♪ AMERICAN PATCHWORK IN THE HANDS OF VISITING CULTURES.

HOW DO THEY REACT?

WHAT ARE THEIR FAVORITE PATTERNS?

CAN WE LEARN SOME NEW TECHNIQUES FROM THEM, TOO?

MEET ERMA KIRKPATRICK AND HER STUDENTS RIGHT HERE IN OUR STUDIO.

WE'LL ALSO MEET AND VISIT WITH PHILOMENA WIECHEC TO UNDERSTAND CELTIC APPLIQUE.

♪ Announcer: "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.

WELCOME TO OUR SHOW... COLLEGE CAMPUSES ATTRACT INSTRUCTORS, PROFESSORS, AND STUDENTS.

AND WHAT ARE THEIR WIVES TO DO?

WELL, LEARN QUILTING, OF COURSE.

HERE IN CHAPEL HILL, THEIR INSTRUCTOR IS ERMA KIRKPATRICK.

SHE IS THE PRESIDENT OF OUR NORTH CAROLINA SYMPOSIUM BOARD AND A RECENT VISITOR ON OUR "LAP QUILTING" SERIES.

WELCOME, ERMA.

TELL US HOW THIS ALL GOT STARTED IN YOUR HOME.

WELL, I'VE HAD A CONNECTION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HERE FOR MANY YEARS THROUGH AN ENGLISH CONVERSATION CLASS SPONSORED BY OUR CHURCH WOMEN UNITED.

AND IN 1977, SEVERAL OF THE WOMEN FROM THAT CLASS ASKED ME IF I COULD HELP THEM LEARN TO QUILT.

SO WE BEGAN SOME CLASSES.

AND WHEN THE CLASSES WERE OVER, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO STOP COMING.

SO WE HAVE DEVELOPED INTO AN AT-HOME, EVERY TUESDAY MORNING IN MY HOME, WHERE WOMEN FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AT ALL LEVELS OF SKILLS COME.

AND WE EXCHANGE IDEAS.

AND WE HELP EACH OTHER.

ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DO IS TO ADAPT OUR TRADITIONAL PATTERNS, WHICH THEY WANT TO LEARN, TO THEIR OWN COUNTRIES.

THUS THE LITTLE DUTCH GIRL AND BOY WEAR THE FINNISH NATIONAL COSTUME WHEN MADE BY A WOMAN FROM FINLAND.

AND WE HAVE INSTEAD OF A LITTLE DUTCH GIRL, WE HAVE A STAR PRINCESS MADE BY ETSUKO OKONO, WHO HAS THE STAR PRINCE IN HER HOME IN HIROSHIMA.

A FAVORITE SOUVENIR TO MAKE, TO TAKE HOME, IS THE NORTH CAROLINA LILY, AND OUR BEST PATTERN IS FROM A JAPANESE BOOK... OF COURSE.

WITH THE ADDED COLOR OF BLACK TO OUR TRADITIONAL RED AND WHITE.

THIS MAKES USE OF NEEDLE SKILLS AND DOESN'T DEPEND ON LANGUAGE, WHICH IS VERY COMFORTING TO A GREAT MANY PEOPLE.

WE SPEAK WITH OUR HANDS MORE THAN WITH OUR MOUTHS.

AND ONE OF THE TRADITIONAL WAYS OF SEWING IN JAPAN IS VERY EASILY ADAPTED TO AMERICAN PATCHWORK.

AND YOU CAN SEE HERE MY FRIENDS EMPLOYING THAT METHOD CALLED UNSHIN.

WELL, ERMA, LET'S MEET YOUR FRIENDS.

ALL OF YOU, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, AND TELL US WHERE YOU'RE FROM.

AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW, WHEN DO YOU START LEARNING THAT?

THIS IS KIMIYO.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?

YEAH.

Georgia, voice-over: I WATCHED CLOSELY AS THE GIRLS STITCHED.

THEY ALL LEARNED THIS UNSHIN PROCESS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

NOW, LOOK HOW THE NEEDLE REMAINS STATIONARY AND THE FABRIC IS GATHERED, OR MANIPULATED, UP AND DOWN ONTO THIS NEEDLE.

Georgia: ALL RIGHT, NOW, YOU PULLED THE NEEDLE THROUGH.

NOW, WHEN YOU PUT THE NEEDLE IN AGAIN, DO YOU PUT IT BEHIND THE STITCH OR A CONTINUAL RUNNING STITCH?

UM, CONTINUE.

CONTINUE?

YOU SEE, WHEN I WAS TAUGHT TO HAND-PIECE, I WOULD THEN--GO AHEAD.

PUT THE NEEDLE THROUGH.

AND THEN WHEN YOU PULL IT OUT--UH-HUH.

OH, MY.

LOOK HOW MANY STITCHES SHE PUTS ON ONE NEEDLE.

Erma: IT'S LIKE GATHERING.

YES, IT'S LIKE GATHERING.

YES.

THEN WHEN YOU PULL THAT ALL THE WAY OUT, THEN WHEN I PUT THE NEEDLE IN AGAIN-- I PUT--I GO IN BEHIND WHERE THAT THREAD CAME OUT.

THAT'S THE WAY I WAS TAUGHT-- TO KIND OF LOCK.

AND THEN YOU GO RIGHT DOWN TO WHERE YOU'VE PINNED IT.

AND THEN, NOW, YOU PUT A KNOT THERE AT THE END.

YOU ACTUALLY KNOT OFF THERE.

MM-HMM.

Georgia, voice-over: THIS UNSHIN IS USED FOR SASHIKO.

SASHIKO, WHICH MEANS "DOING STITCHING," WAS USED IN EARLY TIMES ALL OVER JAPAN.

ALTHOUGH IT FLOURISHED MOST BEAUTIFULLY IN THE NORTHERN FARMING REGIONS...

IT WAS THE WIVES OF FARMERS, FISHERMEN, WORKMEN, AND ARTISANS WHO DEVELOPED SASHIKO AS A MEANS OF STRENGTHENING, OR THICKENING, THE PRECIOUS FABRICS OF WORK CLOTHES.

THEY USED RUNNING STITCHES TO QUILT TWO, AND SOMETIMES EVEN 3, LAYERS OF FABRIC TOGETHER.

ALL YOU WOULD REALLY NEED TO DO SASHIKO IS A 2 TO 2 1/2 INCH LONG LARGE-EYED NEEDLE, THIMBLE, COTTON THREAD--MUCH LIKE YOU WOULD USE IN CANDLEWICKING-- AND, OF COURSE, THE LINES TO FOLLOW.

NOW, THESE LINES ARE DONE BY USING PREPRINTED FABRIC, OR TRANSFERRING IT WITH TRACING PAPER VIA TENUOUS STENCIL LINES ONTO THE CLOTH.

I WAS SO PLEASED TO SHOW THE GIRLS AN AMERICAN QUILT DONE BY BARBARA SWEENEY, FROM ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

IT HAD A, OF COURSE, SASHIKO INFLUENCE.

WHITE THREAD SHOWED PARTICULARLY WELL AGAINST THE SHADES OF BLUE AND INSPIRED BARBARA'S IMAGINATION AND HER CREATIVITY.

THE FABRICS ON THIS PARTICULAR QUILT ARE ALL-AMERICAN MADE BUT WITH A JAPANESE INFLUENCE.

I FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT BESIDES USING SASHIKO, PEOPLE DYED FABRICS WITH INDIGO BECAUSE THE SCENT PROTECTED CLOTH FROM MOTHS.

IT REALLY IS LOVELY.

I GUESS IT'S THE CONTRAST OF THE WHITE ON THE BLUE THAT IS SO ATTRACTIVE.

AND ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU, AND PERHAPS YOU CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT, WHEN YOU GET TO A RIGHT ANGLE-- IN OTHER WORDS, YOUR STITCHES ALWAYS HAVE TO COME UP TO THE CORNER.

OTHERWISE YOU WON'T KNOW YOU'RE TURNING.

WHAT IS YOUR SYSTEM FOR DOING THAT?

FOR INSTANCE, IF I COME UP RIGHT HERE-- SAY I'M RIGHT HERE-- AND THEN IF I GO DOWN THERE, THEN HOW DO I GET BACK THERE?

HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

DO YOU HAVE A SYSTEM FOR DOING THAT?

FOR INSTANCE, DO I GO DOWN AND THEN COME UP AGAIN HERE?

OK?

THEN WHAT DO I DO?

DO I HAVE TO GO BACK LIKE THAT?

DO I HAVE TO KEEP BACKTRACKING?

IS THAT WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO?

SOMETIMES YOU DO.

IS THAT RIGHT?

AM I GOING RIGHT?

LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, I GO LIKE THAT, AND THEN I HAVE TO GO BACK AGAIN IN THAT SAME HOLE AGAIN?

IS THAT WHAT YOU DO?

NO.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

HOW WOULD YOU GET THAT ANGLE THERE?

BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO COVER THAT WITH YOUR-- WHAT WE DO IN A DIFFERENT WAY, THIS WAY, THEN LIKE THIS, OVER.

OH!

OH.

OH!

COME ALL THE WAY ACROSS... YEAH.

LIKE THAT AND LIKE THAT.

YES.

I SEE.

BUT STILL--I SEE.

SO IN OTHER WORDS IF I CAME DOWN HERE, JUST KEEP GOING LIKE THAT.

DON'T TRY AND COVER THAT CORNER THERE AGAIN.

YEAH, YEAH.

OK, I SEE.

I WAS TRYING TO GET IT ALL DONE AT ONCE.

AND THAT CORNER, THAT JUST DOESN'T WORK.

Georgia, voice-over: THESE GIRLS SHOWED ME THE IMPORTANCE OF A CONTINUOUS STITCH IN DOING SASHIKO.

WHEREAS IN QUILTING, WE CONCENTRATE ON THESE TINY, EVEN STITCHES, HERE ONE CAN DO UNEVEN LONG STITCHES.

IN FACT, ERMA TRIED TO DO THIS.

SHE WAS INSTRUCTED TO HAVE 3 MILLIMETERS LONG ON THE TOP AND TWO MILLIMETERS UNDERNEATH.

WHEN I DID IT AND ASKED HER IF IT WAS OK, SHE SAID "MAYBE OK." AND I KNEW THAT IT WAS A TERRIBLE JOB.

Georgia, voice-over: THE GIRLS DID SASHIKO BUT HAD NEVER USED IT IN QUILTING, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THE DESIGNS ARE SIMILAR.

NOW A CHANCE TO SEE SOME OF THEIR FINISHED WORK AND SOME IN PROGRESS.

KIMI SHARED WITH US HER FIRST PATCHWORK PILLOW.

HOW SMART TO START OUT WITH A SMALL PROJECT.

SUMI BEGINS WITH WHAT SHE CALLS PRACTICE WORK AND THEN WENT ON TO DO AN APPLIQUE CUSHION AND TO SHOW US HER MAJOR PROJECT, WAS A BIG BED QUILT ALL DONE IN SHADES OF YELLOW.

Georgia: OH, MY!

NOW, ARE YOU DOING THIS ON A FRAME, OR ARE YOU DOING IT IN A HOOP?

HOW ARE YOU-- YES.

I MADE-- I USED A HOOP.

YEAH, HOOP.

A HOOP?

OK.

I HAVE A NEW DEVICE I WANT TO SHOW YOU IN JUST A MINUTE FOR QUILTING.

BUT WHAT PATTERN DO YOU CALL THIS?

Kimi: FROM ERMA'S BOOK.

HA HA!

OH, FROM ERMA'S BOOK.

HA HA!

Erma: THAT'S THE NAME OF IT.

BUT I CHANGE THE COLOR, YEAH.

IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE TULIPS.

WAS IT CALLED-- TULIPS, YES.

I THINK.

Georgia, voice-over: YOKO SHOWED US SASHIKO DONE WITH A WHITE BACKGROUND AND COLORED THREAD.

SO WE CERTAINLY FOUND OUT IT IS ACCEPTABLE TO CHANGE THE COLORS.

...MADE OF COTTON.

THIS IS MY FIRST WALL HANGING.

OH, WOW!

OK. AND THAT WAS ABOUT 8 YEARS AGO?

YES.

8.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

HOW NICE, HOW NICE.

Georgia, voice-over: TOSHIKO SHARED WITH US HER RENDITION OF "INNER CITY."

NOW SHE USES THIS AS A WALL HANGING.

Georgia: AH, VERY NICE.

YOU PUT YOUR DARKS OVER HERE...

YES.

MEDIUM...

MEDIUM... AND LIGHT.

UH-HUH.

YES.

AND THEN IT REACTS FROM A DISTANCE.

YOU GET MORE OF AN IMAGE FROM A DISTANCE.

TOSHIKO, FROM LOOKING AT YOUR WORK, WE FEEL THAT YOU'RE A LITTLE MORE THAN JUST A BEGINNING QUILTER.

MM-HMM.

AND THEN WE GOT A GLANCE AT YOUR WONDERFUL QUILT OVER HERE.

IT REALLY JUST TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY.

IT'S SO PATRIOTIC.

Georgia, voice-over: HER MAJOR WORK WAS HANGING BEHIND US IN A BIG QUILT IN RED, WHITE, AND BLUE REPRESENTING THE 50 STATES.

MORE OF THE QUILTING.

YES.

AND THIS, THIS MUST HAVE BEEN THE STAR FLOWER.

ALL THESE DOUBLE-4 PATCHES ARE GOOD BEGINNING ONES, AREN'T THEY?

YEAH.

OH, AND THIS IS INTRIGUING, ISN'T IT?

YES.

YES.

WE'VE SEEN THE FOLDED STARS.

THEY'RE NICE.

Georgia, voice-over: KIMIYO SHARED WITH US HER FOLDED STAR PROJECTS AND ALSO THE DOUBLE-STAR FLOWER PILLOW.

Georgia: OH, HOW PRETTY!

Georgia, voice-over: HER BABY QUILT, ALL IN PASTEL CHECKS, USED SOME OF THE PATTERNS THAT WERE VERY FAMILIAR TO ME.

Georgia: I'VE SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.

HOW NICE.

HOW VERY NICE.

WELL, LET ME SHARE WITH YOU THIS NEW QUILTING TOOL THAT I'VE COME UP WITH THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY SOMETIME.

ERMA SAID THAT SHE HASN'T TRIED IT YET, BUT I'M STILL WORKING ON PART OF ONE OF MY PROJECTS.

AND I'M GOING TO--SOMETIMES WHEN I LAP QUILT, I QUILT WITHOUT A HOOP, AND SOMETIMES I QUILT IN A HOOP.

IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE THICKNESS OF THE BATTING AND HOW LARGE A PIECE I HAVE.

BUT WHEN I DO WORK IN A HOOP, I HAVE FOUND THAT IT ALWAYS HELPS ME TO USE THAT INDENTED THIMBLE, BECAUSE I FINALLY HAVE LEARNED TO DO THIS KIND OF BUSINESS SO THAT I CAN KIND OF ROCK.

AND IT WORKS BEST FOR ME IF THE NEEDLE IS ALWAYS COMING TOWARDS ME.

BUT THIS WAY, I CAN TURN MY WORK ANY WAY I WANT TO.

AND WHAT MY PROBLEM HAS BEEN, THOUGH, IS THAT THESE TWO FINGERS JUST WEAR OUT.

AND SOME DAYS, I JUST CAN'T QUILT, BECAUSE THEY'RE SO RED.

SO I CAME ACROSS THIS LITTLE DEVICE.

IT'S CALLED T.J.'s QUICK QUILTER.

AND EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE MY FIRST BABY SPOON... [WOMEN CHUCKLE] IT IS MADE TO JUST REST IN YOUR HAND.

AND THEN YOU TURN.

AND I'M GONNA JUST QUILT.

AND YOU WATCH UNDERNEATH.

AND THEN I'LL SHOW YOU HOW I DO IT ON TOP.

I PULL THE KNOT THROUGH ON TOP SO I CAN SEE IT.

AND I'LL QUILT SOME.

AND CAN YOU SEE UNDERNEATH THERE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS?

AS THE NEEDLE COMES THROUGH, I'M ABLE TO FEEL THAT NEEDLE AND THEN PUSH IT BACK.

AND THEN I GO DOWN LIKE THAT AND THEN PUSH IT BACK, SO IT BECOMES LIKE A LITTLE INHIBITOR.

IT JUST STANDS IN THE WAY.

AND I'VE FINALLY BEEN ABLE TO GET SOME, WELL, DECENT-SIZED STITCHES.

I MEAN, I'M NOT BRAGGING ON THEM, BUT THEY'RE ACCEPTABLE.

THEY'RE BETTER THAN I USED TO BE ABLE TO DO.

AND THAT REALLY DOES WELL TO HAVE THAT-- SEE HOW I'M GOING DOWN?

AND THEN IT'S THIS MOTION ALL THE TIME.

ERMA, YOU MUST TELL ME, WHEN THESE LADIES GO BACK HOME, DO YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THEM?

DO YOU THEN HAVE PEN PALS?

WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS?

I KEEP IN TOUCH WITH A GOOD MANY OF THE STUDENTS.

I THINK I WAS ESTIMATING I'VE HAD BETWEEN 70 AND 75 JAPANESE STUDENTS.

AND THEY SEND ME PICTURES OF THINGS THEY HAVE DONE.

AND ONE THING THAT ONE WOMAN AND HER HUSBAND DID WAS HAVE A BABY, AND THEY NAMED HIM TAHIRO, MEANING "TAR HEEL."

[CHUCKLING] OH, THAT'S-- THAT'S WONDERFUL.

THAT'S THEIR SOUVENIR OF CHAPEL HILL.

IT CERTAINLY IS.

WELL, THANK YOU, ERMA, AND WISHING YOU CONTINUED GOOD LUCK.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, LADIES, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

WE REALLY ENJOYED A CLOSE-UP VIEW OF ALL OF YOUR STITCHING.

NOW, JOIN US AND VIEW AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT APPLIQUE TECHNIQUE FROM ANOTHER CULTURE.

WE'RE SITTING WITH PHILOMENA WIECHEC AND LOOKING AND GAZING AT ALL THESE WONDERFUL CURVES DONE WITH BIAS.

AND SHE'S GONNA SHARE WITH US SOME OF HER TECHNIQUES AND SOME OF HER KNOWLEDGE.

WELCOME TO YOU, PHILOMENA.

TELL US ABOUT HOW THIS QUILT WAS DERIVED.

EM, THIS WAS MY SECOND OR THIRD QUILT.

AND I CALL IT THE REVIVAL QUILT.

IT WAS MADE-- WHEN I MADE IT, BUT I GOT MY INSPIRATION FROM THE DOMINICAN CHAPEL IN DUN LAOGHAIRE, IN DUBLIN.

IT WAS DONE BY A NUN, A SISTER CONCEPTA LYNCH, WHO REALLY REVIVED CELTIC ART AND BROUGHT IT BACK INTO THE 20th CENTURY.

SHE CREATED NEW DESIGNS OF HER OWN USING THE ANCIENT DESIGNS THAT KIND OF CAME FROM THE BOOK OF KELLS AND THE BOOK OF DURROW AND ALL OF THOSE FAMOUS MANUSCRIPTS DURING THE CHRISTIAN PERIOD IN IRELAND.

AND CELTIC ART IS VERY COMPLEX.

THERE ARE MANY FORMS.

THERE'S THE ZIGZAG, TRIANGLE, SQUARE, AND INTERLACE.

AND WHAT I HAVE DONE IS JUST SEPARATED OUT THIS ART... AND SIMPLIFIED IT.

AND SIMPLIFIED IT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU COULD USE ALL OF THE FORMS OF THE CELTIC ART.

I MEAN, THE QUILTERS WOULD REALLY BE-- SO COMPLICATED.

SO COMPLEX.

NOW, TELL ME, PHILOMENA, WHAT PART OF IRELAND ARE YOU FROM?

I COME FROM A LITTLE PLACE CALLED TUBBERCURRY, COUNTY SLIGO.

AND I MOVED TO THIS COUNTRY ABOUT 19 YEARS AGO.

DO THEY MAKE QUILTS IN IRELAND?

YES, THEY DO NOW.

THERE'S A GREAT REVIVAL OF QUILTING IN IRELAND.

THEY USE THE AMERICAN-TYPE QUILTING.

BUT THEY'RE ALSO CREATING SCENES OF IRELAND AND USING SOME OF THE WOOLS OF IRELAND, THE DIFFERENT COLORS, LIKE THE HEATHER COLOR AND SAND.

THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.

AND HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THIS COUNTRY...

WHEN I MOVED TO PALOS VERDES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, I WAS INTRODUCED TO A FRIEND OF A FRIEND WHO BROUGHT ME TO A SEWING CLASS.

AND UP TO THAT TIME, I REALLY HADN'T DONE MUCH SEWING, EXCEPT I DID IT IN SCHOOL AND THAT, WITH THE NUNS IN IRELAND.

BUT I CAME BACK HERE AND DID IT WITH THESE FRIENDS.

AND IT WAS SO FUNNY.

THEY WERE HANDING ME PIECES OF FABRIC AND PRODDING ME ON TO DO THE THING.

SO FINALLY I FELT IN ORDER TO PERFORM, ONE MUST COME THROUGH WITH SOMETHING.

WELL, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE.

AND MANY OF US NOW ENJOY YOUR TECHNIQUE AND ARE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THIS CELTIC-- ESPECIALLY THE BIAS TECHNIQUE.

YES.

I THINK THAT HAS REALLY HELPED.

SHOW US EXACTLY HOW YOU USE THAT.

WELL, THE BIAS IS CUT ON THE DIAGONAL OF A SQUARE.

AND THIS IS A BIAS STRIP, AND WHAT YOU DO, YOU CUT YOUR STRIPS OF BIAS.

AND THE BIAS IS CUT ON THE DIAGONAL OF A SQUARE.

YOU FOLD THIS OVER RIGHT SIDES OUT.

AND YOU MACHINE-SEW IT ABOUT 1/8 INCH FROM THE RAW EDGE.

YOU NOW HAVE A TUBE STRIP.

AND INTO THAT TUBE YOU INSERT YOUR BAR.

IT'S A LITTLE METAL BAR.

LITTLE METAL BAR.

IT IS NOT A CORSET STAY FROM GRANDMA'S CORSET.

WE'RE GLAD TO KNOW THAT.

ALTHOUGH I HAVE QUITE A NUMBER OF CORSET STAYS.

AND YOU BRING IT TO THE BACK SIDE, AND THEN YOU PRESS IT WITH A HOT IRON ON BOTH SIDES.

KNOWING THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE UNDERNEATH, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SHOWING ANYWAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THEN WHEN YOU HAVE THAT DONE, YOU JUST REMOVE IT.

IT GETS HOT, BUT YOU HAVE NICE BIAS.

YOU HEM THIS.

YOU START IN AN UNDER SECTION.

THE CELTIC ART IS NOTED FOR ITS UNDER AND OVER CONDITION.

AND THERE'S NO BEGINNING AND NO END.

OH, I KNOW.

I CAN NEVER FIND IT.

THAT'S THE SECRET PART OF IT.

SO YOU PIN HERE.

AND YOU JUST PIN AND SEW AND PIN AND SEW.

AND YOU'RE USING THIS AS A STABILIZER IN JUST CONNECTING THIS.

YES.

NOW, THESE ARE RAW EDGES, YOUR BASE FABRIC JUST HAS THE RAW EDGES.

YEAH.

AND YOU'VE MARKED THE DESIGN WITH PENCIL MARKS.

WITH PENCIL, AND I WORK WITH A NUMBER-3 HARD PENCIL.

SO IT HAS A VERY FAINT LINE.

A FAINT LINE, YES.

AND THEN WHEN YOU STITCH THAT WITH, SAY, A SMALL NEEDLE.

I STITCH IT WITH A NUMBER-12 NEEDLE.

AND THEN WHEN YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR TURN, YOU JUST MITER YOUR CORNER BY STICKING YOUR THUMBS LIKE THIS.

AND IT JUST MITERS.

I SEE.

SEE?

IF WE HAD THIS PRESSED, IT WOULD BE BETTER.

IT'D GO DOWN EASIER.

MM-HMM, MM-HMM.

AND THEN I DO MY STITCHING BY TAKING IT UP LIKE THIS.

MM-HMM.

SO YOU APPLIQUE OVER-- YOU ROCK YOUR THUMB OVER.

I SEE.

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST GET YOUR NEEDLE IN.

AND IT'S LIKE A LITTLE BACKSTITCH.

MM-HMM.

TRYING TO HIDE IT.

NOW, WHAT COLOR THREAD WOULD YOU USE THERE?

I'D USE THE COLOR THREAD OF THE BIAS.

I SEE.

I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE A PURPLE LOVER.

I NEVER WOULD HAVE GUESSED THAT.

NEVER HAVE GUESSED.

I ALWAYS TRY TO KEEP MY COLORS TO MYSELF, BUT THEY'RE LOUD AND CLEAR EVERY TIME I GO OUT.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

YES.

YOU BARELY SEE THE STITCHES WHEN YOU DO THIS.

MM-HMM.

I UNDERSTAND MOST OF YOUR WORK IS ALL DONE BY HAND.

NOW, INCLUDING THE QUILTING?

DO YOU DO THAT?

I DID THE QUILTING IN MY BEGINNING, WHEN I STARTED.

BUT I HAVE A FRIEND, PAT GARDNER.

SHE'S AN OLDER LADY AND SHE DOES THE QUILTING.

SHE QUILTS MOST OF THE TIME.

YOU TOLD ME, ONE STITCH AT A TIME.

ONE STITCH AT A TIME WITH THE NUMBER-12 NEEDLE.

SHE DOES A BEAUTIFUL JOB.

AND SHE DOES IT ON HER KNEE... DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR THE FUTURE, PHILOMENA, THAT YOU WILL BE THINKING ABOUT?

YES.

WELL, I PLAN TO MAKE MORE QUILTS... MAYBE WRITE ANOTHER BOOK?

YES.

WITH A CELTIC FLAVOR... AND JUST GO ON THAT WAY.

WELL, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU'VE SHOWN US TODAY.

THANK YOU.

ERMA, HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH THE CELTIC SYSTEM AT ALL OR PHILOMENA'S METHOD?

I CERTAINLY BEGAN ONE, BUT IT'S IN MY WORKS IN PROGRESS.

AS A LOT OF OURS.

WELL, IT HAS BEEN REALLY A TREAT TO HAVE YOU ON THE SET TODAY.

AND I KNOW WE SHARE A COMMON INTEREST IN FABRIC, AND I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ALAMANCE PLAIDS.

WHEN I DRIVE OVER FROM THE MOUNTAINS, I END UP COMING THROUGH ALAMANCE COUNTY, AND I'M PLEASED TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE DOING A PAPER FOR THE AMERICAN QUILT STUDY GROUP THIS YEAR ON ALAMANCE PLAIDS.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BOTH-- THE AMERICAN QUILT STUDY GROUP AND THE FABRIC.

WELL, THE AMERICAN QUILT STUDY GROUP, WHICH IS LARGELY CALIFORNIA-BASED BUT IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, TRIES TO PROMOTE SOLID, SOUND STUDY OF FABRICS, OF QUILTS, AND ANYTHING RELATED TO QUILTS AND QUILT MAKERS, TRYING TO DEMYTHOLOGIZE SOME OF THE STORIES THAT HAD BEEN TOLD AS FACTS, WHICH ARE NOT, IN FACT, FACTS.

THEY HAVE A SEMINAR IN CALIFORNIA EVERY YEAR.

AND SO THIS YEAR, I'M TO PRESENT A PAPER ON THE ALAMANCE PLAIDS.

NOW, I UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES IT TRAVELS TO TENNESSEE, DOESN'T IT?

TWICE IT'S BEEN IN GATLINBURG, AND PERHAPS, IT WILL IN THE FUTURE, GO TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

WELL, I WOULD LOVE TO ATTEND SOMETIMES, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SO MUCH WE CAN LEARN FROM WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

AND TELL ME ABOUT THE ALAMANCE PLAIDS.

WELL, WORKING ON THE NORTH CAROLINA QUILT PROJECT INFLUENCED ME AND MY INTEREST IN ALAMANCE PLAIDS.

WE FOUND A LOT OF QUILTS WITH THIS ALAMANCE PLAID FABRIC.

AND MOST OF THEM WERE NOT ON THE TOP, AS THIS IS, BUT WERE USED FOR THE BACK OF QUILTS, AND THEY WERE BY AND LARGE FROM THE DATE OF ABOUT 1890-1910, AT WHICH TIME PLAIDS WERE A GLUT ON THE MARKET, AND WERE WHOLESALING FOR BETWEEN 3 AND 4 CENTS A YARD, THEREFORE AFFORDABLE FOR THE BACK OF A QUILT.

THE FIRST PLAIDS WERE MADE IN ALAMANCE COUNTY, WHICH IS THE NEXT COUNTY OVER FROM ORANGE, WHERE WE ARE NOW, AND WERE MADE IN 1853 AT THE ALAMANCE COTTON FACTORY.

IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST MILLS THAT THE E.M. HOLT FAMILY BEGAN.

AND IT WAS THE FIRST MILL SOUTH OF THE POTOMAC TO DYE COTTON YARNS AND THEN WEAVE THEM.

THE PLAIDS WERE A SMASHING SUCCESS.

THEY WERE USED FOR DRESSES AND BONNETS AND QUILT TOPS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL.

THEY'RE RATHER A COARSE FABRIC-- ALL COTTON, SIMILAR TO OSNABURG.

BUT IT WAS MADE FROM LOCALLY GROWN SHORT-STAPLED COTTON.

I KNOW WHY.

I LOVE TO WEAR THEM.

HAVE YOU NOT HAD A DRESS OR A SKIRT-- I HAVE BEEN MAKING CLOTHES.

AND THE HOMESPUN IS SO GENTLE TO WEAR.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS.

THAT'S WHAT'S BEING MANUFACTURED NOW?

YES.

I THINK A LOT OF THE COMPANIES ARE KIND OF GOING BACK TO THIS.

OF COURSE, IT DOESN'T HAVE THAT WONDERFUL SUBTLE OLD LOOK TO IT, BUT IT IS A WONDERFUL FABRIC.

IT REALLY IS.

WELL, IT BECAME A GENERIC TERM-- ALAMANCE PLAID.

AND THEY WERE SHIPPED ALL OVER THE SOUTHEAST AND EVEN TO THE MIDDLE WEST.

WELL, I WANTED FOR YOU BEING WITH US TODAY, I MADE YOU SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE BUT SOMETHING I CERTAINLY THINK THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE AND MAYBE START COLLECTING SOME OF THE ALAMANCE PLAIDS.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

NOW, THESE ARE SOME OF THE CURRENT-MADE ONES.

BUT I HOPE YOU CAN FILL THIS FULL OF OLD SAMPLES THAT YOU FIND.

OH, HOW WONDERFUL.

AND THAT'LL BE SOMETHING FOR YOU TO SHARE.

AND SPEAKING OF LITTLE BOOKS, HOW ABOUT A BIG BOOK?

I KNOW THAT NORTH CAROLINA IS SO PROUD TO FINALLY HAVE THE CULMINATION OF THEIR RESEARCH PROJECT DONE IN THIS LOVELY BOOK.

TELL US ABOUT THIS, ERMA.

WELL, THIS IS A GROUP PROJECT.

THERE ARE PICTURES OF OVER 100 QUILTS THAT WERE RECORDED IN THE NORTH CAROLINA QUILT PROJECT.

THIS BOOK IS THE RESULT OF A COMMITTEE OF 9 PEOPLE.

AND YOU KNOW THEY SAY A CAMEL IS AN ANIMAL MADE BY A COMMITTEE?

WELL, THIS WAS A BOOK COMMITTEE, AND WE MADE A BOOK.

HA HA!

AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.

THERE ARE 6 AUTHORS AND 3 OTHER MEMBERS OF THAT EDITORIAL COMMITTEE.

IT IS PROPERLY DEDICATED TO THE VOLUNTEERS OF THE NORTH CAROLINA QUILT PROJECT, WITHOUT WHOSE EFFORTS A PROJECT OF THIS SCOPE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.

AND THERE WERE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS HELPING TO DOCUMENT OVER 10,000 QUILTS.

AND THEIR STORIES ABOUT THE FAMILIES THAT MADE THE QUILTS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT EACH SYSTEM AND THE WAY IT WAS DONE.

FOR INSTANCE, I NOTICED SELMA CARTER DID A CHAPTER ON "CRAZY QUILTS, QUIET PROTEST," SHE CALLS THAT.

NOW, THAT IS INTRIGUING TO ME.

I WANT TO KNOW WHY A CRAZY QUILT WOULD BE A QUIET PROTEST.

SO IT'S A VERY INTERESTING APPROACH.

WELL, I DID ONE OF THE CHAPTERS ON APPLIQUE.

THERE'S ONE ON CHINTZ APPLIQUE.

AND THEN MINE IS CALLED "GARDEN-VARIETY APPLIQUE."

WELL, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

WELL, WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO OWNING OUR OWN NORTH CAROLINA QUILT PROJECT BOOK.

AND WE WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY AND ALSO THE LADIES WHO HAVE HELPED US DECORATE THIS SET-- BARBARA SWEENEY, WHO HAS COMPLETED HER "JAPANESE LILY, NUMBER 2"... AND ALSO A WONDERFUL ORIENTAL QUILT CALLED "MYOMI," THAT HAS BEEN MADE BY AMY MAIROKU.

SHE HAS A PATTERN FOR THIS.

AND I THINK NOT ONLY HER SELECTION OF THE WONDERFUL FABRIC, THE JAPANESE FABRIC, BUT THE QUILTING DESIGN GOING ONE STEP FURTHER WITH THE ORANGE PEEL AND INSERTING LITTLE ARROWS.

KAREN PERVERE HAS TAKEN THAT LOG CABIN ADAPTATION AND HAS DONE A HANDSOME QUILT.

AND CAN YOU SEE THE JAPANESE LANYARDS EMERGING FROM THIS?

SHE HAS HER QUILTING YET TO DO ON THIS.

OUR TIP OF THE DAY HAS TO DO WITH TAKING FABRIC TO YOUR NEXT WORKSHOP.

SAVE THE INNER CORE OF THOSE PAPER TOWELS AND WRAP YOUR FABRIC AROUND IT, AND IT WON'T GET ANY CREASES AND IT'S READY TO GO TO WORKSHOPS.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

COME ALL THE WAY TO THE END.

YOU GOT TO BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DON'T GO-- YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO SEW ANY OF THAT SO THAT IT DOESN'T FOLD TOO FAR.

COME ALL THE WAY DOWN.

AND BACKSTITCH.

AND THEN I USUALLY COME AND CUT OFF THOSE.

SEE?

YOU COME LIKE THAT.

AND ALL THESE LITTLE-- GET RID OF THAT EXCESS RIGHT THERE.

AND HERE'S THE OPPOSITE.

OK, THEN GET RID OF THESE THREADS RIGHT THERE.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, DO THAT.

[SOFT LAUGHTER] AND THEN TURN THIS INSIDE-OUT.

AND SO ALL THE RAW EDGES ARE ON THE INSIDE.

COME LIKE THAT.

AND USUALLY, I'VE GOT ONE OF THESE HANDY.

FIND YOUR OPENING, AND PUT THIS IN, YOU KNOW, SO YOU GET THE NICE--THE POINT'S OUT, AND YOU GET LIKE THAT.

AND LIKE THAT.

YOU DON'T USE YOUR SCISSORS FOR THAT, DO YOU?

YOU DO?

HA HA!

ERMA?

HA HA.

♪ Announcer: "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 OVER 125 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 BOOKSTORE AND LIBRARIES NATIONWIDE.