Thursday, October 31, 2013

Sarah Morrell is back home!!!





Before we went away on holiday I left my Sarah Morrell quilt with Katrina. I collected the quilt on Monday.

I have never had anyone else quilt any of my quilts before and Katrina was highly recommended to me. I love feathers and swirls and lots of heavy quilting. Katrina sewed her magic and my quilt is better than I could have ever imagined!!!

Just a few photos of some blocks....








This peacock block is still my favourite!










I have the binding cut ready to sew on.

Lots more photos to come when the quilt is complete.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

A visit to Laos- Part 1 Textiles

My DH and I visited Laos for a few days earlier this month. My DH was born in Laos and spent several years there living mostly in Vientiane. It was my first visit to Laos.



I will divide my photos between several posts.

We stayed in Vientiane, the administrative capital of Laos.

One of my first impressions was seeing many women and children still wearing the traditional sinh (Laotian skirt) in their everyday life. The school girls' uniforms all have a sinh as their skirt. Many office and shop uniforms include a sinh and many ladies just walking down the street still wear a sinh.

In this post (scroll down a little) you can see my DD in her wedding sinh.

On the 2nd day I found a shop selling antique textiles.






This piece is about 50 or 60 years old and would have been made by a young girl, maybe 17 or 18 years old.  When a young girl is interested in a young man she gives him a "love gift handkerchief" (Pha Khan Mon) . Not only are the girl's skills as a weaver and embroiderer displayed, but the piece is a "window to her soul".  If the young man's family liked the girl's work, then their marriage would be organised.

The symbols also have meanings.

Below in green is a frog.




These designs could be butterflies.




This could be an elephant. Elephants have been important in Lao history. It could also be interpreted as a dragon or lion. This symbol protests against natural disaters or accidents.



I purchased a 2nd textile which was used as a money belt. It is about 40 years old.



This is a long scarf like textile which was wound around the waist. The decorated ends were folded to carry money. I was told the longer the piece the more money you have! This one is so long there is a join! (see above)



The large, white diamond symbol woven in both ends is said to offer protection and ward off negative energy.




I also purchase some modern sinh fabric. I think all of these were made on a machine (rather than being woven by hand on a loom at home), but the designs in the fabric are beautiful!





Above is a "tin sinh", or border hem piece, temporarily stitched to the main sinh fabric. This is traditionally how the sinh and its decorative hem are purchased. When the sinh is made the border is restitched to the hem of the skirt.
Nowadays there are many sinhs with the border woven as a single piece of fabric.




The diamond symbol appears in all of these designs.

While we were in Laos I could only gather a small amount of information because I don't speak Lao and many people don't speak English. My DH interpreted some information for me, but its difficult to remember everything! I am fascinated by the dying and weaving processes, the uses of the textiles and the meanings of the symbols woven in each piece.
I would love to go back and learn more! In the mean time there has been lots of Googling!

In following posts I will have lots of photos of wats (pagodas) and photos and a little about the festival we attended.....as well as some applique and quilting!

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Jane Pizar progress and some wedding photos.


 Jane is she is now! :)




The corners..








I really enjoyed making the pieced and appliqued circles. There will probably be a few more tiny pieces of applique around the circle.

I will be taking  a little break from Jane while I catch up with my Chester Criswell quilt blocks.

And a bit of showing off...just because I can! Lol

Two of my DD's friends got married recently. My DD made the bride's wedding gown.





Lots of silk chiffon draped over the bodice. There are covered buttons and a concealed zip down the back. Beaded French lace was appliqued around the hem.

I had a small part in helping to hand applique the lace ...





 ....and appliquing the lace around the edge of the veil. I used transparent thread to stitch the lace down.



My DD made her outfit too. She fell in love with a pair of shoes, then designed a dress to wear with them. She loves loops and covered buttons.





At the moment there is a beautiful perfume of citrus blossom in our back yard.



Friday, October 4, 2013

More Quilts in the Barn 2013

I have a few more photos to share from Quilts in the Barn 2013.

(For my previous post with lots more quilt photos go here)

A stunning chintz quilt.



A little closer...




 This year once again Mary and Joe Koval brought some antique quilts, blocks and fabric, but this year the emphasis was on chintz.


 Their area of the barn was very popular!




I love this quilt!






More chintz..






 There was a selection of chintz fabric available for purchase.

Here is the fabric I came home with, along with the stunning book Chintz Quilts From The Poos Collection, by Kay and Lori lee Triplett and Xenia Cord.









Yardage of white and red fabric, border prints both red and white and a park of various coloured chintzes. Both the border fabrics and the smaller pack are glazed chintz fabric.
I would love to make a quilt like the one with the flying geese around the centre block in the red quilt photograph above.

Thank you Linda, and all your helpers, for another great three days of quilts and friends!

Looking forward to next year's Quilts in the Barn already!!