Labeling the Past

Collecting antique quilts, quilt tops, and blocks has become somewhat of a hobby for me (Kara) in the past three years. Before I started actively searching for antique quilts, I inherited a beautifully made Turkey Red Snowball variation quilt. This beauty had been in my family for some time and was passed down to me from my aunt, along with a funny story that you can read about in Seeing Red and White.

My Turkey Red quilt

We can only suspect the maker based on some family genealogy, as there is no label or signature.  Unfortunately, the lack of knowledge about the maker and why the quilt was made is the sad story for most of my antique quilts. When the quilts were appraised, I gained a little more knowledge about the materials, construction, and age of the quilt, but it's a guessing game as to the rest of the story. How I wish that the makers of the past had labeled their quilts.

True confession time: I am a repeat offender of not labeling my quilts.

Not knowing a lot of the information about my antique quilts has been frustrating. So as not to frustrate someone in the future who ends up owning these quilts, I have been motivated to be more diligent about labeling my own quilts—the ones I make and the ones I acquire. I was asked to show my modest collection at our next guild meeting so I thought it would be a perfect time to get my act together, put my money where my mouth is, and get some labels made. 

I am in a couple of Facebook groups that focus on antique quilt fabrics and quilts, and I asked for their advice as to the best method of labeling. Based on their wisdom, it seems simplicity is the key, so I will start with the basic information of what I know and get that down first. I researched a few tutorials on the internet and here are a couple that were helpful: Label the Old and How to Make a Quilt Label. Plain muslin seemed to be a good choice for a simple label, so I cut some muslin pieces, gathered my appraisals and a micron pen, and got to work.

All set to get some labels done

Unfortunately I don't have any freezer paper at the moment, which might have helped my handwriting, but the goal was to start, so I did without. I made a lined template out of ruled notebook paper and a sharpie. My appraisal reports from Phyllis Hatcher gave me most of the information I needed. I tried to keep it simple and only include things that weren't readily apparent by looking at the quilt. I used an archival-quality micron pen for the writing, and my template helped me keep my lines straight (sort of).

Ready to be stitched onto the quilt.

One of the interesting things about this quilt is that it was damaged by bleach at some point, and my aunt—fearing her mother's wrath—fixed it with a red permanent marker.

My aunt's fix was a permanent marker!

Once the label was finished, I heat-set the ink, turned under the edges and then carefully attached it to the bottom corner with a whip stitch. It struck me as I was stitching that I was stitching on a quilt possibly made by a relative; someone who took such care with her quilting stitches. It was a bit mind-blowing. Who was this woman who hand quilted so perfectly, and why did she reverse the color on one of the blocks?

It's not fancy, but the information I have is now on the quilt.

I'd like to say I made labels for all my antique quilts in one sitting, but in the interest of full disclosure, I didn't. Starting the process was a huge step, and by next week I should have them all done. Feel free to comment and ask "Kara, did you finish your labels?" We all need a little accountability in our lives.

Do you have any tips or tricks for your quilt labels? Please share so we can all be more diligent about labeling the fruits of our labors for the generations to come.

Odds and Ends

What a month! Many exciting happenings on this side of the ocean have kept me pretty busy. I (Teri) have been busily stitching class models for upcoming classes, one of which is pictured on the left,—this is, when I can find a moment to sit and stitch. Our youngest daughter got married a couple of weeks ago, so we had lots of family festivities. 

The tables runners we cut a few weeks ago turned out lovely. Maybe now that she knows how much fun it is to use a rotary cutter, I can begin to make a quilter out of her! 😉
By the way, isn't the cake my friend and her daughters made just beautiful?!

But my fun didn't stop there. A few days after the wedding, the Baltimore Appliqué Society met for the first time this fall. Our featured speaker was a good friend, Jan Vaine, from Graham Cracker Collection. It had been a while since I had seen Jan, so I happily volunteered to pick her up from the airport so we could catch up a bit before the meeting. We stopped at the hotel to check in and went to get a salad and chat, after which we met her mom and sister back at the hotel. We had plenty of time to go to the room, grab her projector and notes, and head to the conference center to drop things off before we needed to meet the gang for dinner prior to the meeting. Best laid plans...

The room key didn't work. The girl at the desk reset it, to no avail. She took the master up to the room, and that didn't even open the door. Time to call the manager. Our "plenty of time" was ticking away. The manager arrived with the MASTER—which apparently was even more of a master than the master from the front desk. Guess what? It didn't work either. At this point, we were just hoping Jan could get into the room in time to grab the projector and get to dinner on time. The manager made a phone call, and left to obtain some tools. He finally returned, took the door apart, and let us in so that Jan could get the suitcase she needed to give her lecture. (All because the battery needed to be replaced. Remember when keys didn't need batteries?!)

She grabbed what she needed, and off we went, into the traffic—rush hour was now in full swing. Suffice it to say, we didn't get to drop things off before dinner, but we arrived at the restaurant exactly at 5:00. We enjoyed a lovely meal, and then off we went to set up for her lecture.

To make a long story short, the connection for the projector wasn't working—so much for the slide presentation part of the lecture. The suitcase full of quilts was there, so Jan could just do a trunk show, BUT the keys to the lock on that suitcase were . . . you guessed it: in the hotel room! I was halfway back to the hotel when Jan called me to turn around; they had found wire cutters to cut the zipper pull and open the suitcase.

And you know what? Jan gave the most beautiful talk about her stunningly embellished quilts. All she really needed were her pieces of stitched art to entertain and inform us. I was so impressed with her poise in the face of that comedy of errors. Jan has been such an inspiration to both Kara and me over the years. It was a pure joy to be able to see her share her treasures. The BAS was so excited by her visit that her workshop sold out, and we had to hold two; both days were full! If you are not familiar with Jan's exquisite work, check out her website by clicking here.

Unfortunately, I was holding quilts during the lecture, so I don't have many pictures. But here are a few from the workshop the following day.

Jan discusses the proper way to hoop, her sister and mom on the right, helping with purchases.
So many cool threads from which to choose—and books, as well.

Jan showing the two models of Mom's Yellow Rose that I made, several years apart. I've shown improvement—I'm not wound quite as tightly; well, the rose isn't— but when placed next to Mom's rose, I still have a way to go!
Below, left: original "Mom's Yellow Rose," made by Jan's mom, Lou Dusek.
Below, right: I made the yellow rose during one of Jan's Tea and Stitches retreats, and the other one at this workshop. I have learned to relax a bit when I'm making these flowers! (To read about that retreat, read Sisters Tied by Needle and Thread.)

Jan giving some "up close and personal" assistance to a couple of attendees, Kristy and Nancy.

I just love this little bee!

We learned a lot with Jan during her workshop and practiced many new embellishing skills.

At the end of the workshop, I had to rush out to go to the airport. I was heading to a new adventure—one which included quilt shops, quilters, a lot of rain, and an opportunity to write.

From day one, when I saw the first Quiltfolk magazine, I was hooked. Imagine my excitement when I got an invitation to write for the them! I can't tell you WHERE I went, but I can tell you that you will enjoy reading about it! Issue 03 took readers to Hawaii, and Issue 04, which was just released, is set in Tennessee. What a fun way to travel the country! If you haven't joined the Quiltfolk community yet, consider subscribing. (Use the code SHOP1051 for a $10 discount!) It's a fabulous, ad-free publication that tells the stories behind quilts and the quilters who make them. And if you are a regular reader here, you know how much we love a good story, especially if it's told through needles' eyes. I am honored and thrilled to have been invited to join the team on their road trip last weekend!

I am eagerly awaiting Issue 04, which has just hit the stands.
While supplies last, you can get 50% of Issues 02, 03, and 04 with a yearly subscription.
Quiltfolk is not "just" a magazine; it is like receiving four books a year!
Click here for more information.

BOM Block Two: Meadow Cranesbill

Thank you for your interest in our Flora and Fauna blocks! They are no longer free but will be part of a future quilt pattern.

We are excited to continue our free block of the month Sew-Along. If you are new to the blog, this free BOM will consist of 12 relatively simple blocks based on the German flora and fauna that I (Kara) see on my daily walks with our dogs. Last month's block was based on this butterfly that was gracious enough to allow me to take his picture.

I decided to do two different blocks to show a little variety in the materials that could be used; one with just fabric, and one with a combination of wool and fabric. You can read more about them here.

I do a lot of creative thinking on my walks about which block to create next, and lately, the weather has been perfect for a little pondering. The dogs even seem to enjoy it and have stopped pretending we are racing in the Idatarod. The leaves are starting to turn, the apple trees are loaded, and the asters are outdoing themselves in a vivid display of color.

The Autumn colors should be spectacular around here.

Flowers that are blue to bluish purple will always catch my eye, so this month we are highlighting the Meadow Cranesbill or Storchshnäbel in German. This lovely blueish, purple flower is a member of the geranium family and can still be seen in a few places around here, even though the cooler temperatures have arrived.

I'm guessing the name may have come from
the seed pods.

Notice the delicate lines on the petals.

At the beginning of this series,  I hadn't planned on making two blocks each month, but I like the idea of having one block in wool and one in cotton.  I wasn't as diligent this time about taking pictures throughout the making of these blocks, but they are pretty straightforward and simple. 

Cotton Block

All the threads and fabric used in this block.

When I was in France a couple of weeks ago, I searched for just the right color fabric for the flowers and found this rainbow gradated piece that was perfect for the cotton appliqué block; the faint lines in the fabric mimicked the lines in the petals. I appliquéd the petals on the larger flower individually but used one piece for the smaller flower.

Five individual petals

I used one piece of fabric for the smaller flower.

Stitches and Threads used (cotton block):

Green #5 pearl cotton by Painters Threads for the stem-stitched stems, straight-stitched calyx, and bud end. 

The Gentle Art Simply Wool in Parchment for French knots in flower center.

The Gentle Art Sampler Threads (3 strands) in Licorice for bullion knot anthers.

Edmar rayon thread in Lola (171) for straight-stitch pistils.

The pistils and anthers are place randomly around the center. 

The finished cotton appliqué block

Wool Block

For the wool block, I prepped the pieces using Soft-Fuse fusible, with the exception of the bud, which I stapled. As I was looking for threads to stitch down the flowers, I came across some #12 pearl from House of Embroidery, out of South Africa. If you would like to read more about these threads, Mary Corbet, over at Needle 'n Thread just blogged about these threads here. I have a large variety box and the purply-blue was perfect with this piece of wool. You can purchase the threads from Akonye Kena.

I love the variegation in this pearl thread. 

While the color wool I used for the wool version flower was great, it didn't have the lines in it like the fabric did. To create those lines, I used another of the House of Embroidery pearl cotton to make stem-stitched lines on the petals of the big flower.

I eyeballed the three lines for each petal. 

Stitches and Threads used (wool block):

Green #5 pearl cotton by Painters Threads for the stem-stitched stems,  straight-stitched calyx, and bud end. 

The Gentle Art Simply Wool in Parchment for French knots in flower center.

The Gentle Art Sampler Threads (3 strands) in Licorice for bullion knot anthers.

Edmar rayon thread in Lola (171) for straight stitch pistils.

House of Embroidery pearl (34A) for stem-stitched line on flower

House of Embroidery pearl (15A) for blanket-stitching around the flowers

Again, the pistils and anthers are place randomly around the center.
I was a little overzealous with the French knots in the center, but there were
no embroidery police around  to make me pull some of them out!

And the finished wool block

All the threads and wool used for this block

Have you started the first block yet? If so, we'd love to see your progress; and remember, for every block picture you share, you will receive an entry for our grand finale giveaway! Please join us for the fun and let us know if you have any questions.

And the Rest of the Show...

Three days was barely enough time to see everything at the European Patchwork Meeting quilt show, and one post was not enough to share all the pictures I took! Today you will get to see the most recent edition of the Quilts de Légende—an exhibit that I probably would have missed had I not chatted with a lovely lady from Wales. You will also get to see some of the unique textile art that was displayed from many different places around the world.

The Quilts de Légende exhibit was one of my favorites exhibits at Houston last year, and you can see those quilts and read more about them here. I had no idea that the new exhibit would be at this show, so I had a hard time containing my excitement when I found out. These exquisite quilts are all made completely by hand and must be inspired by an antique quilt.

India Mosaïca
Dominique Husson

Médaillon Et Sabliers
Colette Bourgain
Inspired by a Dutch medallion quilt

Deuxmillehuitcenthuit
Ewa Guérin
Inspired by an old quilt top from Iowa

Ogeechee
Aline Joulin
Inspired by an American quilt in the
Grand Rapids Public Museum, Michigan

Detail: Ogeechee

Vase de Fleurs et Roses Grimpantes
Michèle Beugnon
Inspired from a quilt from the POOS collection
owned by Kay Triplett

Detail: Vase de Fleurs et Roses Grimpantes

The choice of fabric and quilting
made this flower seem 3D

A line of quilting in red encircles the center

Vagues
Maryvonne Marmion
Inspired from an old Ohio quilt dated 1891/1911

Detail: Vagues
Each triangle is only about 1"

Bleu de Prusse
Will Widnic
Inspired by an old English quilt circa 1830/1840

Be still my heart! I adore this blue!

Military Coverlet
Isabelle Muzeau
Inspired by a military quilt from the Nova Scotia Museum

Millefiori
Maude Devesly
Inspired by an 18th century Welsh quilt

Detail: Millefiori

Marie Henriette
Martine Crabe-Lanux
Inspired by an American quilt from the Shelburn Museum

The details of this quilt are charming!

Love the pups in this quilt.

This exhibit was one of my favorites, as the detail on each quilt was inspiring, magnificent, and mind-blowing. While this was spectacular, there was much more to see and enjoy. A favorite of many was the exhibit by Ian Berry, a British artist, who uses jeans to create stunning works of art. The detail he creates with varying shades of blue in denim is amazing.

A self-portrait of the artist

It was fun to see school groups enjoying this exhibit and others!

We had to travel through the towns, following the well-placed signs, to reach each exhibit. One of the local churches was dedicated to a display honoring the Amish roots of quilting along with some excellent examples of Amish quilts.

There was such a variety of textile art; something to appeal to everyones creative taste. Here is just a small sampling of the variety displayed in the various villages.

White Pine: Titan of the Shield
Janet Elliott

Detail: White Pine: Titan of the Shield

Monarch Migration
Barbara Lange

A stunning quilt all done in silk

Build
Hana, Jo
Korean Bojagi Forum

La Petite Roumaine
à la manière de Matisse
Smaranda Bourgery

This was originally part of an actual garment.

Zealandia
Isabelle Cluzel

Detail: Zealandia

These next few pictures are from an exhibit by Lea Stansal of France titled "Embellishment Embroidery."

Love the embroidery on patchwork

Hmmm...

The charm of French villages, all things textile, and a few French pastries for good measure—this quilt festival was phenomenal from beginning to end. Did I mention the vendors? Let's just say I parted with a few euro last weekend, but it was worth it. Sometimes I had to think hard about what language I should attempt to speak, but thankfully oohing and aahing over fabric and threads needs no spoken language.

The Dutch Heritage booth

The lovely ladies Petra Prins's booth

People from many different countries were represented here, all to be joined by a love of creating. The CEO of the event wrote an introduction for the festival program, and I'd like to leave you with a portion of what he wrote:

"Quilts and textile creations are evidence of human know-how over the ages. The emotion is present as well as the story woven in each of its threads. Indeed, one does not make a quilt without intention. It is created to express dissatisfaction or rapture, history or deep feeling. It is a way to express oneself through art without words. Finally, it is a medium to leave an imprint."

Claude Abel

CEO SPL Évènementiel en Val d'Argent