Versailles

Walking around the immense gardens at Chateau Versailles,

and listening to the Baroque music that played everywhere in the garden brought back memories of dancing in Vienna. (my career before motherhood)

ok that's just my daughter and I fooling around!

The costumes we wore during our performances of historical dance were exquisite! The fabrics were elaborate.

Louis XIV
The costumes the boys wore for the performances
were similar- with the wig but without the hat.

The Mirror Fountain had jets 'performing' with some music. It was a water dance!

Notions

straight pins

thimble and pins,
early 18th century, brass,
found in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Pointe à Caillière Museum

Worth Repairing?

This is an antique piece that my friend, Diane, is debating to repair. As she considers it, it hangs in her studio.

I love the splashes of yellow

The Toronto Public Library, Spadina branch (Spadina/Bloor) program continues to meet on Thursday evenings at 6:30 to 8pm. We are working on a log cabin quilt. Everyone is welcome no matter what their skill level. The finished quilt will be used by the library for one of the children's programs.

Couldn't Resist

This is the third (and last!) antique quilt I bought while in Montreal a few weeks ago. It is another from appraiser Diane Shink's collection.

It is a bar quilt and has the proper uneven number of stripes, or bars, not counting the background stripes.

The front is made of red wools and black cotton sateen and there is a twill weave on the back.

It is hand quilted using the traditional baptist fan pattern.

From looking at the binding as one of the clues, Diane is confident saying it was made in Canada, circa first quarter of twentieth century.

It has a good example of twill weave on the back.

The red stripes go right from the top of the quilt to the bottom edge. The Mennonites have their bar quilts set with a frame or border all around the quilt.

It is in pretty good shape.

I could not resist! Could you for twenty dollars?

Log Cabin Antique

I love log cabin quilts. I purchased this antique last week from Diane Shink's collection. She bought it at a garage sale in Westmount years ago.

log cabin from 4th quarter of 19th century

It is fairly used. The silks are mostly threads. It's made using a foundation which is preventing the batting from showing through the used strips of silk. I think it is beautiful.

I want to hang it at my house on the second floor landing. It is a wall area that is above a window and sees no sunlight, which would further damage the fibres. You would be able to enjoy it from the first floor and the second.

It would be far enough away not to notice the silk fabrics that are in threads and to highlight the furrows of light and dark. It has a great impact from far.

The back is cotton sateen and (shock) it is hand quilted!
Usually log cabin quilts are tied because of the many layers,
(seams and foundation).

The only thing is, it is very heavy and the weight will further damage the stitches. I'll sew two sleeves at the back, one at the top and one along the bottom. That way I will be able to flip it upside down every few months to relieve some stress on the stitches due to the weight pulling it down.

I will bring it to show my students when I talk about fabric values, lights and darks, and when I teach the log cabin block. They will find it inspiring!

Here is another log cabin (quilt published in one of Diane's books), circa 1900, unfinished, in much better shape but was not for sale. It was purchased in Nova Scotia by Diane.

The back, unfinished.
Notice it is machine pieced on foundation

The patchwork side

Going to a Good Home

I bought some beautiful quilts while in Montreal- antiques from appraiser Diane Shink's collection.

I teach the 9-patch block as a beginner project. At the end of the 6-week course I like to introduce the students to different ways they can set their blocks for future quilts.

the blue and white is a 9-patch block

The quilt was made in Quebec. It use to be red, white and blue but the red has faded into a lovely shade of pink. The construction is unusual. It is machine pieced and hand quilted but the back is a good quality (high thread count) bed sheet and the maker had some difficulty getting all the way through the layers with her needle and quilting thread.

The label is made out of a fancy handkerchief. Diane wrote the information
about the antique using a marker.
She machine embroidered her name and appliqued it on the back.
The smaller S. P. S. was made by the maker.
(just to the right of Diane's label)

I have put it in the guest room. Diane is happy her 'baby' is going to a good home.

Side Space Gallery Show

It is the 4th year the Hillcrest Fibre Artists exhibit at the Side Space Gallery in Toronto.

Every year there is a wide variety of works.

"Honouring Hmong Women"
headdress made of silk, beads, silver leaf, wire
by Shelley Fowler and Pam Woodward

side space gallery, south end

"Breathing Exercise" by Anna Payne-Krzyzanowski
straight pins, thread, dry cleaning plastic bag

antique blocks from Stephanie Levers' great grandmother.
Stephanie added the sashing and hand quilted it.
I love the 'mistake' on purpose- it adds a little unpredictability

Three of the contributing artists:
me, Gunnel Hag, Marion Spanjerdt
in front of my work, Many Moons

We always have a quote.

                                                                                        

Saturday market

There is a lovely antique shop at the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto. (North building, west corner)

The owner, Barbara, has many lovely quilts for great prices. Over the years, I have purchased several.

Today I picked up an applique quilt.

vintage quilt, hand appliqued and quilted

I love the birds!

I am giving it someone I love very much.

there are hearts quilted along the border

I know there was a lot of love put into making it!