08.23.07
Posted in Quilt Discoveries, Quilts at 12:13 am by Administrator
The miniature quilt above was “born” in the most unconventional of ways. Let me tell you about the inspirations behind it. I was in an antiques store and spotted a fairly large, white box of hexagons (six-sided shapes.) They were still clinging to the paper shapes upon which they had been basted with white thread.
While I was looking through them, at the various colors and designs, I noticed that a green calico one with small motifs. This fabric was pieced over a black and white magazine print image of some official standing on the back of a train. Who was it?
Looking through a magnifying glass, my husband, Jim, and I discovered that the image was that of Harry Truman. A Time magazine article online, “When Politics Rode the Rails,” by Hugh Sidey, tells the story of how Truman made a major campaign sweep across the country, by rail, in 1948, making 356 speeches from the back of the train, and covering 31,700 miles.
I decided that this green fabric was special because of this association. So, I picked out the basting stitches on the larger hexagon shape, and cut much smaller hexagons to create the flower that you see above. Free hand, I added some stems and leaves with embroidery floss, for this abstract creation, and then decided to enclose the motif in an oval.
Undoing a picture frame, I overlaid the glass on top of the flower design in order to draw the shape I wanted. Then I pinned lace around, on the pencil mark, pinning the lace in place and tacking it in place with a yellow chain stitch. Since I’d just purchased some beads, with no particular intent in mind, I added those at intervals, and surprisingly, they were placed in an equidistant manner, all the way around, as you can see.
Next I decided that I wanted embroidered hearts in the corners. I added some borders and a little quilting, and here we are, a mini quilt that means something special to me just because it reminds me of a significant historical event in the history of the United States.
Keep in mind that this quilt seemed to develop on its own. I had no master plan in mind. I was just “tinkering.” Sometimes it is just fun to “play.” I was not making the quilt to enter into a show, or to publish in a magazine, or to be impressive, or to sell. I was simply creating something from the heart so that it could “be,” and for some unknown reason, I had to do it.
Remember to play. It’s good for the soul.
Pat
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07.18.07
Posted in Embroidery, Quilt Discoveries at 11:55 am by Administrator
When a dear relative was cleaning house recently, he kept us in mind and brought over the work of three of his family antecedents. The items range from Victorian times to the 1970s. In the mix are all kinds of textiles, representing many different needlework techniques.
Since Bluework is near and dear to my heart, and in light of my recent ongoing series of articles on that topic, for The Quilter magazine, (Sept. and Nov. 2007 issues), I thought I’d show one of the two Bluework embroidered items found in the stash of goodies.
Bluework Child’s Coverlet - two layers
photo copyright: James Cummings
This is an unusual design as it shows only the outline of various animals, but no interior details like facial attributes. Some of the images are reverse images of each other. This is quite wrinkled. We hung it out in the sunshine and fresh air. I suspect that, like others of its kind, this was made about 1910. There is a round potholder with a crow, embroidered in Bluework, as well, that matches the design on the coverlet.
The utter simplicity of the designs translates into a kind of “sincerity” of intent that is hard to describe. I hope you have enjoyed seeing one of our latest, unexpected acquisitions. It has been a sheer joy to go through these items so kindly given to us.
I have started a yahoo group for all kinds of Outline Stitch embroidery. We are an active group! You are invited to join. Please provide your name when you request membership. Thanks! See the link at my main website.
Pat
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06.14.07
Posted in Quilt Discoveries, Uncategorized, Worthwhile Websites at 5:01 pm by Administrator
Today, in the United States, we celebrate “Flag Day.” There is a very interesting story that goes along with how the flag was named “Old Glory.” Captain William Driver, from Salem, MA, was given a flag with 24 stars, in 1831. Seeing it wave over the ocean vessel for the first time, he said, “Old Glory!”
There are quite a few recorded details about ensuing events. The Southern rebels were intent on destroying Driver’s flag. He told them that he no longer had it. When Union troops arrived in Nashville in 1862, Driver’s place of retirement, he took apart a quilt to reveal that “Old Glory” had been sewn into the quilt in order to hide it.
The flag was given to the Smithsonian by a family member, and is no longer photographed or displayed, presumably due to its fragile condition.
Happy Flag Day!
http://www.usflag.org/history/oldglorystory.html
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