Thursday 30 October 2014

More of Mary Koval,s Collection

Here are some more of Mary Koval's Antique Quilt Collection that were on 
display at the Houston Quilt Market and Festival.



This next quilt has fabric from the 1830s - 1850s. Isn't the blue border 
an interesting addition.


These next two are unusual as black was not often used in the 1880s.




This one is really interesting with the pre-printed calendar on it.
Mary hadn't been able to find out anything much about it.
It is dated 1881.



There have been so many stalls selling antique or vintage quilts.
Mary had hers in the Exhibition as well as having a stall.
And I haven't bought one!

Wednesday 29 October 2014

Mary Koval's Antique Quilts Houston Quilt Market

While at Market I did a floor talk with Mary Koval. She collects and sells antique
quilts and had a collection on display in the Exhibition area.


She is standing in front of a quilt that her grandmother and mother made. She called in "Grandma Buddy Quilt" and they made it in 1940  while living in Kansas City, Missouri.
It was made for everyday use and was sent out to be quilted which cost US $7.50.

 I found this one (below) featuring toile really interesting. 
The toile is a 1790 copper flower print
She has called it "1840 Garden Applique".



As Mary description says " it is an interesting design with long stem flowers in the
 centre and falling leaves randomly placed," 

.
Look a the borders - Mary told us that it was reasonably common for a quilt to have 
a border "left off" like this. Yes it was planned. This quilt was designed for a specific 
bed in a specific room and the side with no border was obviously to go against 
the wall so didn't need a border as no-one would ever see it. And the quilt is 
directional so would not be able to be turned around. The quilter was not 
going to waste expensive fabric. 


             

This is part of another one (below) of her collection also featuring toile. 
She found this one in New England.




I have realise that I didn't take enough photos of her quilts so I will take more once 
Festival opens tomorrow, Back then, Robyn

Tuesday 28 October 2014

Quilts at Houston Quilt Market

Quilt Market in Houston finished yesterday and wow what an amazing experience that has been. As everyone has said it is just so big.

Day One was Schoolhouse and this is a day full of 20 - 30 minute presentations.
You can only get your book listing all the sessions about an hour before the day starts, so 
there is then some frantic reading and choosing. which session you will go to. They go all day and I did a session in every 30 minute time slot from 10.30am until 6.00pm, It was
incredible so much to take in - I hope my notes make sense!

There is just so much to tell you, but I will start with the Red and White Quilts display 
in the exhibition as that was the first thing you see as you walk in the door.


This is the stunning display of red and white quits was inspired by the "2011 Infinite Variety:
Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts: that hung in New York. In the photo below you can see how high they are hanging - look a the lady viewing them, This whole display makes such a dramatic centre-point of the Exhibition area..


Now for some quilts closer up.




 Sorry this photo is a bit wobbly as the quilt was catching the breeze - it is made with jsut squares,


There was even a  red and white Dear Jane Quilt.


And closer up.



And walls of miniatures.






Back soon with more Market photos.



Monday 20 October 2014

Garment District New York

This morning we took a stroll around the Garment / Fabric District of New York.

We started on the corner 39th Street and 7th Avenue where there is (whoops was) 
an Information Centre serving the Garment District. This has since closed but look at 
the bronze statues there.



And the famous big button and needle,


So we wandered around the area and found lots of specialist fabric shops.
No quilting style fabrics though as they were are fashion fabric stores.

But we did have to go into the famous Mood Store and I did buy some ribbons there.

Then it was on to M and J Trimming which is a really comprehensive ribbons, 
braids, trims, etc shop. This had been recommended to me by Gaylene and 
it didn't fail to impress. Basically wall to wall ribbons and braids.


Mark was up the ladders provided getting down narrow velvet ribbons for me.

There were more shops like this but none as well organised and comprehensive as this.
But I guess lots had closed as there were empty shops in the area and some of the 
shops I found on the internet were no longer there. A sad sign of the times.
Maybe sewing will stage a revival!!!




Sunday 19 October 2014

Patchwork of the Crosses Made in New York

Another great day in New York and time to finish one more Patchwork of the Crosses block.



It has been great to have enough light to sew in our rooms at night.

This is the second block using that fabric that is in the centre.
It is not as dramatic as the one below which used two rows of that fabric.



I have one more planned using this fabric so I will start that one next.

Saturday 18 October 2014

Ground Zero Quilt

Today we visited Ground Zero in New York. 
This has to be the most amazing experience - as you get such a feel for the tragedy of  9/11. The Memorial Museum is huge but still manages to portray the feeling of the individual people's tragic stories. It has to be the most moving museum 
experience I have ever had.

And in amongst the display are two smaller quilts and a huge one. 
This one by Tomoko Hayakawa is one of the smaller ones on show.


Look closely and you see the Twin Towers outlined over the Dresden Plate blocks.


The background fabrics are alternated.

   


The information provided said: "Inspired by the Aids Memorial Quilt Arts Educator, 
Drunell Levinson conceived a September 11 Quilts Memorial that would bring
together the work of artists from around the world. Within the first year after 9/11 
she had received 94 quilts. Over the next two years the quilts - many using 
he Twin Towers as a focal point -  the Twin Towers - were displayed 
throughout the United States and in Japan."


The border fabrics were obviously Japanese and I think the link to that is
the architect of the the Twin Towers was Minoru Yamaski. He had created the 
tallest buildings in the world. They were completed in 1972.

I believe they rotate quilts on display. If you are ever in New York this
Museum has to be on your list of places to visit.

You can read more about her project  on:




Monday 13 October 2014

Patchwork of the Crosses Made The U.S.A.

During  almost a week of travelling in America I have got one Patchwork of
the Crosses block finished. I am happy with that progress.


I have been meaning to use this centre fabric for a while and I do like the effect 
it has produced, even though it is not one of my favourite colours.
I loved the print design and had seen it work so well in other peoples quilts.

Back soon -  I think I might find a Patchwork Shop in a town we visit tomorrow!!!!

Sunday 12 October 2014

Old French Toile Fabric

This was a bit of a find in an antique shop in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.



As you can probably tell it has been remade into a small curtain as it is pleated at the top
with rings attached to the back.

He had two other pieces - one was once a bedspread I guess and the other was 
a pelmet cover I think. But this piece was enough for me.



He has dated it at late 1800s / early 1900s.



It so reminded me of our current French General fabrics that I just had to have it.


I feel a French General Group coming on for 2015.

Saturday 11 October 2014

1800s Sea Faring Village in Mystic

Today we traveled to Connecticut from Rhodes Island.
One stop was at a reconstructed sea port - right on Mystic River.
It included a fully restored whaling ship along with many other period ships.

Then there were all the local building needed to support a busy sea port of the 1800s. 
It was interesting to see everything presented in an authentic environment.

This is in the General Store and the fabric was mostly 1800s Reproductions.
Unfortunately not for sale as this one would have been good for "Patchwork of the Crosses"!!!! She told me that originally it would have been 9 cents per yard!



Then next door were ladies role playing in traditional clothing and regaling us with 
stories of their time. Both were knitting but one pulled a quilt out of the cupboard to share with me.



Not made in the 1800s but in the 1990s, but nevertheless seemed to be an 
appropriate quilt. The design was "Birds in the Air" and the fabrics seemed to include
Reproduction ones.

Thursday 9 October 2014

1700s Clothes Boston and Plymouth

This post is especially for my 1800s America fans.
But even then it is a step back in time to the early settlement of America 
in the 1600s and 1700s.

We have been in Boston and are now in Cape Cod. In both places we have 
seen young women dressed in period costume. I thought you might like to see 
these as they are the only textile related photos so far.

This young girl is dressed in period costume ready to guide a group along the 
Freedom Trail In Boston.



She is standing outside Faneuil Hall built in 1741. This is the "place where the 
Sons of Liberty proclaimed their dissent against Royal oppression"
ie; the British rulers of the time.


These young women are on the Mayflower in Plymouth and dressed in costume of the 
Pilgrims that sailed on this Ship from Plymouth in England in 1620. There were 120 people
on board and the journey took 66 days and none of them chose to return to the UK.
I am not surprised when I see how small the ship was inside.





They settled in this area having left England because of the red tape involved within the Church of England. They wanted to live and practise their religion without all the 
hierarchy of the church.

Back soon with any other textile related posts I can do.

Sunday 5 October 2014

Yoko Saito Visit

Life has been very busy lately. I have been merchant at the Yoko Saito Classes
in Auckland and in Taupo and that has been an absolute treat. I have just learnt 
so much even though I didn't actually do the class projects.

Yoko is such a talented quilter, author and teacher.



She brought Satomi, her shop manager with her as translator and she is so lovely too.


They make an awesome teaching team.




We stated with a book signing at he shop. We had set up our window display especially for her. It feature her books and the quilts we had made from her design or fabrics, plus a few extra Japanese taupe quilts.



We had three classes in Auckland - two one day classes and a two class 
and then a two day class in Taupo. 


The Journal class.



Pencil Case



Two day Floral Bouquet.

Now onto some of Yoko's Show and Tell.



What a great week and I have so many amazing comments from customers who 
attended the classes. Thank you everyone for joining us.