Guest Post: Vikki Pignatelli

Adventures in Denmark

article and photos by Vikki Pignatelli

Being a quilt teacher is possibly the best career in the world! I am truly blessed…fortunate indeed that I have the opportunity to follow my passions to make my living. My love of all art forms (quilting in particular), travel and teaching have all combined in the most amazing way.

In the past fourteen months I’ve taught in locations I never dreamed I’d have the chance to visit or teach: New Zealand (a month), Australia (a month), Ireland (a month), Denmark (3 weeks) as well as England, Hawaii and every corner of the USA.

I’ve met the most amazing people and I’ve discovered that quilters are the same all over the world. They are enthusiastic and eager to learn new techniques and ideas. They want to use their quilting not just as a hobby or business, but also a as self-expression to convey their innermost feelings, joys, passions and as a healing tool or personal therapy.

This spring I taught in Denmark for the second time in three years. My husband, Denny, and I stayed with our very good friends Lone and Teddy Schaadt. Lone is also a quilting teacher, Teddy, a fine artist. Lone and I taught dual classes, which is not only fun, but takes some of the pressure off of each teacher and allows some break time.

We taught two different sessions in Koege, a week retreat In Vigersted and in Viborg. As always the Danish students were terrific! Danes learn English in school at an early age and I’ve seldom run into any language barrier problems in Denmark. Some are self-conscience and hesitate to speak or make sentences but almost everyone understands English. Many of the programs on TV in Denmark are in English.

A week before we were to come home, the volcano in Iceland erupted. There were some anxious moments wondering when we could fly again….airports were closed and flights cancelled all over northern Europe because of the ash cloud. And we were flying on Iceland Airlines. As luck would have it, the Copenhagen airport reopened on an hour by hour basis… on the day of our originally scheduled flight out of Denmark and our flight was among the first flights out after the eruption. We were very lucky, many passengers were stranded for a long time.

Our tense moments were rewarded though when we flew into Reykjavik to change planes. We flew right by the erupting volcano…and it was on my side of the plane and I had a window seat!! What a joy! It is amazing and humbling to witness the most powerful force on earth. To realize what I was seeing brought me to tears….but not before I whipped out the camera for some terrific shots!

Teaching in Denmark is always a wonderful experience! Please check my website at www.vikkipignatelli.com and click on my “student gallery” to see some of their work.

Happy quilting!

Vikki

More summer quilt shows

Right up the street, so close I can walk, is the High Road Gallery. They just opened a show called "FABRICations: Artistry in Fiber", which features art quilts by central Ohio quilters and dolls from Guilded Lilies Art Dolls.

This is a neat place for a show, with lots of character. It's an old house, and every room features quilts, even the former bathroom. Just like the show from a few days ago in Delaware, I found quilts done by members of the Quintessentials Quilters Guild.

Jody Wigton had five quilts in this show. She experimented with different media, utilizing plastic in one case for a very unusual "wet" effect. One of her other quilts had both printing and painting. It's a small work, but very effective in its use of different textures and effects.

Judy Krol, another local art quilter, had a few quilts in the show. All of them were wonderful, but one was really dynamic. It's difficult to pull off asymmetry and odd shapes in a quilt, and Judy really pulled it off here. Delightful.

If you also like to finish your quilts in something other than right- angle rectangles, take a look at Quilting by Improvisation by Vikki Pignatelli. It has chapters on alternate finishing techniques and is on sale till the end of the month.

If you're in the neighborhood, stop by for a terrific show.

Subversive Stichers

One of my favorite sources of quilting news, gossip, and inspiration is the blog, Subversive Stitchers. Today they were kind enough to post the news about our recent Ben Franklin AwardTM . Thanks so much, ladies! While you've visiting, read their wonderful review of our award winning book, Fibreart Montage, by Judith Montano.





Vikki Pignatelli, a Dragon Threads favorite, posted a fascinating article a few months ago (What can I say? I'm new to the blogging thing.) about a teaching trip to New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, and Ireland. The pictures are just as fantastic as Vikki's work. Head on over to read the post and tickle your eyes, then check out her website. While you're at it, her wonderful and popular book, Quilting by Improvisation, is on sale over at the Dragon Threads website. (Picture courtesy of Subversive Stitchers.)