"iMusic"

The annual challenge from EQA (European quilters association) this year was “music with a touch of red”. Each country was given a specific red shape, and the Norwegian shape was to be a 15mm circle (hence the bobbin template in this post).

My initial idea was interpreting Moldau by Smetana. I spent a year worth of music classes working with this particular piece back in middle school, and have loved it ever since. My sketch was done and I was ready to go and then I had another idea – iPods in different sizes and shapes.

"iMusic" measures 12"*12" and the dark grey in the pictures is my couch, not a part of the quilt.

Using solid fabrics, it certainly has a more modern look to it. I kept the colours on the dark and cold side to make the red pop.

The machine embroidery is done with the batting as a stabilizer, and the hand work is done through all three layers. 

Artist statement: “The way I listen to music may have changed, but the beat is pretty much the same.”

I had lots of fun adding details. So much fun that I did a lot of restitching of areas that didn’t work so well. What can I say, I needed some hand work and besides that, a house is not a home until you’ve decorated at least half the rooms with little pieces of thread I'd say.

All the entries were on display at the annual meeting of the NQF (our national quilters association) this weekend, and usually the 16 quilts that get most votes will be on show at the Festival of quilts in Birmingham and then included in a three year suitcase exhibition. This year there were only 15 contributions, so they will all be included.

It will be interesting to see all the quilts on display as I am sure there are many ways to quilt music with a touch of red. Maybe someone else quilted Moldau...