INTRODUCTION TO JOURNAL QUILTS
What are Journal Quilts?
Ros's Journal Quilts are a series of small quilts that she made monthly between 2007 and 2017. They are generally between 25 and 30cm square - some of them are half width (ie around 15cm wide) In the paragraphs below I have reproduced Ros's own words to explain her journal quilts and in the following pages I've included Ros's own notes on each quilt (with a bit of editing and some added comments). You will notice her descriptions include ideas that inspired her, methods she used and even sometimes when they didn’t quite work out as she hoped. She was always very modest about her considerable achievements.
This is what Ros said about Journal Quilts and how they came about in a talk she gave in 2016:
"American visual artist Jeanne Williamson, who uses mixed media with stitch, was the first journal quilter. She was inspired by a visit to a friend who was very productive and developing as an artist. Jeanne wanted to find time to do the same. She recalled seeing an artist who decorated a paper bag every day and decided to incorporate similar methodology into her own practice.
From January 1999 until December 2005 she made one quilt a week – a total of 365 quilts! The idea was to ‘play and experiment, and to give herself the time to create at least one quilt each week, no matter what else was going on in her life’. She set herself a few rules. Each quilt would be a whole cloth one made sometime between Sunday and Saturday. Once started on a quilt she could not throw it out and begin again. Any techniques or materials could be used. As she worked she made notes on the technique and/or influence for the week. The size of the quilts varied from year to year, the smallest were 4x6 postcard size and the largest were 8x10 in.
As you can imagine a weekly quilt is quite a commitment especially when away on holiday or the unexpected gets in the way. Apparently she always completed the weekly quilts although on occasion it was last thing on a Saturday night. After 7 years she gave herself a year off! But then resumed weekly quilts. I’m not sure if she still does them but she works successfully as an artist exploring grid-like designs inspired by fencing."
From January 1999 until December 2005 she made one quilt a week – a total of 365 quilts! The idea was to ‘play and experiment, and to give herself the time to create at least one quilt each week, no matter what else was going on in her life’. She set herself a few rules. Each quilt would be a whole cloth one made sometime between Sunday and Saturday. Once started on a quilt she could not throw it out and begin again. Any techniques or materials could be used. As she worked she made notes on the technique and/or influence for the week. The size of the quilts varied from year to year, the smallest were 4x6 postcard size and the largest were 8x10 in.
As you can imagine a weekly quilt is quite a commitment especially when away on holiday or the unexpected gets in the way. Apparently she always completed the weekly quilts although on occasion it was last thing on a Saturday night. After 7 years she gave herself a year off! But then resumed weekly quilts. I’m not sure if she still does them but she works successfully as an artist exploring grid-like designs inspired by fencing."
And this is what Ros wrote about her own Journal Quilts:
"Since 2007 I have been making one small quilt each month. Through them I explore, experiment and have fun. They might relate to what’s going on in my life, the world or my thoughts. For me they are part diary and part sketchbook. It’s a useful way to try unusual materials, new techniques and discover what a sewing machine can do.
I follow the Journal Quilt challenge set by Contemporary Quilt, a sub group of the Quilters’ Guild. The size is set for each year. Occasionally an additional stricture (eg: colour/embellishment/circle/line/text) is required but we each choose what to do. Some times I set a theme for the year or part of it."
I follow the Journal Quilt challenge set by Contemporary Quilt, a sub group of the Quilters’ Guild. The size is set for each year. Occasionally an additional stricture (eg: colour/embellishment/circle/line/text) is required but we each choose what to do. Some times I set a theme for the year or part of it."
