Relief Sale Quilts: The Kaleidoscope of Nations

It can be difficult coming up with interesting ideas for group quilts. I began this project only with the concept of using fabrics from around the world. I asked the local MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) office if a call could go out to their worldwide volunteers, requesting a 1/2 meter of locally used fabric from each country. At that time I had no idea what I would do with this fabric.

Six months later I received a large box, containing 73 unique fabrics from 40 countries! After much thought, I came up with the idea of the "doll quilt". With help of 72 women from the quilt guild and my church, this quilt was put together in less than 6 months during the winter of 2001-2002.

“The Kaleidoscope of Nations” (84”x84”) Made by members of the Waterloo County Quilters Guild and Listowel Mennonite Church. Coordinated by Renske Helmuth. Various piecing techniques; hand quilted. Auctioned for: $44,000 in May 2003.

Named "Kaleidoscope of Nations", our quilt received the prize for the best guild quilt at the Ontario Juried Show, and later received the viewer's choice award. Below are close-up views of the 40 dolls that circled the quilt.

Albania	Bangladesh	Bolivia
Bosnia	Botswana	Brazil
Cambodia	Canada (Labrador)	China
Congo	Croatia	El Salvador
Egypt	Ethiopia	Germany
Guatemala	Honduras	India
Indonesia	Iraq	Ireland
Jamaica	Jordan	Laos
Mexico	Mozambique	Nepal
Nigeria	Palestine	Philippines
Sudan	Syria	Tanzania
Thailand	Uganda	Ukraine
USA	Vietnam	Zambia
	Zimbabwe

"Kaleidoscope" was auctioned at the Ontario Relief Sale in 2003 for a record-breaking $44,000!

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My Other Quilts

	Victorian Bouquet (40” x 31.5") 2003
Amaryllis (30” x 40.5”)
	Sashiko Wallhanging #1 (34 x 24") 2005 Hand-embroidered with white thread on dark blue fabric.
Sashiko Wallhanging #2 (34 x 24") 2005 Hand-embroidered with white thread on dark blue fabric.
	Poppies (23 x 15.5") 2003 Hand-appliquéd and machine-quilted. Quilt Guild challenge piece.
Celebration (16 x 20.5") 2005 Reverse machine appliqué and machine-quilted. I used the edge selvages from a variety of fabrics. These were fused on a muslin background. The hearts were created with reverse machine appliqué. Quilt Guild challenge piece.
	Tulips 2003 Hand-appliquéd and machine-quilted, 3-D flowers
Tree of Life (36 x 24.5") I have offered a workshop on making this Jacobean style wall hanging.
	50th Anniversary Quilt for my parents (40 x 42") 1997 Quilted by Hilda Mae Helmuth
Sashiko Pillow (18 x 18") 2005 This pillow consists of 4 x 6 inch squares. Each square has a different Japanese crest design and is embroidered with multi-coloured sashiko thread.
	Basket of Flowers (22 x 22")
Birds
	These next two wall hangings are made from the same pattern: Daffodils 2003 Hand-appliqué, 3-D flowers, silk ribbon embroidery, machine-quilted
Small Flower Wall hanging 2003 These small projects are fun to do after completing a larger one.
	Sleighride (12 x 12") 1999 Awarded 1999 Joseph Schneider Haus 1st place: annual block competition

Wheat-weaving by Renske

Harvest Maiden
Wheat-weaving by Renske Helmuth, 1996.
(36" tall)

This was one of my last wheat weavings before taking up quilting as my favourite art form.

Relief Sale Quilts: The Baltimore Album quilts

In 1997, as a fairly new member of the Waterloo County Quilters Guild I was asked to teach appliqué classes. Here was my chance to make an appliqué quilt for the Relief Sale! Right from the start, both the guild and the Listowel Mennonite Church were involved.

I came up with the following plan: after the workshops, each participant went home with a kit. They were asked to make the 12½" block; patterns ranged in difficulty from very easy to hard. The patterns were taken from Elly Sienkiewicz's series of books. Out of these blocks I hoped to receive enough to make one Baltimore Album Style quilt.

The results were overwhelming. The return rate was 100%, so I ended up with enough for 2 quilts. The quilts were assembled at the church. In the winter of 1999 members of the guild were asked to come to the Listowel church to help with the quilting.

Mini Baltimore Album (72"x72") Hand appliqué and hand quilted by members of the Waterloo County Quilters Guild and Listowel Mennonite Church. Auctioned for: $7500 in May 1999.

The smaller quilt was sold first, in the spring of 1999. The larger Baltimore Album quilt was entered in the Ontario Juried Show, where it received the prize for the best group quilt. On a dare, I entered this quilt at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, where it received an Honorable Mention in the group category. It was auctioned for an amazing $16,500 in the spring of 2000.

Baltimore Album quilt (82"x82") Hand appliqué and hand quilted by members of the Waterloo County Quilters Guild and Listowel Mennonite Church. Auctioned for: $16,500 in May 2000.

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Relief Sale Quilts: "Rhapsody in Blue"

More information about this quilt is coming soon.

	Rhapsody in Blue  (90"x110") Machine-pieced, hand appliqué and hand quilted.
	Auctioned for: $1,200 in May 1999.

 

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Relief Sale Quilts: "Nautical Geese"

Nautical Geese  (84"x84") Machine-pieced and hand quilted. Auctioned for: $2,500 in May 1998.

The first two group quilts I coordinated for the Relief Sale were paper-pieced, and began with classes I volunteered to teach at the Listowel Mennonite Church, with the students finishing their blocks at home. Then the quilts were assembled and hand quilted at the church.

The photograph at left shows “Nautical Geese” in a frame, being hand quilted by volunteers.

 

 

 

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My Intinerary

Trunkshows and Workshops, Fall 2010

September 2010

Date	Event	Location & Details
Mon. 20th	Trunk Show	Etobicoke Quilters Guild, Etobicoke
Sat. 25th	“Sashiko for Beginners” workshop	at my home in Moorefield, 9:30-3:30. If you are interested in attending, call 519-343-5312. Kit will be provided.
Mon 27th & Tues 28th	Trunk Show and “Sunflowers” Workshop	Rouge Valley Quilters Guild

October 2010

Date	Event	Location & Details
Sat 1st	“Landscape 1” workshop	Greenwood Quiltery, Guelph Contact: 1-866-364-2790
Wed 13th	Trunk Show & mini workshop “3D flowers from shaded wired ribbon”	Bluewater Quilters Guild, at the Grey Roots Museum in Owen Sound.
Sat 16th	Workshop to be decided	Stratford Quilters Guild
Thurs 21st	Trunk Show	Kemperfelt Quilters Guild, Barrie
Fri 22nd	Sashiko Workshop	Simcoe County Quilters Guild, Barrie
Sat Oct 30th	“Landscape 1” workshop	Greenwood Quiltery, Guelph. Contact: 1-866-364-2790

November 2010

Date	Event	Location & Details
Sat 6th	“Landscape 2” workshop	Greenwood Quiltery, Guelph. Contact 1-866-364-2790
Tues 9th	Trunk Show	Twisted Sisters Quilters Guild, Ajax
Sat 13th	Landscape workshop, to be decided	Greenwood Quiltery, Guelph. Contact: 1-866-364-2790
Sat 20th	“Landscape 3” workshop	Greenwood Quiltery, Guelph. Contact: 1-866-364-2790
Sat 27th	“Hawaiian Style Quilt Block” Workshop	Quilters Dream, Burlington. Contact: 1-905-681-8164

December 2010

Date	Event	Location & Details
Tues 14th	Trunk Show	St. Mary’s Stonetown Guild

My Quilt History

About Me

I was born in Friesland, in the north of Holland on a dairy farm (at left, a picture of my father and I, in native costume!). After high school, I went to teacher's college for 5 years, where – among other things – I had to study Home Economics. We were given extensive instruction in needlework, knitting, and crocheting. I also took special classes in art and art history, which would enable me to teach at a high school level. After teaching in a small rural school for two years, I immigrated to Canada.

In 1972, I married and moved to Moorefield (in Ontario, Canada), and in 1975 we took over my in-law's dairy farm. My mother-in-law taught me to piece quilts, and over the years I pieced several. But it was not until I learned about appliqué quilts that I discovered my true passion.

In 1994, I took a 10-month class from Rosemary Makhan and I have never looked back! My first appliquéd quilt (left) was a traditional Baltimore album. Since that time I have made traditional as well as more modern pieces. I enjoy working with shaded, wired ribbon and experimenting with different flower shapes. My interest in gardening and flowers has served me well! Over the years I have taught many classes, first in wheat weaving and now in appliqué -- something I thoroughly enjoy.

Quilting Milestones:

May 2004: “The Critter Quilt” won three awards at Quilt Canada (National Juried Show): Best Traditional Wall Hanging, President's Award for Excellence in Appliqué, and Viewer's Choice Award

May 2003: “The Critter Quilt” won Viewer's Choice award at the Ontario Juried show.

August 2003: “Springtime in Ontario” (at right) won 1st place of Country Canada at the World Quilt Competition, Lansing Michigan.

2002:

• Cover picture and story in the spring issue of The Canadian Quilter (newsletter of the Canadian Quilting Association).
• Quilt exhibition at the Homer Watson Gallery (Kitchener, Ontario) with Carol Huehn and Elizabeth Duggan-Litch.
• Coordinator of the “Kaleidoscope of Nations” quilt (below) by members of the Waterloo County Quilters' Guild and the Listowel Mennonite Church. This quilt won the guild category and viewer's choice at the Ontario Juried Show (2002). “Kaleidoscope” sold at the Mennonite Relief Sale in New Hamburg, Ontario in May 2003 for a record $44,000! It was on the cover of the Canadian Mennonite, June 2002. Read about other group quilts I have coordinated here.
• “Springtime in Ontario” won in the Traditional Large category at the National Juried Show (Quilt Canada), Edmonton, Alberta.

2001:

• ”Springtime in Ontario” won first prize and Viewer's Choice at the Ontario Juried Show, Kitchener, Ontario.
• “Springtime in Ontario” and “A Bouquet of Garden Flowers” (right) won Member's Choice and Viewer's Choice at the Waterloo County Quilters' Guild 2001 quilt show.

2000:

• President, Waterloo County Quilters' Guild.
• “Springtime in Ontario” won honorable mention in the 2-person category at the International Quilt Festival, Houston, Texas.

1999:

• “A Bouquet of Garden Flowers” won 3rd prize large traditional appliqué category; “Baltimore Album”, quilt coordinator, honorable mention in the group category, International Quilt Festival, Houston, Texas.
• “Sleighride” (right), winner of the quilt block competition at the Joseph Schneider Haus.
• “A Bouquet of Garden Flowers” won honorable mention in the large category and “Baltimore Album”, quilt coordinator, won honorable mention in the group Ontario Juried Show, Kitchener, Ontario.

1998-2000:

During this time I coordinated a project that involved members of the Waterloo County Quilters' Guild and the Listowel Mennonite Church. This resulted in 2 quilts for the Mennonite Relief Sale. The first one was sold in 1999 and the second was sold in 2000.

1998: “A Bouquet of Garden Flowers” was juried into the Pacific International Quilt Festival.

1997:

• 50th Anniversary Quilt juried into the European Quilt Championships in Holland.
• Featured quilter during the Waterloo County Quilt Festival at the Schoolhouse in St. Jacobs, Ontario.
• “Helmuth Album Quilt” won viewer's choice, Ontario Agricultural Museum Quilt show, Milton, Ontario.

1996: Winner of the Quilt Block competition at the Joseph Schneider Haus.

1995: “Helmuth Album Quilt,” member's choice and viewer's choice, Waterloo County Quilters Guild Show.

1994: Waterloo County Plowing Match - 2nd and 3rd prize large pieced quilts.