Vertical Quilting Curve

June 14 is the official day of the American flag. Here a few small paper pieced blocks I bought in an auction right after September 11. I still haven’t made them into anything. I’ve recently considered making them into fabric postcards to send around patriotic holidays. You can find more about Flag Day and the history of our flag at the Library of Congress.

Flag Day, holidays, flags, quilt blocks

Welcome to my new series: Quilting for a Cause. This series is going to explore how quilters open their hearts and talents to support a cause. It will also serve as a challenge for everyone out there to take up your needle and thread and help your community out.

I viewed the “Alzheimer’s: Forgetting Piece by Piece” exhibit in November 2006 at the Greater Chicago Quilt Exposition. The exhibit is part of the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative that Ami Simms started and she was there to speak about it. This is a cause that is very personal to her because her mother has Alzheimer’s. It is an emotional exhibit not to be taken lightly but Ami’s lecture is full of hope and energy. She is hoping to raise $500,000. As of her last posting on her web site the exhibit and the accompanying auction “Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilts” project the initiative has raised almost $70,000.

Here’s the challenge and how you can help. You can make a small quilt to put in an auction. The quilts are small - they can be no larger than 9″ x 12″. For complete details on the rules and where to send please visit the website. You can also view the current quilts up for auction and their current bids. If you have a blog and make quilts for this cause and post them on your site I will place a link here.

If you know or have a cause supported by quilters please feel free to contact me. I don’t how often I will post this series. Right now I’m thinking of posting the cause one month and then doing a post the next month with something I’m working on for the cause.

quilting, Alzheimer’s, donations, quilt auction, Ami Simms, Alheimer’s Quilt Initiative, quilt exhibit

Maybe you haven’t heard about it yet but there is a phenomenal legal battle just beginning over quilts made by simple but proud people, good hearted people. Women who made simple but awe striking quilts and who would have given away a quilt to someone because it was the neighborly thing to do are being bamboozled into selling their hard work for a pittance compared to what they are being sold for.

Last week, Anna Mae Young filed suit against major corporations and those who discovered the artistic treasure in rural Alabama. According to the article, Gee’s Bend quilters claim big rip-off on the al.com website, the quilters had no knowledge of how their quilts were really being used. “Used” is exactly what was and is being done to these impressive folk artists. Many of the women cannot read and the Internet is not even accessible to the majority of them, so how on earth are they going to know what is being done? To them their art was their art. They would have been happy to keep making it without being in the national spotlight. Many quilters who have access to all kinds of technology and supplies are exactly the same way. Any artist creates art for art’s sake. It is just an added bonus when somebody wants to buy it.

But when somebody buys your art, does that mean they have exclusive rights to do whatever they want with the image? Is it legal for someone to purchase a vase from an artist then take it to China to be mass produced to sell in the local department store? Don’t artists have rights? I believe they do but since I’m not an attorney I can’t state exactly what they are but it seems to me that the women of Gee’s Bend are being shortchanged.

While Anna Mae is the outspoken one some of the others are content with their arrangement with the businessmen. In the article, one member is quoted

“I feel that I’ve gotten a fair deal,” Pettway said. “The others I’ve talked to, they don’t feel like Annie Mae. From what I understand, they feel that they have been treated fairly because until (Tinwood) came along, it seemed like nobody else cared. They came and let us know that we were creating artwork. Nobody cared before that.”

It is nice that people care now. It is nice that someone was able to have the vision of what could be. It is nice that some feel they have been treated fairly. But those are not reasons to not compensate these artists. Just because if no one came around and didn’t see the exceptional value of the art doesn’t make it worth any less. These women should be compensated for current value minus a reasonable commission for their work.

Question of the day: What do you think?

quilting, Gee’s Bend, quilts, quilt art, Anna Mae Young, copyrights, artists rights

I know many of you have attended quilt shows and I encourage you to keep going but if you’re like me it just not possible sometimes. I still haven’t been to the International Quilt Show in Houston because it’s too far away and I usually spend too much money on things like fabric, threads and other gadgets so I can try to actually get some quilting done. But now, you and I can sit in front of our computer screen and use a Vidcast to view a show or learn about a quilter or even learn a technique.

One of the best places I have found is on Bonnie McCaffery’s site. She has traveled around the world and along the way she has brought us a wonderful peek into quilt shows and special exhibits as well as wonderful interviews with quilters. I am so happy that I have found this site. I think you will too. You will need a Windows Media player or Quick time to play the video. She also does some interviews and her own reflections on podcasts which are just audio for those of you who may be wondering.

One observation I noted when watching the vidcast on the 2006 Houston International Quilt show was the video does move quickly through the quilts. If you would like to look longer on one, simply click on the pause button of your player then resume when you are ready. Of course, if you don’t click quick enough you may have to rewind.

Hope, you are able to view and sit down with a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy the show.

quilting, vidcast, video, quilt show, Bonnie McCaffrey, quilt video

Quilting as a craft and an art form has come a long way and along with it we see more gentlemen take center stage. One of those very talented and accomplished quilters is Phil Beaver from French Lick, Indiana.

I was first knocked off my feet by his spectacular quilts while living in Bloomington, Indiana. One of his quilts, Letters, won Best of Show at the Indiana Heritage Quilt show. He uses a brush technique to apply paint to his fabrics he uses in his wondrous quilts. In fact, when you first experience his quilts, you will find it hard to believe it is a multitude of different fabrics. Phil’s quilts are works of art that seem to be a huge painted canvas. Only when you go take a closer look do you notice the beautiful machine quilting and painted fabrics. The photos you will see in his gallery do NOT do them justice. They really should be seen in person to fully appreciate the workmanship and talent that exudes from their surfaces.

He does sell patterns as well as a collection of very unique fabric that looks like he painted them just for you. These are definitely on my must have list.

If you are lucky enough you can take a class from Phil. He does travel and you can check his calender for upcoming events he is involved with. He also hosts an annual workshop in his hometown French Lick, Indiana which will be held this year at the newly renovated French Lick Resort and Casino. Wow! What a perfect retreat!

French Lick and West Baden used to be a huge resort area for the likes of Al Capone and even FDR. There is a little of this history in the workshop information. I can tell you first hand that this is a very unique place to go. I took a tour of the West Baden Springs Hotel halfway during its restoration and it was the most phenomenal trip back in time I have yet to experience. For me, it was like stepping into what the luxurious interior of the Titanic must have looked like. The remoteness of the area will have you thinking you stumbled upon a lost civilization filled with a history unique to the era it was built. (Note: If you have a hard time getting your husband to go they have an outstanding golf course AND it is the boyhood home of Larry Bird.)

quilting, Phil Beaver, painted fabric, art quilt, French Lick, West Baden, Southern Indiana, quilt workshop

I’ve just recently recommitted myself to my crafting hobbies. One of my biggest problems is when I finally get time to actually sit down and sew I spend a lot more time getting ready and moving things around or looking for tools than I do actually working on a project. So, one of my goals for this month is to get organized and plan my time. One book I found that might help this is 10-20-30 Minutes to Quiltby Nancy Zieman.

I remember seeing this book when it was first out back in 2000 and thinking it was going to be all hints but surprisingly it is full of projects that appear to be quite easy and quick to do. The projects are broken down into 10, 20 and 30 minute blocks of time but the 30 minute time blocks are in the majority. There are very few 10 minute time blocks.

The books starts out with a list of must have tools especially ones that help you to be more efficient. It ends with machine quilting instructions. The book is full of great how-to illustrations. In between the first and last chapters are chapters that are each dedicated to different styles or projects. You can learn easy strip piecing, how to make a fleece quilt, photo transfer quilts, crazy quilting and how to use fusible bias tape to give a quilt a unique look. There is also a section for doing super quick quilts by using large pre-printed panels.

This book is a good introduction for beginners but has interesting projects for more experienced quilters. There are also Notes from Nancy throughout the book to give you helpful hints. I am always looking for really nice but quick gifts to make and this book certainly has that for me. I will have to be on the lookout for a copy. I will have to put it on my list for my next trip to Half Priced Books or keep checking it out of the library. I think the big problem will be having the discipline to stop after my allotted block of time especially if I get on a roll.

Question of the Day: Do you have any secrets or hints to help you get things done quicker or easier?

quilting, Nancy Zieman, 10-20-30, time managment, fleece quilt, fusible bias tape, strip piecing, quilting lessons

I enjoyed trying out the English paper piecing technique so much that I had to do some more. So, last night I sat down and finished the block I started. I then got out my other Paper Pieces Dresden plate templates to attempt it. I purchased them at the same time I did my hexagon pieces at the Paducah quilt show. They have all been in my to do stack for ummm….about 10 years. Yikes, time flies fast and my stash of stuff grows ever larger. I guess it is about time to use some of my stuff up. I need an excuse to buy more…well, not really.

Anyway, I got 3 sections of the Dresden motif together before deciding to call it a night. The biggest difference doing this block compared to the hexagon is that you actually have to baste the fabric to the paper piece except for the curved edge. The curved area is basted along its edge and then gathered around the template. Unlike the method for the hexagon as shown in Sunshine’s Creations tutorial, the long edge of the Dresden piece is too long to not secure it to the paper which means this will probably take just a bit longer since I will have to take out the basting once the block is completed. But look at my sample, the 3 pieces lay so nice and flat with crisp edges. I wish I had more time to finish it. Maybe this weekend.

quilting, DIY, templates, quilt, dresden

One of my favorite crafting blogs has a wonderful tutorial on how to English paper piece. I have always wanted to try this method. I even purchased the pre-cut paper pieces when I went to the Paducah Quilt show several years ago. Sunshine’s Creations great close up pictures inspired me to try my hand at it. She also has great hints while showing you step-by-step.

I have to admit I really like this. A quilter I knew in Arkansas used to do these up whenever she had a spare moment. They are very portable to do which is another reason I decided to finally try it. My husband and I like to take road trips as well as visit family and I always feel a little guilty if I’m not actually creating something especially if we stop by quilt and yarn stores. I am really great at buying things but seem to not get much farther with my treasures when I get them home.

My sample here that I made used 1 1/4″ hexagon pieces. I am halfway to finishing one flower and it didn’t take very long at all. I would hate to have to actually cut out my paper pieces as well as my fabric pieces. Maybe if I had my own die-cutter then I would think about it. My paper is by Paper Pieces and the first place I located them on the Internet was The Calico Cat but they didn’t have my size. I guess if I run out (the package I have has 75) I will have to do further research or make my own. The good thing is you can reuse them a few times. Hopefully, I will make several blocks and wear them out.

Question of the day: Do you have portable work you do and where do you do it? It doesn’t have to be quilting.

quilting, DIY, templates, quilt, English paper piecing

Wow! I had such plans for this weekend but you just can’t deny when summer is here (at least unofficially). It was beautiful in the Chicagoland area and my family and I took full advantage of it.

The closest I got to quilting was a visit to a quilt shop in Geneva, IL and buying some vintage fabric at the Kane County Flea Market in St. Charles, IL. The quilt shop was Windmill City Quilts which is under new ownership. I didn’t buy anything because next weekend, June 8-10, is their Grand Opening and they gave me a 30% off coupon to use then. They have a good selection of batiks and flannels. They also carry some cross stitch and needle punch patterns as well as hand-dyed floss.

At the flea market I purchased this sweet piece of fabric. I just love the pink and gray and those nostalgic drawings on the print. Of course, now my dilemma is what I will do with it. I’ll probably make up a wall hanging or small quilt for my guest room I don’t have yet. I also have a pink and green quilt top that needs finished for this future room of a future house. Have you used vintage fabric in quilts?

fleamarket, vintage, fabric, quilt

I met Irma Gail Hatcher several years ago when I lived in Little Rock, Arkansas and was a member of the same quilt guild, the Arkansas Quilters Guild. At the time she was probably the most famous quilter I had ever met. She had already a few books published including Hot Fudge Sundae and Conway Album (I’m Not From Baltimore). In case your curious Conway is the town where she lives in Arkansas.

She has designed many beautiful and award winning quilts based on the Baltimore Album quilts. The Baltimore style is one usually made of many appliqued blocks and could represent the life of the person receiving the quilt. The style is very recognizable. If you’ve seen the movie How to Make an American Quilt, the quilt being made during the movie is in this style. To view a history and virtual exhibit visit the Maryland Historical society which has an excellent site for learning as well as great interactive activities.

Irma Gail’s quilts may have a foundation of Baltimore style but they definitely have a style that is all hers including her workmanship. Irma Gail is one of the most dedicated and hardworking quilters of our time. Her Conway Album (I’m Not from Baltimore Quilt) was chosen as one of the 100 Best American Quilts of the 20th Century by the American Quilter’s Society and is part of the AQS’s museum collection. A short list of her other awards include: Gingher Award for Hand Workmanship, Mary Krickbaum Award for Best Hand Quilting at 1997 National Quilting Association Show, Best Workmanship Award at Quilt America and several other ribbons at various shows which you can see listed on her web site.

I continue to be in awe of her accomplishments and her workmanship. And, I’m still bummed that my car broke down and I had to miss a class she was teaching on hand quilting. Luckily she still teaches and hopefully I will get to take that class someday.