third floor quilts

coming to Houston International Quilt Festival this year?

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 13:39:00 +0000

I'm excited to announce that 2 quilts have been accepted into the juried competition for the International Quilt Festival this year. They will be on view at the GRB Convention Center downtown Houston. Hope to see you there!

This quilt is titled "The Blue One" and is constructed with improv pieceing.. 2,475 pieces!!! 65 inches square.

I don't post here very often... I do post on Instagram a lot. Find me @third_floor_quilts

red and white Japanese yukata

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 14:07:00 +0000

This quilt is one I finished last week. The red and white border is vintage cotton yukata I bought in Japan two years ago. I have a wonderful, fun memory of getting up long before sunrise and heading to a large temple market in Kyoto. As I was walking around, i saw a booth with several people standing with their hands on bolts of yukata that was covered in a blue tarp. Turns out they were waiting for the 6 am opening time when the owner would open for business. I wiggled my way in there and put my hands under the tarp too. This was one of my many finds that day!

The quilt is about 75 inches square. The center blocks are improv pieced.

Free motion quilted, all in one color of cotton Aurifil thread... I did the math and I used over 2,400 yards of thread!

The backing fabric is commercial cotton also from Japan, manufactured by Kokka.

webinar tonight - International Quilt Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 14:04:00 +0000

Andrew Lee. "Iwo Jima" photo mosaic / pieced quilt. 2019.

Join the International Quilt Museum for another Virtual First Friday on November 6.

At 4:30 p.m. we will share a family friendly educational activity on our Facebook page and on our YouTube channel.

At 5:30 p.m. Central, the IQM will offer a virtual panel discussion via Zoom featuring Marianne Fons, Andrew Lee and Teresa Duryea Wong as they discuss Quilts of Valor and a recent acquisition to the museum's collection. Quilts of Valor's mission is to cover Service Members and Veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor. Visit https://www.qovf.org/ for more information about the foundation.

Register for the Zoom webinar at: https://unl.zoom.us/.../register/WN_s2xR3AASS76QYGUS5n-cMQ

A recording of the program will be available on Facebook and YouTube at a later date. 

a circle in the sun

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Sun, 11 Oct 2020 13:39:00 +0000

Here's a crazy clash of prints and saturated colors basking in the sun.

This idea for quilt started when I was researching old quilt blocks. I was inspired by the points and circular shapes in these old blocks and decided to design a quilt with these ideas in mind. I am not skilled in using a computer in making a quilt pattern... so I constructed my design the old fashioned way --- on paper.

I laid out paper on the floor and taped them together, and taped edges to the floor. Then I drew a grid on the paper, and then started designing from there. I cut the paper pieces to use for the pattern, adding quarter-inch seams on all sides of course.

Finished size: about 65 x 65 inches. Machine quilted on my longarm using only free motion and rulers.

Fabric: (horses) Melody Miller / Cotton & Steel; Keiko Goke (circles); center flower Kaffe Fassett; outside border Marcia Derse.

Hanging in my studio where the bright colors and crazy prints make me happy.

for the love of orange

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 15:14:00 +0000

I have always loved orange! And this colorful wall in my neighborhood seemed a great backdrop.

I made this quilt back in 2019. I started piecing scraps of orange prints and just kept going. I ended up cutting them into small squares and creating these 9 large blocks. Super happy with how it all turned out.

donation quilt for Social Justice Sewing Academy

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 15:33:00 +0000

It was an honor to be asked to make a donation quilt for the family of Taylor McAllister on behalf of the Social Justice Sewing Academy.

Taylor was murdered in 2016 when she was just 22 years old, and her brutal and senseless murder is still unsolved. She has a mother and father who loved her and miss her, as well as two young twin daughters. The names of her girls are appliqued on the quilt. She lived in Florida and her parents continue to fight for justice

Here is a news article related to her death.

Taylor loved the color purple, and she also loved dolphins. So I chose this beautiful Hoffman Dream Big panel in rich purple and blue hues, as well as a dolphin batik fabric in two colors.

All of the quilting is hand-guided, free motion. No computers.

This was a labor of love and as I worked on this quilt, I felt so grateful for the health and safety of my own family and I tried to imagine the pain that Taylor's parents must feel each and everyday. I hope that in some small way, this quilt will bring comfort to the family.

Please consider volunteering for the Social Justice Sewing Academy. There are lots of ways to get involved and they are doing great work to help raise awareness for victims of violent crime, as well as police brutality and other racial and gender motivated crimes.

two new online lectures for quilters - open to the public

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Sat, 18 Jul 2020 12:17:00 +0000

I'm excited to announce that I am presenting two new online lectures. These are open to the public through the Port Townsend School of the Arts. And you can listen and see my presentation from your own home. I hope you'll join in!

Thursday, July 30, 2020 5:00 - 6:30 pm PST - $20

Modern Minimalism: Lessons

From Art & Architecture

Minimalism is a foundation of modern quilting, but the line between minimalism and boring is razor thin. By studying masterpieces from contemporary art and architecture, this lecture will dissect what makes one piece of decluttered art amazing and another ho hum. Frank Stella, Sol Lewit and Agnes Martin, plus architects Maya Lin and Japan’s Tadao Ando, will inspire and instruct as we transfer their best concepts into both quilt design and the quilted line. Five ‘Minimalism Done Well’ tips help avoid the boring.

Thursday, August 27, 2020 5:00 - 6:30 pm PST - $20

Japan 2.0: The Next Gen Quilters

Meet the Next Gen of Japanese quilt artists. Japan’s history and cultural norms set very clear rules for who is and who is not considered a Master and this lecture will explain why, and how, that happens. But in the Japan 2.0 universe, there is a community of quilters for the 21st century who are operating outside the rigid cultural lines of the traditional Master/Student relationship. They are turning creating original, modern quilts with a global eye while still managing to reference the Japanese aesthetic.

finished and photographed

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Sun, 31 May 2020 15:16:00 +0000

Super excited about this one. It was a monster to piece. There are 9 blocks and each block is huge. The overall size is 93 x 93 inches. I made this quilt after seeing an antique quilt from the collection of Joanna Rose. The original was red and white. I wanted modern colors, so chose these two Kona cotton solids - Flame and Malibu.

The quilting is very dense! I quilted it on my longarm, free motion with a straight ruler.

There is also a ton of thread in here. I used Aurifil 50 wt cotton thread, about 90% of one spool for the piecing, two matching colors for the quilting - and the blue sections required 1 1/2 spools! And an emergency trip to the quilt store for that second spool.

The binding is faced (turned to the back with a clean front). I love the back of the quilt too. I decided to use all the fabric I bought and ended up using every usable inch of it!

My quarantine quilt. Photographed in Houston's Memorial Park, May 31, 2020.

a whole lot of pieces

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Sun, 24 May 2020 18:02:00 +0000

This quilt top has been in the works for quite a while. I started it last year when I made one block and it turned out beautiful. Then I made a second block, and it turned out horrible. It seemed like, all of a sudden after 20 years of quiltmaking, I could not piece a block properly anymore. I was frustrated and put it away.

Recently I drug it all back out and decided to make it work. My piecing is still not perfect, but its done! And now its on the longarm and I have started quilting it!

My version of this quilt is based on an antique quilt from the collection of Joanna Rose. When I saw the old quilt, I knew I wanted to make one like it one day, but I didn't know how to do it. So I searched online and found a pattern from Minick and Simpson, called Mrs. Rose's Best. The pattern is for 4 blocks, but I made mine with 9 blocks just like the original.

My quilt is 93 in x 93 in! The finished pieces in the checkerboard are 1 inch each.

Antique quilt from collection of Joanna Rose.

I used almost an entire spool of 50 wt Aurifil thread just on the piecing! Crazy.

I wanted to use a fabric combo that was fun and modern. I tested at least a half dozen combos and ended up with Kona cotton Flame (reddish orange) and Malibu. The quilting will be straight lines, ruler work, in thread that matches.

will there be a 46th Festival in Houston?

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Thu, 21 May 2020 13:21:00 +0000

When my new book "Magic & Memories: 45 Years of International Quilt Festival" was published last October, never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed there might not be a 46th!

I would love to hear from you! What are your plans and thoughts for large gatherings? Do you plan to attend any large group events this summer, or later in the fall? If Houston Festival is held, would you attend?

Comment below or email me at teresa @ thirdfloorquilts .com

These are painful times in so many ways. I spent several years of my life documenting the first 45 years of the International Quilt Festival and the lives of the two women who founded it. Who knows what will happen next, but its not looking too good.

This week Quilts, Inc. announced they would cancel the Long Beach version of the International Quilt Festival - originally scheduled for July. No surprise there. We've already seen a long list of cancellations, from Quiltcon 2021 in Atlanta, to Quilt Time Festival in Yokohama, Japan to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, England.

Two of the world's biggest annual quilt events are still a ways off - so their status is unknown - the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival (January) and the International Quilt Festival Houston (Oct/Nov).

For the past 20 years, I've attended every International Quilt Festival in Houston. And as I explained in my book's introduction, wild horses could not keep me away. But sadly, a damn pandemic might!

Before I go much further, I must say that I am not an employee of Quilts, Inc. and I am not a contractor. I wrote this book as an independent author. During the research phase, I spent a lot of time with the founders Karey Bresenhan and Nancy Puentes, as well as Bob Ruggerio. But since the book was published, we all exchange friendly emails from time to time, but in no way am I privy to any inside information from their company.

So my guess about what will happen next is as good as yours!

My guess is, the 46th event will be canceled, and this makes me incredibly sad. But the idea of tens of thousands of people being together in one space is just not likely to happen for a long time, maybe a year or more. Also, the idea of flying on an airplane for something that is not an emergency is also unthinkable for a lot of people. And on top of all that, millions of job losses have caused a lot of economic uncertainty.

So what's next? I think there will be a tremendous reshuffling of the quilt industry. First of all, the supply chain is disrupted with textile mills and shipping lanes closed, or delayed, all over the world. Case in point, I recently ventured out - wearing my mask - to my local Walmart. The craft aisles shelves were bare. This is only one example, but we are likely to see delays and cancellations of new fabric collections from quilt shops, especially brick and mortar shops who have suffered with the shutdown in retail. Not only have the closed shops hurt, but consumers, including quilters, have cut way back on their spending. Just look at social media to see how many quilters are using up their stash! Some quilt shops will not survive.

For those shops that have the cash to sustain this disruption, I wonder whether they will be able to go on the road as vendors at major quilt events. The costs are high, but so is the reward - in normal times at least. But without a large selection of quality quilt vendors, that is yet one more reason for attendees to ponder their decisions. Its an endless loop.

On the bright side, we are all becoming better adept at technology. I myself have taught several of my quilt friends how to use Zoom and Facetime so we can see each other and chat regularly.

I'm also converting my quilt lectures to Zoom, and this is great for quilt guilds who cannot meet in person right now.

And Quiltcon 2021 will be completely online. And while it is never the same not to see friends and quilts in person, the online option will allow thousands of people to participate who could not afford to travel to the event in person.

"Magic & Memories" by Teresa Duryea Wong.

quirky, crazy, color

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Tue, 05 May 2020 22:19:00 +0000

This huge, crazy quirky quilt all started with one fabric that I fell in love with. Its a print from Japanese manufacturer Kokka of a small leopard surrounded by uneven, organic shaped dots. I loved the print and I cut a series of blocks and placed the leopard in different spots so it looked like she was moving around the quilt.

I added bright dots and stripe prints and a sashing and border. Then, I thought this crazy combo needed some jumbo ric rac. So I purchased 34 yards of big ass ric rac and I took the blocks apart and added the ric rac bling.

Lastly, I added a flange binding. I actually got the idea from seeing a quilt with this binding on IG and then I went and watched Jenny Doan's (Missouri Star Quilt Co) tutorial on how to sew it.

Then we went to the park just outside of downtown Houston to photograph this quilt in the sunshine. First thing that happens is the crazy wind almost whipped the quilt out of my hands. But fortunately my husband was ready and snapped this cool pic. Wind happens! :)

Machine quilted with free motion. No computers. 100% cotton fabric, thread and Warm & Natural cotton batting.

book review: Heather Ross' childhood story

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 19:38:00 +0000

As a researcher, I read a lot of nonfiction. I am particularly drawn to biography and memoirs, but its tricky to find good ones. "How to Catch a Frog" by Heather Ross is one of the good ones.

This book was published back in 2014. I just heard about it after listening to an interview Heather gave on Abby Glassenberg's podcast. Some of you may know of Heather... she is a longtime fabric designer who has worked with Kokka, Free Spirit and now Windham. She's been around in quilting and sewing world as a blogger, author and maker for quite a few years. I was not that familiar with her or her fabric when I heard the podcast, but Abby made the book sound very interesting. She was right.

Lots of us have stories to tell, but few of us are willing to share those stories in a fully transparent way. Heather shares her childhood story of growing up poor and mostly unsupervised by a mother who fed them only rarely and cared little for their safety. Her recollections of being very young and running around outside in the Vermont countryside are not sad. Rather she fills us with all the wonder of the outside world from the eyes of a child and leaves the reader to fill in the gaps of the absentee adults.

She shares the truth about herself, her twin sister, her mother and family, their ramshackle living arrangements, and so much more. These experieces are ones that most of us would be afraid to put down on paper for the whole world to see.

Most of all, this book is beautifully written. As a writer myself, I often want to take my highlighter to sentences that I admire, except I don't want to ruin my books! In this case, I would have totally ruined it because there are just too many beautifully written passages. One after another.

I purchased a used copy (hardback, in good condition) of "How to Catch a Frog" in from on online book seller. The cost was around $5. Great investment of five bucks and the time to read it!

Here is the link to Abby's podcast.

more slow stitching during stay at home

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 14:46:00 +0000

Still slow stitching during this stay at home order. Its peaceful and helps me manage stress. There are so many mixed messages out there from the federal, state and local governments and they conflict with each other. So what can I do? Not much.... just stay home and sew. Make masks and donate them and donate money to worthy causes like our local food bank.

Almost finished with the 5th block of the hand embroidered wool applique quilt. It is a pattern by Lisa Bongean at Primitive Gatherings. I purchased it at the Houston International Quilt Festival last year... I think it was meant for me.

making masks for friends and family

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 21:15:00 +0000

I never imagined I would be sewing face masks, but here we are. I started making these about two weeks ago. Originally I intended to make some for my mom and others who are at rhe highest risk. Then I planned to donate them to medical professionals or first responders, but I got so many requests from friends and family that I am just shipping them out.

I convinced my husband to wear his at the grocery store!

I used a free pattern by Orange Dot Quilts. It is an excellent pattern and has full coverage. I included a metal strip for the nose and used steing elastic for the ears. Would prefer quarter-inch elastic, but there is none to be found.

Stay safe everyone!!!

on being human

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 12:12:00 +0000

Today, I am sharing the words of a friend of mine, Eileen Faxas.

OUR UNDERLYING CONDITION

We all have the same underlying health condition: being human

The problem isn’t the social distancing. That’s a solution that only 'feels' problematic. The insidious problem actually separating us now is Emotional Distancing. And no amount of Zooming or Skyping or Messenging is curing that.

As the bell tolls, the universally immediate questions we now ask about our fallen: How old were they? Were they sick? Followed by an: “Oh, they’d had...” [diabetes/cancer/lupus/old age/insert-anything-here]? “Oh well then...”, we intone sagely, lightly disguising our relief as wisdom, as if they had it coming. And because I don’t have [diabetes/cancer/lupus/that age/insert-anything-here] it likely can’t happen to me. And there it is. Emotional distancing.

As Coronavirus ravages the war heroes and the writers and the doctors and someone else’s parents -- as it eats up the survivors & fighters who once awed & inspired us before they fell under the “underlying health conditions” category and we scrambled away from that storyline to emotionally distance — the bell tolls for us.

We are burying decades of beauty and promise and accomplishment and memory. We are burying the hands that held, created, saved, lead, and once wiped tears from a heartbroken face. We are burying pieces of us.

I understand the impulse. To want...no, to NEED to emotionally distance. It’s the armor we wear. To believe this won’t happen to you or someone whose absence you would bitterly weep. From afar. Without being able to touch.
But it’s a peculiar form of cruelty, isn’t it? To dismiss the victims this way? After all, most of them now gone got it before we fully knew what was happening to us. Or got it following guidelines that proved to be illusions of safety. Got it from a warm handshake. Or the embrace of a loved one. They got it...from being human. Human versus the invisible enemy.

I find myself thinking of my father. And how I buried him 11 years ago... burying all that love & intelligence. Burying decades of knowledge, history, wisdom. Burying a brilliant engineer with the words of a poet and the ear of a musician. Burying a reflection of who I was, my very own road map. And all his underlying health conditions caused by a short bout with diabetes eroded his body as his sharp mind could only watch. He was 68 when he died. Alone.

I can’t emotionally distance because I have stood there. In that spot where you bury a treasure that was still gleaming bright.

I cannot pretend. And truthfully, no one can. It’s as much an illusion as the early guidelines that made us think we were in control with minimal life modifications.

So my friends, my family, my fellow man with this pesky underlying condition of being human... I, too, am currently eating too much & drinking too much & not sleeping enough & inhaling too much bleach & setting too many goals, none of which involve exercising, and I’m probably definitely thinking too much. And I can’t pretend. I will not emotionally distance. I’m choosing to feel it all.

And I’m so very sorry for our loss.

POSTED originally via Facebook March 30, 2020.

hand work is good for the soul

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 18:47:00 +0000

In times like these, the very slow process of hand work is good for my soul. I find it helpful to slow down and just focus on the simple act of pulling thread in and out of fabric. Hand embroidery is one of my favorite things to do... and it is a skill I learned when I was around 9 years old.

This block is from a pattern by Lisa Bongean / Primitive Gatherings --- quilt is titled Twilight Garden. I bought it as a kit at International Quilt Festival last November and I am just now getting started on it.

The applique is hand-dyed wool, ebmroidered with Valdani pearl cotton thread.

Really love the beauty of this taupe palette on the midnight blue flannel background.

I am also finally using some of the fabulous Japanese needles I bought several years ago at a needle shop in Kyoto. The shop is called Misyu Bari.

These needles are very sharp and it is a dream to sew with them. They are "French Embroidery" needles. These needles do not have that glossy, high polish that you see on a lot of needles, and at first I thought that might make them slower. But I have found the opposite. They are so strong and sharp that I am not using a thimble at all.

Now... just 11 more blocks, a large center panel, and an intricate border to complete!

embroidery from Mexico: a visual feast

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 17:52:00 +0000

The colors of Mexico are so rich. And oh, the hand embroidery is amazing. I just returned from a visit to Mexico City and I loved seeing all the beautiful hand work. Mexico's first-class museums showcase these textile arts, especially the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. This museum breaks down these ancient textile traditions and the many different types of weaving and embroidery within Mexico's diverse cultures. It is a visual feast and a great history lesson.

The shops are also full of contemporary hand embroidery. Embroidery is seemingly everywhere - these brightly colored shapes, animals, birds, and plant motifs. I brought home only a couple of things --- so little space. Needed an extra suitcase and an extra wallet!

But I left inspired to learn more about Mexico's textile history. One day, when the world is safer, I want to travel there again and go out and visit the rural areas where these traditional handicrafts originated. And also learn the secrets to their beautiful hand work. Any one want to come with me?

Curated Quilts article on history of black and white fabric

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 12:41:00 +0000

Have you read the latest issue of Curated Quilts? This magazine is full of beautiful quilts submitted by readers. Each edition has a theme and there are always a few interesting patterns and articles about making quilts and studying quilts. And in each issue, I write a feature on historical quilts.

Antique white quilts are not the white color we expect today, rather they are a natural, off-white color. And the best bet for keeping that color fresh was washing and a day or more in the hot sun which offered an easy and natural bleaching.

Before the 1870s, it was very difficult to dye or commercially print the color black on a cotton textile. Therefore, if black fabric was used in a quilt made before 1870, it is unlikely to have survived.

Read more in this great magazine. Curated Quilts has no ads! And it is beautifully produced by two women who operate this small business for the love of quilts.

http://curatedquilts.com

xl double wedding ring done

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 12:26:00 +0000

I'm finally back from my whirlwind lecture tour - 7 lectures in about 12 days! It was wonderful and crazy busy. I finished this XL Double Wedding Ring before I left Houston, but we had multiple days of gloomy weather... so I couldn't photograph this one till yesterday.

The colors in this one are on the dark, dramatic side, so it definitely needs sun to bring out the subtleties.

The fabrics are from a collection designed by Japanese designer Keiko Goke. The collection is old, and these have been sitting in my stash for several years (maybe 5?!!). They are manufactured by Yuwa in Japan, and these colors are a really great example of the extraordinary lengths the Japanese fabric manufacturers do through to make stunning fabrics with incredible color and finish.

I finally found the perfect use for these unusual designs. The only fabric that was not part of the collection is the thin purple solid - which I added to help distinguish the main block print from the other prints. I felt it needed a line there.

The double wedding ring blocks are over-sized and I used an acrylic template from VFW Quilts to make the pieces.

It is all free motion quilted, no computers, and I used rulers for some parts.

Super happy with the way this quilt turned out! Thanks for following along on this blog!

7 lectures in 10 days

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 15:58:00 +0000

Super excited to start my biggest lecture season yet. I am about to present talks in multiple Texas cities... and somehow, all these gigs lined up for February.

Today, I'm in Corpus Christi for the Coastal Bend Quilt and Needlework Guild. Lots of cotton is grown in this humid climate, so I think this group will enjoy learning more about American cotton.

Tomorrow I join the Rio Grande Valley Quilt Show, in Port Isabel, for two lectures over two days. American cotton and Japanese quilts.

Next Wednesday I will be in Marble Falls, north of Austin, for the Highland Lakes Quilt Guild.

Then, I'm off to Quitcon for three days of fun, friends and some brand new lecture topics!

Hope to see you!

one for the bed, one for the wall

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 19:36:00 +0000

This project has been on my mind for a long time. I finally made a "whole cloth" quilt using fabric designed by Japanese artist Yoshiko Jinzenji. The fabric is a very soft white linen speckled with her minimalist design elements. And this new quilt sparked a whole master bedroom redo.

I love her fabric and for this particular design, I felt that keeping the whole design in tact was a better option than cutting it up. So I used two long uncut sections and pieced them together down the middle. This linen is very soft and thin, so it was a bit hard to work with because it moves easily... plus king size is just so big that it has it own set of challenes.

To keep the white color looking white, I used Warm & White batting and I think it was a great choice. And because this was going on the bed, I used a second layer of Warm & Natural batting underneath... wanted the quilt to have more weight.

I added a border on all 4 sides in order to get the quilt the right size. The border print is very simple, clean white and black thin stripes. It seemed to go well with the minimalist, abstract design without detracting.

I quilted this on my longarm, a Bernina Q24, using straight edge to edge lines.

The new quilt on the wall is one I finished a couple months ago... and is currently one of my favorites! It is an orignal design... made with African waxed fabrics and black Kona cotton. I also quilted this one in straight, edge to edge quilting in a gold cotton Aurifil thread. Even though this quilt is a bit busy, I think these two quilts somehow go together really well. Both are very special fabrics gathered from my trips around the world... and the black and gold wall quilt is striking against the nearly all white quilt on the bed.

PBS "Craft in America: Quilts" - a thoughtful review

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Sun, 29 Dec 2019 02:36:00 +0000

It is always great to see a credible media outlet such as PBS pay attention to quilts, and their most recent documentary, "Craft in America: Quilts" is a worthy effort.

However, in the same breath its hard to see why quilts and quilters are not featured more often given how prevelant the art form is and frankly, how many millions of people make quilts. But I think all fine arts and performing arts could say the same thing --- it is hard to get people to pay attention!

So how did PBS do? Well, given how few minutes we quilters get on the national stage, I will have to say that this show is recommended. There are quite a few highlights that make it watchable. First of all, the decision to feature Victoria Findlay Wolfe and Judith Content were good choices. Victoria is on the East Coast, Judith the West.

And before either of these well-known artists appear, the show spends a good deal of time on Native American quilts. In particular, they interview and feature the work of Navajo/Dine artist Susan Hudson who was unknown to me and I assume unknown to many in the quilt community. She lives in New Mexico and she looks like someone I would love to spend the day with! She was knowledgeable and passionate I liked her approach. Her quilts were beautiful and she seems like a wonderful storyteller.

Susan Hudson

After Susan's interview, the documentary team spends way too many minutes featuring a Native American weaver. I get that this is a critically important part of Native culture, but in a short tv show about quilts, every minute is precious. I feel strongly that this time could have been better spent showing other diverse quilters and quilting groups in America.

For example, there was no mention of the modern quilt movement and/or the attraction of younger quilters to the art form and I feel it was a mis-step to overlook this new and important contribution.

In between the quilter sections, the show returned repeatedly to the International Quilt Musuem in Lincoln, Nebraska, as well they should. Leslie Levy, Executive Director, and Carolyn Ducey, Curator, did a fabulous job - as they always do. The Ken Burns Collection exhibition was featured several times and Ken was interviewed as well. His words added significant weight to the meaning of quilts and why we make them.

Outside of Lincoln, other important milestones that were overlooked are the number of dedicated, non-profit quilt museums in the U.S. They mentioned San Jose, but some time spent on this could have added more meat to the story. The fact that there are unique, decicated museums all over the country backs up the data on the importance of quilting and its economic and artistic contributions.

Another data point that was overlooked - but one that would have been fascinating - is how prevelant quilting is on social media. Again, this popularity speaks to its sustainablity as a hobby, art form, and profession.

Micheal Cummings

Of course "Craft in America" featured men as well as women. Michael Cummings is an artist who I have heard of, but I never really knew much about him. His quilts are very unconventional and I would love the chance to see them in person one day.

Victoria Findlay Wolfe

The section on Victoria Findlay Wolfe shows her in her studio and is a good illustration of how a quilter works much like a painter. They also followed her to one of her lectures and showed how people responded to her work, and they showed her longarm machine. The backstory of her family and her grandmother were precious.

Judith Content's section was equally well done. Judith makes strikingly original art quilts from silk fabric she hand dyes using a shibori method. Be sure to watch her interview and studio shots! You will be amazed.

Judith Content

The documentary has a very strange ending. It just kind of ends and then goes to a commercial. I wasn't sure it it was over or not... maybe this was a local edit? If not, then PBS, I think you could have wrapped this story up a bit better than that.

Overall though, here's what I have to say to PBS. Thanks for making this show and spending time and effort on this art form we all love. While we quilters already know and live the things you said and showed, it was wonderful to see you share our story with the rest of the PBS audience.

Here is the link to the show's website which has much more information, links and even some tutorials.

Images coutesy of Craft in America website.

a modern, classic quilt for Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Fri, 27 Dec 2019 20:55:00 +0000

I made this queen-size patchwork red and black quilt for my son for Christmas. These are his favorite colors and I am super happy about the way it turned out. I found this perfect red and black plaid while shopping (see link) from Jilly Studio at the International Quilt Festival and I love how the design it is set on the diaganol. I think it made a good border. The fabric collection is called Berries. I also used the black ticking from this same collection.

I alternated solid black blocks (Kona cotton) with Half Square Triangles. I think it looks kind of modern traditional... but until I learn a better method, I don't think I will be doing any more HSTs! Ugh, they are a pain.

For the solid black blocks I quilted a free-motion design I learned from Angela Walters using rulers on my longarm. All the thread is a red, 40 wt. Aurifil.

The batting is 2 layers of Warm & Plush, an extra thick all cotton batting made by Warm Company. I love, love this batting!

And the backing is a Buffalo plaid from Windham Fabrics - and it is just lovely.

I think this one will last... might even be passed on someday.

Here is the photo from Christmas morning! Plus a few more shots....

plenty of panels to practice

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 21:55:00 +0000

A few years ago, if you had told me that I would enjoy quilting pre-printed panels, I would have told you that you were crazy. But here I am... done with my 2nd Dream Big panel and I really did enjoy quilting this.

You see, two big changes have taken place recently that have changed my perspective. First, the quality of digital printing, as well as the graphic design, of these panels has improved drastically. Its been interesting to watch this change in textile printing... we are seeing big changes in digital in just the last year or two. In my humble opinion, this is a good thing... good for the industry and only natural that technology improves.

The second thing that has changed for me is that I have a new longarm and I need to practice. So the act of loading up one of these panels and starting to quilt in a matter of minutes is very satisfying.

I only quilt using free motion and rulers. No computers. I have a Bernina Q24 longarm that was installed in July.

I used 4 colors of 50 wt. Aurifil thread on this one, 2 blues and 2 purples. I am very happy with the way it turned out.

Below is my first one. For this one I used all 2 colors of silk thread from Superior. The silk thread is really beautiful. I hope to find another project soon and use this thread again. It sewed beautifully. And Superior offers it in a mini cone which is great for longarm quilting.

For the purple panel, I used Warm & Plush batting. This is all cotton (made by Warm Company) and it has extra loft. This was my first time to use this batting and I love it! The orange panel below I used one layer of Warm & Natural and a layer of wool batting on top of it to get extra loft. It worked really well, but it was so much easier to sew with the Warm & Plush and the results were similar.

The panels are manufactured by Hoffman Fabrics, titled Dream Big. They have sold tons of these and they are available in lots of colors. The size is about 42 inches square. In the spring, Hoffman is coming out with an even bigger panel... 57 inches wide I think. I have one on pre-order.

I think Hoffman, and the others, are catching on to something big here. There are lots of people like me with longarm machines sitting idle while we piece or applique our quilts. So why not invest a few $ in a beautiful panel and quilt it while you continue to working on your "real" quilts. I for one am really enjoying doing just that.

a male Army Veteran who quilts

noreply@blogger.com (Teresa Duryea Wong) — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 14:01:00 +0000

Andrew Lee. "Shock and Awe." Based on the photo of the WWII flag raising at Iwo Jima. Pieced, one inch squares.
On view at the International Quilt Festival, Houston, 2019.

Veteran's Day has come and gone, but its never too late for a moving story about our veterans.

Andrew Lee speaking at the Tennessee Valley Quilters Association annual meeting in Smyrna, Tennessee. July 20, 2019.

On July 20, 2019, I was invited to give the keynote speech at the Tennessee Valley Quilters Association. The day-long event was held at a local school just outside of Nashville, in Smyrna. TVQA is a group of several guilds from the region that get together once a year to hear educational presentations, shop and celebrate quilts.

The theme this year was All American Quilts. So my presentation on American Cotton fit right in. In the afternoon, there was another speaker whose story fit even better.

Andrew Lee is an Army veteran who served three tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. He currently serves in the Tennessee National Guard, where he recently re-enlisted for another term. Andrew's decisions to serve our country are honorable, and to be honest, for most of us, very difficult to fully relate to. My father and uncles and grandfathers served in the military, and I know people who are just a bit older than me who served in Vietnam. But for the most part, people like me are far removed from the individuals who choose to serve in this day and age. These people are very special.

Andrew Lee and Teresa Duryea Wong, July 20, 2019.

So, during this event I had time to visit with Andrew and we started up a conversation which continued over email and phone calls. We got to know each other a bit and it was easy to talk because we both share a passion for quilts. I am now proud to call Andrew and Kristy my friends.

Three years ago, Andrew and his darling wife Kristy, needed something to do together. So, they signed up for a class at Joann's to make a quilted table runner. Andrew was hooked and has been quilting ever since, and so has Kristy. They share a studio!!! And Andrew recently got a brand new longarm.

Like a lot of veterans today and in the past, Andrew suffers from PTSD from having been in combat. He is uncomfortable in large crowds, never goes to fireworks shows, and needs to make sure he is in control of his environment. Quilting offered him an escape from the constant stress and kept his mind and hands fully engaged. Andrew is now an advocate for quilting as therapy for PTSD and he regularly speaks to veterans and anyone who will listen about how quilting has changed his life.

Andrew is also an advocate for Quilts of Valor and is constantly making exquisite, pieced quilts to donate to his fellow veterans. When possible, he even makes the QOV presentations in person.

But, this stunning 110 inch quilt titled "Shock and Awe" is not the work of the average dude who just decides to start quilting. This kind of talent and eye for art does not just pop up one day and manifest itself in a beautiful, quilted work of art. No, this kind of talent comes from a deeper gene.

Before he joined the Army, Andrew was an art student. At that time, he had never even heard of quilts. But clearly, he was passionate about the creative process and learned, or possibly just honed, his innate skills of color, line and balance.

While he was making Quilts of Valor and recovering mentally, he began thinking of making something bigger, something monumental. The problem was that Andrew worked full-time as a long-haul truck driver. He would be gone from home for days at a time driving across the country. For most of us, that would be a deal breaker as far as quilting is concerned. But not for Andrew.

Andrew Lee with his trusty sewing machine rigged up inside his truck.

He found a way to combine sewing and driving. And while on his mandated rest stops, Andrew would bring out his sewing machine, AND his ironing board, and piece his quilts. And once he got this system working smoothly... he devised a way to make his true art form inside his truck --- and most of the quilt top for "Shock and Awe" was made while he was on the road.

The photo of the flag raising at Iwo Jima is among the most recognizable images in American history. And for Andrew, converting this photo to a quilt offered a challenge, and also a way to distinguish himself as an artist. He turned to his mom for help and together they figured out how to 'pixelate' the image so it could be converted to fabric squares. One inch squares to be exact. Andrew planned out each row of the quilt. He bought all his fabric at one time and he placed the pre-cut squares into bags and sewed one section at a time - not in his studio - but inside his truck!

Once he finished the quilt, he partnered with Angie Lamoree to quilt it. Angie quilted a repetitive stitching pattern of military dog tags on chains to finish the quilt.

This quilt has been displayed in lots of places and it will continue to be shown for the next year. Andrew has been featured in television stories, newspaper articles, social media, and was recently interviewed for The Quilt Show by Alex Anderson.
Check this link to see the interview with Andrew and Kristy.

He takes the quilt with him as he talks to veterans. And in 2020, around this same date, Andrew's quilt will become part of the permanent collection of the International Quilt Museum. This is a fantastic tribute for this beautiful quilt and for the story of the maker, and both the quilt and the story will now be forever preserved at this important institution. It is very poignant that the International Quilt Museum will acquire this important part of our shared quilt history. Way to go Lincoln!

International Quilt Museum, Lincoln, Nebraska.
This photo from my first visit in 2013 - before the renovations and new addition.