The beginning

The Quilt Project is something special.

This lifted straight from kootoyoo

I have co-ordinated 3 community based friendship quilts and loved so much the sense of belonging & the unity & the thought of many hands working together to make one "something".

I've been stewing on The Quilt Project for a good long time now. Everytime I've looked at my Great Grandmother's Redwork quilt I've thought about it more & more. I feel a connection with those women. Women who made time to stitch these intricate designs in only red just to share a piece of themselves with someone else. It gives me goosebumps.

I'm the only person who really gets to enjoy my piece of redwork history & so I thought I'd like to have a go at organising a contemporary redwork piece that once complete will be published online so that everyone can enjoy it.

About 18 months ago I purchased a huge stack of calico squares all overlocked in red. I've got 50 squares to post out & I'd love you to be a part of it.

I thought about sending personal invites, but you know...you never know where the gold might lie. I want participants to be as passionate & as excited about this project as I am. You don't have to restrict yourself to embroidery.

Thanks to some lovely support from allsorts, mayamade & twoandsix the number of applicants exceeded the original 50. Nobody was turned down in those first few days & the number of squares posted out grew to 66.

The rules to the participants are listed below...

Rules and Info

• The goal of the project is to create a temporary redwork quilt. By participating and completing your redwork block, you will be a founding contributor to The Quilt Project.
• After signing up you will receive a square of calico in the mail. The square measures 50 x 50 cm approximately.
• Your design should occupy the centre of the calico block only. Please ensure that your design is no larger than 35cm x 35cm. Pieces submitted with a design larger than this may not be able to be included.
• Your contribution should be ORIGINAL. Please do not reproduce commercial stitching patterns. This block will be your “signature” – make it unique.
• If you’re not a stitcher…fear not. You can appliqué, paint, sketch, quilt, screen print, gocco, crochet or knit your block. You may choose to incorporate all of these…knock yourself out! Just make sure it’s RED. Your finished piece should measure 50 x 50cm with the actual design occupying 35 x 35 cm (border with original calico).
• Please use ONLY red. Pieces submitted using other colours may not be able to be included. If you’re quilting/piecing please use only neutral & red fabrics.
• All blocks must reach Melbourne by 20 September 2009. Blocks received after this date may not be able to be included.
• Once finished the quilt will be displayed in Melbourne & then made into an “online quilt”.
• Finally, the quilt will be disassembled.
• You must elect “swap” or “save”. If you choose to “save” your original piece will be returned to you. If you choose “swap” then you will receive the block belonging to another quilt member.
  
  

Such was the beginning of the project.