Why would needleworkers attend quilt shows

Last Sunday I went to my first quilt show. I went to look at quilts
but if I had known there would be so much embroidery to see at a quilt
show I would have gone to one a long time ago.

I was surprised at how many quilts there were and the various levels
of expertise shown by them. There were baby quilts, pet quilts, wall
hangings, table runners, placemats, pillows, Christmas tree ornaments,
and various pieces of clothing. There were animals, pastoral scenes,
still lifes, and for lack of better words--Art.

There were quilts that were pieced, and appliqued, and embroidered in
various ways. One quilt had ribbon embroidery tree leaves, appliqued
people and animals, brass charms, buttons, beads, and feathers. It
was grand. Some had trapunto and other forms of raised work. Someone
had even made a sort of "copy" of part of a painting that was printed
on the inside leaf of a childrens Western book in applique. There was
a giant frog on a lily pad wall hanging, a crazy quilt vest with some
lovely stitching, a full size quilt with cross stitched lattice and
flowers covering the whole thing that must have taken ages to stitch.

I was so awed by the amount of work done on three double bed size
cross stitched quilts that I forgot to even look at the quilting
stitches. Same thing happened when I got near ones with lots of
surface embroidery.

There was a small (less than a meter square) French whitework piece
that was quilted without batting and the stitching lines were as
little as 1/8th an inch apart. It was exquisite. Unfortunately I
have forgotten the name of the technique.

There was one exceptional quilt that was about double bed size, it was
a vase of flowers on a black background. I saw it first up close and
thought it was very nice, great use of tone on tone black fabric for
the background and interesting raised work flowers. Later I saw it
from across the room and it took my breath away. I actually said "Oh
my God." and my mouth hung open. I must have said it louder than I
thought because a white haired lady with white gloves and a smile on
stepped towards me and said "That's the effect it was meant to have."

So folks, if you need a little inspiration for your needlework and
there is a quilt show nearby, go and see what is happening in the
quilting world. You will see a lot more than you would expect and you
will leave the show with a huge list of ideas for your own favorite
form of needlework.

Debra in VA

Excellent post Debra......a few of us have noted this and adapting
quilting techniques to needlework and vice versa. Check out the threads
on Beyond "ordinary" Embroidery and Matilda Mallstomper where we're
havng a discussion on designing and the application of using
needlework, quilt and any other techniques to create needlework "art".

If you ever get a chance, visit a Quilt Market show, they have a
consumer show right after the trade show......this the biggest and best
known quilt conference & market in the USA showing the best prizewinners
of various quilt challenges.
The spring show moves from city to city but the fall show is always held
in Houston, TX.
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures

Debra wrote:

Last Sunday I went to my first quilt show. I went to look at quilts
but if I had known there would be so much embroidery to see at a quilt
show I would have gone to one a long time ago.

I was surprised at how many quilts there were and the various levels
of expertise shown by them. There were baby quilts, pet quilts, wall
hangings, table runners, placemats, pillows, Christmas tree ornaments,
and various pieces of clothing. There were animals, pastoral scenes,
still lifes, and for lack of better words--Art.

There were quilts that were pieced, and appliqued, and embroidered in
various ways. One quilt had ribbon embroidery tree leaves, appliqued
people and animals, brass charms, buttons, beads, and feathers. It
was grand. Some had trapunto and other forms of raised work. Someone
had even made a sort of "copy" of part of a painting that was printed
on the inside leaf of a childrens Western book in applique. There was
a giant frog on a lily pad wall hanging, a crazy quilt vest with some
lovely stitching, a full size quilt with cross stitched lattice and
flowers covering the whole thing that must have taken ages to stitch.

I was so awed by the amount of work done on three double bed size
cross stitched quilts that I forgot to even look at the quilting
stitches. Same thing happened when I got near ones with lots of
surface embroidery.

There was a small (less than a meter square) French whitework piece
that was quilted without batting and the stitching lines were as
little as 1/8th an inch apart. It was exquisite. Unfortunately I
have forgotten the name of the technique.

There was one exceptional quilt that was about double bed size, it was
a vase of flowers on a black background. I saw it first up close and
thought it was very nice, great use of tone on tone black fabric for
the background and interesting raised work flowers. Later I saw it
from across the room and it took my breath away. I actually said "Oh
my God." and my mouth hung open. I must have said it louder than I
thought because a white haired lady with white gloves and a smile on
stepped towards me and said "That's the effect it was meant to have."

So folks, if you need a little inspiration for your needlework and
there is a quilt show nearby, go and see what is happening in the
quilting world. You will see a lot more than you would expect and you
will leave the show with a huge list of ideas for your own favorite
form of needlework.

Debra in VA

I am a quilter, needleworker, knitter, gardener and all-around crafter, among
many other hobbies. When I go to our local quilt guild meetings, many of us
are doing some form of hand work, whether it's red/blue work, hand applique,
knitting, crochet, embroidery, penny rugs, rug hooking ---- you name it! I
think you will find that there are many of us out here that cross boundaries
between the many different handcrafts. I certainly see many of the same names
on the different newsgroups that I read!

-JoyceG in WA

Debra observed:
Last Sunday I went to my first quilt show. I went to look at quilts
but if I had known there would be so much embroidery to see at a quilt
show I would have gone to one a long time ago.

I was surprised at how many quilts there were and the various levels
of expertise shown by them. There were baby quilts, pet quilts, wall
hangings, table runners, placemats, pillows, Christmas tree ornaments,
and various pieces of clothing. There were animals, pastoral scenes,
still lifes, and for lack of better words--Art.

There were quilts that were pieced, and appliqued, and embroidered in
various ways. One quilt had ribbon embroidery tree leaves, appliqued
people and animals, brass charms, buttons, beads, and feathers. It
was grand. Some had trapunto and other forms of raised work. Someone
had even made a sort of "copy" of part of a painting that was printed
on the inside leaf of a childrens Western book in applique. There was
a giant frog on a lily pad wall hanging, a crazy quilt vest with some
lovely stitching, a full size quilt with cross stitched lattice and
flowers covering the whole thing that must have taken ages to stitch.

I was so awed by the amount of work done on three double bed size
cross stitched quilts that I forgot to even look at the quilting
stitches. Same thing happened when I got near ones with lots of
surface embroidery.

There was a small (less than a meter square) French whitework piece
that was quilted without batting and the stitching lines were as
little as 1/8th an inch apart. It was exquisite. Unfortunately I
have forgotten the name of the technique.

There was one exceptional quilt that was about double bed size, it was
a vase of flowers on a black background. I saw it first up close and
thought it was very nice, great use of tone on tone black fabric for
the background and interesting raised work flowers. Later I saw it
from across the room and it took my breath away. I actually said "Oh
my God." and my mouth hung open. I must have said it louder than I
thought because a white haired lady with white gloves and a smile on
stepped towards me and said "That's the effect it was meant to have."

So folks, if you need a little inspiration for your needlework and
there is a quilt show nearby, go and see what is happening in the
quilting world. You will see a lot more than you would expect and you
will leave the show with a huge list of ideas for your own favorite
form of needlework.

Debra in VA

Love these posts. Part of what you were seeing is called Crazy Patch.
Lots of embroidery, especially ribbon embroidery. Lots of applied trims
of all types. It's *very* big. A little too "much" for my personal
tastes, but have seen some that were stunners.

The French quilting is probably boutis. Gorgeous stuff, and I
understand quite easy to do.

Funny you should write about this because a retail friend went to a
trade show, and quite a few went to her booth and remarked, "Oh, we're
into quilting. We don't embroider." I thought that too funny.

Dianne

Debra wrote:
Last Sunday I went to my first quilt show. I went to look at quilts
but if I had known there would be so much embroidery to see at a quilt
show I would have gone to one a long time ago.

I was surprised at how many quilts there were and the various levels
of expertise shown by them. There were baby quilts, pet quilts, wall
hangings, table runners, placemats, pillows, Christmas tree ornaments,
and various pieces of clothing. There were animals, pastoral scenes,
still lifes, and for lack of better words--Art.

There were quilts that were pieced, and appliqued, and embroidered in
various ways. One quilt had ribbon embroidery tree leaves, appliqued
people and animals, brass charms, buttons, beads, and feathers. It
was grand. Some had trapunto and other forms of raised work. Someone
had even made a sort of "copy" of part of a painting that was printed
on the inside leaf of a childrens Western book in applique. There was
a giant frog on a lily pad wall hanging, a crazy quilt vest with some
lovely stitching, a full size quilt with cross stitched lattice and
flowers covering the whole thing that must have taken ages to stitch.

I was so awed by the amount of work done on three double bed size
cross stitched quilts that I forgot to even look at the quilting
stitches. Same thing happened when I got near ones with lots of
surface embroidery.

There was a small (less than a meter square) French whitework piece
that was quilted without batting and the stitching lines were as
little as 1/8th an inch apart. It was exquisite. Unfortunately I
have forgotten the name of the technique.

There was one exceptional quilt that was about double bed size, it was
a vase of flowers on a black background. I saw it first up close and
thought it was very nice, great use of tone on tone black fabric for
the background and interesting raised work flowers. Later I saw it
from across the room and it took my breath away. I actually said "Oh
my God." and my mouth hung open. I must have said it louder than I
thought because a white haired lady with white gloves and a smile on
stepped towards me and said "That's the effect it was meant to have."

So folks, if you need a little inspiration for your needlework and
there is a quilt show nearby, go and see what is happening in the
quilting world. You will see a lot more than you would expect and you
will leave the show with a huge list of ideas for your own favorite
form of needlework.

Debra in VA

Debra said
Last Sunday I went to my first quilt show. I went to look at quilts
but if I had known there would be so much embroidery to see at a quilt
show I would have gone to one a long time ago.

I love the way quilt patterns use so many colors and patterns.

I like browsing in a small, almost hole in the wall store that specializes in
fabric and other quilting supplies. If the shop owner ever gets her act
together and offers the "you can't sew but you can quilt" class, I'm going to
be first in line to enroll.

--
another Anne, add ingers to frugalf to reply

Embellishing quilts has become very popular beyond the traditional
Crazy Patchwork quilting that has been around forever. I think it is
the quilting people just thinking outside the square and bringing the
fabric to life that step further than just appliqué and piecing. It is
great to see. I always add beads and surface stitching to my quilting.
I like the textured look it gives.

Design a stitching good day,
Janet
http://www.jmddesigns.co.nz
http://www.masterstitch.co.uk
Get the JMD Newsletter:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmdnewsletter/

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 17:49:13 -0500, lula
wrote:

Excellent post Debra......a few of us have noted this and adapting
quilting techniques to needlework and vice versa. Check out the threads
on Beyond "ordinary" Embroidery and Matilda Mallstomper where we're
havng a discussion on designing and the application of using
needlework, quilt and any other techniques to create needlework "art".

If you ever get a chance, visit a Quilt Market show, they have a
consumer show right after the trade show......this the biggest and best
known quilt conference & market in the USA showing the best prizewinners
of various quilt challenges.
The spring show moves from city to city but the fall show is always held
in Houston, TX.
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures

I did read most of Beyond Ordinary but I never downloaded the Matilda
Mallstomper thread because it sounded so much like a "shop til you
drop" stitching pattern name and I dislike malls and shopping. I'm
downloading all headers so I can get to the ones I deleted.
Debra in VA

There was a small (less than a meter square) French whitework piece
that was quilted without batting and the stitching lines were as
little as 1/8th an inch apart. It was exquisite. Unfortunately I
have forgotten the name of the technique.


Boutis.
I do this and it is very slow but very easy to do.
It looks a million dollars.

Marie

"Marie Lewis" wrote in message ...

There was a small (less than a meter square) French whitework piece
that was quilted without batting and the stitching lines were as
little as 1/8th an inch apart. It was exquisite. Unfortunately I
have forgotten the name of the technique.


Boutis.
I do this and it is very slow but very easy to do.
It looks a million dollars.

Marie


This sounds very interesting to me - I did a search but all I came up
with was sites in French. Is there a resource in English that might
provide more detail? I have been looking at possibly taking up white
work. Is it similar to this?

Nadia

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 17:18:15 -0600, Dianne Lewandowski
wrote:

Love these posts. Part of what you were seeing is called Crazy Patch.
Lots of embroidery, especially ribbon embroidery. Lots of applied trims
of all types. It's *very* big. A little too "much" for my personal
tastes, but have seen some that were stunners.

I expect you would have found most of them to your liking as most only
had one type of embroidery added very tastefully purely for effect.
The few that went over the top were definitely scenes of the type that
in another time would have been woven or stitched into large
tapestries. The really cool one could be best described as a day in a
small town, complete with a small orchard, a farm with a few animals,
a stream with two boys fishing, man on horseback on a dirt road, a
church, general store, post office, school with playground, and a few
houses, with mountains in the far background.

The French quilting is probably boutis. Gorgeous stuff, and I
understand quite easy to do.

Yes, that's the term that was used. I knew if I saw the word again
I'd recognize it.

Funny you should write about this because a retail friend went to a
trade show, and quite a few went to her booth and remarked, "Oh, we're
into quilting. We don't embroider." I thought that too funny.

Dianne

Well there are still people who only do pieced quilts quilted with
traditional stitching patterns, but few of those quilts can be called
plain as new quilt block patterns are so interesting. DH was
interested in the two that were made of tiny blocks that seemed to
fade from one color to the next, one was shades of blue and the other
was autumn colors. I think he liked them because they reminded him of
computer pictures. Personally it boggles my mind that anyone would
make a full size quilt top out of one inch squares and have all the
little corners meet perfectly, especially the blue one with the shades
that were so close in value.

Of course even the quilting patterns have come a long way and the
stitching lines can be anything from the traditional arches, braids,
and feathers, to flowers and fruit, to leaves and trees, to insects
and animals, and anything else that can be drawn with a few lines.
I've seen whole cloth quilts that had traditional stylized stitching
patterns and others that had wildlife scenes. Both kinds are
beautiful. The women who made them would never call quilting stitches
embroidery, even if that is what you would call them. Or were you
just laughing because so many quilters embellish their quilts with
stitches that are labeled embroidery? To me if a quilt is held
together with a stitch pattern that is more than a utilitarian over
all grid or stitch in the ditch, then the quilting stitch is being
used as embroidery. Utilitarian quilting is sewing three layers
together because that is all it does, pattern quilting is embroidery
because it adds beauty to the whole. The term Embroidery does not
refer to any specific number of fabric layers. I think it only means
thread(s) stitched through or onto fabric(s) to form a pleasing
pattern.

Debra in VA