This piece takes pieces of an old hand stitched quilt made in 1947 and reuses interesting fabrics. The square fabrics were originally folded on a diagonal and lined with cotton batting before being stitched closed. These triangular blocks were stitched together along their edges to make the 1947 quilt.
I heard that the quilt sat on a window seat for years, resulting in one side of each block being faded, while the other is closer to the original design.
Redefined Comfort took those reopened squares, oriented the diagonals to point in the same direction. The blocks are arrayed from the navy center to light blue on the outside.
Each row is held in place by buttons the same color as the block. Reconstructed triangular blocks (the same size as in the original quilt) hold the edge squares in place.
Bits and pieces remain (scraps) when a project is complete.
When the remnants are combined, very little is left for the trash.
Every upcycled, recycled and reused piece of fabric and button has a story.
The story is a history of the materials, combined with the thoughts and spirit of the maker/s.
Not allowed to disappear.
Displayed: Creative Crafts Council 33rd Biennial, The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda, MD, May 29 – July 24, 2021
Daydreaming has been described as ‘gathering wool’. This piece twists that term to refer to the ruminations manifested in this wool quilt.
Materials: commercial wool scraps, hand woven wool scraps, cotton batt and backing
Techniques: raw edge machine applique, machine quilting
Nostalgia is the overriding theme. Rediscovering delightful fabrics and designs is the intention.
Pieces of 8 different quits and quilt tops are used and overlaid with wool flowers standing tall and hiding among the grass.
Materials: Cotton quilt and fabric scraps, old butterfly and Sunbonnet Sue, wool scraps, old buttons and beads.
Techniques: Machine quilting and hand applique, bound edge
This fabric story began when a portion of a well-loved quilt was given to me, it reminded me of an old quilt from my youth and the lessons my mother and grandmother taught me.
In my mind, a garden seemed to grow up over the surface. Armed with this inspiration, I began pulling old zippers, bias tape and a Sunbonnet Sue, and old crochet books from my collection. The land and sky were defined by the heavy lines of stitching. Then the garden rose into the sky reaching toward the sun.
Stitching this assembly took my spirit on a trip through places in my memory. I hope that it will do the same for you.
Materials: vintage quilt and fabrics, solid cottons, fulled wool, vintage piping, embroidery floss, cotton threads, pearl cottons, new and vintage crochet threads, glass beads, old buttons
Techniques: Kantha stitched quilt, hand applique, crochet, hand piecing, beading, couching, laying of threads in long stitches.
“Sacred Threads Traveling Exhibit”, at Virginia Quilt Museum, 301 S. Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA, from June 29, 2024 through September 28, 2024
The way that we view the world changes over time.
This piece presents two views of the blue iris 90 years apart in their construction.
Materials: commercial and hand dyed cottons, a blue iris from a 1930’s quilt, cotton batt
Techniques: Machine piecing and quilting, hand applique, machine binding
Time stops when a memory knocks a hole in reality.
It is so sharp and precise, placing you in that place as if it was yesterday.
The world loses its focus faced with nostalgic poignancy;
In That Moment!
Materials: fabric scraps, tie silks, old buttons, plastic toothpicks
Techniques: machine piecing and quilting, hand stitching, faced edge
Craftsmanship Award, Creative Crafts Council Biennial 2019, at The Mansion at Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD
So, this is what happens when your toothy puppy decides that Quilter-Mom is too focused on her piecing and ‘Her Highness’ decides to retaliate. “What the heck, Olive! Uhhh, I mean, NO!”
Not sure whether this quilt belongs in ‘Smalls’ or the ‘ReUse’ category … if you know what I’m getting at here. Come to think of it, when we are talking Olive, maybe the ‘Challenges’ page is more appropriate.
In private collection.
