheryl, and wandering around the lovely gardens, where quilts hung on fences, between trees and in the greenhouse.
One of the highlights of the day was viewing the challenge quilts, one designed by each of the four designers. We all started with the same fabrics, but the quilts themselves were quite different from one another. (I wonder if you can guess which was mine???)

Heather from Quilter's Connection was there too, signing up new subscriptions and renewing others, for what is the only non-CQA Canadian quilting publication. For those of you who still aren't subscribers, I would heartily encourage you to take out a subscription, in support for this new magazine.

And yes, this is my challenge quilt, entitled Geckos in My Garden. I had quilt kits for this design on sale at the Show, and still have a few left over, if you're interested. It includes all the fabric required for the quilt top and binding, and is $59. It measures 40" X 55". Let me know by email if you're interested in obtaining one for yourself, and I'll put one in the post to you.

So thank you to all of you who came out for this event. It was great to see many old friends as well as to make new ones.

A Colour-full Summer

2010-08-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

The warm, bright, colour-full days of summer are passing so quickly. Here it is the middle of August, and I haven't accomplished nearly half of the things I had on my summer "to-do" list. But I have enjoyed myself taking a few mini-holidays. I'm just back home from a trip down Vancouver Island and taking the ferry across to Saltspring Island, then wending my way home through Victoria, Chemainus and Nanaimo - ending with a short trip over to Hornby Island before coming home to rest. Of course it wouldn't be a holiday without checking into fabric shops along the way, and I was delighted to top up my Kaffe Fassett stash at Stitches Quilt Shop on Saltspring

Island, all ready for the next Kaffe-inspired quilt project. Aren't they incredible? I resisted the many fabulous yarns - have resolved not to buy any more of them until I've knit up the yarn I have into warm and cosy (and colourful) socks. I visited the Saturday craft market where there were oodles of tempting wares, from pottery to wild flower filled earrings.

Then on the way home up-island, had a delicious pub lunch at the Crow and Gate in Cedar, where the perennial border was at its finest. This is just a taste of the joys of summer I've been enjoying, along with having time to complete the quilt top
for my daughter and new son-in-laws quilt, and to begin designing some new patterns. Today we booked our return flights to Uganda - Joan and I will be leaving Vancouver on December 28th, and I know the fall will pass just as quickly as the summer, and that before we know it, we'll be winging our way back to the Bitengye Designers. The workshop is still in the planning stages, but I will be sure to let you know some more of the specifics before we leave. In the meantime, I hope each of you is enjoying these last days of summer wherever you are.

Update on the Bitengye Designers

2010-07-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

It is now just over 4 months since we returned from Uganda, and thoughts of the Bitengye Designers and the widows and their families are never very far from our minds. We're already thinking about what new projects or designs we will teach the women when we return again in January. Our present plan is to meet with Alice for at least a week before all the other women arrive, so that we can teach her these new things. Then she will teach the other women, with our support, for the workshop itself. But what has happened since we left? Well, we've had 2 large shipments of items, and sales for most of these

is going very well. We now have people in five different provinces helping us sell what they make. Alice has the roof on her school. And at least one of the tourist craft shops in Kampala at which we left their products has sold out of them. We are gradually handing over more of the management of the orders to Alice, with Nightingale (you may remember that she was our wonderful translator this year) and Perez, helping Alice understand and reply to the emails we send to her. In addition to the already sponsored secondary school students we have, we've begun a scholarship to Alice's sewing

school. The first student started in the spring, and now a group of quilters in Whistler has made a second scholarship available. (It cost about $150 for a year's tuition.) We have had two Singer Featherweight sewing machines donated to Alice, and will arrange for these to be set up with solar power when we are next in Uganda. And we have received donations of 5 more sewing machines for next year's project. We are investigating possible new crafts to teach the women, and hopefully a few new women, and will be trying to practice one or two over the summer ourselves, in order to be ready to teach others. A group of quilters in Victoria is busy working on the next raffle quilt, and framed batiks will soon be available for purchase. Thank you to all of you who are supporting this very small grass-roots project. As most of you know, we raise all our own funds to carry on with this, and couldn't do it without the help of so many of you. So, many, many thanks to each and every one of you.

African Jigsaw

2010-07-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

This spring saw a marvellous collaboration between Alice, the Coordinator of the Bitengye Designers, and the Victoria Children's Choir. Word reached Eric Allen that Kitambaa was working with this amazing group of women, and he thought how wonderful it would be if the choristers not only sang about Africa, in their performance, African Jigsaw, but also wore shirts made by women in Africa. After some discussions around style and colour, he

entrusted the undertaking to Alice and the Bitengye Designers. We transported the colourful shirts back to Canada with us in March, and now here are some photos of the Victoria Children's Choir performing in their Uganda-made garments. What a sight they must have

been! The choir was delighted with the shirts, and with the overall impact of seeing all the children dressed in them while they performed. And Alice, who did most of the sewing, was equally delighted that the funds from this one project, would pay almost half of the amount she needed to put a roof on her new sewing school.
One postscript to this story - a teacher who was in the audience at the performance had been staying at Canada House in Uganda, and had seen them. But she didn't put two and two together until she saw African Jigsaw and recognized them from her time there. It's a small world indeed!

A Wedding in the Family

2010-07-06T15:02:00.000-07:00

There are some of you who are wondering if I've given up on blogging, or worse yet, disappeared from Kitambaa and the quilting world. Let me assure you that it was only a temporary absence, while we prepared for and then celebrated the wedding of my daughter Emily, to Michael Beausoleil. (I had determined that I would never write on this blog about anything but quilting and the Bitengye women in Uganda, but this is an exception that I hope you will allow.) It was a wonderful wedding, almost magical. Someone said it was Narnia-like, or Tolkein-esque. The Woodland Gardens where the ceremony and reception were held was absolutely perfect. We hung flowers from the trees and filled a medley of other vases with more wild flowers and peonies and roses. Emily looked stunning in her dreamed-for Art Deco style silk dress, and she and Michael beamed through the whole thing.

After the ceremony itself, the words of which brought tears to many of us, there was croquet on the lawn, and bocce, and a photo booth set-up where many chose to have their portraits taken. My son Ben and his Emily are pictured here in the booth. There was a fabulous meal, with salmon cooked on cedar planks by one family friend, and served by the marvellous ladies of my Book Club. Followed by dancing, surrounded by paper lanterns and flowers, and where the old folks got out first to show them how it's done. All in all, it was marvellous, and yes, magical, a family celebration we will remember for a long time to come. And I hope that those of you who follow this blog, will accept this as my humble apology for not staying in touch more regularly over the last month. Some things take precedence, and this, for sure, was one of them. Thank you for the patience of those of you who have waited longer than you should have had to for responses to your emails, and apologies to those of you whose orders took longer than I would have wished to fill. I am back in the saddle now, smiling quietly to myself from time to time, and once again dreaming of new quilts and new designs and new fabrics to cut apart and sew together once again.

The Thrill of a Challenge

2010-06-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

Since "Challenges" first came into being, they have become a venue for testing one's own creativity, and enjoying the creativity of others. Most challenges are based on the use of a few pre-selected fabrics, and sometimes a specific theme is chosen. Quilters are invited to make one-of-a-kind pieces in response to both of these. These photos were taken of challenge quilts made by the Manitoba Prairie Quilters, from Winnipeg. The rules for their challenge were simple. Participants were to use black and white and one other colour, and to limit themselves to a total of five fabrics. The diversity of the quilts they made is testament to the artistry of the participants. And the collection as a whole was amazing. All were offered for sale by silent auction, and excitement mounted as the deadline for voting drew closer. I would love to have had a successful bid on any number of them, but while I didn't go home with one myself, enjoyed seeing the smiles on the faces of those who did.

A Door for My House

2010-05-30T21:21:00.000-07:00

Finally, my piece for this year's effort of the North Island Quilters for Community Awareness, is completed. Better late than never. More than fifty individual pieces have been made, each one reflecting the artist's interpretation of this year's theme for the Stephen Lewis Foundation - Turning the Tide. Each one is astounding, personal, and speaks of the hope and positive change that is happening among the women of African, in spite of, or because of HIV/AIDS. All sorts of techniques and materials have been used to convey the story of what is possible, "one ripple at a time". The collection has already begun its tour throughout western Canada, and if you have the opportunity to see it, I would encourage you to get out and do so. A full catalogue of the pieces and the venues in which they will be displayed can be seen on the website - www.glaciergrannies.org. As for my piece, the central block is based on a photograph I took of Alice teaching the other Bitengye Designers how to thread a treadle sewing machine. The blocks surrounding it. tell the

story of the way life has changed for these amazing women, since they have learned how to sew. It illustrates the things they have been able to purchase, since they started to have an income. Annah told me she'd bought a cow, Knight bought a bed for herself, and Rechael bought a door for her house. A book has been published containing photos of the entire collection, and can be purchased wherever the quilts are being showcased. And all proceeds will go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which continues to support widows and grandmothers, and orphans affected by HIV/AIDS. If you haven't already read it, I would suggest you get

yourself a copy of "Race Against Time". Stephen Lewis articulates the difficulties in combatting this pandemic as few others have. And despite the frustrations in so doing, continues to remember the women of Africa, and to do what he can, what his Foundation can, to "Turn the Tide". And while it is a wee drop in the bucket, the Bitengye Designers are doing that too. I applaud both of them from the bottom of my heart!

African Collage class in Winnipeg

2010-05-12T06:46:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts of being a teacher is the opportunity it gives me to travel to different parts of the country and to meet quilters all the way from the west coast to the east coast. Today I'm happy to show you the work of some of the quilters I met in Winnipeg in April. I was there to teach one of my design classes, African Collage, and always enjoy these. It's marvellous watching as each of the students brings her own interpretation to the making of her own quilted work. Each one is unique, in spite of all starting with similar fabrics. By the end of the second day of the workshop everyone's pieces are up on the wall - some are almost completed. I thought you'd enjoy seeing just a few examples from these students - still "works in progress", still mighty impressive. I had the opportuntiy to teach this same class again at Quilt Canada in Calgary, and look forward to receiving photos of their finished pieces as well. All have been most impressive!

Ferns, Flowers and Other Follies

2010-05-07T18:49:00.000-07:00

It has been about 6 weeks since I was in Moose Jaw, and I realize that I still haven't posted any photos from the Ferns and Floweres workshop that was held there. What is this with time speeding up so fast? Is this something that happens when you pass the midway mark? I've been to Winnipeg and to Calgary too since then, and hardly seem able to catch up to my own travels. I want to show you just a few photos from Moose Jaw - Works in Progress. And aren't they magnificent? Students looked out on a still-frozen landscape while working on colourful pieces - each unique, each magnificent - and the shapes and colours evoked memories of summer
as well as of happy and celebratory times. As I watched the various compositions evolve, I was once again amazed at the creativity and imagination of the workshop participants. A sense of play was abundant - the most important element of a workshop in which students are encouraged to give voice to their own designs. What amazes me is that while each participant in the workshop started with the same shapes, each piece created is unique. Such a testament to the creativity of women, of artists.

Other Ugandan Friends

2010-04-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

In the last few days, I've had time to look over some of the photos taken by Joan and by Trudy, and wanted to share some of these with you. The first photo is of Resty, who has a shop in one of the craft markets in Kampala, and who sells some of the best quality batiks available. She also works with the National Arts Organization, and has accepted articles made by the Bitengye Designers for sale in her shop. The next photo is of Nightingale, who was our translator this year. She was wonderful to work with, always anticipating where she might be needed

and keenly interested in the Bitengye women. In

fact she has offered her home in Mbarara to anyone who has need to come to town, whether for health reasons or for new fabric, as her children are now all grown up, and she has extra space. Next are the leaders of the Mutual Benefit Society in Kikagati, including Recheal and Lydia. Elly was our guide and a wonderful resource while we were visiting in that area. He is an amazing man, who made a radio station from parts of a calculator and other parts. He worked for ACTS for some years, but now he has been discovered by the UN and is one of their IT people. But he made it a condition of his

employment with them that he be able to take regular time off to work with the widows and grandmothers group in his home of Kikagati. Lastly are the group of elderly widows in Kikagati. They are too old to work in the fields any more, so the younger widows support the older ones, sharing what little food they have with them. As you can probably tell, all of these courageous folk are often in our thoughts. When we said goodbye to the Bitengye members they said to us "Please don't forget us." And we won't.

A Little of This, A Little of That

2010-04-05T18:55:00.000-07:00

Monday evening, and our children have all left for their respective homes after spending a delightful weekend with us. There's nothing quite like looking on as five of our six adult children (and significant others) chat and laugh and exchange stories around the candle lit dining room table. And of course we had our stories too.

Of our time in the land of eucalyptus trees . . . .

Of the Bitengye Designers and how their lives have changed since they learned how to sew (this is Kamidah, pictured in front of her new plot of land).

Of the warm welcome and hospitality we were shown when we visited the Bitengye Designers in their homes (this is Lydia at her treadle machine in Kikagati).

Of the close encounters we had with new friends and the occasional elephant . . . .

And of the hard work being done by Alice and all the other members of the Bitengye Designers.

We've been home for a month today, and it has taken us this long to make that adjustment from our lives with the Ugandan women and our lives here in Canada. They are never very far from our thoughts. This coming week I will have the opportunity to speak about them in Winnipeg, and two weeks later we will be at Quilt Canada in Calgary, and I hope meeting up with many of you who have been following our adventures and supportive from your homes across the country. We have brought home some terrific fabrics, and batiks and beads. I hope you'll stop by wherever we are, and have a word with us.

Qualities of a Good Tailor

2010-03-24T21:27:00.000-07:00

I was browsing through my Uganda photos this evening, and came upon a photo of a page from Alice's notebook. Written when she was attending tailoring school, it outlines the qualities of a good tailor. I thought you would enjoy reading it too. I especially like the one that says that a good tailor is always "smart". In Uganda this means "classy", or "well-dressed", as opposed to clever. But there are a few other points we might take from this too. Alice certainly is the model of a good tailor, from everything I've seen. (I hope you can read this!)

Home Again, Home Again (Jiggety-Jig)

2010-03-15T18:53:00.001-07:00

For those of you who have been following this blog, and who have been wondering if we just vanished into thin air when we left Uganda, let me reassure you that yes, we are home, but it has taken much longer to get our feet on the ground than expected. I must remember for next time that jet-lag has as much to do with a sense of place and purpose, as it does with a sense of

time. For the first few days, I wandered aimlessly from room to room, wondering what it was exactly that I do when I'm here. I looked out my window and there were no people in evidence anywhere. I went outside, but the chilliness of this world chased me inside again pretty quickly. And I didn't want to unpack. Something in me didn't want it all to come to an end, so I delayed and delayed. But then this last weekend, I attended a quilting retreat, and that was just the ticket I needed to get myself back home. So here I am again, in Comox, BC. This marvellous quilt pictured here is by Judy Morningstar, and is called Stitching Bright Tomorrows. It captures the energy and fun and determination of the Bitengye Designers in Judy's inimatable style, and is surrounded by actual bags and placemats made with African fabrics. It's Judy's entry in the Turning the Tide exhibit, the sequel to the hugely successful Seeds of Hope exhibit, a fund raiser for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. I love it, love it, love it. And am so thankful for Judy's generosity in first making the quilt, her support for the Bitengye Designers, and for letting me post the photo here on my blog.

Final Days

2010-02-24T03:06:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken just before the end of this year's workshop. Kitambaa and friends had a last photo taken before packing up the Round House, taking down the quilts, putting the supplies away for another year, and then attending to our own packing. We are bringing back a fair supply of fabric (surprise, surprise!), as well as beads and necklaces, batiks and baskets, and other treasures. Also 72 shirts made by the Bitengye Designers for the Victoria Children's Choir, and samples of all the other "new fashions" made this year. Many items have already been sold, or left as samples in a number of venues. In less than a week we will be home again, and all of this will be a wonderful memory. Thank you, once again, to all of you who have been a part of this project. We hope to see many of you in the coming months, to show you updated photos, and most importantly the items made by the Bitengye Designers, the sale of which has made such a terrific difference in their lives.

The Workshop Ends

2010-02-20T16:28:00.001-08:00

So the workshop has come to an end. The participants have been presented with certificates, prizes have been given and we can't help feeling enormously proud of what each of the members of the Bitengye Designers has accomplished in the last 2 1/2 weeks. It was an emotional good-bye as they left for their homes - clearly the time they spend together here in Mbarara is a highlight of the year for them. It's a novelty for them to stay in accomodation with meals provided and to learn something new, and a welcome break to be able to leave their usual responsibilities behind them for awhile. The relationships between the women are stronger, and they certainly occupy a special place in our hearts. All twelve women are more committed than ever to their work, and having seen the changes a little income can make, are keen to continue the work they have begun. As for us, we are already beginning to plan for next year.

The Amazing Alice

2010-02-19T09:38:00.000-08:00

Alice has completed her "African Thunderstorm" quilt and has moved onto another "new fashion". Her eagerness in learning new designs knows no bounds, so we have been teaching her patterns that she can teach the rest of the Bitengye Designers during the rest of the year, as they are able. She has agreed to continue as Coordinator of the group next year, which makes all of us extremely happy. And for our part, we have decided to spend a week just with Alice next year, so she can get some concentrated teaching time herself. She spends so much time in the workshop helping other students, help that she gives with patience and humour. When we interviewed her about her life, she acknowledged that she is responsible for 11 members of her family, including 6 siblings, 2 nieces, her mother and her auntie. She is the only one with work, and this is what fires her single-mindedness and her work ethic. "That's why I'm still single" she said, "I am responsible for so many." Getting married has had to be delayed many times." Alice is a gem of a person, and we couldn't ask for a more able Coordinator for the group.

Large Hut Wallhangings/Lap Quilts

2010-02-17T20:40:00.000-08:00

Here's another design the ladies have been working on - large huts in a row, with rows of rail fence alternating. They've used flannelette instead of batting, backed them, and put on binding. The quilting itself has been kept to a minimum, as they don't have walking feet for their machines - so in-the-ditch quilting has been most appropriate. The women who were still having some difficulty continued to work on tablecloths while the more advanced worked on these. They're pleased with their efforts, and we just hope that both the tablecloths and the large wallhangings will sell well as home, as they're a much bigger investment of fabric and time than any previously made items.

Bitengye Tablerunners

2010-02-17T04:18:00.000-08:00

Aren't these gorgeous tablerunners? Most have blue borders but some have green borders. Many have been completed and today we began packing them away in a tote ready to go home. Now that we're down to the last few days of the workshop, time is flying. And the ladies are sewing up a storm. I think it was 6:40 before they went home yesterday afternoon, and I wouldn't be surprised if they did the same tonight. Each time they complete an item and it has been checked for quality, they sign a paper with the date, the name of the item, and the amount they will be paid. On Friday the list will be added up for each individual, and pay packets distributed. Then they will buy new fabrics from some of their proceeds, with which to continue sewing once they're back home. Long hours, much laughter, and sheer determination are in evidence everywhere!

Athens, Maker of Necklaces

2010-02-16T05:40:00.001-08:00

Athens is a young woman in secretarial school. Both parents died of AIDS in the late nineties, and left her and her siblings with very little. She thought she would be forced to sell the small plot of land they had in order to continue in school, but a Canadian sponsor has enabled her to continue with her education. She is as bright as can be, and helpful and keen to learn new things. She will start back to school very soon, and when I met her last month, she was making paper necklances to raise some of the funds she would need to buy her supplies. When I saw the necklaces I offered to buy as many as she could make before I left, and here she is, with over 30 necklaces. I bought them all from her and will sell them back in Canada. And Athens? Well she is thrilled that for the first time ever she will be able to return to school with all the supplies on the list, and also with some new clothing. "I will be so happy this time," she said. "Now the other students won't be able to laugh at me."

Dinah and Helena

2010-02-14T19:52:00.001-08:00

I first met Dinah when I came to Uganda three years ago. She was employed part-time by Canada House at that time, and we struck up a friendship. We have been in touch since then, and at the end of last year, I gave her a sewing machine and arranged for her to have sewing lessonsa. She would like to have become one of the Bitengye Designers, but works for someone at the Eye Clinic in the mornings, so can't attend. And Helena is only six months old. So I have shown her how to make table napkins, and every Sunday she has been arriving with 40 more completed table napkins. The amount she earns with these effectively doubles her monthly income, and she hopes to save enough for her eldest son to complete Primary-7. But with eight children, it's hard to save any money at all. (The husband is no longer in the picture.) As for Helena, she is thriving, and happy to be wrapped on Dinah's back while she works. At least for now.

Safe Spot for a Seam Ripper

2010-02-13T21:45:00.001-08:00

Where to put a seam ripper when it's not in use? In your hair of course. I've seen some of the women store their pins in their hair as well, although they're not always as easy to remove. Those who have had their hair braided with "extensions" do not have this same handy spot for storage, although their various hairstyles are amazing. Today is Sunday, the one day when the Bitengye ladies do not come over to Canada House. We will walk up the hill to the Cathedral for the English service shortly, then spend a day catching up on a little rest, before beginning the third and final week of the workshop. Time has flown by, and there is much that we would still like to teach the ladies. Instead we are teaching more designs to Alice, and she will teach them these designs through the coming year, when they are ready for them.

Sheilla and Bright

2010-02-12T20:27:00.000-08:00

Sheilla is the youngest member of the Bitengye Designers, and is 22. She has a daughter, Viola, who is 3, and here she is with her six month old son, Bright. She lives here in Ruharo, in a small mud hut with her mother. Her mother has been ill for sometime, although feeling much better this year, and Sheilla is her caregiver. Her sister and niece have come to stay with their mother while Sheilla attends the workshop. Recheal has a neighbour to look after her 3 year old until the other children come home from school, at which point Christia, who is 8, looks after all four children. In Kikagati, the cook had a one-month old baby, whom she strapped to the back of her 10 year old daughter, to look after while she was working. And this is much more the norm - babies strapped to the backs of children who have barely left babyhood themselves. There's something to be said for the older children taking responsibility for the younger children (when we were first married, David was newly returned from Burundi, and saw no reason we shouldn't have twelve children, because of this very thing!); but is vastly different from the responsibilities we give to our children back in Canada.

Anna and Table Runner

2010-02-11T20:25:00.001-08:00

The table runner's batting is a layer of flannelette, and then it's backed with an African fabric. With a shortage of table space, Anna has decided to lay hers out on the cement porch of the big house before pin-basting the layers together. This photo was taken yesterday morning, early in the day, when a cardigan was advisable. It reached 40 C. by 3 o'clock the same day! Thankfully it begins cooling down when the sun sets, and there is often a bit of a breeze that appears at about the same time of day. Not every day is a wonderful day, and yesterday was a tad frustrating. There are four women who are still having trouble with a quarter inch seam allowance, and one in particular who seems to get worse and worse the more we correct her. I have talked to them about the need for "good quality", but sometimes it seems there is a gap in understanding that can't be explained in words. It's then that I remember that for these women, making a table mat is the difference between being able to feed their families or not. Which sometimes results in their less-than-careful sewing. They can practically see the shillings piling up each time they complete an item, and no-one wants to get left behind.

A Hot Day in Mbarara

2010-02-11T00:20:00.000-08:00

Yesterday (Wednesday) was a hot one. The ladies worked hard on their table runners all day, and most of them had finished their first one by six o'clock, when they returned to the hostel where they are staying. Yesterday was also the first lesson in putting on binding, and here are Tumushabe, Sheilla and Maudah, who found one of the coolest spots in the garden to sit in while they did the hand stitching. Today they will continue with these table runners - I think you'll like them. A quilting friend on the Sunshine Coast showed me how to make these, when I was at their retreat last fall. Thank you so much!

Lydian and Kamidah

2010-02-09T20:52:00.001-08:00

Lydia and Kamidah come from Rubingo, and worked together on this tablecloth (the blue or green borders are still to be added). It was their turn to have their photograph taken - a way of praising them for the good work they've done. It's heart-warming to see the way they're ready to applaud one another's efforts. We have had to do a good bit of un-stitching, however, in the last couple of days, and are now wondering how to let the more advanced students go ahead with new designs, while making sure those who still need more practice, get it. Today we will talk to Alice about the possibility of breaking the class into two groups, and how best to do this.

Mary and Children

2010-02-09T00:13:00.000-08:00

A truck making its appearance in a village is often a novelty, and a white person by a truck attracts even more attention. Here Mary is pictured beside Perez's truck, just after church was dismissed. Shortly after the photo was taken she took some footage of these children, and was then able to play it back to them. As you might imagine, the crowd of children expanded still further when that happened. As we drive down more remote roads, small children stand by the side of the road waving at us. Trudy said on one occasion that she felt a little like the Queen!

Trudy with Rubingo children

2010-02-08T00:50:00.000-08:00

We've learned in the last couple of weeks, that if there are children present, Trudy's greatest interest will be with them. This photo was taken at the Hope Choir performance in Rubingo. Children only smile for photos when coaxed - "Shaka, shaka" - we tell them, Runyankole for "smile". We have similar photos or Trudy with various babies, and they are pretty charming. Dinah, who I know from three years ago, came here with her 8th child on Saturday. She's called Helena. Sheila is one of the sewing ladies, and we met her son, Bright very soon after our arrival at Canada House. We muzungus (white people), of course, are quite an attraction.

Knight and Nightingale

2010-02-07T01:46:00.001-08:00

Friday and Saturday were both workshop days, and the hum of treadle sewing machines was steady from eight thirty in the morning until five thirty in the evening. The ladies completed six table cloths with borders and cloth backing. This was their first experience of putting blocks together into a whole quilt top, and they rose to the challenge admirably. Quarter-inch seams are still occasionally in need of correction, but the women were quite willing to take out any errors and correct them, in order to end up with a "high quality" product. Here I am showing Knight those places that need to be re-done, while Nightingale translates for me.

The Hope Choir

2010-02-05T19:37:00.000-08:00

If only I could capture the energy and song and strength of this group in a photo - it just isn't possible. These are the members of the Hope Choir, performing in Rugingo. All 22 members are HIV positive, and they come together to spread their message - to get tested, to know your status, how AIDS is spread, and how to live positively with AIDS. They visit many different areas, wherever they are invited (often churches and schools), and sing songs they have composed themselves, perform drama, and dance. They have a powerful impact on many others, encouraging them to get tested, to access counselling, and to access the ARV drugs that are available in Uganda free of charge. A similar group has just been formed in Kikagati - the Truth Choir with 27 members, and Kitambaa has committed to buying uniforms for them (T-shirts and black skirts), and drums, as well as to help raise transport funds so that the members can get to those places that testing and medication is available. These people are so brave, risking shunning by their friends and family, and their work is so valuable.

First Day of Class

2010-02-04T20:29:00.000-08:00

Thursday (yesterday) was the first day of the workshop for the Bitengye Designers. First thing in the morning all twelve of these marvellous women arrived at Canada House. There was much hugging and excited greeting of one another - we've finally managed to learn the customary greetings in Runyankole - and then singing and prayer and the day began. We heard a report from each of the areas, and then the sewing began. We had brought Olfa rulers with us, and after a demo in how to use it, they were off and running, cutting and sewing strip units which today will be cut into blocks and assembled into the first new project - a table cloth. There are three women who are still having a little difficulty with their 1/4" seam allowance, but the beauty of this design is that it can be made by these three as well. And it serves as a good "review project" for everyone. The table cloth measures 50" X 50", and will retail for $35. Orders anyone?

Views from Uganda

2010-02-01T04:21:00.001-08:00

These photos were all taken in the Rubingo area, but are pretty representative of most of the country. It's quite lush and green in most areas, a result of two rainy seasons (March and September), and lots of sunshine. Bananas of various varieties grow everywhere, and there is also sorghum, millet, casava, mangos, pineapple and papayas, to name just a few. The problem is that there is not enough land for the population, and many cannot afford what little land there is available. Much of the land is tired and overused, and the soil on the hills has been eroded as trees are cut down for building and firewood. There is

an ever-increasing awareness of environmental issues, however, and in Kikagati, one of the proposals the widows and grandmothers made was to support them in planting grevarria, a type of tree that grows quite quickly. The number one reason they want the trees, is to be able to build themselves latrines, as they understand this as a way to improve their health. In fact we often saw health promotion posters in the homes of the women we visited, addressing such issues as the importance of hand-washing, the proper use of latrines, and specific and very open HIV/AIDS information. Uganda sits right on the equator, so is warm year-round, though thankfully it cools off most nights. The middle of the day can be pretty hot, but this is Africa, after all. OK, so that's the last of the posts for today. I hope those of you following this blog feel a little more in touch with where we are and how we are and what we are up to.

More Photos from the MBS meetings

2010-02-01T04:12:00.000-08:00

Joan and a widower member of the group. Note the walking sticks they have in common.

Children inside the Church where the Kikagati meeting was held (the coolest place around).

Widows clapping to the traditional dancing that was performed before we left the gathering. (The dancing itself is much like the imitation of a crane dancing, and is very hard to photograph. It consists of much leaping in the air while arms are outstretched on either side and the head is rotated to a soft hissing sound. Quite something to see.)