Siembieda puts a new spin on the art of quilting

SANDPOINT – A watercolorist or sketch artist can tuck their finished work neatly into a desk drawer. Life is different when you’re a quilter.

“I need a crafts room,” said Gina Siembieda, the featured quilt artist in the Panhandle Piecemakers Quilt Guild “Festival of Quilts” showcase, scheduled for Aug. 11-12 at Sandpoint Community Hall.

She plans to show between six and eight quilts at the event, and although she has plenty to choose from, the talent of those whose work has been featured in previous shows, as well as the general level of proficiency in the guild, sets the bar very high.

“It’s nerve-racking, thinking about coming up with all of those – and trying to come up with something amazing,” Siembieda said. “Because there are some amazing quilters in our group.”

As she talks, Siembieda unpacks quilts from protective covers and drapes them about the room. They are, well, amazing.

One of them takes inspiration from the classic Underground Railroad patterns that guided fleeing slaves to freedom in the 19th Century. In this artist’s hands, however, the usually flat dyes and muted colors from the Civil War era are replaced by sparkling batiks and shining jewel tones. It’s as if the feeling of freedom itself has been realized in fabric.

In honor of a guitar-playing cousin, Siembieda took photographs of several of his instruments and created a quilt that intertwines the headstocks, necks and bodies in a textural homage to

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music-making.

One particular work has the distinction of simultaneously rousing the desire to quilt while making it seem impossible to reach the heights it achieves. From any angle, the piece washes over the viewer in waves of complementary shades, as if a painter’s color wheel had come to life and started to tumble, domino-like, across the face of the quilt.

According to Siembieda, it’s all easier than it appears. The secret, she confided, is to get behind the big picture and see the increments that pull it together.

“A lot of people look at a finished piece and say, ‘Oh, I could never do that,’” she said. “But honestly, any of my quilts could be done by anyone.”

Having sewn since the age of 12, when her grandmother bought her a sewing machine and taught her how to use it, Siembieda was bitten by the quilting bug years later after she bought an Amish quilt during a trip back East. That led to creating a quilt for her own bed, which, in turn, led to making quilts for others.

Sharing both her work and the techniques she has developed over the years has been a hallmark for this quilter, who teaches a Quilting 101 class for the guild as a way to expand the ranks and pull in a younger demographic to the time-honored art form. Panhandle Piecemakers Quilt Guild, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year, now has about 60 members whose works range from traditional stylings to original designs on art quilts. Siembieda considers herself part of the first camp, though she has gravitated toward the latter.

“I’m more of a traditional quilter taking advantage of modern techniques,” she said. “More recently, I’ve been trying to expand – I’m less likely to use a pattern than before.”

The move was an artistic leap of faith, she added, but one based on putting her time in.

“With years of experience, you start to see how different things can go together without being directed in a certain way,” said Siembieda.

A shared trait among quilters seems to be a spirit of generosity when it comes to sharing the cozy outcome of their labors. Along with other guild members and as an individual, Siembieda has donated multiple quilts to those in need.

One of her favorite vehicles for this philanthropy in fabric has been Project Linus – a non-profit organization that calls on “blanketeers” to provide high-quality, handmade quilts, blankets and afghans to children in hospitals, shelters and other agencies.

“I like the comfort that quilts give people, both physically and emotionally,” the artist said.

For her quilts, Siembieda does every step herself, from piecing to sewing to the final quilting. Her favorite part of the process?

“I’d have to say the final stitch,” she said. “I love the finished product.”

The Panhandle Piecemakers Quilt Guild “Festival of Quilts” — featuring Siembieda’s work – will include a judged quilt show, demonstrations and door prizes. The event will be held Sat., Aug. 11, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and again on Sun., Aug. 12, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Sandpoint Community Hall, located at 204 First Ave. Cost is $3, with children under 12 and husbands admitted free.

Information: (208) 263-1113