quiltersmuse.com Blog

Barbara Campbell, a quilt designer and friend who lives in New Jersey, found a mola to purchase at a garage sale a few years ago. Like one of the molas in my collection, it is framed. This one is double-framed under glass and its new owner states that “it appears to float on the kitchen wall.” Framing is certainly one way to help preserve textiles, and framing under glass is the most desirable situation, if a textile is to hang in a kitchen where, unseen grease and smoke from cooking can do long-term damage.

Keep in mind that molas are always made in pairs, as nearly duplicates, as is possible to make, by the Kuna tribal women (and men) who produce them. Often, we see molas for sale that have uneven, or ragged edges. That is due to the fact that they have already “lived a life” as part of a now disassembled blouse (one mola panel on the lower front, and one on the lower back of the blouse). Often, flimsy, see-through fabrics of man-made fibers are used for the upper part of the blouse, as well as the sleeves.

The Kuna Indians have found it profitable to disassemble old and unwanted blouses and tourists do no seem to mind the fact that they are purchasing used goods. Of course, that is not always the situation.

Nonetheless, the artistry of the mola is desirable in terms of art and symbolism. Often, the Spanish words that appear on molas are misspelled because Spanish is NOT the native language of this native Indian tribe.

I have mentioned recently the links to files on my website, for more information. Rather than hunt them down again, I invite you to use the site navigation bar on our website, or else, scroll back to previous blogs about molas that contain the links.

Thank you, Barbara, for sharing yet another mola example with us. Molas are like Halloween candy corn. You can’t have just one. I can bet that you will catch the mola “bug,” Barbara, and before long, you will collect others!

You can visit Barbara’s two online sites: a website, “Love in Stitches,” and a blog, “Defining the Inner Muse.”

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

Letter to the Editor

Ma’am–

I found your article, “The Value of your Quilt,” to be of interest. However, I could not help but notice that it had a decided leaning toward women as quilters. You did make a few references to the masculine pronoun, and I was happy for that as a male quilter.

My question is why aren’t male quilters featured equally with female quilters? Granted there is the sheer historical weight of quilting being part of a woman’s domestic duty, but this is the 21st century and the times have changed.

I quilt simply because it allows me to sit quietly and work creatively without needing a lot of specialty equipment or dedicated space. I also quilt to make a contribution to my world, explore the past, and leave something behind that will potentially outlive me.

As a new quilter, I have yet to develop my own style–my first quilt being an art piece fueled by a trip to Ireland and my second quilt (in progress) of being a chance to develop traditional technique and skill–which was somewhat lacking from my first attempt at quilting. I have one more planned for a gift and I figure that by then, I should have a handle on my technique and skill set enough to develop my own artistry with the medium.

It’s hard for me to relate to other quilters because of the great gender divide. I am sure I could learn from them and I do need help with some things, but its extremely awkward because to some extent, I really am the odd man out–literally. Surely there has to be more male quilters out there than just me.

I am a male. And I quilter.

Rick Danner
Pensacola, FL

PS–I am attaching some pictures of my work in case you are interested as to what male quilters can do.

Dear Rick,

You are definitely not alone. You just have not been around the quilt world long enough to realize that many men quilt. Some are quilt artists. Others are involved in a more general way with various aspects of the quilt industry. Some are museum professionals, show organizers, quilt appraisers, book or magazine writers and editors, television producers, fabric designers, long-arm quilters and quilt judges, or who own companies that manufacture fabrics …

Names that come to mind, off the top of my head, are men such as Joe Cunningham, Ricky Tims, John Flynn, Donald Beld, Alan Kelchner, Tristan Blakeman, Shawn Quinlan, Mark Lipinski, Gerald Roy, Richard Cleveland, Jack Braunstein, Kevin Key, Matt Sparrow, Robert Shaw, Rod Kiracofe, the Mancuso Brothers, Russell Moline, Douglas Eagleson, Alex Veronelli, and many other men who continue to make significant contributions to the world of quilting.

Welcome! There is room for quilters of both genders, as well as all nationalities and colors. Creativity is a wonderful thing and is not located just within the circles of women who traditionally, as you say, have taken on family “sewing” as a responsibility. Quilting as a creative outlet goes far beyond “patchwork,” as your own work proves.

You are off to a great start! If you’d like the support of other male quilters, think about joining the Quilt Art list online, or connecting with other quilters on Facebook. Your work is obviously meaningful to you and is very relaxing, as well as expressive.

Thank you for your note and for sharing photos of your beautiful quilts. I will be more careful with my pronouns in the future, because quilting is truly an all-encompassing pursuit that I am happy to see enjoyed by both men and women. I hope you will share more quilt photos with us, in the future. By the way, if you can spare any photos of Ireland, I’d love to feature those, too. Doesn’t look like I will ever be able to go to the land of my ancestors.

Best,

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

This morning, a letter arrived from Germany from a friend I have never met, yet have known since the early 1990s. I have Quilter’s Newsletter magazine to thank for that connection. You see, they used to run a column by which quilters could write to others who were seeking penpals. I wrote to Tamara Shpolyanska, who has since been awarded the title of “Master Quilter” by the International Quilters Association (IQA). In the meantime, I was also awarded the title of “Master Craftsman in Quilting” by the Embroiderers Guild of America.

Tamara, now a grandmother as am I, is a prolific quilt artist. Her letters often contain photos of her latest quilt and today’s letter was no exception. She is from Ukraine originally, and has lived in Germany for some years now, instructing a group of women in quilting, at a local church. She reports having had the chance to be a tour leader to Paris in June. She is working on a book that she will illustrate and it includes photos and information about her friends and family, she reports.

“Der Herbst,” a colorful wall quilt that measures 49″ x 51″ was made for her son’s birthday. He turned 33 this year, and so, is close in age to my own son. The title of the quilt means “The Autumn,” in German.

I have kept all of her letters, and her work is included in my book, Redwork Embroidery and Needlework Traditions in Europe and America, a popular book that is out of print, at the moment.

All of these years we have kept in touch and I have felt blessed by her friendship, in spite of being miles and cultures apart. I thought you would enjoy knowing a little about her.

Best,

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

This is the cover of the new cookbook, Pumpkin, Pumpkin: Folklore, History, Planting Care, and Good Eating, just published by Anne Copeland of Lomita, California

Truly, this is the most amazing cookbook I have ever seen! Throughout the 129 pages you’ll delight in the beautiful photos and art quilts, all related to pumpkins, shared by Anne’s fiber artist friends from around the country and around the world. The book is an international effort!

Anne Copeland is interested in so many areas of life, it is hard to keep up with her. She holds a university degree in Archaeology with a minor in English. She is a freelance writer and researcher, and a certified appraiser of quilted textiles. She has done much to promote art quilting in southern California and is a fiber artist herself. Her “day job” consists of teaching special needs children, as a paraeducator in California. She loves animals and has even worked for a veterinarian!

Annie Copeland, the author

Moreover, Anne loves the color Orange, and everything about pumpkins, including their shape and texture. She says that she takes a lot of time in choosing just the right ones to buy that will please her aesthetically. She lets virtually none of the pumpkin go to waste, even saving the seeds, piercing them with a needle, drying them, and adding them as components of necklaces. She is so frugal, and caring about the environment, one could mistake her for a Yankee!

Anne is not the only one who loves pumpkins. My son, James Gorham, has enjoyed carving pumpkins since he was a teenager. This photo is in front of his house, 2008.

This current venture, a Pumpkin cookbook, has been many years in the making and reaches far beyond just offering recipes. The history of the pumpkin is explored as well as the folklore and traditions surrounding pumpkins. She describes the various names of different pumpkins and the sizes to which they grow. She discusses their nutritional value, reveals how to store them in various ways and how to prepare them. Only then does Annie offer an array of mouth-watering recipes from soups, salads, breads, biscuits, sauces, condiments, drinks, baked goods, and more!

My grandson, Patrick, loves pumpkins, too. Here he is shown in 2008, picking out a “Patrick-size pumpkin.”

This wonderful cookbook can be downloaded from Kindle, in which case, I don’t believe the photos will be in color. My suggestion is to order the slightly more expensive CD that will be mailed to you, via snail mail. We printed out the pdf format of the book and bound the top of it with a coil. The pdf format tells you the page you are currently viewing, at the top of your computer screen.

There are 129 pages, and we printed the book, single-sided, and laminated the covers. To keep the ink jet colors from running, we plan to cover the pages with a piece of heavy plastic that has weights on two opposite ends and is see-through. I will have to investigate who carries the product. We have had ours for years. Check your local cooking stores.

Last year, we went to the Pumpkin Festival in Jackson, NH. There are photos of Pumpkin Head people, elsewhere on this blog!

For more information about ordering this book that you didn’t know you needed until you saw it … go to Anne Copeland’s blog. There, you will see more ordering details and a Paypal button. I guarantee you that you won’t be sorry!

Autumn is a great time of year, here in New England, and part of our delight is in seeing pumpkins growing in fields, and piled up after the harvest. Anne Copeland has created a one-of-a-kind pumpkin cookbook that is unequaled! Do yourself a favor. Order it today! The beauty of an e-book is that it can be printed, one page at a time, if desired! To contact the author directly, please write to: anneappraiser@yahoo.com

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

Line drawing of “Yum-Yum,” a character in “The Mikado” operetta

Yesterday, I posted the small quilt that I made, based on this antique design, so I thought you might like to compare and contrast to see how I worked with colors to create the effect. Feel free to re-create this design in your own choice of colors, just for fun, and if you do, please send a photo. We’d love to see your work!

With temperatures soaring to an uncomfortable range, I will say good-bye for now.

Pat