Strictly Quilts will be back again this Melbourne Cup weekend, showcasing the talent of local quilters. Among those who will be featured in the exhibition at Rowan Street's Uniting Church Hall from Friday 30 October to Monday 2 November are Carol Sonogan and Heather Sloan. The two quilters will be guest speakers at an opening night event on the Friday, and those dropping in for the exhibition over the weekend will have the chance to see some of their work. Carol developed her passion for art quilting after attending a 2009 Dookie Quilting Weekend workshop led by former local Jan Preston. Discovering free-motion stitching, with its invitation to freedom of expression, opened up a world of possibilities for Carol and built on the sewing skills she had honed over almost 50 years. Since producing her first art quilt, Carol has exhibited in juried shows including the Sydney Modern Quilt Show, Wangaratta Petites, One Step Further and Ozquilt. Early in her art quilting career, she used found materials, scraps and recycled textiles, and she has continued to utilise this approach and style in her work, with eco-dyeing and mono-printing proving good methods for creating patterned fabric from recycled sheets, curtains and linens. Like Heather Sloan, Carol said she had benefited from the generous mentoring, inspiration and encouragement of renowned local textile artist Marian Greaves, of Peechelba Machine Embroiderers. Heather also has a long-held passion for sewing, which began with enjoying embroidery with her grandmother and sewing dolls' clothes by hand or on the treadle machine. She has tried most crafts over the years, but in 1996 her focus turned to patchwork quilting. "After making more than 500 patchwork quilts, the majority of which went to various charities, I discovered art quilts, and in 2017 was invited to join Peechelba Machine Embroiderers," Heather said. "Thanks to the wealth of experience and skills within the group, I was introduced to many different techniques." Most of Heather's work reflects her science background, focusing on the natural world, with time spent in parks and bushland providing photos and experiences on which to draw. "Having run out of wall space, these days I tend to make books and scrolls as mementoes of places and experiences," she said. Heather and Carol are looking forward to being part of the 18th Strictly Quilts, which will be open from 10am to 4pm daily between 30 October and 2 November at the Uniting Church Hall in Rowan Street. Showcasing the talents of local quilters, the event also offers the chance to browse a charity craft stall, purchase handmade items and enter raffles, as well as enjoying a delicious Devonshire tea, all for a $5 entry fee. For more information about Strictly Quilts, phone Leonie on 0403 226 129 or Helen on 0458 131 156.
