Tip #7

#7

Consider a label on the back of your quilt.

The label can be an extra block that was sewn into and integrated into the back.

The label can be an appliquéd piece that is attached using the blind stitch after the entire quilt is quilted.

This label is a star block.
It was appliquéd onto the back fabric after the quilt was quilted.
The background fabric of the star block is the same as the back fabric
 making it melt into the back fabric and accentuating its 8 dark blue points.

It can be appliquéd onto the back before quilting, making the quilt stitches go through the label and holding into place forever.

I have also seen labels on the front of quilts! As a diagonal corner piece of fabric in one corner of the quilt.

Remember, it's your quilt. You can do it how you want.

Tip #2

#2

A binding strip should be cut at 2 1/2 inches wide. Fold and iron in half, lengthwise, before attaching it to the quilt. Two reasons; 1) the binding is a section of a quilt that over time gets used up so having a double layer of fabric there is a good idea and 2) the folded edge helps you achieve a clean look when you roll it over to the back and blind stitch it to the backing.

  

Press Conference this Morning

The 5th edition of Verona Tessile is on its way!

My quilt is the third one in from the left, f
olded under the person bent over...can't see it very well...

Today, a group of us were at the municipal building for the press conference. I have to say how amazing we are!! The association has 120 members. Everyone did something to help organize. A real team effort.

Here I am! 2nd row, second from the left, wearing sunglasses!!

There will surely be an article in tomorrow's paper.

Preparing before the press conference.
Verona flag in the background.

This evening there will be TV coverage. Rai 3.

A particular of the quilt  that hangs in the municipal building
made
by the members of Ad Maiora.
The design comes from the wrought iron work
of the Scaligere family

For the full schedule of the 4-day Verona Tessile festival, click here.

European Flag and the Verona Flag, a part of the municipal building and the
Venetian walls in the background.

I am very excited that Tuesday the group from Canada, England and Germany start arriving!

Calabria Invitation

My work, Collision with Melancholia (radiation series), was invited to be exhibited in the show La Pui Bella in Rossano, Calabria, Italy, in July.

My piece (right) at the Art Gallery UniCredit
during Verona Tessile

I plan to be there for part of the run. I have been to several shows there over the years. It was a great pleasure teaching at their week-long quilt retreats in the past.

Great fun! Such good food and so well organized! The hospitality is unbeatable!

Fabulous technique!
The author had all her samples in large cellophane envelopes
so we could pick them up and turn them around to examine.

Maria Rosaria Nola, master quilter from Calabria, organizes the event along with her quilt collegues. She has written her first book.

Maria Rosaria Nola (right) was promoting her book
at Verona Tessile. The piece
on the front cover was awarded
1st prize traditional
 at the Verona Tessile
International Juried Show in 2011

It is on appliqué and is very well written.

She explains so many different techniques and because the photos are so well done one can even understand the steps without knowing how to read italian.

Congratulations Maria Rosaria!

Disappointing News

I found out today that my piece Last Tree Standing has NOT been selected for an exhibit to be shown at the 20th anniversary celebration of the Carrefour Europeén du Patchwork in Alsace, France.

Last Tree Standing
2014
25cm x 100cm
assorted fabrics, hand applique
 machine stitched,
metal staples
Afghanistan embroidery

The idea for this exhibit was to select from a web site a hand-embroidered leaf made by Afghani women and integrate it into a textile piece. The length had to be 4 X the width. It was open to EU participants only. I was able to apply through my Italian citizenship.

The idea I had at the beginning changed when I saw how large the embroideries were. (green leaves)

Last Tree Standing
detail

The commercial fabric I used as a background had the shadows of trees. It looked to me like a war torn area in a foggy scene and shadows of tree skeletons in the background. Over this background I created a tree only using fabrics I collected from the floor of a seamstress' atelier.

My tree trunk is made of velvets and stretchy polyester, cotton and textured woven pieces and hand dyed silks. I 'painted' the trunk using all the fabrics that were destined for a land fill. I did not purchase any new materials for this piece. The colours are plentiful- purple, blue, orange, brown, green, pink....I particularly like the stapled number onto the trunk- a selvage edge.  It makes a powerful statement.

Last Tree Standing, detail

I really like it. I am sorry the jury, made up of 5 European women, did not feel it worthy of being part of the 60 piece exhibit.

Along with my generic rejection email, I did get a lovely personal email from the organizer. She called it "an exciting piece with profound symbolism" and she liked my choice of colours.

Even with her great comments, it is still disappointing news.

Marking Time

Judith Martin, still my favourite textile artist, marks time by stitching.

This was a pattern I followed but even in those early days
 I changed it!
I was originally making it browns but it got so boring
 so I added a some blue and that gave it some life.

I started quilting almost 25 years ago to do just that. Mark time.

Simple Brick quilt with double boarder.

To show myself that during a day I could accomplish something.

I label my blocks (top left corner)
while I hang them vertically
 on a design wall

I could hold up my tangible quilt block and say, "Today, I did this."

This quilt was put together a few years ago.
Notice the blue square with the shibori circle.
I made that in Verona. The rest of the fabrics
 are blues from my fabric stash.
It is being quilted at this moment.

The other things I was doing were not tangible.

The centre fabric is washable silk.
The outside strips are men's cotton shirts,
Italian, of course.

Every day, I read books to my four children. I made snacks and three meals per day that were gobbled up. I prepared science experiments so we could explore together. I helped button the dress-up clothes and sat as the audience and watched plays. I walked to the park and went down the slide with them. I gave four children a bath every night.

This quilt was also a pattern. I didn't change it.
(that's not usual for me)
I did choose my own fabrics. 

This past holiday the six of us were all together. I was able to see what I had done over time. The four young adults love each other. They are on the path of happiness. They feel good about themselves.

Hearts and friendship stars,
detail of "Baby Earth" quilt
which hangs on our third floor.
The quilt was inspired
by a favourite children's book

I am so happy I marked time that way.

Textile Works from Nunavut

Last weekend, I attended a show at  Feheley Fine Arts, a gallery in downtown Toronto.

The Bouchard Collection is a collection of textile works by women of Baker Lake. They are made of duffel, felt and embroidery floss.

Look at the use of variegated thread!
Powerful image.
"Women Fending Off Evil Spirits" by Victoria Mamnguqsualuk (1994)

Marie Bouchard gave a wonderful talk about how these works came to be. While she lived in the north, she supported the women and their craft and encouraged them to express their thoughts through their sewing tradition. The period these works were created was several years before Nunavut became a territory. For about ten years prior, there were significant changes in the area. The women were able to 'document' their way of life.

M. Buchard pointing out swimming caribou from
Mary Yuusipik Singaqti's piece, "Traditional Camp Scene" (1989).
It depicts a summer camp.

Each face is detailed with embroidery stitches
in Janet Kigusiuq's "Muskox Hunt" (1993)

 The stitching is so beautiful.

Detail, "Women Fending Off Evil Spirits" by Victoria Mamnguqsualuk,
duffel, felt, variegated embroidery floss 

Detail, "Spring Camp" (1988) by Mariam Marealik Qiyuk

Detail, "Abundance" by Mary Kuutsiq (1993)

It is difficult to say which was my favorite but I did like "Tuu'Luq's Family"(seen below) by Marion Tuu'luq. It is traditional and contemporary at the same time....I think of myself as that.

All the details of "Tuu'Luq's Family" are lost in my photograph-
there are embroidered stitches in the background, cut away pieces,
reverse applique, embroidered faces. It is so beautiful!

The exhibit is on till May 26, 2012. Try to make it!! I think I will go again. They're just too special.

Traditional Textiles

My daughter's friend, Caroline, is in Panama right now. She sent this picture of the molas from the Guna indigenous people.

It is done using reverse applique.

quiet down

Making the stars has reminded me how much I like hand sewing.
How quiet it is as an activity.
How different it is from my daily life.

I appliqued a piece of silk by hand onto painted cotton.

I embroidered.

Did you know that basting a work using a tailor's basting stitch holds the layers of the work better that a running stitch?

I wasn't sure about the embroidery. I did not want it to fight with my painted design. I can always take it out if I decide it is the wrong thing.

For now I like it.

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!