Texture

If life was one smooth ride void of diversity how bored would we get?  When I was a kid I remember shopping with my mom.  I was always one of those shoppers that had to touch everything.  My hand would run across the different dresses to capture the feel of the materials.  Soft and smooth silks, nubbly lace, stiff denim...the wave made on cordoroy...it all beckoned a touch.  Last week I found myself standing in the shop touching quilts.  The very nature of their fabrics drew my hand. 

The most delicious of course are the flannels.  Anna Maria Horner has delivered flannels that are as beautiful to look at as they are to touch.  On the back, well of course...voile!

I never thought I would say this but I can hardly wait for winter to throw this softer than soft quilt onto my bed!  BIG, FLUFFLY LOVE!

Wool is another texture.  Easy to cut and applique, wool is showing up in so many ways.  Whole quilts in wool or mixed in with graphic texture...working with wool is a big theme and we have LOTS of it coming in...not only for Wendy's Working With Wool class (on one Thursday a month with a space left!) but also because Sue Spargo is coming to town in August.  We'll be making quilts with wool and then playing with Sue to make them come to life with her wonderful ideas!  Oh yeah baby.

Another great way to create texture is with quilting.  Uzbek patches is quilted with a Kantha style stitch that creates ridges of delight throughout the quilt.  What is on the back you ask?  Well, my favourite backing...

The other great texture in this quilt is the Ikat silk in the border.  Made by hand in Turkey with love this is a special treat. Kits are only available with the Ikat as long as limited supplies last.  Check it out in this months Better Homes & Gardens...not sure why they renamed it but you'll know it when you see it.

Texure is also added to our lives by the people that we know and love.  I have a favorite quilter from last week.  Classes are back on which means the collaborative process has begun.  We had Brigitte followed by Marg and the quilts started coming out of the bag.  I didn't get to spend as much time as I like down there this week but I got a tiny look in at Lesley's quilt.There were lots of fun wonderful things to look at quilts in progress filled the room.  Oh how I love it when quilters are looking for fabrics to audition!  
One particular quilter captured my heart this week.  Moira has been coming to MO for a long time.  Over the years I have watched her zero in on some fabrics that were also my favourites.  She has worked her way through patterns, as well as made her own wonderfull creations.  Last year she stepped to the left and took Marg George's class.  Here is what has been  growing up there...

.Watching this cooperative process is always a pleasure. Here I clearly see Moira...her colours, her imagination, her spirit.  I also see Marg adding a world of traditional experience.  It makes a marvelous combination of influences, detail, fabrications and spirit.  Two strong individual spirits.. The joy for me is having known Moira for so long and being such a huge fan of Marg and now seeing the two of them working each other's strengths into this original piece is...
well...it is like seeing a kid grow up.
This is a special moment for me.  Our Noah is visiting my parents in Florida.  Whoever thought of skype!  I love that person because seeing my son in my parents house so far away is a joy I can't really describe.  Knowing the fridge is full of food just for him, that the parish opens their arms for a long distance grandchild and the club pro stops to give him a golf lesson...and that he got to share my dad's birthday with them and their friends...well, what more could a mom want but to be able to see just a bit of that on the computer.  get me a tissue please. k

 

Comments

[cardygirl]

Texture...how can we resist it? The classes look like full of fun and creativity. Skype...it is a wonderful thing!

[Sally Ickes]

Yup, isn't Skype wonderful! And,what a lucky kid. As a grandparent I can say showering love on a grandchild is a wonderful blessing (and some discipline as well...). MIne (5 of them) are between the ages of 5 and 8 so there's lots of energy when they arrive. Hard to keep up!
Thank God my son (their uncle of course) lives with me and he can step in when I'm pooped!

And I love the gray/off white stripe on the quilt on your blog. Searching everywhere. Nadda! Bummer.

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I loved your talk and seeing photos of your quilts amongst the Aussie landscape was such beauty.

[Tory Burch Outlet]

I always am a bit freaked out at the start of these classes as it is to me a serious responsibility.