♪ [Georgia]: WELL, SHIVER MY TIMBERS!

WELCOME TO ALASKA.

YOU'RE PROBABLY THINKING ESKIMOS, IGLOOS, THE OIL PIPELINE, AND POLAR BEARS.

BUT WHAT ABOUT TOURISTS?

AND I MIGHT ADD, SOME VERY FRIENDLY PEOPLE, GREEN LEAVES, MAGNIFICENT MOUNTAINS, 24-HOUR DAYLIGHT IN THE SUMMERTIME, AND BEST OF ALL, QUILTS.

WELCOME TO "LAP QUILTING."

♪ "LAP QUILTING" WITH GEORGIA BONESTEEL IS MADE POSSIBLE BY GRANTS FROM GINGHER, INCORPORATED, MAKERS OF SCISSORS AND SHEARS FOR THE HOME, CLASSROOM, AND INDUSTRY.

AND COATS & CLARK, SERVING AMERICA'S SEWING NEEDS FOR OVER 125 YEARS, FEATURING J&P COATS DUAL DUTY PLUS THREAD.

Georgia Bonesteel: JUST OUTSIDE OF FAIRBANKS ON A RIDGE OVERLOOKING THE SNOWCAPPED PEAKS OF THE ALASKA RANGE IS THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA MUSEUM.

NOW, ALASKA IS A BIG STATE WITH A DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS.

THE MUSEUM IS A GREAT PLACE TO GET AN OVERVIEW AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF BOTH THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE.

THE MUSEUM'S PERMANENT EXHIBIT GALLERIES DIVIDE THE STATE INTO 5 MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS USING THESE BANNERS.

THEY'LL BE A PART OF OUR LESSON NEXT WEEK.

TODAY WE WANT TO LEARN THE STITCHERY HERITAGE OF THE REGION.

WE ARE HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA MUSEUM WITH MARY BETH SMETZER.

SHE'S SHARING WITH US ANOTHER HERITAGE QUILT, THIS TIME A PERSONAL STORY.

HOW DID THIS QUILT EVOLVE?

THIS QUILT WAS A WEDDING QUILT THAT WE MADE FOR OUR EXHIBITS DIRECTOR AND OUR PROGRAM DIRECTOR HERE AT THE MUSEUM WHO WERE MARRIED IN 1983.

AND IT BECAME A STAFF PROJECT.

THE DESIGNS WERE ALL PUT TOGETHER BY MEMBERS OF THE MUSEUM STAFF AND RESEARCH STUDENTS TO CURATORS, AS WELL AS THE GALS THAT DO OUR CORRESPONDENCE.

NON-QUILTERS MADE THIS QUILT?

VERY DEFINITELY.

THEY ALL GOT A FAST 15-MINUTE LESSON FROM ME AND SELECTED A DESIGN THAT RELATED TO WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND WENT TO TOWN.

AND WITHIN 3 WEEKS I HAD ALL THE BLOCKS BACK TOGETHER.

YOU'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.

NOW, I UNDERSTAND YOU ACTUALLY QUILTED IT HERE AT THE MUSEUM.

YES, WE DID--IN THE LOBBY.

AND PEOPLE GOBBLED DOWN THEIR LUNCH AND RAN OUT TO THE LOBBY SO THAT THEY COULD FINISH UP THEIR LUNCH HOUR.

THEY TOOK THEIR BREAKS QUILTING THE QUILT.

WE CALLED IT OUR LIVING EXHIBIT.

AND WANDA WOULD ACTUALLY WANDER OVER AND DRAW STENCIL DESIGNS, HOW SHE WANTED IT QUILTED.

ISN'T THAT NICE?

YES, SHE DID.

A LOT OF THESE DESIGNS WITHIN THE QUILT ARE FREE-HAND DESIGNS.

AND THEN THE MASK MOTIF ALONG THE SIDE, SHE MADE A TEMPLATE.

AND BOTH TIE IN WITH THE CORNERS, THE MASK IN THE CORNERS.

YES.

THE SPIRIT MASKS ARE ESKIMO MASKS.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE INDIAN, A TLINGIT MASK IN THE LOWER CORNER.

AND THESE ARE, WE HAVE ON DISPLAY HERE AT THE MUSEUM.

THERE'S A WIDE VARIETY OF THEM.

YES.

AND ALSO THEN, THE BANNERS THAT HANG ABOVE THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT FEATURE THE EXHIBITS IN THE MUSEUM ARE TIED IN WITH THE QUILT ITSELF.

YES.

WE MADE BANNERS FOR THE MUSEUM WITH THE EAGLE, THE MOOSE, THE WALRUS, THE BEAR, AND THE PUFFIN.

AND THEY DESIGNATE DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF THE STATE OF ALASKA.

LET'S SEE MORE OF THE EXHIBITS, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT PERTAIN TO A NEEDLE AND THREAD.

THIS CASE CERTAINLY DEPICTS ALASKAN HISTORY.

DESCRIBE WHAT'S IN THIS DISPLAY, MARY BETH.

LONG BEFORE ALASKA BECAME A STATE, THE ESKIMO AND INDIAN PEOPLE LIVED HERE, AND THEY UTILIZED ALL OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES FOR THEIR FOOD AND FOR THEIR CLOTHING AND FOR SHELTER.

AND THIS CASE SHOWS MANY EXAMPLES.

THE SPRUCE ROOT BASKETS ARE VERY WELL-DECORATED.

THE BEADWORK BABY BELTS.

TREES PLAYED AN IMPORTANT PART IN THEIR LIFESTYLE.

BIRCH WAS USED FOR MANY THINGS.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT EXAMPLES OF BASKETS HERE.

BIRCH WAS ALSO USED FOR SNOWSHOES AND SLEDS.

THEY WERE USED FOR CONTAINERS FOR FOOD.

AND OF COURSE, BABIES WERE LOVINGLY CARED FOR.

LITTLE PAPOOSE.

I UNDERSTAND THEY EVEN USED THE SAP FROM THE BIRCH TREE.

YES, FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES.

SAP WAS UTILIZED FROM THE BIRCH TREE AND ALSO FROM THE WHITE SPRUCE TREE.

AND TELL ME ABOUT THE BEADWORK.

NOW, THIS WAS MOSTLY DONE BY THE ATHABASKAN INDIANS?

YES.

THE ATHABASKAN INDIANS STARTED BEADWORK BEFORE THERE WAS CONTACT.

HOWEVER, MANY OF THE BEADS WERE TRADED UP FROM TRADE ROUTES FROM THE COASTAL AREAS.

THE CLOTHING IN THIS CASE SHOWS HOW IT WAS USED.

THE MAN'S MOOSE SKIN JACKET WITH THE BEAVER TRIM HAS BEADWORK DOWN THE FRONT AND ARM PANELS, AND THE WOMAN'S DRESS IS LAVISHLY DECORATED WITH BEADWORK--THE DENTALIUM SHELLS AT THE TOP AND THE SMALLER BEADS AROUND THE BOTTOM OF THE SKIRT.

THE BELT IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF BEADWORK WITH GEOMETRIC DESIGN.

AND THIS BROUGHT LIFE AND VITALITY INTO PROBABLY A VERY MONOTONOUS COLOR SCHEME THAT THEY WERE LIVING IN.

YES.

IN THE WINTER IT'S VERY MONOCHROMATIC, AND THE BEADWORK WAS A WELCOME ADDITION, A WARMER TONE.

SHOW ME MORE BEADWORK.

I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE.

CAN YOU IMAGINE DOING BEADWORK ON FLOWERS ON A VERY DARK, COLD, ICY DAY.

THAT MUST HAVE BEEN VERY SOUL-SATISFYING TO THE INDIAN AND THE ESKIMO PEOPLE.

YES, I THINK IT REALLY WAS.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH LIKE ALASKAN WOMEN FEEL TODAY WHEN THEY'RE QUILTING DURING THE WINTER.

YES.

AND NOW, THE BEADS THEMSELVES.

I KNOW THEY WEREN'T PLASTIC.

WHAT WERE THEY MADE FROM?

THEY WERE MADE FROM GLASS.

THE EARLY BEADS CAME FROM ITALY, AND THEY WERE TRADED INTO THE INTERIOR AREA OF ALASKA BY THE COASTAL NATIVES, WHO TRADED WITH THE WHALING SHIPS IN THE EARLY DAYS.

AND THEN THEY CAME ACROSS CANADA THROUGH THE HUDSON BAY FUR COMPANIES.

AND MANY OF THE FLORAL DESIGNS YOU SEE WERE FROM THE FRENCH NUNS TEACHING THE YOUNG NATIVE WOMEN IN THE SCHOOLS IN CANADA, AND THEY TRAVELED ALL THE WAY TO ALASKA.

WELL, THE QUILTERS TODAY THAT SEE THESE MUST JUST WANT TO TURN THEM ALL INTO APPLIQUE PATTERNS.

THEY'RE WONDERFUL MOTIFS.

THEY TRULY ARE.

NOW, DID THEY USE THREAD?

THEY DIDN'T HAVE THREAD YEARS AGO.

WHAT DID THEY USE?

IN THE EARLY DAYS THEY USED SINEW, WHICH WAS SPLICED FROM THE TENDON OF THE MOOSE OR THE CARIBOU.

AND TODAY THEY USE DENTAL FLOSS.

AND WHAT ABOUT DIFFERENT SIZES OF BEADS OR ONLY ONE-SIZED?

BEADS COME IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SIZES, AND THEY CAN BE BOUGHT BY THE HANK, WHICH MEANS A STRING OF BEADS, AT THE LOCAL FABRIC STORES HERE IN TOWN.

VERY GOOD.

SO IT CAN CONTINUE ON.

NOW I SEE SOME FUR HERE, AND THAT GIVES ME THE CUE THAT WE NEED TO GET INTO OUR CHANGE OF GARMENTS NOW.

CAN YOU FIND ME IN ALL THIS FUR?

ISN'T THIS JUST WONDERFUL?

YOU LOOK SO CLASSY YOURSELF, MARY BETH.

THE FURS WERE VERY IMPORTANT LONG AGO, WEREN'T THEY?

THEY CERTAINLY WERE.

THE ANIMALS' MEAT WAS USED AS FOOD AND THEN THE FURS WERE MADE TO MAKE THESE WARM, COZY GARMENTS.

AND WHAT AN ARRAY OF FUR THEY USED.

YES.

HERE WE SEE WOLF, MARTIN, MORE WOLF AND MARTIN.

AND THESE 2 HATS ARE MADE OF BEAVER.

AND MY COAT IS MADE FROM THE BELLY OF MUSKRATS.

THE HOOD IS TRIMMED WITH WOLVERINE.

AND WE MUST THANK SALLY HUDSON FOR SHARING THIS COAT WITH US.

SHE MADE IT OVER 15 YEARS AGO, AND SHE IS A LIVING TREASURE HERE IN ALASKA.

SHE CERTAINLY IS.

SHE'S A WONDERFUL FUR SEWER.

AND THEY GOT, I WOULD SAY, CARRIED AWAY WITH THESE FURS.

LOOK AT THE WONDERFUL TRIM THEY'VE PUT ON.

TELL ME ABOUT THIS TRIM.

THE TRIM IS MADE OF CALFSKIN.

IN THE OLD DAYS THEY USED THE UNDERNEATH SIDE OF THE CARIBOU.

BUT IT'S CAREFULLY CUT TO THE DESIGN AND THEN WHIPSTITCHED ON THE BACK.

SO THE SKINS DO HAVE A NAP, AND THEY HAVE TO BE CUT IN POSITION IN SUCH A WAY THAT RUN ALL IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

YES.

YOU CAN SEE FROM YOUR TRIM THE DIAMOND DESIGN.

IT'S ALSO ECHOED IN THE BOTTOM TRIM AND SOME OF THE ARM TRIM UNDER YOUR HOOD.

AND THEN YOU HAVE A 5-POINTED STAR AROUND YOUR WAIST.

AND THEN TELL ME ABOUT THE DECORATION.

I SEE A VARIABLE STAR ON THE BOTTOM OF THIS PARKA.

A VARIABLE STAR, CHEVRON.

OVER THE SHOULDER TRIM, THERE'S 4 PATCHES AND TRIANGLES.

IT LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE SEMINOLE PATCHWORK.

HOW ABOUT THIS SCRAP QUILT--A FUR SCRAP QUILT OF ALL THINGS--REINDEER, RACCOON, BEAVER, SHEEP, MOOSE, RABBIT, MINK, OTTER, AND COYOTE.

WHY, AT LEAST 16 DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUR.

EACH SQUARE TOOK 3 TO 7 HOURS TO HAND SEW.

MICKEY COLLINS DID MOST OF THE WORK IN A TRAPPING CABIN BY THE LIGHT OF A COLEMAN LANTERN.

AND IT'S TIE-TACKED.

AND IS THAT A BUNNY TAIL I SEE?

TODAY WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING WITH ETTA LORD FROM FAIRBANKS, ALASKA.

SHE'S GONNA SHARE WITH US A VERY SPECIAL TECHNIQUE THAT HAS TO DO WITH FANCY TRIMMINGS ON PARKAS.

ETTA IS A MOTHER, A GRANDMOTHER, AND SHE HAS A FULL-TIME JOB AS THE COMMUNITY HEALTH REPRESENTATIVE HERE IN FAIRBANKS.

AND YOU HAVE AN ESKIMO BACKGROUND, ETTA.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

WELL, I WAS BORN IN BARROW, AND I BROUGHT UP ONLY WITH ESKIMO LANGUAGE, THAT'S INUPIAT LANGUAGE, AND WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL I HAD TO LEARN TO TALK ENGLISH.

YES.

AND YOUR GRANDFATHER YOU SAID WAS... MY GRANDFATHER WAS THE CAPTAIN OF A WHALING SHIP.

OH, MY.

WELL, THAT'S A VERY INTRIGUING AND A VERY PROUD HERITAGE TO HAVE.

AND NOW YOU ARE HERE WORKING IN FAIRBANKS, BUT TELL US ABOUT THE FANCY TRIMMINGS THAT YOU DO AND YOU USE THEM.

THESE ARE THE ONES I HAVE MADE.

WE USE THEM, LIKE, FOR SUMMER PARKAS... ETTA SHOWED US AN EXAMPLE OF HOW IT WAS DONE.

THE 2 INTRIGUING THINGS ABOUT QUPAKS ARE THE WAY YOU TURN THE BIAS AND THE WAY THE SMALL RIGHT-ANGLE PIECES ARE SEWN THEN FLIPPED OVER AND CAUGHT.

Georgia: AND YOU WOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF A GAUGE.

YOU'D EITHER USE ONE OF YOUR LITTLE PIECES OF CARDBOARD, OR YOU'D MARK IT WITH A FABRIC MARKER.

OR YOU COULD BY THE RICKRACKS IN THE BOTTOM.

I SEE.

OK. AND THEN I, WHEN I DO IT, I CUT THIS END SO I WON'T STRETCH IT TOO MUCH BECAUSE YOU GOT TO COVER WITH OTHER BIAS ANYHOW.

YES.

THAT'S A REAL TIP RIGHT THERE, SO IT'S GONNA BE COVERED UP WITH ANOTHER BIAS.

YOU DIDN'T CUT ALL THE WAY DOWN, JUST RELEASED IT, RIGHT?

MM-HMM.

OK. YOU COULD GET A LITTLE BIT SOMETHING TO MEASURE THAT, ANYTHING.

UH-HUH.

I SEE.

WE'RE DOING--HOW MUCH?

OK, THIS MUCH.

TRY THAT.

IN OTHER WORDS, YOU MAKE YOUR OWN RULER WITH THESE LITTLE THINGS.

AND THEN YOU COULD USE THAT, AND SO IT'LL BE EASIER FOR YOU.

WITH THIS TECHNIQUE, ALL THE EDGES ARE COVERED WITH REPEATED BIAS.

USING QUILTING TERMS, YOU WILL NOTICE ETTA ENDS UP WITH A 9-PATCH.

BOTH EXAMPLES HAVE STRONG COLOR CONTRAST TO STAND OUT AGAINST THE OTHER BIAS STRIPS.

Etta: OR YOU COULD DO THIS AND SKIP ONE, AND THEN PUT EACH BLOCK--RIGHT THERE ONE.

USE YOUR PREVIOUS DESIGN AS A TIP?

OK.

I'M JUST DOING THIS BECAUSE IT'S JUST TOO HARD, SO WE PUT BLOCKS IN.

AND SO THE GOOD SIDE FACES OUT, AND THEN YOU GET READY TO... WE DON'T PULL THEM OUT-- PULL ALL THE MATERIAL OUT IF WE HAVE IT HERE.

AND YOU CAN PUT 2 HERE.

I GOT 2 OF THEM HERE.

OK.

SO YOU ANCHOR THAT STRAIGHT BIAS FIRST SO IT'S CAUGHT, AND THEN YOU PUT THAT ON TOP OF IT.

AND THEN THERE WAS A LITTLE SECRET THERE, WASN'T THERE?

RIGHT.

THIS, THE FIRST ONE RIGHT HERE, I DON'T PUT IT TOO CLOSE.

LEAVE IT OUT A LITTLE BIT AND KIND OF PUSH THIS OUT.

OK, BECAUSE THE MACHINE WILL KIND OF SCOOTCH IT, WON'T IT?

AND THEN THIS ONE RIGHT AGAINST IT BECAUSE THE MACHINE WILL PULL IT.

OK, ANOTHER ONE.

THE LAST ONE NOW.

RIGHT HERE I GOT.

OK. ALL RIGHT.

OH, NOW THIS IS WHERE IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE, DOESN'T IT?

THEN YOU COME AND PULL THOSE BACK DOWN, AND THERE'S NO PROBLEM BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT-- THE RAW EDGES HAVE BEEN TURNED UNDER, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE GOING ANYWHERE.

ETTA USED WHITE THREAD TO DEMONSTRATE TO US, BUT OF COURSE, YOU WOULD CHANGE THREAD AND BOBBIN TO MATCH THE COLOR OF EACH BIAS STRIP.

AND SO THIS IS THE LAST ONE, THE LAST ROW THAT... YOU PULL THAT ONE BACK.

MM-HMM.

I LIKE THE WAY YOU STABILIZE THAT FIRST, AND THEN THAT ALLOWS YOU TO... NOW THAT'S DONE.

OH, THAT'S PRETTY.

WELL, THAT IS REALLY INTRIGUING.

IT REALLY IS.

AND BETWEEN YOUR JOBS, I GUESS PEOPLE COME TO YOU AND ASK YOU TO MAKE THESE--PART TIME YOU'RE SEWING AT HOME.

I NEVER SEW FOR A WHILE, AND I'M TRYING TO COMING BACK TO IT BECAUSE I THINK I GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME THIS YEAR.

YEAH.

IT'S RELAXING, DON'T YOU THINK, TO HAVE A CRAFT THAT YOU CAN DO AT HOME LIKE THAT?

WELL, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING WITH US TODAY BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE WILL REALLY ENJOY TRYING THIS AT HOME AND SEEING IF THEY CAN DO QUPAK.

QUPAK.

OK.

THANK YOU.

I ENJOYED.

ETTA'S YEARS OF EXPERIENCE CERTAINLY DID SHINE THROUGH WHEN SHE WAS DOING QUPAK.

IT WASN'T QUITE AS EASY FOR ME, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.

BUT FIRST, I'D LIKE TO SHOW OFF THE WONDERFUL SPIRIT MASK APRON THAT THE CABIN FEVER QUILTERS GAVE TO ME, AND ETTA HERSELF EVEN FINISHED THE TRIM ALONG THE BOTTOM.

NOTICE HOW SHE ACCENTED IT WITH PINK RICKRACK, AND THEN BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T FIND THE EXACT COLOR, SHE DID SOME DECORATIVE STITCHING IN AN ARC RIGHT NEXT TO THE RICKRACK.

NOW, THE GUIDELINES THAT I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU WOULD BE FIRST TO DECIDE ON THE COLORS THAT YOU WANT TO CHOOSE AND GO TO THE STORE AND BUY SOME STORE-BOUGHT BIAS.

YOU'LL BE AMAZED AT THE DIFFERENT WIDTHS AND THE COLORS THAT YOU CAN GET TODAY.

I HAVE CHOSEN LAVENDER AND AQUA TO ACCENT A WORK SHIRT.

NOW I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU JUST GET A STORE-BOUGHT CHAMBRAY WORK SHIRT, TRIM IT WITH DECORATIVE STITCHING ON THE SEAMS WHERE IT'S BEEN SEWN, AND PUT YOUR QUPAK EITHER ALONG THE BOTTOM OR YOU COULD THEN DO VERTICAL QUPAK DOWN THE FRONT OF A WORK SHIRT.

I REMOVED THE POCKETS, AND ONCE THOSE WERE DECORATED, I RESTITCHED THEM ON THE SLEEVES.

IT HELPS TO HAVE A SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE APPLYING THIS FIRST WHITE BIAS.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO ANGLE IT, HOW FAR, AND WHEN TO TURN.

SO WHAT I DID WAS TO DRAW A ONE-INCH BAND ON MY GUIDE SHEET OF THE SAME SIZE AS THE WORK SHIRT.

I PUT THOSE 2 1/2 INCHES APART, AND THEN KNOWING THAT I WAS COMING OVER HERE, MIDWAY BETWEEN THAT, WHICH WAS AN INCH AND A QUARTER.

SO ALL OF A SUDDEN I DO HAVE A GUIDELINE TO GO BY, AND I WENT AHEAD AND PUT THAT ON THE FRONT OF MY WORK SHIRT ALSO.

NOW, FOLLOW ALONG WITH ME.

I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE FIRST THINGS YOU DO WOULD BE TO RUN A BOBBIN, THE LAVENDER AND THE AQUA, TO MATCH EACH ONE OF YOUR THREADS WHEN YOU CHANGE COLOR.

WE ARE GONNA START WITH WHITE, AND WE'RE GONNA STAY WHITE FOR THE ESSENCE OF TIME.

I'D ALSO RECOMMEND TAKING YOUR REGULAR SEWING FOOT OFF AND GO AHEAD AND PUT YOUR BLIND HEM FOOT ON.

THAT REALLY HELPED ME TO GET RIGHT CLOSE TO THE STITCHING.

THEN I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND POSITION MY WHITE FIRST BIAS EXACTLY WHERE THAT IS TO GO, GIVE MYSELF A LEFT-NEEDLE POSITION WITH MY BLIND HEM FOOT RIGHT AGAINST THAT EDGE OF THE BIAS.

THEN I'M GONNA SEW DOWN TO MY FIRST MARK, NEEDLE DOWN IN THE MACHINE, AND THEN TURN KNOWING THAT I'M COMING ALL THE WAY OVER TO THAT MARK RIGHT HERE.

IT REALLY HELPS TO HAVE THAT LITTLE STILETTO HERE.

I CALL IT A SUBSTITUTE FINGER THAT CAN GO RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE NEEDLE AND GET CLOSE TO POSITION THAT IN PLACE.

IT'S RIGHT HERE AT THIS POINT, WITH THE NEEDLE IN THE MACHINE, THAT I NEED TO TAKE MY LITTLE SCISSORS AND CLIP RIGHT UP TO THAT POINT-- COME UP HERE JUST AS CLOSE AS I CAN.

THAT RELEASES THE BIAS, ALLOWS ME TO THEN TURN, AND YOU HAVE TO DO KIND OF SOME MANEUVERING HERE.

YOU MIGHT EVEN TALK TO THE FABRIC.

THAT HELPS A LITTLE BIT.

GET RIGHT IN THERE KNOWING THAT I'M COMING RIGHT DOWN HERE THE NEXT TIME.

AND ONCE AGAIN, NEEDLE DOWN, AND THEN I CAN TURN AGAIN.

MAKE SURE THAT THE UNDERNEATH RAW EDGE OF THE BIAS DOESN'T EKE OUT, AND THEN YOU'RE READY TO GO AGAIN.

NOW, OF COURSE, I WOULD CONTINUE ALL THE WAY DOWN THE WORK SHIRT, BUT I'M GONNA GIVE YOU JUST AN EXAMPLE HERE WITH A COUPLE.

THAT'S MY ROW NUMBER ONE.

THEN I'M GOING TO ATTACH MY NEXT PIECE.

I WOULD MAKE CERTAIN TO POSITION THIS THE SAME EACH TIME.

IN OTHER WORDS, IF IT'S GONNA GO UP, I WOULD POSITION IT THAT WAY.

THEN I'D COME AND LAY MY BIAS, MY NEXT COLOR, RIGHT ON TOP.

AND IT HELPS, OF COURSE, WHEN YOU'VE GOT THAT WHERE YOU WANT IT, TO PIN THAT IN PLACE.

POSITION THAT RIGHT THERE, AND THEN WE'RE READY TO GO AGAIN, KEEPING THAT NEEDLE IN THAT LEFT POSITION SO THAT YOU KNOW EXACTLY THAT THAT'S COVERING.

THIS IS YOUR ROW NUMBER 2, AND IT'S JUST A PLAIN STRIP THAT REALLY JUST ANCHORS THAT WIDE BIAS IN PLACE.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT LOOKS LIKE WIDE RICKRACK THAT YOU'RE SEWING IN PLACE.

HOLD THAT DOWN.

AND YOU HAVE TO JUST MAKE SURE YOU AREN'T CREATING ANY TUCKS THERE.

NOW YOUR SECOND ROW, AND HERE IS WHERE YOUR DECORATION STARTS.

I'M GOING TO HAVE A SECOND ROW OF LAVENDER, AND THIS TIME I WOULD CUT ALL MY NARROW BIAS AND WITH THE RIGHT SIDE AGAINST THE FABRIC AND POSITIONING THAT MIDWAY IN BETWEEN THESE 2 POINTS-- AND MAKE SURE YOU'VE CAUGHT THAT IN THERE ENOUGH.

THEN YOU'RE READY TO THEN START SEWING THAT IN PLACE.

NEEDLE STILL ON THAT LEFT NEEDLE POSITION, AND YOU'RE READY TO START SEWING.

WE CERTAINLY HAD A WONDERFUL TIME IN ALASKA.

I THINK THE BEST COMPLIMENT YOU CAN PAY ANY COUNTRY WHERE YOU VISIT IS WHEN YOU LEAVE TO WANT TO GO BACK, AND THAT'S EXACTLY HOW WE FELT ABOUT ALASKA.

ONCE WE LANDED IN FAIRBANKS, I HADN'T BEEN OFF THE PLANE 3 MINUTES BEFORE I SAW A MOOSE, A PIPELINE, AND THEN I SAW EVEN A REAL LOG CABIN BEING BUILT WITH TIMBERS RIGHT ON THE LAND.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S ROW 1, 2, AND 3.

AND NOW THE NEXT TIME WHEN I POSITION THAT BACK, I'M GOING TO ADD AN ACCENT ROW, AND I'M GONNA GO TO MY AQUA.

YOU WANT TO THEN POSITION THIS ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT THAT YOU HAD BEFORE AND PIN THIS IN PLACE.

BUT WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GONNA DO?

YOU'RE GONNA COME AND ADD THIS NEXT ACCENT.

PUT THAT IN THERE-- SNEAK THAT ONE IN AND SNEAK THAT ONE IN.

AND WE'RE READY TO SEW DOWN AGAIN.

ANOTHER THING THAT INTRIGUED US ABOUT ALASKA IS THAT WE SAW AIRPORTS EVERYWHERE.

BEHIND SHOPPING CENTERS YOU'D SEE AN AIRPORT THAT WAS JUST LIKE A TAXICAB TO EVERYONE.

WE ALSO SAW A LOT OF CRACKED WINDSHIELDS ON CARS AND TRUCKS.

I GUESS THAT'S A MATTER OF A FACT IN ALASKA BECAUSE OF ALL THE GRAVEL ON THE ROADS.

WE HAD A WONDERFUL GOURMET DINNER AT ONE OF THE GUILDS, AND I SAW MY HUSBAND GOING BACK FOR SECONDS ON MOOSE LASAGNA, OF ALL THINGS.

ALL RIGHT, ROW 1, 2, 3, 4.

AND THEN OUR FIFTH ROW, WE ADD ANOTHER LAVENDER ROW ALL THE WAY DOWN.

AND THIS TIME WHEN WE ADD THIS ONE, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ADD ONE MORE.

AND THIS IS GOING TO COMPLETE OUR 9-PATCH.

YOU WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THAT'S TURNED BACK AND THAT'S TURNED BACK.

YOU'RE DOING, ACTUALLY, 2 THINGS THIS TIME, AREN'T YOU?

YOU'RE REALLY CATCHING A LOT.

COME ALL THE WAY DOWN.

NOW THESE BANDS THAT ARE CALLED QUPAKS WE SAW ON DECORATIVE KUSPUCKS IN THE AIRPORT, SO THEY ARE STILL DOING THEM.

AND A KUSPUCK IS A WILD KIND OF A COVER-UP TO GO OVER YOUR GARMENTS.

IT USED TO BE OVER FURS, AND THEY ARE QUITE OFTEN MADE OUT OF HAWAIIAN PRINTS, AND I THINK THAT WE SAW A LOT OF HAWAIIAN MATERIALS BECAUSE, AFTER ALL, HAWAII IS CLOSER TO ALASKA THAN EVEN CALIFORNIA.

ALL RIGHT.

THE LAST BAND THAT WE TURN OVER FORMS OUR 9-PATCH, AND THAT WOULD BE OUR 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, SIXTH PIECE.

AND THEN I'D GO AHEAD AND SEW THAT DOWN.

AND YOU COULD ADD ANY OTHER TRIM THAT YOU WANTED TO, MAYBE SOME RICKRACK.

AND THAT PRESENTS YOUR QUPAK THAT'S GONNA GO ON YOUR KUSPUCK.

AND THERE'S REALLY NO NEED TO COME AND ANCHOR THIS DOWN.

THAT'S JUST A SHORT LITTLE AREA THAT'S LOOSE.

NOW, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THESE, AND THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE A SAMPLE SUCH AS THIS.

MAYBE YOU'D WANT TO DO A WHOLE QUILT.

WHO KNOWS?

BUT I WOULD JUST EXPERIMENT AND CONSIDER MAYBE ANGLING THE ADDITIONS THAT YOU WOULD DO.

AND LET'S THINK ABOUT SOME "WHAT IFS."

WHAT IF YOU WOULD BUY SOME RAYON OR SOME LIGHTWEIGHT TAPE AND PUT ON A SILK MATERIAL?

OR YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO AN AUTHENTIC ITEM WITH YOUR KUSPUCK, AND THAT WOULD BE BUY THE HAWAIIAN MATERIAL AND PUT YOUR QUPAK ON YOUR REAL KUSPUCK.

ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER WOULD BE GO AHEAD AND USE DIFFERENT WIDTHS OF BIAS MAKERS AND MAKE YOUR OWN BIAS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT DICK HAS EVERY-- OVER IN GREENSBORO--HAS EVERY POSSIBLE WIDTH.

AND THEN YOU COULD MAKE YOUR OWN BIAS TAPE AND HAVE FUN.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN QUILTING TODAY IN ALASKA?

THE CABIN FEVER QUILTERS OF FAIRBANKS HAVE BEEN NICE ENOUGH TO SHARE SOME OF THEIR CURRENT WORKS, NOT ONLY JUST MADE, BUT SOME IN PROGRESS.

NOTICE THE WONDERFUL NEW DESIGNS--THE QUILTING STITCHES FLOWING ACROSS THE SURFACE.

IN SOME INSTANCES THESE HAVE BEEN THE REFLECTION OF QUILTERS, THE TEACHERS THEMSELVES COMING AROUND THE COUNTRY, OR PERHAPS JUST INSPIRATION FROM MAGAZINES.

CAN YOU FIND THE SALMON GOING UPSTREAM?

OR PERHAPS MAYBE ONE GOING BACK?

THE FIREWEED TAKES ON A MORE GEOMETRIC AND MORE ABSTRACT LOOK IN THIS WALL HANGING.

PASTEL SWIRLS... AND MORE OF OUR AURORA BOREALIS, BUT THIS TIME A PIECE CALLED "SPRING LONELINESS."

SOMETIMES SILVER THREADS CAPTURED ON WOOL TAPESTRY.

STRIP-PIECING HAS NEVER TAKEN ON THIS LOOK BEFORE.

AND OF COURSE, OUR VERY TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS.

BUT WHERE DO ALASKANS GO FOR CHRISTMAS?

WHY, HAWAII OF COURSE.

IN FAIRBANKS, WE MET MERCIA AND HER FAMILY.

THEY ARE FROM NORTH POLE, ALASKA.

SHE PROVIDES A POEM, OUR TIP OF THE DAY.

"ALL THE YEARS YOU'VE BEEN QUILTING, "SEEING PATTERNS EVERYWHERE-- ON BUILDINGS, BRICK WALLS, "ON BALLOONS OF HOT AIR.

"WHEN YOU CAME TO ALASKA, IT DIDN'T OCCUR "YOU'D FIND PATTERNS AND PATCHWORK "OF CALFSKIN AND FUR.

DID IT?"

NO, IT DIDN'T.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

♪ "LAP QUILTING" WITH GEORGIA BONESTEEL WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY GRANTS FROM GINGHER, INCORPORATED, MAKERS OF SCISSORS AND SHEARS FOR THE HOME, CLASSROOM, AND INDUSTRY.

AND COATS & CLARK, SERVING AMERICA'S SEWING NEEDS FOR 125 OVER YEARS, FEATURING J&P COATS DUAL DUTY PLUS THREAD.

GEORGIA BONESTEEL IS THE AUTHOR OF "LAP QUILTING," "MORE LAP QUILTING," AND "NEW IDEAS FOR LAP QUILTING," PUBLISHED BY OXMOOR HOUSE AND AVAILABLE IN BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES NATIONWIDE.