Back in To-Day

Title:  "Back in To-Day"
Size:  20" wide x 14 1/2" tall
Fabrics:  Cotton

Techniques:  Photo printing, applique, free piecing, fabric painting, thread painting, and machine quilting

Quilter's Statement (this will be included with the displayed quilt):   I have shortened the statement for the show and included a fuller description here on the blog.

When I first thought about what modern quilting meant to me, I immediately researched the word “modern”.  I harkened back to my art history days in college, and remembered that Modern Art began with the Impressionists, Romanticists, and those genres that used bold colors and graphic patterns.  As I researched the term modern quilters, looked at the conversations that were being had on quilt blogs and discussion boards, what modern is to me was born. 

Modern is anything created To-Day/To-Date.  It is any thing that is created recently, contemporaneously, that expresses our world today.  In a world that is so fleeting and fad oriented, modern is anything current and may no longer be viewed as modern, in as little as a year from now.  And thus the idea for my quilt was formed. 

I learned to quilt about 11 years ago, from a Quilting for Dummies book and a group of women that decided to start a quilting bee.  The bee has long since dissolved, but the desire to quilt was formed from that experience.  As a creative spirit, with years of knitting, sewing, crocheting, painting, and all things creative under my belt, it was only a matter of time that quilting would take its place in my heart.  Fiber art is an amazing medium for expression and as knitting became more expensive for gift giving…quilting took its place.  I had never taken any classes or joined any guilds until a year ago, and much of what I had done was self taught.  I realized I wanted to learn more about the “traditional” art form that is quilting, and set out buying books and taking classes to help me understand it from its early days.

I became fascinated by the fabric that was used and the functionality of quilting in contrast to the way it is used today, as an expression and often times its own art form.  That is when I searched the library of congress for photos from the U.S. Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information.  I specifically looked for images of people quilting in this country in the 1920s through the 1940s.  I found a number of images; however this one struck me the most: “Woman who has not yet found a place to move out of the Hinesville Army camp area working on a quilt in her smokehouse. Near Hinesville, Georgia.”  Call Number: LC-USF34- 043775-D [P&P].  This woman did not have a home at the time and quilted in her smokehouse.  I realized how fortunate I was to have a room that I can dedicate to quilting…my own personal smokehouse. It too has a dual purpose, as a guest room. 

It is from here that the idea began.  I wanted to show that she was modern in 1941 just as I am modern in 2011.  I am depicted creating a modern quilt, just as she was making her modern quilt.  I focused on using colors in the back ground that was more representative of the 1940s because they are still in use today, and can be considered modern because I am creating them in 2011.  I created a mini quilt using bold and bright colors as symbolic of the fabric in use today and the evolution of the textile industry.

While working on this piece, I was most amazed at the way in which it evolved.  I very rarely begin with a sketch, image or idea before hand, and I did for this piece.  I originally thought that this piece would have more color and use more fabric that is indicative of the patterns, prints and colors used today.  However, as it evolved, the piece spoke in its own way, and decided to remain a bit more neutral in scope.  It developed into a framed art piece.  As I began putting the images together, it started to look like the old photos that were framed in both of my grandmother’s homes.  I remembered the photo of my grandmother that appears to be black and white with a hint of color, sitting next to the framed picture of me that had more color in the photo.  This is what this piece began to remind me of.  As I continued to work on it, I decided to keep some of the retro fabric and use more of the Japanese vintage printed fabric.  The Japanese printed fabric reminded me of the feed sacks from the 1920s through the 1950s.  I also like that this fabric depicts advertisements of sewing items from that time as well.

I found this piece to be challenging because I was filled with so many thoughts and ideas for it.  However, I was limited by time and size, and knew that I needed to complete it.  I was unsure of where I would end up in the creative process and had to remind myself that I must be satisfied with it no matter what it finally looked like.  So I would work on it, step away a week, come back and work feverishly on it, then be forced to take another step back.  As I reached the final stages, the real challenges began.  I began to ask, “Is it completed?  Does it need something more?  Do I write on it?  Do I add more color?  How do I bind it?  What do I use to bind it?”  Finally, I just jumped in to finish it.  I hope to continue working on this idea, perhaps on a slightly larger scale and play with some other ideas, embellishments and “modern” techniques. 

I hope you enjoy what modern means to me…As I take a look “Back in To-Day”.



This is are a few pics of the process leading up to the big finish.

Ohhh the agony of the quilt....

Okay....I am writing this to ensure that I don't use the next week and a half to make another quilt for the Sew and Quilt Expo.  I must say....When I was asked to create a 15" x 20" piece that demonstrated what modern quilting meant to me...so many glorious ideas came to mind.  So many, that I had to sketch some, write others, and just realized that there were not that many hours in a day to complete the gazillion ideas that came to mind.

So i settled on this. (Oh and the lighting does not show how nice the gold looks on the black and white pic..or how the off white and blue pics up...)

And during this process, I must say, it metamorphised into something slightly different than what I initially sketched out.  I also, got lost in the quilting.  I was not sure what to do...I managed to stipple around the edge to allow the filigree (sp) white to pop.  Not sure if it comes across in this picture...Overall, I guess I am happy with it.  I plan to redo it slightly larger and more ornate..I attempted some new techniques, i.e., thread painting, fabric painting, and other methods of enhancing.  I even used Misty Fuse for the first time.  So, why do I say the agony of the quilt.... Its because I do not believe I did the piece justice with the quilting.  This was the second go round.  The first, I ended up pulling it out...then I realized that the fabric sheets used to print photos are not that forgiving with the holes...so I had to sort of redo what I took out...otherwise it would not have worked...

On a fun note, I actually loved searching through the library of congress and finding this pic of this woman from Hinesville, GA army camp, that was awaiting reassignment to a place to live.  She was quilting in this smoke house in 1941.  (The pic is copyright free...I even have the print out giving me the okay...smiles just in case.)  So from that I came up with a concept.  For me, what makes something modern, is when it was created.  So she was modern in 1941...and I am modern today...So ten years from now, I may not be viewed as modern...But I would say that it was modern "Back in To-Day".  (The name of the quilt)

Anyway...I clearly need to let it go...and know that it is a work of art...atleast my art...and viola...here it is...what modern means to me.

Oh and yes, I still owe a feed sack discussion.

Victoria's Abstracts in Fabric Show Opens for all too see....

I am so excited, I went to the opening of Victoria's show last night.  Through the storm and all...smiles.  It was truly a wonderful sight to see.  She is very special to me.  In case I have not told the story....my beginning days of quilting began in January 2000 when a work colleague's wife had a dream that she would revolutionize the world with a quilting bee.  (No, seriously in December 1999 she had the dream, and that's really what she said...it went along with empowering women, etc..)  Anyway, in January 2000 about 9 of us met at her house on East 86th Street, NYC armed with a book "Quilting for Dummies", quilting needles, fabric, and thread.  We read through the book, decided on our projects, and agreed to meet monthly to quilt, sew, and talk.

A year later, we had completed some projects, others fell off, and we sort of disbanded, but my desire was stoked.  I went on to find other groups and classes to expand my skills, and then I created Cocktails and Thread after taking a sewing class near the bowery.  The name came up because we always went for drinks  after our class, and by our second series of classes, we began to bring a bottle of wine or a wine cooler, to sip as we stitched...  Now, as life happens, people come and go but I continued to quilt, and sew and teach knitting etc.

In about 2007 I met a fellow quilter through the New York State Bar Association, so then I had a pal to chat with about all things quilting.  Over the years, her and I would meet after our events and go to see all things quilt related, i.e., quilt exhibitis, fabric shops, quilt shops, quilt classes.  This is still ongoing.  However, late last year I realized that I wanted to be in a community of quilters.  The problem was, I was never in a guild, never sought out a guild, because I was not sure I would belong.  I was not a "traditional" quilter, I never took quilting classes, etc. and I simply was not sure.

So with the use of the trusty internet I began googling quilting groups and guilds.  I saw the Empire Quilt Guild (which I am now a happy member, and realize I could have been getting discounts from my favorite Quilt shop all those years...).  I was a bit overwhelmed because they were so large and organized, that I was not sure if that would work for me.

So I searched some more, and then I found a group on ning called the NYC MetroMod Quilters and they also had a blog.  I joined ning...drooled over the blog and decided I wanted to hang with them.  I reached out and met a lovely person named Victoria, also known as BumbleBeans, Inc.   I went to my first meeting in October, armed with my woven strip, and I was excited.  The people were so wonderful, welcoming, exciting, interesting, and just truly amazing.  They are indeed a talented group...And Queen V was especially encouraging and welcoming...so I was hooked...

So, as you see I am soooo thrilled and pleased to attend her show...and am so happy to say that I know the woman that created these lovely works of art.