
New Mexico Quilt News
6/17/2001 | 26m 42sVideo has Closed Captions
Ann Silva opens up her quilt shop for a viewing of the latest Southwest quiltmakers.
Ann Silva from Albuquerque, New Mexico, opens up her quilt shop for a whirlwind viewing of the latest Southwest quiltmakers. Learn from teacher Jane Housman and artist Jane Wilson. Meet Margaret Rolfe from Australia. Quilter’s Alphabet: U–V (Show Block: Horseshoe).
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Lap Quilting with Georgia Bonesteel is a local public television program presented by PBS NC

New Mexico Quilt News
6/17/2001 | 26m 42sVideo has Closed Captions
Ann Silva from Albuquerque, New Mexico, opens up her quilt shop for a whirlwind viewing of the latest Southwest quiltmakers. Learn from teacher Jane Housman and artist Jane Wilson. Meet Margaret Rolfe from Australia. Quilter’s Alphabet: U–V (Show Block: Horseshoe).
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Lap Quilting with Georgia Bonesteel
Lap Quilting with Georgia Bonesteel is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(UPBEAT MUSIC) - WELCOME TO LAB QUILTING.
WE ARE IN NEW MEXICO, IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, HERE IN OLD TOWN, AT A WONDERFUL FIESTA.
ALBUQUERQUE WAS DISCOVERED BY SPANISH CONQUISTADORS IN THE 16TH CENTURY.
NOW IT'S AN ART LOVER'S DREAM.
EVERYTHING FROM ADOBE ARCHITECTURE, TO JEWELRY AND CRAFTS, AND TO INCREDIBLE LANDSCAPE.
STAY TUNED AND DISCOVER WHAT KIND OF QUILTS ARE INFLUENCED FROM THESE SURROUNDINGS.
♪ COULD YOU IMAGINE A MORE CLEVER OBJECT ♪ ♪ WARMS THE BODY IGNITES THE MIND ♪ ♪ A CHILD SLEEPS UNDER MOTHER'S CREATION ♪ ♪ TOGETHER FOREVER ♪ ♪ THE ART OF THE HEART AND DESIGN OF THE MIND ♪ ♪ PUTS YOU TO BED ONE DAY AT A TIME ♪ ♪ THE ART OF THE HEART AND DESIGN OF THE MIND ♪ - LAP QUILTING WITH GEORGIA BONESTEEL IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM BERNINA, MAKERS OF SEWING MACHINES MANUFACTURED WITH THE CARE OF TRADITIONAL SWISS WORKMANSHIP.
NOTHING SEWS LIKE A BERNINA, NOTHING.
BY GAMMILL QUILTING MACHINE COMPANY, OFFERING FOUR SIZES OF LONG ARM HAND GUIDED MACHINES TO QUILTERS WORLDWIDE.
BY COATS AND CLARK, AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE NAME IN SEWING, HAND KNITTING, AND CRAFT PRODUCTS.
BY MARTINGALE AND COMPANY, HOME OF THAT PATCHWORK PLACE, PUBLISHER OF AMERICA'S BEST LOVED CRAFT AND HOBBY BOOKS.
BY HOBBS BONDED FIBERS, MAKER OF HEIRLOOM PREMIUM COTTON AND WOOL BATTING, WITH A PACKAGE LABELING SYSTEM TO HELP QUILTERS SELECT THE CORRECT BATTING FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
AND BY HORN OF AMERICA, CABINETS OF THE FUTURE TODAY.
- NOW FOR A WHIRLWIND TOUR OF THE SOUTHWEST AROUND ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.
HOW BEAUTIFUL.
THE SAGUARO CACTUS, THE ROCKY TERRAIN, WHY THE GRAND CANYON JUST DOWN THE ROAD.
IT'S ALL SO DIFFERENT FROM MY MOUNTAINS IN NORTH CAROLINA.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, OUR DESTINATION IS A QUILT STORE AND SILVA'S BERNINA SHOP.
IT'S BRAND NEW, SO SPACIOUS AND INVITING.
THE SOUTHWEST INSPIRATION IS EVERYWHERE YOU TURN.
FROM THE NATURE INSPIRED DESIGNS TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN MOTIFS.
WHO BETTER TO SHARE THESE SOUTHWEST DESIGNS WITH US THAN ONE OF THEIR TEACHERS.
MEET JANE HAUSMAN FROM ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.
QUILT MAKER EXTRAORDINAIRE.
HOW DID YOU BEGIN, JANE?
- WITH A LOG CABIN, KING SIZE.
- AH, BUT THEN YOU WENT A LITTLE SMALLER, HOW COME?
- WELL, BECAUSE I COULD GET THEM DONE IN MY LIFETIME.
- OH, VERY GOOD.
WELL, I LOVE YOUR LITTLE BARN RAISING.
AND THEN THIS ONE YOU CALL?
- A CARPENTER SQUARE.
- BUT IT'S, THEY'RE DEFINITELY MINIATURES, THAT'S FOR SURE.
- OH YES, OH YES, FUN.
- WELL, WE FEEL PRIVILEGED TO HAVE AN ENTIRE JANE HAUSMAN QUILT EXHIBIT HERE ON THE WALL AND IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE YOU EXPLAIN SOME OF YOUR EARLIER WORK.
- WELL, THE FIRST ONE WAS THE STORYTELLER OVER HERE, WHICH I APPLIQUED AND QUILTED BY HAND.
BUT I DECIDED THAT WAS MUCH TOO SLOW, SO I WENT TO MACHINE WORK.
SO THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE SLICK OVER HERE, THE COWBOY, WHICH I MADE AFTER A PICTURE OF MY SON.
THEN THE STATE FAIR LOGO, WHICH I JUST LOVE.
THE NEXT ONE WAS A 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS, WHICH WAS SORT OF A BLOCK OF THE MONTH.
FIRST ONE IS A ROAD RUNNER IN A PRICKLY PEAR, TWO INDIAN BLANKETS, THREE COYOTES HOWLING, FOUR QUAIL RUNNING, FIVE TURQUOISE RINGS, SIX TUMBLEWEED SNOWMEN, SEVEN DEER LEAPING, EIGHT BALLOONS OF SOARING, A NINE ROOM ADOBE HOUSE, 10 CHILI RISTRAS, 11 INDIANS DANCING AND 12 LUMINARIAS.
- AND YOUR NEXT QUILT?
- IS, WAS A LOCAL QUILT STORES BLOCK OF THE MONTH, WHICH I DESIGNED QUITE A FEW OF THE BLOCKS IN, THE CHILIES, THE YAY, THE LIZARD AND SO FORTH.
THE NEXT ONE IS SALLY, THIS IS SLICK'S OLDER SISTER AND SHE'S MY ALTER EGO.
THEN WE COME DOWN TO THE SOUTHWEST MEMORIES QUILT, WHICH WAS A BLOCK OF THE MONTH FROM A TUCSON PLACE.
AND I DIDN'T CARE FOR THE CENTER PANEL, SO I REDESIGNED A CENTER PANEL AND PUT A ROAD RUNNER IN IT.
- AND THEN TELL ME ABOUT THAT, THE FLOWER IN THE CENTER TOO.
WHAT'S THAT ABOUT?
- THAT'S A YUCCA, THAT'S A NEW MEXICO STATE FLOWER, WHICH BLOOMS PROFUSELY AROUND HERE IN THE SPRING.
AND THEN THE MAMMIES OVER HERE, THAT'S A LOCAL LADIES 30S PATTERN THAT I DID IN AFRICAN FABRICS, BUT I BROUGHT BACK SOME OF THOSE FROM AFRICA 30 YEARS AGO.
THE NEXT ONE IS MARGARET ROLF'S QUILT THE KOALA, AND I DID IT ON GRID GRIP, WHICH WAS MUCH EASIER BECAUSE HERS WERE ONLY LITTLE TINY DRAWINGS IN THE BOOK.
- WHAT A WONDERFUL EXHIBIT.
JANE, WITH SUCH EXPERTISE IN QUILT MAKING, YOU HAVE FOUND A SIMPLIFIED WAY AS A TEACHER TO INTRODUCE QUILTERS TO THE WHOLE PROCESS.
TELL US HOW YOU MAKE THIS FRONTIER QUILT.
- WELL, IT'S DONE WITH FLANNEL AND NINE PATCH BLOCKS.
AND WE DO STRIPS.
WE SEW THIS KIND OF STRIP AND THIS KIND OF STRIP TO MAKE THIS KIND OF BLOCK.
- AND VISUALLY, I THINK IT REALLY HELPS TO SEE HOW THIS STRIP ENDS UP IN THIS PART OF THE BLOCK, AND THEN THE LIGHT, DARK LIGHT ENDS UP ON THIS ONE.
SO YOU HAVE TWO BLOCKS, THE DARK CORNERS IN ONE AND THE LIGHT CORNERS IN THE OTHER.
- THAT'S RIGHT.
THEN WE LAY 'EM OUT.
AND I UNDERSTAND YOU HAD 12 FABRICS ALL TOGETHER.
- OH, YES.
12 FABRICS, SIX LIGHTS, SIX DARKS, OR ANY COMBINATION LIKE THAT.
BUT LIGHT AND DARK NEED THAT.
- NOW, YOU DON'T JUST LAY 'EM OUT.
GIVE ME THE SYSTEM.
- I LAY 'EM OUT IN A DIAGONAL DESIGN.
IT'S ALL LAID OUT IN A DESIGN.
- I SEE.
MORE LIKE A PLANNED SYSTEM.
- EXACTLY PLANNED, YES.
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO ANYTHING ELSE, SO I LAY 'EM OUT THAT WAY.
AND THEN THIS IS THE WAY IT'S PIN BASTED TOGETHER.
THEN THEY'RE TIED OR MACHINE DONE.
BERNINA DOES A WONDERFUL SERPENTINE STITCH THAT MAKES 'EM LOOK REALLY NICE.
THEN WE PUT A BINDING ON AND WE ENJOY 'EM.
- ALL RIGHT.
WELL, NOW THAT LAST CLASS, YOU HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT YOU HAND OUT.
- OH, YES, THEY ALWAYS GET A FAVOR.
THEY GET A NEEDLE TO TIE IT WITH.
- OKAY, ALL RIGHT.
AND THEN WITH LEFTOVERS, I UNDERSTAND, YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU DO, TOO.
- YES, THE LEFTOVERS.
WE MAKE A VEST.
AND EVEN THE LEFTOVER BACKING IS PUT INTO THE BACK OF THE VEST.
- OKAY.
WELL, I THINK-- - IT'S KIND OF A FUN PROJECT FOR EVERYBODY.
- YES, A GOOD BEGINNING INTO QUILT MAKING.
- OH, YES, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE MADE TWO OR THREE OF 'EM, AND THEN THEY GO ON TO BIGGER AND BETTER OR MORE COMPLICATED THINGS.
BUT SQUARES ARE MY FAVORITE ANYMORE.
- WELL, WE WISH YOU MANY MORE BEAUTIFUL QUILTS, AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING TODAY.
- THANK YOU.
- JANE'S SOLUTION FOR QUILTING FULL-SIZE TOPS IS TO TAKE THE INSERT WHERE THE MACHINE NORMALLY RESTS AND PLACE IT IN THE OPEN DRAWER.
THAT ELIMINATES THE DRAG AND PULLING AND PUTS MORE OF THE QUILT TOP UP OFF THE FLOOR AND ON THE TABLE.
THEN IN ANOTHER PART OF THE STORE, WE MEET A TEACHER WITH A DIFFERENT IDEA.
JANE WILSON FROM THE FOUR CORNERS AREA IS SHARING WITH US TODAY AND SOMEONE WHO IS TRULY NEEDED IN THE QUILT WORLD.
JANE, TELL US YOUR BACKGROUND.
- MY BACKGROUND IS THAT OF COMMERCIAL ART.
SO I BRING THE SKILLS OF AN ARTIST TO QUILTING.
I'M A VERY RUDIMENTARY QUILTER.
DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TRICKS.
I BRING ART TRICKS TO IT.
BUT THAT SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED WELL BECAUSE WHAT HAS EVOLVED IS A SIMPLIFICATION OF THE QUILTING PROCESS THAT ALLOWS THE NON-ARTIST AND THE BASIC QUILTER TO PRODUCE PIECES OF ART THAT LOOK LIKE YOU DID MORE THAN YOU DID.
- AND ALL OF YOUR PATTERNS REFLECT THE SOUTHWEST, BUT TELL US ABOUT YOUR TECHNIQUE WITH MAKING THEM.
- ALL RIGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, MY TECHNIQUE IS SIMPLE.
AND THE REASON THAT IS, IS I ONLY HAVE THREE TRICKS IN QUILTING.
A STRAIGHT STITCH, ZIGZAG STITCH, AND BUTTONHOLE STITCH.
THE BUTTONHOLE STITCH, HOWEVER, IS ONE THAT I CAN CHEAT ON AND I DO REGULARLY.
AND I WILL SHOW YOU HOW THIS WORKS.
IF YOU WILL LOOK AT THIS PICTURE OF THE HORSES, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS BUTTONHOLE STITCHING AROUND THE EDGE, BUT IT'S NOT.
THIS IS ACTUALLY JUST A LARGE PIECE OF BROWN FABRIC THAT HAS BEEN ZIGZAG STITCHED WITH INVISIBLE THREAD SO YOU CAN SEE NO STITCHING.
BUT I HAVE USED A BLACK MARKING PEN, THE SHARPIE, AND I HAVE MADE LITTLE CROSSHATCHES ALL THE WAY AROUND BECAUSE IT LOOKED MORE RUSTIC AND MORE ROCK-LIKE.
HERE IS A LINE OF BLACK SATIN STITCHING.
AND SO IT'S A PERFECT LINE.
BUT ACTUALLY IT'S NOT A PERFECT LINE BECAUSE THIS IS THE WAY IT STARTED OUT.
WE'RE GONNA PRETEND LIKE YOU HAVE A MACHINE THAT IS HAVING A PROBLEM AND IT'LL SEW FOR A LITTLE WHILE, MAKING A BEAUTIFUL SATIN STITCH, AND THEN IT GAPS ON YOU.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?
ARE YOU GONNA GO OVER?
I SOUND LIKE I'M SELLING (LAUGHS) DICE AND SLICE.
ARE YOU GOING TO GO OVER IT THREE OR FOUR TIMES?
OR CAN YOU SAVE IT?
YES, YOU CAN SAVE IT.
YOU TAKE OUT YOUR BLACK SHARPIE AND YOU JUST FILL IT IN LIKE THAT.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE A PERFECT ROW OF SATIN STITCHING.
- WHAT A GOOD IDEA.
CHEATING JUST ALLOWS US TO MAKE MORE QUILTS AND GO FASTER.
- IT REALLY DOES.
HERE IS AN APPLE.
THIS IS JUST A LINE DRAWING THAT WITH THE MARKING PEN, WITH THE BLACK SHARPIE, OR IF YOU WANTED TO USE SOME COLORED PENS, YOU MAKE YOUR LITTLE CROSSHATCHES AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE INSTANT BUTTONHOLE STITCH.
- I LIKE MANY OF YOUR PATTERNS AND ESPECIALLY THE IDEA OF REPEATING SOME OF THEM FOR A FULL-SIZE QUILT RATHER THAN JUST ISOLATING THAT IN A SMALL WALL HANGING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING, JANE.
- PLEASURE.
- ANN SILVA'S BERNINA QUILT SHOP HAS BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO OPEN UP THEIR DOORS TO ALLOW US TO HAVE SOME WONDERFUL INTERVIEWS TODAY.
AND WE ALSO APPRECIATE NANCY LEWIS ALLOWING US TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE SHOP.
TELL US ABOUT THE ASPECTS OF THIS STORE.
- THANK YOU, GEORGIA.
ANN IS THE WHOLE SHOP.
SHE HAS BUILT THIS PLACE UP OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS FROM A VERY SMALL LITTLE SHOP TO WHAT YOU SEE HERE TODAY.
BY DOING THAT, SHE HAS ALWAYS PROMOTED QUALITY SERVICE AND BACKUP FOR CUSTOMERS AND HOW TO MAKE THEIR SEWING MORE FUN AND EASIER AND MAYBE MORE VARIED.
SHE TREATS HER EMPLOYEES AND HER CUSTOMERS WITH UNFAILING RESPECT AND COURTESY.
- AND QUITE A STAFF YOU HAVE HERE.
- OH YES, WE DO.
CLOSE TO 20 PEOPLE WHEN YOU COVER ALL OF THE WONDERFUL TEACHERS THAT DROP IN AND OUT.
AND TO THAT END, ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE SO MANY FINE TEACHERS HERE AVAILABLE IS THAT WE HAVE BUILT UP A WONDERFUL GROUP OF CLASSES.
IN THE SUMMER NOW, OF COURSE, WE PROMOTE THE CHILDREN'S SEW CAMP, WHICH IS SO FUN THAT WE HAVE DURING JUNE AND JULY.
IN AUGUST, WE HAVE AN ADULT SUMMER CAMP FOR ONE WEEK'S TIME.
- ABOUT THAT REPAIR SHOP.
- WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
THE SPACE IS GREAT AND WE REPAIR ALL BRANDS OF MACHINES, THE SEWING MACHINES, THE SERGERS, AND THE EMBROIDERY MACHINES, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE THEIR TREASURED OLD MACHINES IN HERE FOR REPAIR AS WELL.
AND TO THAT END, THEN WE ALSO HAVE, FOR THE LAST YEAR, A MARVELOUS SELECTION OF FABRICS, PRIMARILY THE QUILTING FABRICS, BUT WE JUST HAVE A REALLY BROAD RANGE THAT WE THINK IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT AND THEY SEEM TO LIKE IT.
- SPEAKING OF FABRIC, MEET BONNIE ROSENBAUM, WHO IS MODELING A WONDERFUL GARMENT.
WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT, BONNIE?
- I CALL THIS MY SAMPLER QUILT.
THIS IS MADE UP OF MOST OF MY FOUNDATION SHEET MINIATURE PATTERNS, AND I'VE JUST MADE IT SO I COULD WEAR IT.
- AND WE MUST SEE THE BACK.
AND TELL ME ABOUT YOUR FULL LINE OF PATTERNS.
- I'VE BEEN QUILTING SINCE 1978, AND IN 1990, AFTER TEACHING A FOUNDATION CLASS, I DECIDED THERE HAD TO BE ANOTHER WAY, SO I DESIGNED MY OWN LINE OF FOUNDATION PIECE PATTERNS, WHERE ALL THE WORK IS DONE FROM THE TOP.
AND I USE THE LINE AS A GUIDELINE, NOT A SEWING LINE.
- GOOD, I LIKE THAT IDEA.
AND WHAT ABOUT THIS AWARD-WINNING ONE THAT YOU JUST WON?
- THAT ONE WAS ENTERED IN THE CHITRA MINIATURE QUILTS CONTEST AND IT WON FIRST PRIZE.
- CONGRATULATIONS.
- THANK YOU.
- AND NANCY, WE SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT ANNE IS ON A WELL-DESERVED HOLIDAY AND CAN'T BE WITH US TODAY.
- I'D LOVE IT FOR HER TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT WE ARE CHEERING HER ON ON HER TRIP IN ALASKA.
- WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR OPENING THE STORE.
WE'VE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME.
- THANK YOU SO MUCH.
- WELCOME BACK TO THE QUILT BUILT STUDIO.
TODAY'S LETTERS ARE U AND V, BUT BEFORE WE DO THOSE, I'D LIKE TO DO THE FEATURED BLOCK OF THE SHOW.
NATURALLY, IT'S A HORSESHOE.
NOW IT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE OVAL, AND THIS PARTICULAR ONE I HAVE DONE IN HAND APPLIQUE, BUT I THINK THERE'S AN EASIER WAY.
I LIKE TO USE THE EDGE STITCH FOOT, AND I'VE GOT THAT ON MY MACHINE RIGHT NOW.
BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, LET ME MENTION THE FEET THAT I USE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WHEN I GO TO CLEAN UP, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT SEEM TO BE OUT.
I LIKE JUST MY ALL-PURPOSE FOOT.
IT'S GOT A NICE WIDE OPENING, AND I LIKE THE WAY THE THREAD GOES IN AT AN ANGLE.
OF COURSE, WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT OUR PATCHWORK FOOT?
IT'S EVEN GOT A TINY END THAT IS GREAT FOR MINIATURES.
I LIKE THIS SEE-THROUGH DARNING FOOT FOR DOING MY MEANDERING, AND OF COURSE, OUR WALKING FOOT FOR ALL OF OUR QUILTING.
NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO DOING THAT BLIND HEM STITCH, I GO AHEAD AND GO TO NUMBER NINE ON MY MACHINE, AND YOU WANT JUST A VERY NARROW ZIGZAG.
REMEMBER, IT'S JUST ENOUGH TO COME OVER AND CATCH THE APPLIQUE FIGURE.
THEN IT WILL MAKE THREE TINY STITCHES THAT ARE DOWN IN THE DITCH, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S VERY NICE TO HAVE THAT BAR THAT FALLS RIGHT NEXT TO THE APPLIQUE FIGURE.
NOW, WHAT I'VE DONE HERE IS TO STITCH RIGHT NEXT TO THAT EDGE, AND WHAT'S HOLDING IT SO NICELY IN PLACE IS THAT I HAVE PRESSED THE SEAM ALLOWANCE ON THE POLY-COATED, THE BACKSIDE OF THE FREEZER PAPER.
IT'S A POLY-COATED SIDE.
SO I'LL KEEP THAT ON AS I COME AROUND ON THIS SIDE, THE INSIDE OF THIS ARC, AND THEN AFTER I FINISH THIS, I'LL PULL THAT OFF, AND IT'S BARELY CATCHING THAT PAPER, AND I'M SURE IT'LL COME OFF VERY NICELY.
NOW, YOU HEARD JANE HOUSEMAN MENTION MARGARET ROTH.
WE HAPPENED TO RUN INTO HER IN GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA AT THE WORLD QUILT AND TEXTILE EVENT, EVEN THOUGH SHE LIVES EVEN FURTHER WEST THAN NEW MEXICO.
NOW MEET MARGARET.
OUR QUILT AUDIENCE IS GOING TO BE VERY EXCITED TO FINALLY PUT THE NAME MARGARET ROTH AND THE FACE TOGETHER WITH THE MANY PIECED ANIMALS THAT SHE HAS DONE OVER THE YEARS AND HAVE BEEN FEATURED IN SO MANY BOOKS.
MARGARET, WELCOME TODAY.
- THANK YOU.
- ALL THE WAY FROM AUSTRALIA.
WE'VE BEEN TO AUSTRALIA, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET YOU, SO HERE YOU ARE IN THE STATES IN GREENSBORO, AND WE WANT TO GET TO KNOW YOU A LITTLE BIT AND TO KNOW ESPECIALLY ABOUT YOUR QUILT-MAKING CAREER.
HOW DID IT ALL GET STARTED?
- WELL, I CAME TO LOS ANGELES, AND IT WAS IN 1975, AND THE BICENTENNIAL WAS JUST ABOUT TO ERUPT, AND THEN I SAW QUILTS, AND IT JUST HAS NEVER STOPPED SINCE THEN.
- BUT YOU ARE KNOWN FOR A PARTICULAR TECHNIQUE, AND YOU TELL ME IT STARTED WITH THIS LITTLE BIRD.
- WELL, I HAVE THESE WONDERFUL BIRDS CALLED CRIMSON ROSELLAS THAT COME TO MY BIRD FEEDER BACK IN CANBERRA, WHERE I LIVE IN AUSTRALIA, AND THEY REALLY ARE THIS COLOR.
THEY'RE CRIMSON, AND THEY'RE BLUE, AND THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL, AND I JUST FELT I WANTED TO PUT THEM INTO A QUILT, SO I, WELL, THAT'S WHAT I DID.
I DID THIS DESIGN, THIS VERY DESIGN, OF A ROSELLA, AND I WANTED THEM TO BE PIECED RATHER THAN APPLIQUE, AND THAT'S WHEN I STARTED TO DO WHAT I THEN CALLED STRAIGHT-LINE PIECING, SO THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE USING ALL THESE STRANGE SHAPES, YOU ACTUALLY PUT THEM TOGETHER ALWAYS WITH STRAIGHT SEWING.
YOU NEVER HAD TO TURN A CORNER.
- AND SO IT'S LIKE ONE LITTLE PIECE AT A TIME, AND HOW HAS THIS EVOLVED TECHNIQUE-WISE?
- WELL, IT'S LIKE STRING PIECING.
YOU, IN THE SENSE THAT YOU ADD PIECE TO PIECE TO PIECE, BUT IT'S THE ORDER THAT YOU DO IT IN IS THE SECRET OF USING, OF DOING IT.
OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE PATTERN.
THERE IS A PATTERN, AND I USED TO USE TEMPLATE, BUT NOW I HAVE MOVED ON TO THE POPULAR FOUNDATION PIECING, WHICH JUST SUITS MY DESIGNS REALLY, REALLY WELL.
- SO NOW, FOR INSTANCE, WHAT WILL YOU BE TEACHING HERE IN CLASS?
- WELL, IT'S ALL FOUNDATION PIECING WITH MY BIRDS AND ANIMALS, AND IF PEOPLE ARE WORKING SMALL, AND LIKE THIS ONE, YOU CAN SEE SMALL, THE FOUNDATION THEY USE IS THIS INTERFACING.
NOW, IT'S NON-IRON.
WHEN I SAY NON-IRON, IT'S NOT STICKY ON THE BACK.
LIGHTWEIGHT INTERFACING, THE KIND OF THING THAT YOU USE IN DRESSMAKING, AND YOU CAN GET IT VERY CHEAPLY AT DRESSMAKING STORES.
- SO IT WILL END UP STAYING IN YOUR WORK.
- IT STAYS IN THE BLOCK.
YOU CAN SEE THE BACK OF THE BLOCK THERE.
IT ACTUALLY STAYS IN THE BLOCK, BUT WHEN I MAKE THE DESIGNS BIGGER, WHAT I PREFER TO DO IS WORK WITH PAPER AS THE FOUNDATION, AND THEN THAT GETS RIPPED AWAY.
- AND THEN WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT ALL THOSE BIAS EDGES?
- THOSE BIAS EDGES?
- THEY DRIVE ME CRAZY.
- YOU JUST DON'T WORRY ABOUT THEM.
YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?
- I'M ABSOLUTELY SURE.
NOW LOOK, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, DOES IT REALLY WORRY YOU ABOUT THE BIAS EDGES?
- NO, NO, NO, BUT WHAT, IS IT THE BORDER WHEN IT GOES ON THAT YOU-- - YES, THE BORDER DOES STABILIZE IT.
YOU PRESS IT GENTLY.
YOU CUT IT WITH, WHEN YOU'VE FINISHED YOUR PIECING, AND YOU'VE JOINED THE SECTIONS TOGETHER, YOU CUT IT OUT ACCURATELY WITH YOUR ROTARY CUTTER, SO YOU'VE GOT BEAUTIFUL, STRAIGHT, NEAT EDGES OF YOUR BLOCK.
- SO YOU'RE ADDING A QUARTER INCH FROM THAT PAPER?
- YES, YOU PIECE TO THE PAPER, BUT FOR THE SEAM ALLOWANCE, YOU JUST USE YOUR ROTARY CUTTER AND YOUR RULER TO CUT OUTSIDE THAT.
- OKAY, NOW WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT?
- NOW THIS IS ACTUALLY PART OF A BLACK BEAR.
- AND IS THAT THAT BEAR YOU SAW OVER IN THE SMOKIES?
- LAST TIME, OR ONE OF THE PREVIOUS VISITS, I WAS IN YOUR VICINITY, IN THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS, AND IN THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, AND WE WERE WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS, AND THIS LITTLE BEAR CAME OUT FROM BEHIND A TREE.
NOW HE WASN'T SMALL ENOUGH, SO YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT HIS MUMMY, BUT HE WASN'T BIG ENOUGH, SO YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT HIM.
SO HE WAS JUST ABOUT PERFECT, AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO SEE HIM FROM A DISTANCE, I MUST SAY.
- AND SO THAT IS THE NAME OF THAT QUILT?
- YES.
- VERY APPROPRIATELY NAMED.
- BEAR IN THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS.
THIS, OF COURSE, IS IN PROGRESS.
THE SECTIONS GET JOINED TOGETHER, THEN IT GETS TRIMMED OFF, AND OF COURSE YOU ADD LITTLE DETAILS, EMBROIDER THE EYE AND APPLIQUE A LITTLE EAR.
- AND HOW DOES YOUR FAMILY ADAPT TO ALL OF THIS?
BECAUSE THIS ALL TAKES TIME.
- THEY'VE BEEN WELL BROUGHT UP.
(BOTH LAUGHING) QUILTS ARE JUST PART OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AS FAR AS MY FAMILY IS CONCERNED.
I HAVE A WONDERFUL HUSBAND WHO COULDN'T BE MORE SUPPORTIVE, AND IS ALWAYS, WHEN I SAY, OH, I DON'T HAVE TIME TO COMPLETE THAT QUILT, AND HE SAYS, OF COURSE YOU HAVE TIME TO COMPLETE THAT QUILT.
- WELL, NOW YOU'RE DEPARTING FROM YOUR ANIMALS A LITTLE BIT IN A NEW BOOK THAT'LL BE COMING OUT SOON.
THAT'S A COLLABORATIVE BOOK.
- WORKING WITH AN AUSTRALIAN QUILTER CALLED JUDY HOOWORTH.
SHE'S A CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIAN QUILTER, AND SHE HAS THIS WONDERFUL IDEA FOR MAKING SCRAP QUILTS THAT ARE JUST FULL OF COLOR, BUT VERY, VERY SIMPLE.
MARGARET, YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXHIBIT SOME OF YOUR QUILTS HERE AT THE SHOW.
DESCRIBE A FEW OF THEM TO US.
- WELL, I BROUGHT THE BEAR QUILT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, AND ALSO THE QUILT FROM "THE QUILTER'S ARK," MY BOOK, "THE QUILTER'S ARK," WHICH HAS A WHOLE GROUP OF ANIMALS, OF COURSE, TWO OF EACH.
I BROUGHT THE DOLPHIN QUILT, WHICH IS PROBABLY ONE OF MY MOST POPULAR QUILTS.
PEOPLE JUST REALLY SEEM TO RELATE TO THAT QUILT.
IT WAS INSPIRED BY A TRIP TO QUEENSLAND WHERE YOU GET THAT JUST GLORIOUS COLOR OF THE OCEAN, AND YOU COULD SEE THE DOLPHINS LEAPING OUT OF THE SEA, AND THAT WAS THE INSPIRATION.
ANOTHER ONE OF THE QUILTS I BROUGHT IS "JUMPIN' JUMBOS," WHICH USES MY ELEPHANT DESIGN, AND THE ONE THAT YOU LIKED WITH ALL THE PLAIDS, GEORGIA, IS THE DEER.
- OH, THE DEER.
- THE DEER QUILT.
- YES, YES.
- MADE WITH LOTS AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT PLAIDS.
- WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU CAME TO GREENSBORO, AND HAPPY QUILTING TO YOU.
- THANK YOU.
- U IS FOR UNSTITCH OR TO RIP OUT.
SUCH A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE, BUT IT HAPPENS TO ALL OF US, AND I ALWAYS SAY, IF YOU HAVE TO DO IT OVER AGAIN, YOU LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES, THAT'S FOR SURE.
WELL, I'VE GOT FIVE SEAM RIPPERS HERE.
EVERY ONE OF THEM WORKS.
I ALSO HAVE UNCLE BILL'S TWEEZERS, WHICH I WILL BE USING A LOT IN BETWEEN THE LETTERS THAT I HAVE DONE ON MY EMBROIDERY MACHINE.
IT WAS REALLY FUN WATCHING THIS WORK, BECAUSE AFTER EVERY LETTER, IT WILL STITCH IN PLACE BEFORE IT GOES TO THE NEXT LETTER.
AND THEN WHAT I HAVE TO DO IS JUST RIP AND TAKE OUT ALL THOSE STITCHES IN BETWEEN, AND IF I CLIP THE THREADS ON THE BACK IN BETWEEN, THEY WILL ALL COME OUT VERY NICELY.
V IS FOR VEST.
IN THE QUILT WORLD, QUITE OFTEN A DECORATIVE GARMENT, INCORPORATING EITHER PATCHWORK OR APPLIQUE.
WELL, WE'VE ALL MADE OUR SHARE OF PATCHWORK VESTS.
AND OF COURSE, WHEN I LOOK THROUGH MY VAST ARRAY OF VESTS, IT'S LIKE A LITTLE TRIP IN HISTORY IN MY QUILT MAKING.
I CAN REMEMBER GOING TO THE 9/4 CIRCLE RANCH OUT IN MONTANA, AND OF COURSE I HAD TO HAVE MY OWN VEST.
THEN ONE TIME, I MADE A VEST BECAUSE I THOUGHT PATCHWORK WAS SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT, PUT A ROOSTER ON THE BACK OF A VEST.
I DO LIKE MAKING TABARDS, BECAUSE THEY JUST DROP OVER YOUR SHOULDERS, AND YOU CAN TIGHTEN THEM WITH A BUTTON OR EVEN LOOSEN THEM.
THEN I WENT THROUGH MY NECKTIE PERIOD, WHERE I HAD SOME FUN WITH METALLIC THREADS AND JUST APPLIQUED LITTLE NECKTIES ALL OVER A VEST.
THEN I WENT CRUISING, AND OF COURSE FOR CRUISING, WE HAD TO HAVE MEDALLION POINTED STARS.
DO YOU REMEMBER TAKING BANDANAS AND FOLDING THEM IN TWO AND CUTTING THEM, AND LOOK HOW THEY FRAYED SO NICELY.
THEN THERE IS THE TABARD WITH THE DIMENSIONAL TRIANGLES, AND NOTHING BETTER THAN JUST A ONE-INCH SQUARE.
I MADE THESE IN A WHOLE SERIES OF COLORS.
I HAVE RED ONES, I HAVE BLUE ONES.
THEN YOU CAN TAKE ANTIQUE BLOCKS AND PUT THOSE INTO A VEST.
THE QUILT ON OUR SET TODAY IS BY GENEVIEVE GRUNDY.
I CALL IT X MARKS THE SPOT WITH A STAR IN THE MIDDLE.
GENEVIEVE HAS NAMED IT END OF THE TRAIL.
NOTICE HOW IT FEATURES THAT SOUTHWEST FABRIC ON THE BORDER, AND THEN A LITTLE TOUCH OF IT IN THE CENTER ALSO.
YOU'LL WANT TO JOIN US NEXT WEEK WHEN WE GO TO THE QUILTED APPLE, AND IT'S IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA.
WE ARE ALSO GOING TO A YARDSTICK COLLECTION.
YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THAT.
- CLOSED CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY OMNIGRID, MANUFACTURER OF THE ORIGINAL PATENTED BLACK AND YELLOW RULERS AND GREEN CUTTING MATS, AND COLLINS, WELL-KNOWN FOR NOTIONS AND TOOLS FOR QUILT MAKERS.
(UPBEAT MUSIC) ♪ - FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PATTERNS AND DESIGNS SHOWN ON THIS SERIES, VISIT GEORGIA AT WWW.GEORGIABONESTEEL.COM.
(MUSIC CONCLUDES) - LAP QUILTING WITH GEORGIA BONESTEEL IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM BERNINA, MAKERS OF SEWING MACHINES MANUFACTURED WITH THE CARE OF TRADITIONAL SWISS WORKMANSHIP.
NOTHING SEWS LIKE A BERNINA, NOTHING.
BY GAMMILL QUILTING MACHINE COMPANY, OFFERING FOUR SIZES OF LONG ARM HAND GUIDED MACHINES TO QUILTERS WORLDWIDE.
BY COATS AND CLARK, AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE NAME IN SEWING, HAND KNITTING, AND CRAFT PRODUCTS.
BY MARTINGALE AND COMPANY, HOME OF THAT PATCHWORK PLACE, PUBLISHER OF AMERICA'S BEST LOVED CRAFT AND HOBBY BOOKS.
BY HOBBS BONDED FIBERS, MAKER OF HEIRLOOM PREMIUM COTTON AND WOOL BATTING, WITH A PACKAGE LABELING SYSTEM TO HELP QUILTERS SELECT THE CORRECT BATTING FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
AND BY HORN OF AMERICA, CABINETS OF THE FUTURE TODAY.


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