Trunk Show
My sister Lorraine is a quilter and has been involved with the Seams Like Fun Quilt Group for more than ten years. She recently asked me to do a “trunk show” for the group.
The meetings are held at the Quilt Merchant in Winfield. When we arrived there was a rectangle of tables. Rather than rearrange the tables and group, we arranged a round about to let everyone have a chance to look at the pieces I brought as they were passed around. Peggy Benzin introduced me and so the show and tell started.
I wanted to share a variety of pieces to show the versatility of felt. First, I explained what felting was and how it’s achieved.
I brought about 35 items, a sample of most everything I’ve done. Many items have been given as gifts so they weren’t available. The ladies were very gracious and asked a lot of questions. I tried to give them an overview of each piece and the process and the differences in creating them. Most of you have seen all of these so this is Marilyn’s felting journey in review for you.
My sister is next to me and is hiding behind the pieces as she showed and passed them. These were last year’s studio challenges. The quilt group also has challenges.
Painting with wool.
Three dimensional big and small.
The ladies really enjoyed the fish.
Nuno felting.
Class project at The Fold.
Challenges and a variety of embellishments.
I enjoyed sharing my work and think I enlightened quilters to the wonders of felt.
Thank you Seams Like Fun Quilt Group for giving me the opportunity to share my felting journey! A special thanks to Peggy for taking the photos and sending them to me. And, of course, to my sister for inviting me.
20 thoughts on “Trunk Show”
I think you’re very brave! Standing up like that in front of a crowd isn’t easy but your lovely felting deserves a public viewing and a group of quilters would appreciate ‘the making’. There are some lovely pieces of work on the wall.
Thanks Lyn! It’s not hard to talk about something you love. But you’re right it’s not easy standing in front of a group. Yes, it was nice to be surrounded by all the wonderful quilt works. There was a roomful of talented women.
I should hire you for my August guild meeting! I’m supposed to do what you did, but with weavers and spinners. Eek!
It looks like you had a great time, Marilyn. I hope you managed to seduce some of the ladies over to felting 🙂 I liked seeing your work again, it sure helps jog the memory and hopefully made you want to have more to show soon!
You’ll be fine Leonor! I did have a good time. I think the ladies were interested, but they’ve mastered their own art which to me is much more complicated. I didn’t realize until I lost my voice at the end that I’m not used to talking that much. Bring water! 🙂
It sounds great fun if a little nerve-wracking! You have photos of some lovely pieces there. x
Thanks Sharon! It was at first, but I got over it quickly when I started to answer questions.
Marilyn – we were so happy you made the trip to share your treasures with our Seams Like Fun Quilt group! We learned a lot about a craft we were not very familiar with and were in awe of your talent. Thank you again!
Thanks Peggy, I’m blushing! I appreciated everyone’s interest and the time you offered me you share my work. I saw your picture of the quilt you made that’s at the DuPage Convalescence Center. I wish I had known it was there, I drove right by there this week. It was really gorgeous and so generous of you to donate it. Happy quilting!
That was quite a show, Marilyn! Great idea to offer the quilt guild a look at wet-felting. I imagine there were many questions about the “magic” of felting.
Thanks Cathy! I have to give my sister credit for the idea to show them. Yes, there were plenty of good questions. It was a lovely group of women who obviously have their own talents.
You had lots of great things to show, Marilyn! I’d have been a bag of nerves, but it is nice to see the look of bewilderment and astonishment on people’s faces when you show them felt and say you made it, isn’t it?! Especially when you show wool tops too.
Thanks Zed! Not all of it made the pictures. I did bring roving and batts to show how the process starts. It is interesting to see people’s reactions. I was lucky I had my sister there for support. 🙂
What a great presentation. So much variety! I just love those grapes. =) I’m sure the quilters enjoyed it. It has been really fascinating to see the growth of interest in mingling felting with “art quilts.” You never know how a technique might be used!
Thanks Karen! The grapes are my sister’s favorites, too. Before I got started she asked if I had brought them. It’s funny you mention mingling of arts. In the shop they had swatches of wool that people are using to make small items. I wished I had taken a picture. They were quite creative.
Great job Marilyn – obviously you made a good impression and it is always nice (once you get started) to hear others questions and opinions of your work. I have done a couple of these and always had fun once I got started.
Thanks Ruth! It’s nice to be able to share things you’re passionate about.
Kudos to you for being brave enough to do this, I don’t mind doing demos or teaching but standing up in front of a group of people and just talking (and hoping I don’t bore them to death) is really intimidating. Well done Marilyn!
Thanks Teri! I didn’t see anyone sleeping so thats good. :-). I try not to think about it much before I do this type of thing otherwise I’d probably freeze, doe eyed into the group, mute as mutton.
Looks like you did a great talk. It is nice to see your things again. I had forgotten about some of them.
Thanks Ann! I hope you’re enjoying your time at Dreamspin. I look forward to hearing about it.