Thursday, March 20, 2014

Bulloch Hall 32nd Quilt Show - second floor

This is a continuation of my post from last week on the quilt show at historic Bulloch Hall in Roswell, Georgia.  Last week I covered the ground floor.  Today it will be the basement and second floor.  I intended to only write one post about this show, but the quilts are so extraordinarily beautiful that I could not stop at just a few.  After slowing admiring all the quilts on the ground floor, we descended into the basement.  At the top of the stairs was quilt no. 59 by Mary Ruth McDonald called "Windows to the Past."

Exhibited in the basement were bags made in Hellenne Vermillion's workshop.  These are Sashiko Tote Bags.  Hellenne was born in Tokyo, Japan, and is an artist using oil painting, fiber art and silk dye painting.  She conducts Sashiko workshops in Atlanta.  (Click on collages twice to enlarge.)

Truthfully, I had never heard of "Sashiko" before so I researched it.  Sashiko  刺し子, literally "little stabs" or "little pieces" is an ancient fabric art form from Northern Japan.  There is no date for the start of sashiko but it could have had its beginning during the Edo era of Japan (1615-1868.)  It was originally used to reinforce points of wear or to repair worn or torn areas in fabric.  The designs usually came from nature, such as water, clouds, birds and flowers.  Designs could also have geometric form, such as squares, triangles, circles, straight and curves lines, etc.  From being a repairing technique on worn clothing it has evolved into a decorative technique.  As with traditional quilts, the variety of sashiko designs is endless.

 White cotton thread on indigo cloth is traditional, but other colors can be used in modern sashiko designs.  Sashiko can be made into quilts, pin cushions, pillows, table runners, tote bags and more.

There are several books on sashiko and even some YouTube videos explaining the technique on the Internet.  I have many pairs of old jeans and chambray shirts that I was going to give away or throw away.  Now I can cut the best parts of the fabric and start working on some sashiko of my own.  I like that you can even sashiko stitch on the fabric with the sewing machine.

As we came back upstairs to the ground floor a colorful quilt was hanging on the door - no. 58 "Give the Dog a Bone" by Ben Hollingsworth.  The brochure states that "This 'quilt' is a tongue-in-cheek green quilt made from mylar doggie treat bags sewn together.  The back is the mylar used in floral arrangements.  The batting is made from plastic grocery bags that are sandwiched between layers of mesh vegetable bags."  Pretty campy!  

There were quilts hanging on the walls as we went to the second floor.  I liked no. 94 "Josh's Wolves" by Jackie Collopy.  She says that her grandson Josh loves wolves.  He is her 5th grandson and this is his high school graduation quilt.  I took a close picture of the wolf.

Another original quilt hanging in the staircase was quilt no. 92 "Tinseltown Meets Chattahoochee" by Maxine Moore.  It was a guild challenge - making 15 stars using 15 different fabrics.  Maxine says that she interpreted this to include her love of movies and Hollywood.

When I saw this quilt I straight away thought about my friend Naomi in Hollywood of the blog Here in the Hills.  Naomi has been in theater art and show business for decades and regales us with reminiscences and stories on her blog.  Lately she was a judge on Oscar's movies and predicted the top movie winners with 100% accuracy - go to her blog if you do not know it yet.

There were some Christmas themed quilts in one of the bedrooms.

On the wall quilt no. 111 "Winter Socks" by Barbara Means is quite cheerful.

Quilt no. 112 "Christmas Cabins Table runner" by Helga Diggelmann would be a great addition to a lovely dinner table at Christmas time - I like its smooth design.

Upon entering Mittie's Bedroom I was drawn to the chimney where an impressionist style quilt was hanging - no. 129 by Jan Antranikian called "Seasonal Snippets."

On the walls were more lovely quilts.  Little spot lights near the quilts were a bit close and bringing too much light for my picture taking as you can see in the two quilts at the bottom below.  Holly Anderson in quilt no. 133 "Heritage Baskets" in the lower left side, used 3 basket sizes to create a ripple effect.  She says that colors were inspired by Amish and Mennonite quilts of Ohio.  The quilt is titled in honor of her paternal grandfather who was born on a Mennonite farm in Holmes County, Ohio.

A low chest under the window was covered with quilt no. 126 "Cross Roads" by Patricia Ann Simone who says "It's recycled - it's reused - and it's repurposed! Love Grama!" I took a close-up of it as I have been keeping all my husband's ties since the 1960s and, if ever I start a quilt, I could use his ties in this pattern.

There was a truly splendid quilt on the wall near the window but difficult to photograph.  I took a closer photo of the roses - please note all the fancy stitching.  On the door was hanging quilt no. 122 "After the Rain" by Joy Collins featuring luminous roses.  She says "Walking through my English Garden following a spring shower inspired this quilt.  The rain gave a mysterious shine to every flower and leaf.  Even the birds and butterflies capture the glow."  A beauty!

Returning into the hall, angels quilts welcomed us into the Sewing Room.

The Sewing Room is not very large but it had some spectacular quilts.  Quilt no. 146 "Cobblestones" by Katy King was covering a table, and with a bouquet of flowers on it, it made for a striking picture.  It is at the top of this post.  Behind it was quilt no. 143 "Delectable Mountains" by Alberta Irwin.  This was one of my husband's favorites - I guess because of its handsome non-nonsense good looks - no fussy frou-frou.

There were still some historic Bulloch Hall exhibits left in the Wing Room but some quilts were hanging there, too.

Quilt no. 152 by Helga Deggelmann is called "Detour."  She says "Patience is required for this one!"  With the myriad of multicolor squares, I am sure that patience and technique were involved.  Quilt no. 150 "Dreaming in Crimson" by Diane Knott required some patient attention as well.

When I returned to the hall I saw something that I longed for.  You can see it near the cabinet with the family pictures on the shelves ... yes - a chair!  certainly a nice place to sit in after all this standing.  While in this chair I looked at the quilt on top of the opposite piece of furniture, quilt no. 103 "Fire and Ice" by Barbara Rotondi.  Looking at it closely it seems that this quilt could be executed with yarn and knitting instead of quilting, don't you think so?  (click on collage to embiggen.)

Then I went to look at a beautiful quilt spread on top of a low chest, quilt no. 96 "Star and Stripes Forever" by Diane Berdis with a "Please do not sit" sign - but I was rested by then.  There were more quilts hanging from the walls.

There was a dazzling star quilt on the door leading to the attic.  Quilt no. 104 by Lisa Walker "Fireworks at the Capital."  She says "I made this little quilt for the bicentennial while living in Washington, D.C.  We have many happy memories of July 4th at the Capital."   I think it is a good way to end this visit to the second floor - with fireworks!

More quilts to come in my next and final post on the Bulloch Hall quilt show ...


36 comments:

Amanda said...

I never owned a quilt but might one day when I find the right one and there are some pretty amazing one at Bulloch Hall.

David said...

Vagabonde, Great photos of some really beautiful and imaginative quilts. I'm kind of a traditionalist when it comes to quilts and I saw many quilts that fit my taste. Thanks for in information on Sashiko...maybe I'll be able to use it when we watch Jeopardy on TV! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Mae Travels said...

The Japanese quilting style is really beautiful. I love their folk arts and imaginative fiber arts. I have seen various examples in other museums.

Very nice post.

Elephant's Child said...

Simply stunning. How I wish I could have gone - and thank you for giving me this trip through the magic.

Cloudia said...

Nice examples, though I see no Hawaiian styles like breadfruit or others in our tradition.



ALOHA from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral

=^..^= <3

DJan said...

These are simply amazing, VB. I can see why it's worth three posts, there was nothing I would have wanted to cut out! Fantastic quilts, every last one. :-)

Glenda Beall said...

VB, your photos of these quilts are amazing. So colorful and with interesting designs. I learned something new and I always like that. Thanks for sharing this trip to Bullock Hall and the display of the art.

Things and Thoughts said...

Quoi dire? Des travaux manuels excellents, parfaits jusqu'au dernier detail!J'ai particulierement aime ceux style mosaique et ceux avec les roses. Merci de nous les avoir si soigneusement presentes!

Ruth said...

Spectacular skill and designs. Thank you for sharing. I had not heard of sashiko before, and it is beautiful. I appreciate you bringing these to my attention. I'm partial to blue, and to folk traditions that become an art form like this. I also love using fabrics that have been something else already — a piece of clothing, or a household item. I learned recently about kantha, which is also beautiful. Kantha is what Bangladeshi and Bengali women would make with old saris, stacking them and quilting them together with running stitches for cushions or blankets. I really love them too. You can see examples here:

http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=kantha

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

I can certainly see why you had to do another post. There are so many fascinating quilts here. Those with the stars are quite fascinating and bring back memories of their movies.
sam

La Table De Nana said...

Quilts.. such wonderful stories they tell..Un peu comme vous:)

Bon Weekend!

The Broad said...

They just take my breath away, Vagabonde! As for Sashiko - that is completely new to me and I like it very very much. Thank you for the wonderful pictures and the details -- just wonderful!

Rosaria Williams said...

Most beautiful and unique. So glad you covered them with all the respect they deserve. But then, you always show the love and care for your post subjects the way fantastic journalists do.

Reader Wil said...

Merci de votre visite! Les quilts sont très intéressants et beaux/belles( je ne sais pas quel est correct) J' ai une tante qui faits des quilts.
Avez in bon fin de !

Valerie said...

Fascinating post, especially that part relating to Sashiko. Thanks for sharing and for dropping by my blog. (For clarification, I live in South Australia but was greatly blessed to receive an invitation for a house exchange to Vancouver Island last month, which is when those photos were taken). Happy weekend!

Miss_Yves said...


Une telle variété est époustouflante, tout comme l'hommage
de votre amie Noami aux vedettes de cinéma !
Les chaussettes de Noël sont amusantes

OldLady Of The Hills said...

These are all so beautiful and so very interesting, too. Though I must say, there was something about that first group that really knocked me out. So many of those Quilts---the Artistry in them--- spoke to the Artist in me....!
And thanks for the mention, my dear.....I did like that Hollywood Quilt and the STARS chosen.....But, in the interest of accuracy, I did not vote on the Oscars, I voted on The SAG Awards...But, through the kindness of a dear friend, I got to see ALL the Oscar hopefuls, and my choices for the "wins" came from true educated guesses....
I am looking forward to Part three of this series.....And, the Japanese things were quite fantastic in this second part!

✿France✿ said...

BONJOUR je n'arrive pas à faire marcher la traduction c'est bien dommage mais je vois quand même ces superbes créations que je ne sais pas faire mais que je trouve sublimes c'est toi qui fait cela!!!!!!!! car un grand bravo j'adore j'adore ces tissus et ces motifs aussi bisou

Kathy said...

Wow, what a wealth of talent and riot of colour you've shown us in these two posts, Vagabonde. Your super photos have enabled me to marvel at the skill and ingenuity of the artists who created them.

Jeanie said...

Just when I thought the photos couldn't get anymore glorious than that first one that you put there, they kept getting more and more glorious! Oh, the respect I have for these quilters! And yes, Naomi definitely should have that film star quilt!

Marguerite-marie said...

wouah!!!! superbe! je ne sais dire ce que je préfère car la liste serait presque aussi longue que celle des œuvres présentées.
J'ai repéré au passage un carré avec 3 chouettes et je vais revenir admirer.
Bises de Bretagne

Linda said...

Beautiful! I absolutely love this large variety of quilts!

Sally Wessely said...

Loved seeing these. I especially love the old quilts. I also learned something new. I knew nothing about sashiko. The designs are so wonderful that are used in the artistic needlework. I love it. A quilt made with old denim material using this stitching method would be awesome.

Magic Love Crow said...

Amazing! I looked at this post very slowly! Everything is so beautiful! Hope everything is well ;o) Hugs ;o)

Vicki Lane said...

What a dazzling array of handiwork! Coincidentally, I spent the afternoon at a friend's house, helping to quilt on a wedding quilt for her daughter.

Fundy Blue said...

Thank you so much, Vagabonde, for sharing these exquisite quilts. The variety and beauty is really something. The sashiko was fascinating ~ creating beauty out of mending clothes. People have been inspired throughout time to create beauty wherever they can. Have a good one!

Elaine said...

What a wonderful quilt show! Such a lovely variety and so many gorgeous quilts displayed with the antique furniture made for a spectacular show.

Ginnie Hart said...

These quilts just blow my mind, Vagabonde! Everything about them. And I especially love the Sashiko concept. WOW. So inspiring, all of it. I totally understand why you needed to find a chair to sit down for a bit!

Lowell said...

Thank you for your kind comment on our blog, Paree.

This is the first time I've visited our blog and I enjoyed the "quilt" post very much. There's a quilt shop in town that basically assists people in making their own quilts. We have a couple of quilts we use regularly but don't make them.

Some of those you featured are most attractive!

Friko said...

These are works of art.
The patience that has gone into the pieces, the craft and hard work, are enormous.

I have almost no interest in quilts but I can certainly appreciate their worth.

Magali@TheLittleWhiteHouse said...

I'm completely unable to choose a favourite, they are all so gorgeous. Good thing I didn't have to vote.

Jenn Jilks said...

Beautiful, aren't they? I so admire this skill.
(ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!

Dee said...

Dear Vagabonde, the beauty and creativity of all these quilts is somewhat overpowering. So much to take in. I would have been able to do only one floor because I get overwhelmed by too much detail and so I never go into antique shops and always go right to the area that has what I'm shopping for when I enter a store.

Having said that, I want also to say that Quilt 104 is truly dazzling. It's vibrant with life and action.

And I'm so grateful that you introduced me to "sashiko stitch." In that first set of nine you showed us, I found the wave--in the lower right-hand column--to be stunning. Thank you once again for sharing your curiosity and adventures with us. Peace.

Vagabonde said...

Lowell – Welcome to my blog. I hope you will come back. I'll also come to your blog, with pleasure. Thanks again.

Vagabonde said...

To all my blogging friends who came and wrote a comment – I really appreciate it and read all your comments carefully. If you asked me a question I usually go back to your blog to answer it. I will go to each of your blog – even if I am slow – I shall come for sure. Thanks again for your visit to my blog.

Vagabonde said...

Pour tous mes amis bloggeurs qui sont venus et ont écrit un commentaire - je l'apprécie vraiment et j’au lu attentivement tous vos commentaires. Si vous m'avez posé une question, j’irai sur votre blog pour y répondre. Je vais aller à chacun de vos blogs - même si je suis lente - Je viendrai certainement. Merci encore de votre visite sur mon blog.

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