Textiles and the Triplett Sisters

We’ve had so much to write about, I haven’t even finished your tour of the Houston Quilt Festival. However, even though the photos are from 2018, there is a little teaser about 2019 included in the blog too. This week we focus on the section, "In the American Tradition: Appliqued." Applique quilts seem to be a favorite of our readers, and while we usually focus on antiques, it is always nice to share what current quilt artists are accomplishing in the traditional style. The “Bird of Paradise” quilt by Janet Olmstead (aka Mrs. Sew n’ sew blog) is from Alberta, Canada. Be sure you check out all of the birds, squirrels and horses she included. Ginger Brant’s quilt is inspired by the Baltimore Album Quilts and more specifically by a later Civil War era quilt. She...

This was our first time visiting the Pour L’Amour du Fil Quilt Show in Nantes, France. Held annually every April, it is a showcase for all things Quiltmania (publisher of quilt books and magazines) and more. I was teaching a workshop in the Netherlands shortly before the event, so we drove down to see the show and cross an item off of Kay’s bucket list. Plus, the quilt show theme was of particular interest to us. Spirit of the South focused on Pique de Marseille and Boutis, which is a chapter in our next book “Hidden Treasures.” Monique Alphand, a well-known expert on Marseille and Provencal textiles was having an exhibition of her private collection of chintz and boutis. (Yes, even though we were really there to see the boutis, Kay and I weren’t going to...

On the “to do” list for the Triplett Sisters is a trip to India to learn more about the textile treasures. But this exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, gave us a taste to remind us why India needs to stay on our bucket list. It displayed three centuries of royal treasures from the kingdom of Marwar-Johpur. Of the 250 objects on display, a large percentage of it was textiles. If you missed the exhibit in Houston, don’t worry the display travels to Seattle next Oct 18- Jan 21 and then Toronto. As we toured the exhibition I was stunned by the direct correlation to quilting. Not just the fact that chintz and other cotton fabric was included, but that shapes of jewelry replicated the feathered quilting designs we use. Or a tent...

So if you follow our blog, you might be wondering where in the world we are since March 10. Funny you should ask, we have been to multiple countries in the world teaching, seeing exhibitions, and quilt shows. We’ve also been writing our next book which had a shorter than expected timeline, given that it has three times the number of quilts. However, all of this is now to your benefit, because we’re now going to share what we can through the blog. We went on a “visit” to Jodhpur lands of India, through the “Peacock in the Desert” exhibition in Houston. We went to a private exhibition in Belgium, I’m still waiting to hear what photos I can share. We went to the Pour L’Amour du Fil Quilt Show in Nantes, France and will share...

I can’t believe its 2018 already! I’ve spent last month confirming contracts and dates, so I know it is 2018, and yet? I completely understand the phrase “time flies when you’re having fun.” We have lots of fun planned for you in 2018! We aren’t even two weeks into the New Year and look what is going on...I was a guest designer for the first block of a scavenger hunt quilt. If you haven’t checked the quilt out yet, simply follow this link. Besides the scavenger hunt quilt, our Block of the Month Friendship Quilt continues. If you are interested in joining us for our BOM, simply follow this link and be sure you sign up for our Facebook page Triplett Sisters BOM here. This week I’ve been working with the Texas Quilt Museum to set...