Under Construction

Since my last post, there has been construction happening on several fronts.

The most obvious is the new look of my blog site. There are still many kinks to iron out on that front. "Techno Wizardry" is as alien to me as sewing and quilting are a natural extension of who I am. Since I'd rather be quilting any day, the blog rework is a bit of an ordeal but it is slowly coming together. (If my 3 year old granddaughter could read, she probably would have had the rework up months ago!)

That having been said, I will start posting again in the next couple of weeks, ironing out the rest of the kinks along the way.

However, throughout the drama of my computer trauma, the sewing machine has been running overtime, happily quilting. And my hands, not idle either, are working on new boutis pieces.

Here are a few pics of some of the projects that have been keeping me busy.

A doll quilt and vintage doll bed were under the tree at Christmas.
The star blocks are left-over from my grand daughters baby quilt and the cradle was made by my father for my daughter 30 some years ago.

Several silk samplers are on the go where I'm experimenting with everything from under linings to stitching patterns. The next few blog posts will discuss some of my experiments and the results.

A wall hanging, now finished, is shown here in progress. More about this quilt at a later date.

The pattern for our bed quilt should be ready to commit to fabric by the end of this week.
Finally!

The rosettes on the Notre Dame Boutis have been completed.
Now I must decide whether to add embroidery to any of it; and what colour? Maybe this is the year to give this piece some TLC.

I'm also working on several easy boutis patterns that will find their way into a kit at some point.

So, as I continue to iron out the kinks of the new layout, I will be posting again more regularly. Thanks for checking in.

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The Tristan Quilt at the V & A

On our recent visit to London, one of our first stops was at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Established in 1852 and named for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who were strong supporters of it's founding, the museum is a facility that is both educational and cultural, and open to everyone. It is here, in the "Medieval and Renaissance Gallery" that I finally saw the "Tristan Quilt", one of the earliest surviving quilts showing stuffed, corded whitework (known as "Boutis" in France). A Chihuly chandelier hangs in the grand lobby of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Medieval needlework was often a medium for storytelling. It told of wars and conquests, heros and warriors, love won and love lost, etc. Myths and legends were recorded for future generations through the nimble fingers of the artisans. Through the intricately depicted figures stitched into the Tristan Quilt, this classic Norman legend follows Tristan into battle...

Boutis: Traditional French Needlework

" Piqûre de Marseilles" or "Boutis" is a traditional French hand stitched and corded needlework technique, which uses embroidery stitches to create intricate channels that will later be stuffed with yarn, thereby creating a raised design with three layers. It's origins, and it's name, can be traced to the port of Marseilles in southern France to the 15th century. Traditional boutis was a technique invented to embellish otherwise plain white cotton with intricately patterned channels that would later be stuffed with a plump white yarn to give it relief. The resulting corded whitework created an elegant, embossed textile that was much sought after. Not only was it aesthetically appealing, but it also provided warmth and absorbency, so could be used for bed coverings, toilette linens (like towels), clothing items, home decor, etc. The first two photos below are from the collection of Mme. Monique Alphand, a well known French expert and collector of antique t...

Hawaiian Applique Quilting

While on a family vacation in Honolulu, Hawaii just before Christmas, my daughter and I managed to squeeze in a class teaching the basics of traditional Hawaiian quilting. At the end of the class, we both had a 22" x 22" cushion size Hawaiian Applique quilt ready to stitch. The coral coloured "Ulu" pattern below is my daughter's project. Traditionally, the ulu is the first quilt made for the home to ensure that there will always be food on the table. The "Ulu" (Breadfruit) pattern, designed by John Serrao. It's the designs of these applique quilts that make Hawaiian quilts unique. Each pattern is individual to the maker of the quilt and symbolizes who they are. Although many of the patterns use a similar motif or symbol, (for example the "Ulu" pattern), when adapted by the quilter, it becomes personal to that quilter and unlike any other version. Ideally, each quilter should create her own design, but beginner's are gi...

Seams French

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