Textiles and the Triplett Sisters

In Amsterdam there is a charming, more than four century old canal house (yes, over 400 years old) where the original architect of quilts lives with her artist husband. Up three flights of narrow stairs, (it was tempting to count the steps, but instead I focused on simply making it to the attic workshop without falling), a quilt artist extraordinaire works in her lair creating 3-d quilts. In the early 1970’s, Lucie Huig-Dunnebier began quilting creating three dimensional quilts. Since then she has explored various dimensional elements: raised graphics, pockets to hold treasures, windows with shutters to hide lovers, and more, pushing the dimensional boundaries of a quilt. Some of her crib quilts hung one way reveal the day colors with the sun. The same quilt hung upside down reveals the moon and the stars in...

Because I was teaching in the Netherlands, The Triplett Sisters recently had some wonderful adventures in Amsterdam. One of our first stops was a curious museum which honored all types of bags. According to Susan B. Anthony, “Every woman should have a purse of her own.” The Museum of Bags and Purses acknowledged that men should also have bags, since the oldest item in the collection was a man’s bag with secret pockets. It was wonderful to see the wide variety of handbags, but frequently we fail to recognize the needlework skill involved in many of these purses. Today’s blog will focus on “thigh pockets” purses hidden under the fabric of the dress. A slit in the dress allowed the wearer access to the items in the pockets. These pockets were from the 17th century to...

I have a confession. For several weeks now, I’ve had writers block. It wasn’t that I didn’t know what I needed to write about, it was that I didn’t really want to write about me. I much prefer writing about other’s amazing quilts or exhibitions. So, I’ve kept putting off this blog. I decided to resolve the issue by including some fabulous antique quilts for eye candy. It will make be feel better and I hope you’ll at least read the blog to know what exciting things are coming in the fall season.   First up is another trip to the Netherlands, where I will be teaching a brand-new quilt pattern I created with 5 unique paper piecing designs. I’m thrilled to teach the workshop in Overloon, but I’m even more excited to announce that Paper...

Stop, before you decide not to read this blog because it doesn’t have any antique quilt photos! Take a deep breath and consider your love of fabric. Consider that dating a fabric in a quilt in many cases occurs because of the fabric is in a “costume” in a photo with a date on it or a designer’s notes. There is much to be learned and enjoyed from a costume exhibit. For the Fashionistas of the past, the textiles in their closets were one of their more valuable possessions. The New York City Museum at FIT, was the perfect place for the exhibition “Fabric in Fashion.” According to the FIT brochure, “the stylish eighteenth-century woman new the high cost of silk brocade imported from China, the difference between wool fabrics appropriate for menswear and women’s wear,...

A recent exhibition at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum showcased all the quilts made from the four reproduction fabric lines: Rising Sun, Cross Quilt, Bethlehem Star, and American Patch.  This exhibition also featured the quilts which inspired the reproduction fabric.  Blazing Star/Star of Bethlehem is full of indigos and cheddar, as well as Prussian Blue which makes it real eye candy. The quilt was made by a member of the Speck family c. 1860-1880. The quilt that inspired the Rising Sun fabric line, was also made by a member of the Speck family.  This quilt also uses a variation on the large main Lone Star but surrounded by blocks of more stars. The quilt is believed to have been created in 1840-1860. The Cross Quilt was made about 1880 and is a simple pattern with lots...