I signed up for a Liberty store loyalty card a year or two ago, so I get regular e mails from them. The quilt photo at the bottom of the one above reminded me very much of my "99 Treasures" quilt pattern. Now I've seen it on the eBay auction page, it isn't made with whole circles but wedges, like Drunkard's Path. Here's my "99 Treasures", just in case you don't know it (the pattern is available via my website). Those finished squares are just 4in.
Have a read of this on the Liberty Blog. This is the quilter's website, where you can see pictures of her quilts -
http://www.katherinemay.com/
I added this comment to the Liberty blog page, although I don't know if they post the comments (some made earlier by BQL members weren't visible) -
Quilt groups all over the country have made charity quilts for a long time, raising similar amounts (often more) for registered charities.
The emphasis is very much on making a quality quilt with new fabrics and a high level of skill in piecing and quilting. Something that people would really want to win (these quilts are usually raffled).
Great care would be taken to see that patterns match and that the piece is well made, usually with a bound edge.
Many quilters, especially in the North where they bought Liberty remnants from the factory, have quite a stash of unused Liberty fabric - which often make an appearance in scrap quilts (a scrap quilt means it has lots of fabrics in it NOT that it is made of old scrap fabric!) Indeed, a lovely strip pieced quilt top was begun in Liberty fabric in one of my own workshops just last Saturday, with the strips becautifully arranged and sewn - it is the tenth patchwork down on this page -
http://susanbriscoe.blogspot.com/2010/04/scotland-borders-tour-lune-valley.html
Several of the quilts begun there are destined for charities.
May I suggest changing your HTML code so that this comment text is actually readable as one types on a 10inch screen?
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There seems to be a lot of this repurposing & recycling going on at the moment. I do a bit of it myself - Japanese Art Quilt Boromono and my faux chenille panel are just a couple of things. However, I really don't see why it has to go hand in hand with (very often) a total failure to show any level of technical skill on a par with the traditional quilts, especially when the makers hark back to traditional work as one of their sources of inspiration.
Am I just turning into a sewing teacher
2 comments:
I too find the Liberty quilt incredibly disappointing. Neither great design nor great workmanship. This is the weird thing about the current V&A bubble. It is as if the huge, thriving, truly talented quilting world the rest of us are living in just doesn't exist.
Susan
I totally agree. I know my points and seams don't always match but at least I try (and unpick and re-sew). I have used old clothing, but only if I felt it was of a suitable quality and condition. I like the look of old denim and I have some Laura Ashley cotton dresses which are destined for a quilt as the quality of the fabric is so good. Considering the time and effort that goes into a quilt there is no excuse for mis-shapen templates and bad piecing. I like to see 'art quilts', such as the 'Barbie' quilt but if someone is teaching methods based on traditional patterns and techniques then they should strive to do them justice. I am not a member of the Quilt Police but just try to do the best I can.
Michelle Cooper
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