American Quilter - July

pieced quilt, c. 1865, Kentucky - one of six quilts included in AQ

Hooray! American Quilter, the magazine of the American Quilter's Society (AQS) of Paducah, Kentucky is here. And guess who's in it?

Not just me. I am very happy to share space on the contributor's page with none other than my fellow "Double Knit Twin" Victoria Findlay Wolfe!

Last year, Generation Q Magazine published a feature about our love for polyester double-knit quilts, dubbing us the Double Knit Twins. We met around the same time at Quilt Market in Portland, but had been Facebook friends for a while, since before we were "quilt famous" - LOL!

Back to American Quilter: Victoria wrote an article about how to make a lovely floral star quilt called Dances with Flowers, and my article is called "Kentucky Beauties". It's about a group of very fine Kentucky quilts in my collection, and was written especially for the Kentucky-based magazine.

Before the design was known as "New York Beauty" - a 1930s name from Mountain Mist - it originated in places like Kentucky, where some of the very finest early examples were made.

oh yes, these early Kentucky quilts are SO fine!

The article includes six examples, and it's wonderful to see them together as a group. So, pick up a copy of American Quilter and check it out! Kudos to Victoria and all the other contributors. Thank you to Contributing Editor Kathie Kerler for encouraging me to write for American Quilter, and to Editor-in-Chief Michele Duffy for a job very well done!

What a Hoot!

Dresden Plate quilt top - truly an original!

A few weeks ago, Deborah Ursell, a Facebook friend from San Antonio, Texas, was taking pictures of some great polyester quilts and tops she wanted to sell, and she shared them with me. One piece really stood out- this monumental Dresden Plate with crewel embroidery. Wait 'til you see the detail pictures- especially the bird. What a hoot!

Dresden Plate is a 1930s / Depression Era design, and I have never bought one before. It is one of the typically homogenous designs, in the same category as Grandmother's Flower Garden, Double Wedding Ring and Sunbonnet Sue. That's why I have never had a Dresden Plate before. Seen one, seen them all. Until I saw this one!

One of the things I love about it is the era. It's a 1970s piece, and has some of the great colors and funky materials, such as polyester double knit, seen in the 1970s. It is free-spirited. It is a one-of-a-kind original- a truly remarkable piece!

Each of the appliquéd Dresden Plates is outlined with chunky buttonhole stitching, done by hand, and the embroidery is all done with yarn. Most are floral, but then there's the figure Deborah describes as the "chicken owl" - What a hoot!

Thank you, Deborah, for parting with this gem. I adore it, and have a feeling others will love it as much as I do.

Tidal Treasures Quilt & Fiber Art Festival in Tillamook!

Some of Helene Knott's quilts and fiber art wall hangings

Yesterday I attended Tidal Treasures, the Tillamook County Quilt Guild's 33rd quilt and fiber art festival at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds. There were some really beautiful quilts, and I had a great visit with featured artist Helene Knott, a fellow member of the Northwest Quilters. It was great to see friends from the Oregon quilting community. 

"Lemon Pepper" by LaRayne Woodward

As soon as I got inside the building, I saw LaRayne Woodward, who had seven quilts in the show, but even more grandchildren and now a few great grandchildren as well. She had recently been to traveling to welcome the newest member of the family, another great grandchild, and in addition to the quilts in the show, she had made several baby quilts. LaRayne is very prolific, and I loved how she was experimenting with modern looking  quilts, plus one from the cover of Quiltmania Magazine.

"Diamonds by the Dozen" by LaRayne Woodward

"Remember" by LaRayne Woodward

That Princess Feather quilt looked very familiar. A quilt made with the same design was recently featured on the cover of Quiltmania Magazine.

There were many more beautiful quilts, some traditional, some more modern, and some beautiful fiber art. Here are just a few of the pieces that caught my eye.

"Boxy Stars" by Carol Weber 

"Evelyn's Album" by Gail Desjarlais

"By the Sea" by Charleen Hakala

"Shoo Fly" by Jeannie Marshall

"Paper Weight" by Carol Weber

"Postage Stamp Quilt" by Virginia A. Johnson

The quilt that really stopped me in my tracks was "Oklahoma Twister" by Cathie Favret. The quilt includes a touching and sometimes heart-wrenching biography of her father, Noel Dale Lively, who was born and raised in Oklahoma. He passed away in February, 2013.

"Oklahoma Twister" by Cathie Favret

Helene Knott was the featured quilter. She gave a great lecture and showed dozens of her quilts. We chatted for a couple hours afterwards and had lunch together. Helene is a wonderful, accomplished artist, and has experimented with many ideas in her quilts and fiber art.

The show is up for one more day - today! So, there's still time to go and see it. Kudos to the Tillamook County Quilt Guild for another wonderful show!

THIS weekend: Tidal Treasures, Tillamook County Quilt & Fiber Arts Festival

Helene Knott will be the featured artist

Next weekend is the 33rd Annual Tillamook County Quilt & Fiber Arts Festival, Tidal Treasures! The event will take place Friday and Saturday, May 23rd & 24th from 10am to 4pm each day at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds, located at 4603 3rd Street in Tillamook. Helene Knott will be the featured artist, and will be sharing her magnificent quilts and vast knowledge.

When I was in Tillamook a couple weeks ago, I took some pictured of the 2013/2014 Raffle Quilt, which was hanging in the lobby at Latimer Quilt & Textile Center. It's a beautiful wall-hanging size, appliqué sampler quilt called Gracie's Garden, made by the Tillamook County Quilt Guild.

What a great way to spend Memorial Day weekend! I'll probably go on Friday, just because I'm so excited to see the quilts and my friends from Tillamook and the surrounding areas. It's always such a wonderful show. Hope to see you there!

"A Summer Wrapped in Quilts" May 21- September 6, 2014

wool quilt, c. 1940s, Washington County Museum collection

"A Summer Wrapped in Quilts" kicked off yesterday at the Washington County Museum in Hillsboro, Oregon. The main events are two coinciding exhibitions of quilts- "Timeless Stitches" and "A Sum of Many Parts, Quiltmakers in Contemporary America" - and these exhibitions include quilts from the collection of the Washington County Museum and from local artists (Timeless Stitches), and nationally touring quilts (Sum of Many Parts).

mid 19th century quilt, Washington County Museum collection

"Timeless Stitches" will be on display from May 21st to September 6th, and "A Sum of Many Parts" will be on display until June 14th. The events will include weekly lectures on Thursdays, a documentation day with the Oregon Quilt Project on May 31st, and monthly show & tells. I went to the museum yesterday to take a look around, and it was a feast for the eyes! Here are a few of the quilts.

"Fibonacci Series #8" by Caryl Bryert Fallert

"Rise and Shine, Inner City" 1997 by Martha Ginn

It was fun to see quilts by friends and acquaintances. I have met Caryl Bryer Fallert a couple times, and visited her at her studio in Paducah, Kentucky. I also met Louisiana Bendolph when the Gee's Bend Quilters came to Sisters in 2011. Erick Wolfmeyer is a Facebook friend, and it was great to see one of his quilts in the exhibition. He is an excellent representative of today's men who quilt.

a quilt by Louisiana Bendolph of Gees Bend, Alabama

"Swim" 2013 by Erick Wolfmeyer

"Radiant Orchid, Pantone 18-3224" by AnnMarie Cowley

Several local artists such as Barbara Sanders and AnnMarie Cowley were also included, and I enjoyed seeing Jean Lasswell's "President's Quilt" from the Westside Quilters, who also helped organize all the events.

pictorial quilt by Barbara Sanders 

Jean Lasswell's President's quilt from the Westside Quilters

The Washington County Museum is located on the second floor of the Civic Center building at 120 East Main Street in Hillsboro. It is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for seniors, children, students and military. When you go, don't miss the chance to get tickets for Washington County Museum's Raffle Quilt- winner to be drawn in September!

Washington County Museum Raffle Quilt

There's really something for everyone, whether you like old quilts or new, small or large, bed quilts or art quilts. The museum is offering special membership deals for a limited time, such as a $10 discount for quilters, a $30 membership for seniors, and a Quilter's Dozen punch card admission package.

Crazy Quilt, c. 1900, Washington County Museum collection

The museum is easily accessible by public transportation, just a short walk (0.1 mile) from the Hillsboro Central Station Max Station (Blue Line). Tri-Met busses # 52 & 67 connect to Westside Max line. For more information, please visit the Washington County Museum web site - click here.

reversible polyester double knit quilt

A wonderful, reversible, polyester double knit quilt arrived on Monday from an eBay seller in Texas. It appears to be the type of block that is pieced on one side and folded together on the other side, and this clever quiltmaker used the construction to create different block designs on each side.

The top or front side is an unequal nine-patch with a large center square, but I'm still looking for a pattern name. The back is an octagon, or "Snowball" block.

both sides of the reversible quilt - look closely, the colors are mirrored

There are some great fabrics. I am always amazed at the variety of prints, weaves, and solids with textures. These materials may seem lowbrow today, but they are actually fascinating.

The quilt is 79" x 91" and in excellent condition. The colors are vibrant, and there is very little wear. It was a little musty when it arrived, so I washed it, and it held up beautifully. Another winner!