Master Mariner's Rhapsody-Celebrating Papa's Forty Years on the Sea

Entry Number: 65

Quilt Maker: Corey J. Ralph

Quilted By: Quilted by Machine (Longarm) that is Hand-Guided:

Corey Ralph - Sew Manly Quilting

Techniques: Pieced, Appliqué by Machine, Appliqué by Hand, Thread Painted, Hand Dyed,

Design Source: Original Design

Artist Statement

John Francis Ralph Jr. is a fisher, son, husband, brother and someone I am very proud to call my Papa. Papa is the third generation Ralph to fish the frigid North Atlantic, out of our tiny village of Bellevue, NL. This work celebrates his life's work on the sea- the struggles he endured and the challenges he faced to ensure he provided for his small family. As we celebrate your retirement, know we are very proud of you, Papa!

The motifs used are abstract representations of the species he fished over the years, including cod, capelin, herring, mackerel, squid and crab. Additionally, the morning sunrises we all loved to watch from his boat, the mariner's compass and seagulls that serenaded him each morning are represented in the work.

Based on Ricky Tims' Rhapsody technique, this piece uses hand-dyed Ricky Tims fabrics that were purchased while attending a Quilt Retreat in La Veta, CO in April 2018. I was the 2016 Ponnie Brinkman scholarship recipient and was lucky enough to attend this inspirational week with Ricky in Colorado.

This labour of love has taken nearly ten months to complete; 65 hours to design and complete the top, 40 hours to complete the double blanket stitching and, 16.5 hours to complete the hand-guided longarm quilting and 10 hours to compete the 3200 Swarovski crystals, binding, sleeve and label.

California Dreamin'

Entry Number: 8

Quilt Maker: Corey J. Ralph

Quilted By: Quilted by Machine (Longarm) that is Hand-Guided:

Corey Ralph - Sew Manly Quilting

Techniques: Pieced

Design Source: Original Design

Artist Statement

This simple quilt uses four the Hoffman Dream Big Teal panels. I layered the panels together and sewed lines half an inch apart. I then used a chenille cutter to slice between three of the panels, leaving one in tact. This piece reminds me of cycling in California, and the title of the piece comes from song made famous by The Mamas & The Papas.

Sailing on the Tide

Entry Number: 1

Quilt Maker: Benjamin Evans

Quilted By: Quilted by Machine (Domestic) - Hand Guided: Benjamin Evans

Techniques: Pieced

Design Source: Baby Lattice Quilt by Amy Smart

Artist Statement

I began sewing as a small boy using an antique Singer machine to make little cushions for my Star Wars people. Largely self-taught, over the years I have endeavoured to make a wide variety of fabric crafts and garments. I took my first quilting class in 2014. Although I favour making traditional quilts using precise patterns, I have pushed myself to try using more modern colours and techniques, including raw-edge appliqué and improvisational curved piecing. Typically drawn to more masculine fabrics and prints, anything grey, purple, green, or with a moustache on it, makes me exceedingly happy.

This quilt is my entry for the Pins and Pine Needles Quilt Guild 2020 Charity Challenge. Each of us were given a fat quarter (the white with coloured specks) and asked to make a baby quilt. My challenge was to use squares and add blue fabric. The Baby Lattice Quilt by Amy Smart has become one of my go-to quilts whenever a friend has a baby on the way, as the project can be completed over a weekend. The name of the quilt honours the song “Sailing on the Tide” by the Carpenters.