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View of the Rotunda, State Capitol Building, Denver, CO.  Photo by Lilo Bowman

Many Hands Build the Capitol Quilt Show

by Lilo Bowman

The Capitol Quilt Show at the State Capitol Bldg., Denver, CO 
June 6-August 19, 2011
Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:00pm
Closed on Weekends

Every odd calendar year, hundreds of quilters from around the state of Colorado anxiously await the day when they can see their own quilts hanging in the State Capitol Building in Denver.  Before the show is even open to the public, however, numerous volunteers spend many long and sometimes stressful hours working to ensure that the quilt installation goes without a hitch. Join us as we share a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to organize and hang the semi-annual Capitol Quilt Show, organized by the Colorado Quilting Council.
This year marks the 23rd show of quilts at the Denver State Capitol Building, making the Capitol Quilt Show one of the longest continually running quilt shows in the United States.

Preparation for the show begins in the fall of the previous (even) year, with the guild chairperson attending many Capitol Building advisory committee meetings. For the 2011 show, as well as for the past two shows, this busy guild representative has been Karen Hadfield. It is at these meetings that the chairperson works with the committee to determine the dates for the show, as well as the number of quilts that will be displayed. 

Once the show dates are chosen, the real "down in the trenches" work begins: getting the word out to all Colorado quilters. The call for entries goes out in mid-January of the show year. Entries are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and since only 270 quilts were allowed in the show this year, submitting an application early was a must for any quilter wanting to have her/his quilt included. With only one quilt allowed per person or group, deciding which piece to enter can be a challenge. 

To be eligible for entry, the quilt must "live" in Colorado or have been made by a Colorado quilter. The quilt, fitted with the usual 4" sleeve, must fall within a specified size range; due to the nature of the venue, extremely small or large quilts cannot be accepted. As quilts sometimes are suspended 20' - 30' in the air, a very small quilt would not be visable. On the other hand, the building only has a few locations suitable for the display of a very large quilt. Organizer Karen Hadfield opted to keep the size restrictions to 270" total to offer more hanging options. 

As the quilt entries arrive, Karen uses the required photos to sort the quilts according to style, size, theme, and so on. She says that it is always fun discovering which quilts have been submitted, and that determining how and where the quilts will be hung is her favorite part of the job. Keeping similar styles together is her goal, but ultimately she wants the show to have an overall, cohesive feel. To make her task easier, Karen uses a large schematic of each of the three floors of the Capitol, as well as nearby corridors.  Once a quilt entry has been received, it is assigned a number and logged into a spreadsheet that lists the number, name of the quilt, the maker, and the location where the quilt will hang.  This process is repeated for all 270 quilts.

One group, "The Material Girls," requested that their quilts be hung together. All the ladies in this bee exchanged 2" strips of assorted reproduction fabrics and then made quilts using the fabrics that they received in the swap.The quilts are all individual in feel, but have a wonderful, unifying factor in the fabrics. Karen decided to hang all of these quilts along the first-floor corridor of the Capitol's East Wing.

Stars & Nines by Anissa Arnold, Lakewood, CO.  Photo by Lilo Bowman

Quilts relating to the state are displayed on the south side of the first floor, in front of the Governor's office, but beyond that, Karen says that the quilts usually help determine where they should hang.

Several weeks before the actual "hanging day," things really go into high gear. For one week, quilt shops around the state, as well as the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden, become drop-off points for quilters to bring their pieces. As an alternative, quilters have the option to ship their quilts to Karen's home, or to drop them by personally. As a result, almost overnight, Karen's home becomes a quilt warehouse! For identification and protection, all quilts must be enclosed in a cotton bag, marked with the name of the quilt, and the name and address of the maker.

Karen's living room filled with quilts.  Photo courtesy of Karen Hadfield

Two weeks before "hanging day," all the quilts are brought to Karen's home to be tagged with two sets of numbers: one on the quilt and on the outer,cotton bag. (This makes it easier to match the quilt and its cover when the show comes down.) At this time, the quilts also are sorted by floor, with the 100s earmarked for the first floor, 200s for second, and so on.

Quilts stacked and ready for the Sort and Shoot.  Photo courtesy of CQC

Two days before the "hanging," the quilts are transported (via volunteer cars) to a nearby church for what is playfully referred to as "Sort and Shoot." Each quilt is hung, photographed, and tagged with a number label. This two-day event requires many hands from the Colorado Quilting Council Guild. The guild offers for sale individual quilt photographs or a CD of the entire show.   

Hanging a quilt.  Photo courtesy of CQC

Once the quilts have been through the "Sort-and-Shoot" process, they are stacked by number and location in four vehicles that will deliver them to the State Capitol the next day...and everyone sighs with relief that a major portion of the show preparation has been completed. While the show has run many years without any major glitches, occasionally fate steps in as a reminder that "we" are not always in control. 

As it so happened, this year there were two "oh-no!" moments. One quilt entry somehow slipped through the entire initial check-in process without a hanging sleeve. The person submitting the quilt was not a seamstress; the quilt top was hand stitched by her mother, and had been quilted by another individual. During all the shuttling around, the sleeve never made it to the back of the quilt.  Fast-thinking volunteers made an emergency trip to a local quilt store, and overnight, one of the guild members hand stitched a sleeve to the back of the quilt. 

The "drama" continued when it was discovered at around 9:00 pm that one of the transport vehicles, loaded up about 150 quilts and at least an hour from the Capitol, would not start. Several hours of high anxiety later, two alternate vehicles were found and the quilts were transferred safely.

Volunteers Bringing in the quilts.  Photo courtesy of CQC

"Hanging day" dawns early, as the guild has just one day to hang the entire collection of 270 quilts.  About thirty volunteers arrive at the Capitol by 7:00 am, eager to get started. Once again, Karen has the process organized to make the day run as smoothly as possible. The local staging company is there with men, ladders, and two cherry pickers.  The quilts are brought into the building on small carts, and distributed by floor and location throughout the building. Small teams of volunteers man each area of the building to ensure that the quilts are in sight throughout the day. 

Hanging a quilt.  Photo by Lilo Bowman

Hanging the show is a long and exhausting process, but through it all, the volunteers are cheerful and love sharing information about quilts and quilting with visitors enthralled by the process. As you walk through the building, taking in the entire show, the overall impression is just mesmorizing. It's hard to believe that this stunning 1890s building, built of Colorado white granite and filled with rare rose onyx from Beulah, CO, and gleaming brass fixtures, could be more stunning...but, once those quilts are in place, it truly is a sight to behold.  Good work, Karen and members of the Colorado Quilting Council.  You definitely deserve a huge pat on the back.

Waiting to hang a quilt.  Photo by Lilo Bowman

To learn more about the Colorado Quilting Council, click here.

To see more of the installation-day process, watch the slide show here.

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We asked TQS Member, Carol Moellers, a few questions.  Here's what she had to say:

First, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your non-quilting hobbies -

We have two veterinary clinics.  One is in Greene and the other is in Charles City, Iowa.  Greene was our first clinic and then about 7 years ago we had the opportunity to purchase the practice from a retiring veterinarian in Charles City.  We quickly grew and we built a new clinic in 2004.  Floating between the two places really keeps us busy but I always find time to work on quilts.  I may only get a couple done in a year but it is something I just enjoy doing.  I guess you could say I make time to quilt.  I find a little hole in the evenings, on weekends, during holidays, and very early in the mornings some times when I can't sleep. 

We have two classic cars.  The 1962 T-Bird I restored with my Dad when I was in high school. .   It was a great bargain. It only cost me $100 bucks  I learned so much from my Dad.  I have never been one to watch much TV and I like to be doing something instead.  I would go out in the shop and work on this car with my Dad. Dad knew how hard I worked on this one that he really did not have the heart to sell it, so he gave it to me.  We would travel together to car shows all over Iowa and Illinois.  I have a whole basement back home full of trophies.  As you can tell I am a Daddy's girl.

The second car is a 1966 2+2 Fastback.  It was my college wheels. . At the time I thought $600 was a lot to spend on a car back in 1978 with all the expenses of college ahead of me.  When I got my first good paying job I bought a new 1982 Mustang.  My Dad told me to keep the car, so I did.  It was stored in a chicken coop for over 20 years.  In 2006 we got it out and did a complete restoration on it.  It is just like it was when it rolled off the showroom floor.   I call it my "quilt hauling machine".  The back seat folds down and it has lot of room for quilts. 

I am the only one in my family that went to college (ISU) and it was a big step.  I wanted to be a Computer Programmer. After 4 years I ended up with a degree in Management Information Systems.  I also met my husband, John in college and the rest is history.

Our two boys, John & Joe are Eagle Scouts. In 2003 we took about 20 boy scouts out for a hiking trip on the Appalachian Trail.  A lot of these boys had never set foot out of Iowa.  It was a wonderful trip.  The picture in the video was taken on "Devils Raceway".  It was amazing hiking.  We hiked about 10 miles a day for 5 days.  "Devils Raceway" was the most difficult part of the course.  I don't think I have ever seen boulders so big.  We had lots of scrapes and bruises on that day.  All the boys were glad to set camp and get a good nights sleep. Our legs felt like lead weights the next morning. The boys love this stuff.  Mom is a good sport and I don't mind doing stuff like this every once in awhile.  

Also in the video is a photo of me and my sister Nancy.  I always looked up to her as I was going up.  She was with me at Houston and we had a great time together.  A few people in a blog I posted asked if we were twins. No, we are 18 months apart from each other.  I think I was about 3 or 4 when the picture was taken.  We look more like each other now then we did when we were little.  

What is your background in sewing/design?

I don't really have a background in design but I have always enjoyed sewing.  I was in 4-H and liked to make some of my own clothes.  When I was in high school, I helped my Dad work on classic cars.  My Dad bought me an industrial upholstery sewing machine and I started a little business doing custom upholstery for classic cars.  I have done interiors for all kinds of cars - Thunderbirds, Chevy's, Mustangs, Bentley's, Avanti, etc.  My upholstery machine is still at home in my Mom and Dad's basement.  My Dad uses it every once in a while to repair a tractor seat. 

When did you start quilting?

I did not start quilting until 1982.  I was in Des Moines living by myself and needed something to do in the evenings.  I went to my first quilting class at Misses Wiggs Cabbage Patch and have been hooked ever since.

What quilters/sewers/designers inspired you and why?

I am so inspired by Ricky Tims and Sharon Schamber.  I enjoy their artistic/creative abilities.  They are not afraid to experiment.  I enjoy watching the creativity these two talented and gifted individuals have.

Do you have a quilt studio?

After my oldest son left home to go to college I turned his bedroom into a sewing room.  I never have enough space but I make do.  It is my little oasis.  I love going in there at nights and on weekends, even if it is only for 30 minutes or so.  It is my place to relax and unwind from the day, time.  I call it my therapy session.  I need to get one of those signs that says "Do Not Disturb - Therapy in Session".  My husband would get a kick out of it.

Which machine/machines do you use?

I use a Pfaff Expression 4.0 and a Pfaff 7560.

Tell us about winning at the State Fair.

I entered 5 quilts in the Iowa State Fair in 2009.  It was the very first time I had entered a quilt of any kind, in a show.  I could not believe when I got that phone call informing me I had won something and I should come to Des Moines for Preview night.  I called Tim, my quilter friend and we jumped in the car a few hours later and headed off to Des Moines.   When we met with Jill Mead from American Patchwork & Quilting we were informed that we had just won the Sweepstakes Award.  We did not have a clue of what that was, because we had never entered anything into a show before.  Jill and the rest of the staff were just enlightened by our story.  The quilts, which were entered in the show, were - Grandstand Fireworks, Summertime Fun, The Beat Goes On - The Music will Never Die, New Beginnings, and Christmastime Log Cabin.  Each was entered in a different category and all 5 of them won ribbons.   I later found out from the Director of the show that no first timer has ever done this.   Everyone was so amazed and that is how the article "Quilting Changes Everything" came to be.  I guess this was the turning point and I have been hooked ever since.  It is so much fun to enter a contest and just see what happens.

Can you share some of the design process behind the inspiration and making of Stanza Della Signatura.  

This quilt started out as our 25th Anniversary quilt.   I went out on the Internet and typed in the words - Truth, Good, Beauty, and Human Spirit and it can up with this artist Raffaello Sanzio.  I started reading and was drawn to this library in the Vatican - "Stanza Della Signatura".  I felt it symbolized my wonderful life over the last 25 years with my husband John.

I began drawing sketches of designs that could be made into a quilt.  I wanted to use a Mariner's Compass in the center to signify our finding each other.  Then the rest just came.  I incorporated flying geese, all going in the same direction.  Geese mate for life and it was so fitting to use them in this quilt.  John and I have always been very supportive of each other in what ever we do.  This is why there are two rows of geese, all going in the same direction, in and out across the quilt.  I did not want to put borders on the quilt.  Our adventures are still continuing.  The geese fly off of the quilt because we do not know where our next journey will lead us.

It is all paper-pieced and took 9 months from start to finish.  It turned out so pretty I thought this could be my ticket to Houston.  I told Tim what I was thinking and he was excited and up for the challenge.  Tim Juhl did the quilting.  I wanted to have a Celtic lovers knot in the center of the Mariner's Compass and have other Celtic symbols in the rest of the quilt.  I am of Irish decent so I wanted to incorporate this into the quilt.  I gave Tim some open spaces to add his signature to the quilt.  I wanted this to be our ticket to Houston in 2010.  Tim and I worked together on the quilting motifs and designs.  We were keeping our fingers crossed.  We were so thrilled when we got the letter announcing it had been selected as a finalist in the Innovative Pieced category.

Your quilt won an Honorable Mention at Houston in 2010, what was it like to get a call from the IQA (Houston) letting you know you that Stanza Della Signatura won an award?

My first thought was that they called the wrong number or got me mixed up with someone else.  Then they said the quilt name and I knew it was for real.  I started to cry.  I was so overcome. It was a dream come true.   It started out as a silly bet with my husband because I wanted to go to the IQF show in Houston.  He said if I had a quilt in the show I could go.  So the challenge was on.  I was just thrilled to have a quilt in the show I did not really expect for it to receive an award.  I was just thrilled.  I would encourage every one if they have always thought their quilts were not good enough, to enter.  You never know what will happen.

Hot off the press - Carol's quilt just received a Teachers's Award in the Innovative Quilting category at the Machine Quilter's Showcase in Overland, KS 2011. 

What are you working on now?

I have a little bet with my husband.  I want to go Ireland.  When I saw Jim West's post on Facebook about the International Quilt Festival in Ireland in 2012, I knew this was my opportunity to go.  I presented the idea to John.  He smiled and said we could go if I had a quilt in the show.  So the challenge is on.  I purchased some wonderful hand dyes from Ricky and Justin at IQF.  I think I am going to do a Rhapsody quilt.  I am working on the design and I am going to work really hard on this one.  It is my ticket to Ireland. LOL!!!!!

Carol is also working hard on an entry for Houston 2011, keep on the lookout for another beautiful quilt.

How would you like to encourage others to share their work?  I was feeling a little funny about doing this member profile.  I guess I have never been a person to talk much about what I do.  I thought what in the world to I have to say that would be interesting.  Then I went to hear Pepper Corey speak at the IQF luncheon and it made me see things differently.  She put together this wonderful presentation and it was how people all over the world have inspired others to learn to quilt.  It was just wonderful.  The last thing she presented was an angel called "Patch".  The slide said "Patch Says Teach someone to Quilt".  I guess this was a light bulb moment for me.  I don't want people to think I am bragging or showing off but I do want to share my love for quilting and encourage others to share their work.  If I can inspire or encourage someone to enter a show or to share their quilts then this article has fulfilled its purpose.  The wonderful people I have met has been truly amazing.  The friendships are priceless.  So enter those quilt and just have fun!!!!

How did you hear about TQS?  I was just looking through a quilting magazine in 2007 and stumbled across the ad.  I joined in Nov. of 2007 and have been hooked ever since.

Why did you join?  I don't have time to go to classes or belong to a guild so I thought it would be something that would work with my schedule. 

What's your favorite part of the website?  I LOVE it ALL!!!!!

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Join Pam Holland as she takes a stroll through the International Quilt Association Spring Festival in Cincinnati, 2010.

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How museums lead to great ideas and great quilts.

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Three "Grannies" Share More than Quilting
by Lilo Bowman

Nestled in the farming belt of the Lockyer Valley of Queensland, Australia, in the town of Gatton, Gail Chalker and her co-owners and friends, Janelle Diete and Jenny Harch, have built a quilting community within the walls of their cozy shop, known to the locals as Sew Creative. Wanting to do more than just quilt for family and friends, these three "grannies" bought and transformed an old, rundown craft shop into what has become a welcoming place for young and old alike to drop in for a "cuppa and a biscuit" (tea and cookie), as well as to learn more about quilting.

Along with classes for adults, the ladies also provide after-school hand-sewing lessons for children ages 5 - 14. Young students begin their introduction to sewing by hand stitching their own beaded needlecase and scissor fob. (Gail says that by making their own sewing supplies, the children are more likely to keep track of them.) Boys, as well as girls, attend these classes, which are geared around the school schedule. Due to their more demanding school work, teens attend classes on the weekends, working on more advanced projects, such as bags or pillowcases. The idea behind the classes is to encourage the love of handwork and creativity at an early age. 

                              
                                       Children's class projects courtesy of Sew Creative Quilt Shop

Gail and the other "grannies" are always looking for ways to share their love of quilting through a variety of community-oriented projects. "The World's Largest Hexagon Quilt" project was started as a way to share their love of traditional quilts, and also as a quest to make the world's largest quilt of its type...pieced entirely by hand! After researching the Guinness Book of World Records, the three women set out to achieve this immense goal by talking it up with and enlisting the help of their friends, students, and customers. The request the trio put out was minimal: that each person donate as many rosettes or rounds as they liked. The only stipulation was that all contributions be stitched entirely by hand. Word quickly spread across the internet...and the world!  Within a very short time, little bundles began arriving at the store.  By December 2009, the shop had received almost 11,000 rosettes; in total, almost 66,000 hexagons! 

 
Donated hexagon rosettes and rounds.

Donations came from young and old. The youngest to contribute was nine years old, the oldest a 92-year-old lady living in a nursing home. Quilters in 18 countries, from as far away and diverse as Cyprus, China, Finland, and Chile, sent donations. One set of hexagons was made with pieces from a wedding dress! The overwhelming response to this project was more than the "grannies" ever had imagined.  As donations poured in, each contributor was sent a thank-you note for his or her time and efforts toward advancing the project. 

Quilting sections of the quilt

As hexagons arrived in all colors, it was decided that additional green hexagons would be used to unify the design. Work progressed as still more donations continued to arrive.  The plan was to have the entire quilt completed in time for the annual Queensland Quilter's Picnic on May 12, 2010, where an assessment would determine if the quilt indeed could claim a Guinness Record. Four hours before the official determination, the last bit of quilting and binding were done. The completed quilt was indeed deemed to be the recordholder: it measured 108.8 meters (357 feet), weighed in at 146.7 Kg (321 lbs.), contained 152,636 hexagons, and took 160 hours to quilt and bind!  What an amazing feat! 

The World's Largest Quilt displayed at the annual Queensland Quilter's Picnic in Gatton on May 11, 2010.

Once the quilt had been displayed, the "grannies" decided it would the be cut into smaller quilts that could be sent to those in need. Gail admits that cutting into the quilt was a bit scary after all those months of sewing, but in the end, anxiety was overcome, and the World's Largest Hexagon Quilt was cut into 115 individual quilts that were given to those in nursing homes or with disabilities. 

 
Cutting into the World's Largest Quilt.                                 Cut quilts ready for donation.

Not women to rest on their laurels, these dynamic "grannies" have given themselves a new challenge for 2011. They have pledged to make 1,000 pillowcases for the Pillowcase Challenge.  The majority of the pillowcases will go to those in Queensland, with the remainder going to soldiers in Afghanistan. These three ladies truly stand behind their shop motto: "Sew Helpful, Sew Friendly, and Sew Creative. Service Like the Good Old Days!"  As Gail says "The kettle is always on, and we look forward to meeting you. Bring your friends, bring a bus, just let us know and we will have a 'cuppa' and biscuits upon your arrival."

Thank you, ladies, for all you do in sharing your service and love of quilting with others. If you ever are in the Queensland area, do be sure to drop by this dynamic little quilt shop in the Lockyer Valley.

Visit the Sew Creative website at http://www.sewcreativegatton.com.au/  or click here.

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Annemarie hand quilting in her kitchen.  Photo by Jim Burt

The Threads That Bind Us All
by Lilo Bowman

A tiny, picturesque village in Burgundy might seem the least likely place to find a woman who, while fine-tuning her French language skills, has also become passionate about quilting. However--as we all know--quilting has a way of finding us, no matter how distant (or circuitous) the journey. Over the years, TQS has featured many guests--including John Flynn, Pat Holly, Rami Kim, David Taylor--who pursued entirely different careers before they discovered quilting.

Shortly after leaving a recent European Patchwork Meeting, our roving reporters, Jim and Melinda Burt, were surprised to discover that the owner of the Bed & Breakfast where they were spending a few days just happened to be a "newbie" quilter!  

Becoming owners of a B & B in the small village of La Motte-Ternant, France, was not the the original plan as Annemarie and John Williams passed through on their way from London to Italy each year for their annual vacation. However, they soon realized that this lovely spot in the French countryside, only a day's drive from London, would suit them perfectly as the location for a family vacation home...or so they thought!  After carefully scouting the area, Annemarie and John found an 1872 merchant's home that had been occupied for the last 40 years by a spinster. If that alone doesn't make for a great opening for a romantic movie, the house--of course--was in desperate need of updating and repair. (Does Under the Tuscan Sun come to mind?) 

La Chouette qui Chante and surrounding gardens.  Photo by Jim Burt

Not easily set back by the prospect of a little hard work, Annemarie and John hired a local project manager to oversee the renovation. The intention was to spend six months of the year in London and the rest of the year at the house in France. Trained as an interior decorator, Annemarie was in her element when it came to making the necessary curtains, bed coverings, and other textiles, while John's skills at furniture repair and refinishing meant that an unexpected find at a local flea market could be transformed easily into a beautiful and functional piece of furniture. 

Once the house was completed, the couple moved in for what was to be the intended six-month stay. But, as in any good romantic film, the house had other plans for the new owners.  Annemarie and John fell in love with the area as well as the house, and made the choice to stay on permanently. John's early retirement (due to illness) from his job as a computer engineer made the decision to spend more time with family even easier. The couple also decided that--given the number of bedrooms and a newly converted barn--they would become Bed & Breakfast proprietors. Once the heating had been updated, it was time to get going on their new "jobs," and to settle into village life. 

The sitting room

Armed with only high school French, Annemarie and John soon discovered that they would need to brush up on their language skills. A chat with an ex-pat friend prompted Annemarie to join a local quilting club (Patchwork Club). The weekly meetings in Semur-en-Auxois offered a her a way to improve her French while learning quilting at the same time. The group of 20 members meets at the social center for several hours of chatting, sewing, and--of course-- "show and tell."  Annemarie has only been quilting for about three years, but finds that creating something beautiful and functional is very rewarding. As she says, she is definitely hooked.

                                              Members of the Patchwork Club.  Photo by Jim Burt

You'll notice in these photos of the club that there are no sewing machines in sight...because the ladies in this group do all of their work entirely by hand!  Paper templates, thread, and bits of fabric are scattered around each person's work area. Sometimes members of the group will take a trip to the big quilt shows in Paris or Ste-Marie-aux-Mines. They also meet occasionaly with other quilting clubs from around the region.

                                               Patchwork Club member working on their projects.  Photo by Jim Burt

Life as B & B owners mean spending many hours around the house. Often Annemarie steals snippets of time to work on a quilting project while waiting for clients to come to the dining room for breakfast or an evening meal. The kitchen offers the perfect place to get a bit of sewing done. During the warmer months, the open kitchen door allows the resident cats to stroll in, and provides a glimpse into the garden area.

Who knew that an annual vacation stopover would lead to a new life, language, and creative outlet? Annemarie's dream is to have small groups of quilters come to stay for a mini-retreat, to explore a bit of the local area, and to meet other French quilters. What group wouldn't want to spend a few days in the French countryside at a B & B owned by a fellow quilter? Where do I sign up?

To learn more about La Chouette qui Chante, visit their website http://www.b-break.co.uk/ or click here.

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Yoko Sugisawa with Eternal Garden                                       Hiromi Yokota with Wrapped in Tenderness

Quilts Bring Creative Opportunity and Comfort
by Lilo Bowman

Every fall, at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, I try to meet and interview as many of the lesser-known award-winning quilt artists as I can. In the past, however, I have been unsuccessful in catching up with the Japanese quilters, who seem to charm everyone--including the judges--with their amazing needlework skills.

As chance would have it, this year my mother and I arrived at the A World of Beauty Award Ceremony too late to sit in the center section as usual, so we sat in the front row of the far-right section instead. Little did I know that this seat selection would offer me the best opportunity for a meeting with this special group of quilters. 

As each Japanese award winner returned to her seat, I made a mental note of where she was sitting. (Luckily, they all sat together!) Toward the end of the ceremony, I leaned over to my mother with a plan. Once the event ended, she would go over to a winning Japanese quilt to see if she could meet the quilter. Meantime, I would move directly to the area where the group sat during the ceremony. Our intention was to meet each winner and to set up a time for an interview later in the week. (Keep in mind that my mother speaks no Japanese, and mine is very limited.) To our good fortune, there was one lady in the group I approached who spoke English. As I chatted with her about a possible interview, who should approach but my mother...with another small group of Japanese ladies!

After much laughing, and with my broken Japanese and many hand signals, we agreed to meet the next day over coffee. My interview was to be with Yoko Sugisawa (winner of the Robert S. Cohan Master Award for Traditional Artistry) and Hiromi Yokota (2nd Place, Merit Quilting, Hand). Their quilt stories brought out much more than I ever expected.

Yoko Sugisawa, the mother of four sons (including triplets), began quilting 13 years ago under the tutelage of master quilter Yoko Saito.  Inspired by her tutor, Yoko very much enjoys precise handwork that maintains an overall feel of softness. 

Eternal Garden.  Photo courtesy of IQA

Her Robert S. Cohan award-winning quilt, Eternal Garden (shown above), required three years to complete, with one year alone dedicated to the detailed handwork required for the top. The exquisite medallion-style quilt features a variety of baskets, and encompasses many of the techniques Yoko especially enjoys: trapunto, needle-turn applique, hand embroidery, and hand quilting. The baskets were made in various shapes and sizes; many were composed of strips interwoven from a variety of fabrics. Yoko does not prewash her fabrics as she likes the crispness of the unlaundered fabric for her handwork. Her batting of choice is a Japanese polyester. She says that it is fluffy, but not bulky, and that the needle just glides right through. She also likes Mettler 100% polyester thread for hand quilting, as it does not kink.

 
Yoko said that she wanted to create tenderness and softness with this quilt. While life has not always been easy for her, she found that working on Eternal Garden gave her a great sense of comfort. With a husband who suffered a massive stroke two years ago, and a sister fighting cancer, Yoko found that quilting allowed her to focus on the joy of creating something beautiful. While working on the quilt's various elements, she was able to deal with many of life's troubles. At that moment in our interview, this quiet and elegant woman broke into tears, explaining that one of her sons had died in an automobile accident just two weeks before she traveled to Houston to receive her award. 

Yet, as she continued to speak about Eternal Garden, Yoko's eyes brightened and she went on to say proudly that she wanted to finish this special quilt, which had brought her so much comfort, to enter in the Houston Quilt Show. With friends supporting her efforts, she was able to meet her goal. 

What would we do without our quilting friends to support us along the way? Quilting friends not only share talk about fabrics and patterns, but are a comfort in times of sadness and our best cheerleaders in times of joy. Hiromi Yokota is one of those quilting buddies who will be there in the best and worst of times.

Hiromi Yokota has been quilting for 25 years. As a young girl, she improved her needleworking skills by making doll clothes from scraps of her mother's clothing.  Her mother's quilting skills and love of teaching were passed to Hiromi, who today--as an artist and teacher--provides three class locations in the Yokohama area for her quilting students.  Classes are held twice a month for two hours, with lessons ranging from basic to the more advanced. All manner of quilt-related subjects are covered: pattern design and construction, as well as hand quilting and machine quilting.

Quilting, however, isn't the only reason that many of her students attend her classes year after year. Hiromi's classes provide students the opportunity, if for only a brief time, to forget the burdens they carry from day to day. Many have aging parents, health problems, or other troubles that  they can discuss with each other when they gather for class.The students share and support each other as they enjoying creative time together. It is this sharing and supporting that Hiromi finds the most fulfilling. (Of course, receiving recognition for her excellent work is also nice.)

Hiromi said that she was pleased that her quilt, Wrapped in Gentleness (shown above), received a 2nd Place merit award for hand quilting at the Houston show. Her love of nature is evident in the quilt's design, which she conceived one day while walking through the park as gentle breezes ruffled through the leaves. Her intention was to convey comfort, warmth, and love to the viewer...much like a big hug. 

When walking by this sublty beautiful quilt, it is not readily apparent how much work was involved. A bit of a shimmer catches the eye, beckoning you for a closer inspection. As you draw closer, you notice that each of the hundreds of leaves is surrounded by hand-sewn beads. In fact, there are over 70,000(!) green and clear seed beads and sequins stitched to the quilt surface. Perhaps the most astonishing thing, however, is that the entire quilt was designed and executed--by hand--in just one year!

Like Yoko, Hiromi uses polyester batting and Mettler 100% polyester thread; however, unlike Yoko, Hiromi washes her fabrics before using them, and loves to discover what happens if and when the colors run. She often finds that new and more interesting patterns emerge.

It was a true delight to meet and get to know these two lovely and talented ladies. I am so glad that I arrived too late for my usual seat at the awards ceremony. Had I arrived on time, I might not have had to chance to learn about their lives and the quilts they make. Isn't quilting wonderful?

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A Stitcher's Double Delight

by Lilo Bowman

As we continue our tour around the globe, let us venture a little bit further south in Europe to the city of Torino, Italy a city that the Rovaris sisters call home.  While working at the Houston Quilt Festival we found their charming booth just around the corner from ours.  Decked out in homespun red and white ticking, the booth exuded a warmth and hospitality that was a fresh breath of air amidst the hustle and bustle of the Festival around us.  In an age where so much is made by machine, it was a breath of fresh air to see that everything they design is made by hand, including these monogram pendant necklaces.

Monogram Pendant Necklaces by Rovaris

While cross stitch might waned in some areas over the past few years, it is very much alive and well in Europe the Rovaris according to the sisters. Their small business, born from their love of cross stitch, has grown over the past ten years by leaps and bounds.  But, as is often the case, the road that lead them to where they are today came from a much different direction. 

For twenty years, the twins Livia and Paola worked in the family owned computer business.  The company, which dealt with mostly with computers for aircraft provided a good income, but not much time for personal creativity.  With the demands of work and family, Livia and Paola cherished the time when they could relax and cross stitch for a few hours. Their handiwork was usually shared with friends and family.

As fate would have it, a bad economy hit the family business hard and they were forced to close down.  With families of their own to support it became time to move in another direction.  Livia and Paola decided to make use of their creative talents and computer skills by launching their own business.  For years, they had been asked if they had charted patterns for their creative cross stitch designs such as the sewing machine cover (below).

So it seemed the perfect time to take the plunge.  That was ten years ago.  Over the years their activities have managed to keep them stay very close to home.  They still manage all aspects of the company, from design, to photography, and printing.  Keeping things small allows them the freedom to easily make changes when necessary.  Both sisters draw all of the charted designs which later become patterns.  New patterns are printed in small quantities to test for their popularity before producing larger runs.  Pattern designs range from whimsical to the more traditional. Livia and Paolo said that their most popular designs are cats and hearts.

While most designs are in English or Italian there are a few that are offered in several languages.  We found this Christmas tree with Edelweiss, holly, and spools of thread to be quite charming.  All designs are presented on either natural linen or Aida cloth using red embroidery floss.  Most designs are for charts only, however, there are a few that include a pattern.  They told us that most Europeans prefer to buy just the charted design rather than a kit.  A few accessories (charms, wooden spools, buttons, etc.) can be purchased on their website for those who cannot find them in their local area. 

The sisters reside in Torino, Italy but spend a great deal of time traveling around Europe to various needlework shows, especially in France where they are sought after for their unique designs.  They said that trunk shows are very popular in small villages around Europe.  To see more of their work click here.