16.8.10

A good weekend...

... must, of course, contain considerable amounts
of stitching and reading...













This one is growing (more about the birds on the
left soon...)













I´m using some hand dyed mottled beige pieces along
with the house coat seersucker, which gives the thing
a nice additional vintage touch I think - and all kinds
of brownish fabrics bought, found and given (here
some from Karen)...













For the reading part, I´ve been equally well equipped
with this fabulous book I found second hand...













The Quilt Pox warning sign came with it...













It´s from 1984, it´s focus is on quilters and
quilts from the US´s Southern Appalachia region, and
it´s inspirational, moving and downright wonderful...
Let me give you a quote, from the chapter Visiting
Old Time Quilters: "All quilters emphasized the great
joy and consolation which resulted from their quilting.
Interestingly, most of those who expressed such
enthusiasm tended to quilt alone (...) Much of the
basic satisfaction of quilting comes from a successful
effort to use imagination, ingenuity and hard work to
create something of one´s own. The writer didn´t talk
with a single quilter who didn´t seem happy and content
(...) Quilting, like gardening, is great therapy.
Psychiatrists might do well to study quilters with regard
to the relationship between their art-craft and their
exuberance for life and living..."













Among the dozens of quilters shown and interviewed
are several man quilters - tough and hard working
country men, not ashamed to admit they like to quilt
- what a role model they could be to many a man out
there today...


15 Kommentare:

ArtSparker hat gesagt…

With the slightest blurring of vision, the two in the photos could be monks working on illuminated manuscripts.

gerfiles hat gesagt…

A nun + a monk...;) - there a similarities anyhow, including considerable periods of free-will solitary confinement - amazing what the oldtimers in the book state about sitting alone quilting in attic or shed for weeks + month...

Robin Olsen hat gesagt…

"sitting alone quilting in attic or shed for weeks + month..." Ahh, that sounds heavenly to me! The joy of solitary stitching.
Intriguing, and almost shocking, to see the dark contrast in your new piece.

Beate Knappe hat gesagt…

"...Quilting, like gardening, is great therapy..."
Wohl wahr, bin gespannt auf den fertigen Quilt

Anonym hat gesagt…

This looks like a great read.

i have a book about African American quilts that are made following the slaves tradition - equally as absorbing, from a social context.
"the quilts of gees bend."

Joei Rhode Island hat gesagt…

Ahhhhh, to work without distraction, without interruption, without anything but the link ... the link ... that magical quiet sublime link that comes in the quiet .....

Joei Rhode Island hat gesagt…

Oh, and I've not been poisoned with rhodies since I started pruning them more than 30 years ago. I just don't eat them =-)

MarieE hat gesagt…

looks like an interesting book! I wonder if any psychologists have studied the effects of needlearts on mental health....

Anonym hat gesagt…

This book was one of the very first books I bought about quilting - in a specialist art bookshop in the early '80's - probably about 84-5, and it cost a huge amount then at $50Aust. I have it still, and agree it is a wonderful tale about folk who made beautiful quilts.

Deb G hat gesagt…

Does look like a perfect weekend and a very good book. I'm curious about those birds...

kaiteM hat gesagt…

your quilt is growing beautifully and the seersucker adds an interesting and unifying texture. Knitters catch a knit pox as well, and there is definately no known cure for the "just as soon as i finish this row" symptom...did you see the beautiful pink/purple colour from avocado over at greasyminginc.blogspot ?

Brenda Williams hat gesagt…

John Rice Irwin's book is THE definitive book about Appalachian quilts/quilters. It is my go-to source for the elective Appalachian Arts & Culture class I teach in our high school arts program. I have always wanted to visit his Museum of Appalachia in nearby Erwin, TN but just haven't made the trip yet.

gerfiles hat gesagt…

Thanks everyone for your kind + instructive comments - I enjoyed them...

LOVE STITCHING RED hat gesagt…

Oh your pieced stitching is lovely, love the textures :o)

Carolyn x

Mnemosyne hat gesagt…

this is a great book on appalachian people and their quilts. i too live near the museum....and he did a remarkable job capturing our area. glad more people are finding it.