Margaret River quilters’ chance to get Stitched and Bound

The region’s best quilters will go on exhibition across the South West and the State – and more nominations are being sought to enter the exhibition. Lotterywest funding has kick-started the tour of juried exhibition Stitched and Bound 2022, which will set up at the Margaret River Heart at the end of this year. Meanwhile, the WA Quilters Association is urging amateur textile artists to pitch their best for a shot on the tour, which will also take in four other regional galleries as well as Perth’s Midland Junction Arts Centre. Exhibition co-convenor Susan Sheath said many of the entries from WA’s best quilters included those who “challenged” the conventional boundaries of the medium. “Artists are encouraged to work outside the quilt format and push the boundaries, focusing on making personal statements through the use of unconventional materials, ideas and techniques,” she said. “We hope that artists in the Margaret River region will submit their works, as we would love to have some pieces from the area included in the exhibition.” Among those certain to give it a try was Margaret River woman Judith Wilton who showed her works most recently at the Quilters of Leeuwin exhibition in Augusta. She told the Times her latest piece, to be submitted to the competition, featured manipulation of a photo of bottlebrush using hand-dyed and commercial fabrics. Previous Stitched and Bound exhibitions included 30 to 40 works chosen by three independent jurors. This year is the show’s 13th edition. Pieces were selected on artistic merit, innovation within the medium, and the standard of design and execution. Stitched and Bound 2022 opens at the Heart on December 2. Entries can be submitted online via stitchedandboundblog.wordpress.com before April 30.