New Textiles Same Tourist

My photos do not do these saris justice

I've just realised that the previous design template didn't have an archive capability. (This was on the old Typepad blog.  All fixed now. Ed)  Not good when I started posting in 2007!  So here we are without  nice header photos, no tags courtesy of the move from Vox and a few interesting text colours now scattered throughout.  But at least there is an archive list.... 

If you are wondering why there is so little action on this site in recent months, then put your sunnies on and click to my new blog here.  Yes, lots of bright photos and interesting new things!  (The photos are two saris I found in India)

Sting Ray Quilters

Deltaville VA: 2 Aug 2010  

Martha busy at work guarded by Buddy & Otis

Martha and her husband own a NAPA (car bits & pieces shop) just off the road to Deltaville Marina.  Over a side door is a sign for her business, “Martha’s Long Arm Quilting”.  I had been meaning to stop in and now wished I had made the effort a lot sooner!  Martha is a member of the Sting Ray Quilters, the local Deltaville quilting group meeting monthly at a nearby church hall.  I was invited to come along and meet some very keen quilters. 

Sting Ray Quilters

This popular group (nearly 40 attended that night) makes block of the month raffles, raffles a monthly mini-quilt and gives out birthday fat quarters, offers regular workshops for its members and supports charitable quilt making. Phew!  That’s a busy group.  And despite all this activity, some ladies even manage to make a quilt or two for themselves as well.  Jeanne Rose gave us a lesson on woollen penny quilts that night and I was surprised with a Garden Blossoms kit as a gift.  Sue kindly drove me (and my bike) home to C Dock.  It turned out Sue’s husband had made the frames for our solar panels.  As they say - it’s a small world.

Show and Tell with Sting Ray Quilters

Whilst at Martha’s I had a quick look at her computerised Gamil and peeked at various patterns that she was able to program into it to create rather nice quilted effects. I'm having thoughts about bringing some UFO's back with me next year as sadly I doubt I could fit one of those enormous machines in my garden shed!  Martha is keenly supervised by Buddy and Otis, two very stately hound dogs and guests are closely eyed by an alert blue heeler.  Now, that’s just what I need to keep the boys out of my garden shed! 

Catching Up with Colonial Artisans

Making Baskets

Well, I can’t bid farewell to Williamsburg without acknowledging those skilled artisans who dress in period costume (not such fun in the heat), keep you informed on the political goings on of the day (1770’s), answer heaps of questions about all sorts of things…historical or otherwise and finally are active craftspeople in their “trade” with knowledge of skills both past and modern.

I sat for a while listening to a Basketmaker explain her craft.  It was her day to sit under a shady tree in Main Street away from her cottage and the trappings of her trade.

The baskets she hand wove were made from oak, split into fine pieces and supported by stronger rings.  They would have been used for all sorts of utilitarian purposes including fish traps and food storage.

The Milliner wasn’t making hats but showed us ribbons, a fabric sample book and various sewing notions that we could purchase to decorate our own.  We gossiped about who wore what to the Governor’s Ball (someone’s blue gown matched the painted blue walls!) and new fashions in the colonies.

Milliner & her wares

We talked about expensive fabrics were and how dresses were often dyed or had new bodice inserts or perhaps a new petticoat to “freshen” them up.  Only the very rich could afford silks but there was some beautiful printed fabrics imported from India.

An apprentice stood in the corner marking out pattern pieces ready to stitch (hopefully not by hand) into a fashionable garment for a fashionable Williamsburg customer.

Spinning Cotton

I managed to catch the Weaver 15 minutes before closing.  She was carding and spinning cotton ready for her looms.  She showed us samples of fabrics that would have been woven and explained how plantations had regular orders for specific patterns.  She believed this may have been a way of identifying slaves. 



In the Weaver's Shop

We were shown dyed skeins of cotton and wool – all natural dyes – and a bowl of cochineal “bugs”.  In the 18^th century, Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia, a huge state that spread from east to west coasts. Cochineal would have been brought to the colonies and Williamsburg’s wealthy citizens from the West Indies by trading ships. 


Charletons Coffeehouse

Finally, a little praise for unsung artisans!  Charlton’s Coffeehouse sported the latest in fashionable wallpapers and carpets, while quirky signage stood grandly outside various cottages, taverns and shops.  It is hard to imagine how a population that could hardly read or write might interpret some of these signs - I’m sure the alehouses needed no introduction! 

The Governor’s Palace was superbly decorated; from grand bedrooms to functional offices, even hanging birdcages with their colourful occupants.  Gardeners worked apace to keep the grounds looking spectacular, the maze a treat and a lush home (heritage) vegetable garden surrounded by grape vines and espaliered fruit trees productive.  Self-sufficiency was the order of the day but it sure could be done in style – especially if you had a King’s ransom!

Williamsburg Colonial Delights

Above are a selection of some of these elaborate an decorative goodies used in the mansion.  Inspiring are they not?  We'd like to thank the parlour maid for showing us the house, given that a grand ball was held later that evening and preparations were underway.  I felt like I was in a Jane Austen novel.  So much fun at Williamsburg!

Folk Art: Whimsical & Fantasy

Colonial Williamsburg: 18-19 July 2010

English Quilt Williamsburg

Having visited Jamestown and Yorktown in 2009, it was time to see Colonial Williamsburg.  It did not disappoint!  The DeWitt Wallace Museum had a lovely English quilt (wholecloth) that was embroidered within an inch of its life – most likely by a professional needlewoman.  It is dated 1690 -1720 and is silk thread on linen.  Further on was a special exhibit of quilted clothing – mostly petticoats.  The stitching was amazing and the designs very creative; from sea motifs to lush flowering designs.  Many of these garments, when unfashionable, saw new lives as whole quilt bed coverings.  Fabric was very expensive at the time and every scrap worth a fortune.

Quilt Story

The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller folk art collection has grown from a donated collection into an inspiring display that characterises the wit, humour and creative flair of early America.  We did take an introductory tour of the collection highlights, but I wanted more time to see windvanes, signage and musical instruments.  

A whimsical carousel stood as centrepiece in a display that included items as far ranging as ships figureheads to junkyard windvanes.  My favourite was a wooden hippo housing a record player (Are there still people alive who remember records??).  Anyway, his tongue waggled as the music played!

Carousel Cat

Later, I found a section of quilts (none from Virginia I was told!) that represented quilting of the Colonial period and later.  There had on show two Gees Bend quilts, a crazy quilt and a number of pieced designs.  Lighting was too subdued to take successful photos but it was nice to have the opportunity to snap away.  Close by was a lovely illustrated diary that commented on life and times in and around Colonial Williamsburg; blogging of the day!  Imagine the time to write to write your diary in lovely copperplate script then illustrate it in soft watercolours. 

I was determined to make a quilted memento of my time in Virginia, and I happened upon a set of Colonial Williamsburg reproduction fabrics in the Museum’s gift shop.  This was supplemented by a pattern I found at the Craft House and inspiration from antique quilts for sale in Quilts Unlimited. Great hopes, she said.....

(Ed Update:  Don't panic!  As at 2013. the quilt still languishes in my head and bits of fabric not yet cut.  However, I did follow Barbara Brackman's Civil War Blog which gave us not only a pattern each week but some very interesting facts and stories of life during those war years.  I think the blog is still up there (BB has published a book of her patterns from this blog) and it makes for an interesting, colourful read.  Perfect for my Colonial Williamsburg fabrics.  I'm sure I'll start soon.)

Designing Woman

Let's hope it will fly

Just to let you know that I’ve actually had some technical input into floating home, WJ3.  I’ve spent many a day with crayons and photocopies of sail patterns to “design” our new spinnaker.  Here it is finally, flat out on the grass – at this stage we aren’t even afloat so seeing it in full flight is unlikely for a while.  Don’t hold your breath.

(Also don't hold your breath for a photo or two.  We are sitting in Starbucks, Staten Island - yes, NY is but a breath away - anchored in Great Kills Harbor.  Starbucks has internet but I can't sit here all day, so posts first and photos later when we can get wifi at anchor - somewhere, anywhere!!!)

Where's Wally Now??

Across the Shenandoah Valley

At the Virginia Quilt Museum in Harrisonburg no less!  (17 July 2010)

After spending too much time worrying about our floating accommodation, we finally took a break.  We had acquainted ourselves (rather too well) with Deltaville VA goings on and the time was ripe to suggest a long haul out to Harrisonburg.  So what and where is Harrisonburg?  Well, for me it is home to Shenandoah Valley Mennonites since 1727 (*) and their renown quilt makers, and best of all, the Virginia Quilt Museum.

A Welcome Sight

The Museum is located in the Warren-Sipe House (1856) on Main Street, in the historic “Old Town” district.  It was very near to our B&B, a Queen Anne period delight, the Joshua Wilton House (1888).  We stayed in the Mauve Room with its antique 4-poster and feather bed.  It was also airconditioned – a relief after our seriously hot & humid Deltaville weather –  too many days of 104F….  Don’t think for one minute that Harrisonburg’s temperatures were any better!  They weren’t.  

The exhibition was the second part of the VQM’s 15^th Anniversary Exhibit Series with highlights from their collection dating from 1810 to 1992.  The exhibition also included some wonderful vintage clothing that attached further meaning to those quilts.  Photos were not allowed and given the age of some of the quilts, that was a sensible decision, but it makes for a dry post….

VQM in Warren Sipe House: with a history all of its own

The Civil War Room, held some beautiful quilts and we were able to glean something of the lives women led during those harsh days/years.  Julie Anne Faulkner’s Crossed Laurel Leaves was stunning.  Malinda Flint showed amazing grit and determination to raise children alone and yet find time to make beautiful quilts like Evening Star and Crossed Canoes.  We were able to see a display of quilts made by Lucinda Robinson Rice, starting at age 5.  Her doll was also on display and this too added deeper understanding of the exhibition.  It is said that a ghost of a Confederate soldier can be seen on the stairs in the house.

Nearby Joshua Wilton Inn 1888 (our B&B)

Works by Linda Poole were also on show.  She’s a very accomplished local quilt artist, and her stitching made me envious, it was so tiny and there was so much of it!   

Upstairs, a room of vintage sewing machines took my eye - I saw my first Singer Featherweight!  I did buy a book of the VQM collection in the gift shop before leaving, but after browsing so many beautiful quilts I’m not sure of the exact ones I saw.  Always wise in hindsight but a definite excuse to travel back to Harrisonburg!

(*) Try reading books by Phyllis Pellman Good