Photoshopping me in Janey Morris's hair and clothing from
a Rosetti portrait of her in our Spencer Museum. Sorry, Dante, Janey & Willie.
I was the judge but I roped a mythical William Morris into
the job too. Morris had strong opinions about design so I
channeled his help with a hard decision.
44 Entries
Click on the picture to see more details or better yet go to the EQ page:
EQ's rules were few:
The quilt design must be original to the entrant.The design must be drawn in an EQ product.
Fabric choices were confined to the Fabric of the Month: Morris Meadow Best of Morris.
His Arbutus has a simple repeat yet it appears quite complex.
Two layers of pattern include subtle leaves in the dark background here.
Arbutus is a Mediterranean tree sometimes called a Strawberry Tree.
Their rules left me and Willie with a lot of latitude. I considered his principles:
- Morris espoused tradition.
- He thought the product should be true to the material.
- He was adamant about design echoing the natural world.
- He was a genius with pattern on a flat surface.
- He was opposed to industrialization (although I'd argue that industrialization gave craftspeople time to create rather than merely laboring daily to provide food and shelter.)
Me: I looked for:
- Impact
- Clever pattern
- A nod to traditional design with a creative twist
Anita says: "I purchased EQ8 one week ago and this challenge was a great way for me to learn how to use the quilt program and explore a palette of colours/fabrics that I wouldn’t ordinarily choose. I’m also very inspired by everyone’s designs."
As Susan commented: "I’m impressed you could put together such a beautiful quilt in such a short time to learn the product!"
As Susan commented: "I’m impressed you could put together such a beautiful quilt in such a short time to learn the product!"
I agree---I am nowhere as skillful with the capabilities of EQ as you designers are.
In the contest you are limited to the prints in the collection. As Pamela noted: "I do wish, though, there had been a plain orange." In real life you can add an orange to your designs. As blue's color complement it would be a good addition.
There were 43 Runners Up.
More inspiration tomorrow.
I'm glad I didn't have to choose the winner. Well done everyone. Congratulations to Anita.
ReplyDeleteThank you Barbara for choosing my design. I also channeled William Morris, particularly V & A Museum photos showing ceilings and rugs, with central medallion designs, for inspiration. I wanted a design that seemed relatively easy to sew. On the other hand I was very impressed with all the submissions showing complex designs.
ReplyDeleteI very much look forward to receiving and working with the William Morris fabrics. Anita Verstraete
What a fantastic showcase of creativity! Anita’s quilt design truly captures the spirit of Morris Meadow — impactful, clever, and beautifully balanced. Love how the patterns echo traditional design while adding a fresh twist. It’s inspiring to see how much can be achieved even while exploring a limited palette of fabrics.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of our own Retoucher of the Year contest, where participants also get to challenge themselves within specific briefs and showcase their skills—creativity truly shines when boundaries inspire innovation!