♪ WELCOME TO "LAP QUILTING" FROM JOLLY OLD LONDON.

HERE IN ENGLAND, DOROTHY OSLER WILL SHARE WITH US THEIR QUILT HISTORY.

THEN WE WILL VISIT AN ACTIVE AND PROGRESSIVE QUILT GUILD.

WE'LL GO TO THE BARBICAN AND SEE THE RESULTS OF THE QUILT ART GROUP.

SO QUEUE UP IN FRONT OF THE TELE AND JOIN US.

♪ 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.

Georgia, voice-over: JUST WHAT WOULD ANY WANDERING QUILTER IN LONDON DO AFTER HER FIRST 10 MINUTES IN TOWN?

WHY, HEAD OUT FOR A FABRIC STORE, OF COURSE.

AH, WHAT FOND MEMORIES OF ENGLAND.

NEW FABRIC DISCOVERIES, DESIGNS AND TILES.

WHY, WE EVEN RODE OUR BIKES IN THE COTSWOLDS AND THEN OFF TO THE LONDON QUILTERS GUILD MEETING.

AT THE MEETING, WE GOT TO VIEW SOME OF THEIR SHOW AND TELL.

WE GOT TO SEE PAULINE ADAMS' QUILT FIRST.

SHE IS THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE GUILD.

Woman: WELL, THIS IS A QUILT WHICH I MADE FROM PIECES OF FABRIC, WHICH WERE DIFFICULT TO USE.

THEY'VE GOT CHECKS AND STRIPES, AND NOT EASY TO PUT IN IN A NORMAL QUILT.

IT IS A STANDARD QUILT BLOCK.

IT'S THE SAILBOAT BLOCK.

BUT I'VE GOT THEM GOING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, AND I'VE GOT THEM ON DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.

I MACHINE-PIECED IT, AND I MACHINE-QUILTED IN THE DITCH AROUND THE BLOCKS.

AND IT'S TO GO IN A COTTAGE THAT WE HAVE IN GREECE.

IT GOES ON THE WALL, WHICH IS WHY IT HAS VERY BRIGHT COLORS.

AND WHILE I'M SITTING OUT THERE IN THE SHADE UNDER THE MULBERRY TREE, I QUILT THE SEA AND THE SKY.

AND IT'S NOT FINISHED YET.

I'LL BE DOING SOME MORE IN THE AUTUMN WHEN I GO BACK AGAIN.

MANY TRIPS TO GREECE, RIGHT?

YES, THAT'S RIGHT.

HA HA.

AND WHAT ABOUT THIS BRIGHT ONE?

WELL, THIS IS A SOUVENIR OF A TRIP, WHICH I TOOK WITH 23 OTHER QUILTERS TO AMERICA.

WE WENT TO ATLANTA, AND WE WENT TO THE QUILT SYMPOSIUM AT RALEIGH IN NORTH CAROLINA.

AND I ASKED FOR SCRAPS FROM ALL THE FRIENDS THAT I MET THERE AND THE GROUP THAT WENT WITH ME.

AND THIS IS MADE FROM THE PIECES THAT THEY GAVE.

IT'S CALLED "FRIENDSHIP CHAIN."

IT'S A VERY, VERY SIMPLE 4-PATCH BLOCK...

WHICH TURNS AROUND THROUGH 90 DEGREES.

IT CERTAINLY DOES.

AND YOU LOSE THE FACT THAT IT'S EVEN PIECED HERE, DON'T YOU?

YES, YOU DO.

YEAH.

AND ON THE BACK, I HAVE HEARTS.

AND BECAUSE THE FABRIC WASN'T LIGHT ENOUGH... UH-OH.

I'VE GOT THE ATLANTIC IN BETWEEN... [LAUGHTER] HEARTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

AND LET'S SEE THAT RAFFLE QUILT.

OK.

THIS IS A RAFFLE QUILT... FOR THE QUILTERS GUILD HEADQUARTERS FUND.

IT'S MADE FROM BLOCKS THAT WERE IN A COMPETITION FOR ORIGINAL PIECED BLOCKS-- BLACK, WHITE, AND GRAY.

AND BECAUSE THERE ARE A DIFFICULT NUMBER OF BLOCKS, IT HAD TO BE PUT TOGETHER IN A RATHER INGENIOUS WAY.

YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE CENTER BLOCKS ARE ON THE SQUARE, AND THE OUTSIDE BLOCKS ARE ON THE DIAGONAL.

AND ALSO, NOT THE COLOR THAT YOU'D EXPECT IN THE BACKGROUND, WHICH IS A BRIGHT RED, BUT A RATHER PLUMMY SORT OF RED.

AND I DIDN'T MAKE IT.

SO I CAN SAY WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS ONE.

VERY, VERY WELL-BALANCED BETWEEN THE BLOCKS ON EACH SIDE.

I JUST HOPE I WIN THE RAFFLE PRIZE.

THAT MEANS BUYING A LOT OF TICKETS.

WELL, YES.

TELL US ABOUT THE OUTSIDE EDGE, PAULINE.

INSTEAD OF BIAS BINDING, WHAT DO YOU DO HERE?

WELL, THIS HAS JUST HAD THE TWO BACK IN THE FRONT TURNED IN AND A LINE OF QUILTING PUT ALONG THE EDGE TO HOLD THEM TOGETHER.

Georgia, voice-over: KATHLEEN SHOWED US HER ROUGH AND READY QUILT.

HER DAUGHTER HAD MADE A QUILT IN THESE COLORS.

AND THEY HAD A LOT OF MATERIAL LEFT OVER.

SO THEY THOUGHT, WHY NOT DO SOMETHING QUICK AND BRIGHT?

TELL US HOW YOU DID THE TECHNIQUE-WISE.

WE START WITH THE WADDING AND THE BACKING AND JUST HAVE THIS SHAPE CUT OUT AND THEN PUT THE OTHER PIECES ON ONE BY ONE AT RANDOM.

A SEW AND FLIP TYPE SITUATION.

YES.

AND THEN JUST PUT THEM TOGETHER JUST IN A SCRAP QUILT.

AND YOU TACKED THEM?

JUST TIE-TACKED IT?

YES.

YES.

YOU CAN SEE ON THE BACK I JUST TACKED IT THROUGH WITH THE TIES.

SO WE DON'T NEED TO QUILT EVERY QUILT, DO WE?

NO.

THAT'S GONNA KEEP YOU JUST AS WARM.

AND I LIKE WHAT YOU'VE DONE, THE TAILORING THAT YOU'VE DONE DOWN HERE...

YES, I PUT PIPING AROUND JUST TO MAKE A NICE, NEAT EDGING.

WELL, WE'VE SEEN TWO NICE AND DIFFERENT EDGING TREATMENTS.

Georgia, voice-over: YVONNE SHOWED US AN INTERESTING EXAMPLE OF HOW THE SAME QUILT BLOCK CAN LOOK COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WHEN YOU USE DIFFERENT FABRICS.

IT'S JUST THAT OVER HERE, THE BLOCKS ARE PLACED SO THAT THESE TWO PRINTS MERGE TOGETHER AND FORM ONE SHAPE.

AND OVER THERE, THEY'VE BEEN TWISTED IN ANOTHER DIRECTION, SO THEY FORM A DIFFERENT SHAPE.

OVER THERE, I'VE USED A VERY SIMPLE BLACK WITH A LITTLE GRAY.

AND OVER HERE, THEY'RE BOTH PRONOUNCED.

AND THIS IS THE SAME PRINT IN DIFFERENT COLORS-- THE FLORAL.

AND OVER HERE AS WELL.

IT'S THE SAME PRINT IN DIFFERENT COLORS.

NOW, WILL YOU BE HAND-QUILTING THESE?

THIS ONE'S HAND-QUILTED.

THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT FINISHED YET.

THIS ONE'S MACHINE-QUILTED.

THAT'S WHY IT'S FINISHED.

Georgia, voice-over: FROM THE LOOK OF THE 20th CENTURY TO A ROMANTIC VIEW OF THE VICTORIAN ERA IN APPLIQUE.

ANGELA TOLD US HOW HER QUILT WAS MADE.

UM, IT'S DONE DRAWING THE DESIGN ON THE BACK OF THE BLOCK AND THEN MACHINING WITH A SINGLE LINE WITH A VERY SMALL STITCH AND THEN TURNING IT OVER AND CUTTING AWAY THE EXCESS MATERIAL AND THEN USING THE ZIGZAG, DOING A SATIN-STITCH RIGHT THE WAY AROUND THE EDGE.

MOST OF THE BLOCKS WERE SUGGESTED FROM A WHOLE LOT OF SUGGESTIONS THAT CAME FROM CHILDREN AND FRIENDS AND LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE.

AND THEY WERE JUST REALLY VICTORIAN SCENES OR ROUGHLY FROM THAT SORT OF PERIOD.

THE BLOCKS THEMSELVES ARE HAND-QUILTED, AND THE FRAMES, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE PICTURES IN GOLDEN FRAMES.

THE FRAMES ARE ALL MACHINE-QUILTED.

Georgia, voice-over: THE GUILD HAD QUILTS ALL AROUND THEIR TEMPORARY MEETING HALL.

CURRENTLY, THEY ARE ACTIVELY FUNDRAISING FOR THEIR OWN PERMANENT HEADQUARTERS BUILDING.

ONE QUILT WAS A GRAND PRIZE WINNER.

WE WANTED TO DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL ENGLISH QUILT, SO WE HEADED NORTH TO NEWCASTLE.

DOROTHY OSLER ENLIGHTENED US AND ANSWERED A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS ABOUT QUILT MAKING IN ENGLAND.

FOR ANYONE WANTING TO SEE MORE OF THESE QUILTS, DOROTHY AND PENNY ROBERTS EVEN CONDUCT TOURS.

WELCOME, DOROTHY.

THANK YOU, GEORGIA.

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF BRITISH QUILTS?

WELL, IT'S A LONG SUBJECT.

BUT THE EARLIEST QUILTS IN BRITAIN WERE MADE CENTURIES AGO, PROBABLY AS EARLY AS THE 13th CENTURY.

BUT THEY WERE MADE NOT BY ORDINARY PEOPLE IN ORDINARY HOMES, BUT BY PROFESSIONAL QUILTERS WHO WORKED FOR RICH AND NOBLE PEOPLE.

AND THEN GRADUALLY THROUGH THE CENTURIES, QUILTING PASSED DOWN THROUGH THE SOCIAL SCALE DOWN THROUGH THE VARIOUS CLASSES OF SOCIETY IN BRITAIN UNTIL ABOUT THE 18th CENTURY, WHEN QUILTING WAS PERFORMED IN ORDINARY PEOPLE'S HOMES, IN COTTAGES, AND IN MANOR HOUSES, AND AMONGST WHAT WE MIGHT CALL THE WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE, THE PEASANTS, OR MOST OF BRITAIN.

DOROTHY, CAN YOU CLASSIFY THE TYPES OF QUILTS IN BRITAIN?

WELL, THE DIFFERENT QUILTS THAT WERE MADE IN BRITAIN WERE BASICALLY PATCHWORK, APPLIQUE, WHOLE-CLOTH, AND STRIPPY.

THIS IS A WHOLE-CLOTH QUILT THAT WE HAVE HERE.

THIS IS A 20th-CENTURY EXAMPLE, BUT THE WHOLE-CLOTH QUILT ITSELF GOES BACK CENTURIES.

SOME VERY OLD EXAMPLES EXIST IN MUSEUM COLLECTIONS.

THE MEDALLION QUILT, LIKE THE ONE HERE, IS ALSO A VERY OLD BRITISH PATCHWORK DESIGN.

THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE ONE.

AGAIN, IT'S A 20th-CENTURY EXAMPLE.

BUT THE EARLY 19th CENTURY SAW SCRAP MEDALLION QUILTS BEING MADE.

MANY OF THEM HAVE SURVIVED.

AND IT WAS CERTAINLY PERHAPS THE MOST POPULAR TYPE OF PATCHWORK IN THE EARLY 19th CENTURY, I WOULD SAY.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL QUILT.

NOW, I SEE SOME BLUE MARKINGS ON THIS.

TELL US ABOUT HOW IT WAS MARKED AND WHAT THEY USED.

WELL, THIS PARTICULAR QUILT WAS MARKED OUT BY A QUILT DESIGNER.

NOW, IN A CERTAIN PART OF BRITAIN NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM HERE, THESE PROFESSIONAL DESIGNERS EXISTED.

AND THEY DESIGNED QUILTS FOR A LIVING.

AND SOMETIMES THEY KNOCKED OUT ONE OR EVEN TWO A DAY.

BUT THIS ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY PIECED BY THE QUILT DESIGNER AND THE PATTERN DRAWN ON WITH A BLUE PENCIL.

AND THEN THE CUSTOMER WOULD HAVE BOUGHT IT, TAKEN IT HOME, AND QUILTED IT THEMSELVES.

NOW, DID SHE USE A TEMPLATE, OR DID SHE JUST DO IT FREEHAND?

SOME AREAS ARE MARKED WITH TEMPLATES, AND SOME AREAS WERE MARKED FREEHAND.

NOW, THIS CABLE TWIST AREA HERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MARKED WITH A TEMPLATE, WHEREAS THIS RUNNING FEATHER THAT YOU SEE IN THE CREAM AREA HERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MARKED FREEHAND.

THE QUILT DESIGNER WAS SO CONFIDENT OF HER OWN SKILL IN MARKING, SHE WAS ABLE JUST TO TAKE A PENCIL AND MARK STRAIGHT ON TO THE CLOTH.

IT'S AMAZING.

IT ALSO HAS KIND OF A SHEEN TO IT, ALMOST THE OLD COTTON SATEEN.

IS THAT WHAT...

IT IS COTTON SATEEN, YES.

I SEE.

AND IT'S THICK.

YES.

BECAUSE IT'S THICKLY WADDED WITH COTTON.

THICKLY WHAT?

THICKLY WADDED.

WADDED.

YES.

WE SAY WADDING, AND YOU SAY BATTING.

OH, I SAY BATTING.

OK. WE'VE GOT THAT STRAIGHT.

AND TELL US THE OTHER CLASSIFICATION.

THIS IS A STRIP QUILT, OR STRIPPY, AS WE WOULD REFER TO IT.

NOW, STRIP QUILTS WERE MADE IN VARIOUS PARTS OF BRITAIN, BUT PERHAPS THEY'RE MOST PARTICULARLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTH COUNTRY QUILTING TRADITION.

THIS ONE IS A RECENT STRIPPY MADE BY A LADY CALLED LILIAN HEDLEY, WHO LIVES ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF HERE IN A TOWN CALLED CHESTER LEE STREET.

AND SHE'S MADE THIS STRIPPY ALONG THE LINES OF THE TRADITIONAL ONE, WITH BROAD STRIPS OF EQUAL WIDTH OF TWO DIFFERENT FABRICS, TWO CONTRASTING FABRICS, IN THIS CASE, A SOLID COLOR AND A PATTERN FABRIC.

AND SHE'S QUILTED ON SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL PATTERNS TO THIS AREA.

HERE WE HAVE A PATTERN KNOWN AS THE WEARDALE CHAIN, WHICH IS A SIMPLE PATTERN OF OVERLAPPING OVAL SHAPES.

AND HERE WE HAVE THE RUNNING FEATHER, A VERY PLEASING DESIGN.

OH, THEY'RE HANDSOME.

THEY TRULY ARE.

TELL ME ABOUT THE HEXAGON.

IT'S A REOCCURRING SHAPE THAT WE ASSOCIATE ALL OF ENGLISH PATCHWORK.

WHY?

WHY?

I CAN'T GIVE YOU A SIMPLE ANSWER TO THAT.

I SUPPOSE IT'S A VERY PLEASING SHAPE IN ITSELF.

AND IN BRITAIN, WE TEND TO BE A LITTLE CONSERVATIVE.

AND PERHAPS IN THE VICTORIAN PERIOD, PEOPLE MADE SO MANY HEXAGONS THAT THEY BECAME ALMOST SYNONYMOUS WITH PATCHWORK.

SO WHEN PATCHWORK BEGAN ITS REVIVAL, PEOPLE LOOKED AT HEXAGONS FIRST AND BECAME, I THINK, PERHAPS A LITTLE HOOKED ON THEM.

I HAVE READ SOMEWHERE, DOROTHY, THAT THEY ALWAYS TOOK A BACKSTITCH WHEN THEY WERE DOING QUILTING.

IS THAT TRUE?

NO.

TRADITIONAL QUILTS WERE MADE WITH A RUNNING STITCH.

SOMETIMES A QUILTER WOULD START WITH A BACKSTITCH, AND THEY ALMOST INVARIABLY FINISHED WITH A BACKSTITCH, BUT THE ACTUAL QUILTING STITCH ITSELF WAS A RUNNING STITCH.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE EARLY QUILTS-- THE 17th- AND EVEN 18th-CENTURY QUILTS, YOU FIND THAT BACKSTITCHING WAS USED ON THOSE, ALTHOUGH THOSE QUILTS WERE REALLY VERY DECORATIVE PIECES.

SO THEY HAD VERY LITTLE FILLING AT ALL, VERY LITTLE WADDING, AND WERE ALMOST FLAT QUILTS.

SO IT WAS EASY TO STITCH WITH A BACKSTITCH.

Georgia, voice-over: PAST TRADITIONS WITH DOROTHY OSLER, THE PRESENT WITH THE LONDON QUILTERS, AND NOW INTO THE FUTURE.

IN LONDON, THE QUILT ART GROUP WAS DISPLAYING THEIR WORKS AT THE BARBICAN ART GALLERY.

IT WAS AN HONOR TO MEET 3 OF THE ARTISTS AND SEE A WHOLE NEW ARRAY OF EUROPEAN FIBER WORK.

THE QUILT ART GROUP OF ENGLAND IS A GROUP THAT HAS COME TOGETHER TO CHALLENGE THE PRECONCEPTIONS OF QUILT MAKING AND EXTEND THE BOUNDARIES AND INCREASE ITS RECOGNITION AS AN ART FORM.

TODAY WE ARE HERE WITH 3 OF THE QUILT MAKERS TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT THE QUILTS.

MICHELE, TELL US ABOUT HOW QUILT ART GOT STARTED.

WELL, QUILT ART STARTED ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO, AND WE ALL BELONG TO THE QUILTERS GUILD.

AND WE DECIDED TO FORM A SMALL GROUP FROM THE QUILTERS GUILD.

AND IT WAS REALLY FOR PEOPLE MAKING CONTEMPORARY QUILTS, AS OPPOSED TO THOSE DOING TRADITIONAL WORK.

I SEE.

AND THE IDEA, DEIRDRE, IS TO NOT ONLY SHOW OFF YOUR WORK BUT WHAT ELSE?

WELL, TO COME TOGETHER FOR EXHIBITING PURPOSES, REALLY, AND TO TRY AND SELL WORK AND INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO THE IDEA THAT THEY COULD HANG QUILTS ON THE WALL AND TO COMMISSION THE WORK.

Georgia: AND, WELL, IS IT CONFINED JUST TO LONDON, OR WHAT... NO.

IT WILL TRAVEL TO 3 OTHER VENUES IN ENGLAND-- TO CIRENCESTER, DURHAM, AND NORWICH.

AND THEN WE HOPE... THEN WHERE?

WE HOPE WE GO TO GERMANY.

WELL, WE WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEM IN OUR COUNTRY.

IS THERE ANY CHANCE THEY COULD COME TO THE STATES?

Deirdre: WELL, WE'D LOVE THEM TO GO TO AMERICA.

AND WE'D LOVE AN EXCHANGE SO THAT BRITISH PEOPLE COULD SEE AMERICAN QUILTS.

I KNOW THEY WOULD KNOCK DOWN THE DOORS TO SEE YOUR QUILTS.

AND WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW TO GO LOOK AT THEM A LITTLE CLOSER.

Georgia, voice-over: I TALKED FIRST TO INGE HUEBER FROM WEST GERMANY.

HER TWO QUILTS WERE "WHIRL" AND "CONTOURS."

TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN QUILTING AND HOW YOU'VE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT.

I STARTED QUILTING IN 1980.

I PAINTED BEFORE, BUT I FOUND PAINTING IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR ME.

[CHUCKLING] AND I REALLY--I HAVE CHOSEN A MEDIUM WITH WHICH I AM FAMILIAR, REALLY, FROM CHILDHOOD ON.

YOU'VE ALWAYS SEWN?

YES.

ALWAYS.

FOR DOLLS, FOR MYSELF.

AND YES.

AND I START TO DO MY QUILTS, REALLY, BY DYEING MY MATERIAL I USE.

AND I THINK THIS IS A VERY BIG PLEASURE FOR ME TO DO EVERYTHING FROM DYEING TO QUILTING.

AND, YES, IT'S LIKE A CHILD, REALLY, A LITTLE BIT.

IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE.

AND WHEN I STARTED, I DON'T KNOW, REALLY, THE END OF THIS QUILT.

IT'S NOT ALL WORKED OUT ON PAPER?

NO.

NOT, BECAUSE WOULD TAKE-- I THINK IT WOULD TAKE THE SAME TIME TO DO EVERYTHING ON PAPER THAN THE TIME I NEED TO DO IT IN THE ORIGINAL, IN THE MATERIAL I WANT TO DO.

SO I START WITH MY DYED CLOTHS AND I TAKE THE CHANCE, REALLY.

AND IF I DON'T LIKE THE QUILT, IT WILL GO SOMEWHERE IN THE CORNER AND I WILL START ANOTHER ONE.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS WORKED IN THESE COLORS, INGE?

OR IS THIS A NEW MEDIUM, THIS LIGHT, BRIGHT LOOK?

OR-- WHEN I STARTED--NOW WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF MY OLD PIECES-- THEY ARE IN MY ROOM-- THEY WERE MUCH MORE--CALMER.

AND THIS PIECE, REALLY, MY FAVORITE PIECE, I USED FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS RED, THIS TURQUOISE CLOTH, THIS YELLOW CLOTH, AND I REALLY AM SEEING THIS QUILT AGAIN.

THEY WERE NOT TOURING ALREADY IN ENGLAND.

I REALLY LIKE THE COLORS.

AND I THINK I WILL GO ON TO USE THIS LITTLE PIECE OF RED.

IT BRINGS LIFE, REALLY, TO THE QUILT.

WELL, WE CONGRATULATE YOU ON THESE TWO PIECES.

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

AND I THINK YOUR EXCITEMENT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING CERTAINLY COMES ACROSS.

AND WE WISH YOU MUCH LUCK.

THANK YOU, INGE.

THANK YOU.

Georgia, voice-over: I TALKED NEXT TO MICHELE WALKER FROM BRIGHTON, ENGLAND, STANDING IN FRONT OF HER 3 PIECES ENTITLED "AQUARIUS."

BESIDES QUILT MAKING, MICHELE HAS ANOTHER FULL-TIME JOB.

Michele: YES.

WELL, I TRAINED AS A GRAPHIC DESIGNER.

AND, IN FACT, I STILL DO WORK IN GRAPHICS.

AND I ALSO WRITE BOOKS ON PATCHWORK QUILTING AND DESIGN THEM, WHICH IS THE IDEAL POSITION TO BE IN.

BUT I ALSO MAKE QUILTS.

SO DID YOU START FROM TRADITIONAL PATCHWORK AND WERE LED INTO A MORE CONTEMPORARY FIELD?

YES, I DID.

MY FIRST QUILT I MADE IN CANADA.

I THINK THAT WAS IN 1976.

AND I STUCK IT TOGETHER--HA HA-- WITH SORT OF IRON-ON INTERFACING.

AND IT WAS OK.

IT WAS QUITE A TRADITIONAL PATTERN.

BUT WHEN I CAME BACK TO ENGLAND, I MET SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY TAUGHT ME THE PROPER WAY TO PUT A QUILT TOGETHER.

BUT I DID START OFF WITH TRADITIONAL WORK.

NOW, THESE PIECES AND YOUR WORK, IS IT ALL PLANNED OUT AHEAD OF TIME, OR HOW DO YOU FINISH?

YES.

THESE QUILTS ARE QUITE A NEW DEPARTURE FOR ME.

AND I DO START OFF BY MAKING SMALL DESIGNS, FOLDING PAPER, AND WORKING OUT QUITE CAREFULLY WHAT I THINK IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

BUT WITH THESE NEW ONES, PARTICULARLY, I CAN CHANGE IT AS I GO ALONG.

BUT I DO LIKE THAT DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY.

WELL, THEY ARE SO UNIQUE BECAUSE THEY HAVE THAT RELIEF.

HOW DID YOU COME BY DOING THAT?

WHAT... WELL, I THOUGHT THAT QUILTS WERE GETTING VERY FLAT.

AND I THINK IT'S POSSIBLY BECAUSE I'VE TRAINED AS A GRAPHIC DESIGNER, I DO SEE THINGS IN TWO DIMENSIONS, AND I FELT I WASN'T EXPLORING THE QUILT MAKING ENOUGH THAT FABRIC COULD BE MANIPULATED AND USED IN ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND PLEATING IS ONE OF THEM.

PLEATING AND THEN THE BLACK, THE USE OF BLACK AND THE BRIGHT COLORS, IS THAT... NO, I PARTICULARLY LIKE COLORS AGAINST BLACK.

I THINK THEY REALLY SORT OF SHINE OUT.

AND I LIKE THE AMISH QUILTS FOR THAT REASON.

AND IT WAS SEEING THOSE QUILTS THAT REALLY FIRST MADE ME WANT TO START QUILT MAKING.

I FEEL A KEEN SENSE OF ENERGY IN YOUR QUILTS.

I THINK THEY'D BE PLEASING TO HAVE IN A ROOM.

THEY WEAR WELL ON THE WALLS.

THEY'RE LOVELY.

Georgia, voice-over: THIS QUILT WAS OBVIOUSLY MADE BY SOMEONE WHO HAS A LARGE COLLECTION OF FABRICS.

IT'S CALLED "COLORWASH DIAMONDS."

DEIRDRE AMSDEN, ITS MAKER, HAS ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN COLLECTING FABRICS.

WHILE STILL IN SCHOOL, SHE MADE HER OWN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FABRICS.

WELL, I'VE ALWAYS LOVED SCRAP QUILTS.

THEY'RE MY FAVORITE QUILTS, AND THEY STILL ARE.

WHEN I GO TO A QUILT SHOW, I REALLY HONE IN ON THE SCRAP QUILT.

AND I STARTED BY MAKING VERY TRADITIONAL QUILTS, REALLY.

THAT'S HOW...

I UNDERSTAND YOU TEACH ALSO.

YES, I DO TEACH.

I TEACH QUILTING BY HAND TO BEGINNERS.

AND I ALSO TEACH PICTURE MAKING, AS WELL, WITH FABRIC.

ARE ALL THESE PIECED BY HAND?

THESE ARE PIECED ON THE MACHINE, AND THEN THE QUILTING IS DONE BY HAND.

I SEE.

BUT I'M THINKING OF EXPLORING MACHINE QUILTING, TOO, BUT I HAVEN'T QUITE GOT THE COURAGE UP TO DO IT YET.

IT'S A BIG STEP.

YES.

WELL, TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU PLANNED THE QUILT BEHIND US, FOR INSTANCE.

WELL, THIS QUILT WAS DIFFICULT TO PLAN, BECAUSE I'VE HAD THE IDEA IN MY HEAD FOR A LONG TIME.

BECAUSE I JUST REMEMBER WALKING DOWN THE SUFFOLK BYROADS VERY LATE ONE WINTER NIGHT.

AND WE HAD JUST LOOKED UP AT THE STARS, AND THERE WERE JUST SO MANY STARS.

AND SO THAT IDEA I HAD.

BUT I COULDN'T PLAN THIS QUILT OUT.

I JUST HAD IT IN MY HEAD.

AND ONCE I HAD DECIDED TO MAKE IT IN TRIANGLES WHICH LOCK TOGETHER, AND I USED 3 DIFFERENT-SIZED TRIANGLES.

AND THEN I JUST CUT THE SHAPES OUT AND LAID THEM OUT AND THEN STARTED IN ONE CORNER, RIGHT IN THE DARK CORNER, AND WORKED--DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE QUILT TO THE LIGHT CORNER.

AND DO YOU WORK HORIZONTALLY, OR DO YOU PIN UP ON A WALL?

I WORK HORIZONTALLY AND A SECTION AT A TIME.

AND SO WHEN I'M FAIRLY HAPPY--I ALSO USE A REDUCING GLASS, WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE OF A MAGNIFYING GLASS, SO THAT YOU CAN REALLY SEE IT IN MINIATURE.

AT A DISTANCE ALMOST.

YES.

I SEE.

YES.

AND THEN WHEN I'M FAIRLY HAPPY, I SEW THE PIECES TOGETHER.

AND THEN PUT IT UP ON THE WALL.

NOW, YOUR QUILTING IS VERY MEANINGFUL IN THIS PIECE, TOO, DEIRDRE.

I MEAN, I SEE PART OF THE HEXAGON AND THE TUMBLING BLOCKS IN THERE.

THAT'S PART OF YOUR ENGLISH HERITAGE, I BET.

BUT THAT REALLY BRINGS IT TO LIFE.

YES, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THE QUILTING ASPECT OF IT.

AS A SECONDARY DESIGN?

I TRY TO MAKE THE QUILTING AND THE PATCHWORK INTERDEPENDENT SO THAT THEY WORK TOGETHER, THAT THEY RELY ON ONE ANOTHER.

IT HELPS TO BLEND-- THE BLENDING EFFECT, ANYWAY, OF THE QUILTING.

AND DO YOU SEE THE QUILTS AS MORE DEFINITELY FOR THE WALL OR FOR THE BED?

WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH?

WELL, I THINK I SEE THEM FOR THE WALL.

BUT HOW DOES ONE KNOW, IF A QUILT GOES OUT OF YOUR POSSESSION, WHAT SOMEBODY WILL DO WITH IT?

SO THEY MIGHT PUT IT ON A BED.

IT COULD WARM THE WALL OR A BODY.

YES, YES.

WE COULD LOOK AT IT THAT WAY.

PEOPLE HAVE SAID, "OH, HOW WONDERFUL TO LIE UNDER THE NIGHT SKY."

SO PEOPLE THINK IT OVER A BIT.

OH, THAT WOULD BE A NICE THOUGHT, WOULDN'T IT?

WELL, NOW, WHAT'S AHEAD FOR YOU?

DO YOU THINK IN THE FUTURE WHAT YOU'RE ANXIOUS TO MAKE NEXT OR...

YES.

USUALLY, WHEN I'M WORKING ON SOMETHING, I'M USUALLY WORKING ON THE NEXT ONE IN MY HEAD.

BUT IT'S NOT MUCH FURTHER THAN THAT.

BUT I FIND THAT IDEAS SUDDENLY COME OUT OF-- YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PROBABLY THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.

AND THEN YOU SUDDENLY IN A FLASH, YOU GET AN IDEA TO CHANGE DIRECTION OR HOW YOU COULD WORK-- DO SOMETHING.

AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.

BUT THEN IT MIGHT HIT YOU RIGHT AS SOON AS YOU'RE WASHING UP.

[LAUGHTER] EVERY QUILTER NEEDS A PATCHWORK SWEATER FROM ENGLAND.

THIS IS FROM BURFORD, AND IT'S DONE BY MAGGIE WHITE.

YES, QUILTING IS GOING STRONG IN THE UK.

THEY EVEN HAVE THEIR OWN NEWSLETTER AND GUILD ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

I WAS PLEASED TO KNOW THAT IT IS ACCEPTABLE TO COMBINE HAND QUILTING AND MACHINE QUILTING IN THE SAME PROJECT.

THIS IS A SAMPLER QUILT THAT I HAVE GOING WITH HAND QUILTING A CELTIC DESIGN IN THE BLOCK AREA.

AND THEN IN THE BORDER, I'VE PROGRAMMED MY MACHINE TO DO AN ELONGATED STITCH.

I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE MANY WAYS THAT THE QUILTERS IN ENGLAND ARE FINISHING THE OUTSIDE OF THEIR QUILT.

A POPULAR METHOD SEEMS TO BE TO TAKE THE BACK AND THE FRONT SIDE, TURN IN 1/4 INCH TO MEET EACH OTHER, AND THEN THEY WOULD DO EITHER A RUNNING STITCH OR A TINY WHIP STITCH RIGHT ON THE BORDER.

ANOTHER POPULAR WAY WAS COVERING CORDING WITH BINDING.

USUALLY IT WAS DONE ON THE BIAS.

AND THEN THIS COULD BE POSITIONED ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE QUILT AND MACHINE CAUGHT, PROBABLY WITH YOUR ZIPPER FOOT.

THEN THAT GOES TO THE BACK SIDE.

AND ONCE THAT IS IN POSITION, THEN THE BACKING WOULD SIMPLY TURN BACK 1/4 INCH TO THE SLIP-STITCH IN PLACE.

NOW, IF YOU PLANNED AHEAD, YOU COULD EXTEND THE BACKING ABOUT 1/2 INCH AND THEN PLACE THE CORDING RIGHT INSIDE THAT AND PULL OVER SO THAT THEN YOUR FRONT PART WOULD GO IN 1/4 INCH, AND THEN THAT WOULD POSITION IN PLACE AND NEED SOME MORE HANDWORK.

IT GIVES A VERY TAILORED LOOK TO THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR QUILTS.

I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALSO-- THE WAY THAT I PUT TOGETHER THE VIRGINIA REEL BLOCKS.

I WENT AHEAD-- AND RATHER THAN OUR NORMAL LAP QUILTING CONNECTION, I SIMPLY PUT ALL 4 RAW EDGES TOGETHER, INCLUDING 1-1/4-INCH SASHING THAT WOULD THEN BE SEWN IN PLACE IN A FLAT MANNER ON THE BACKSIDE.

IT DOES HELP TO PULL THE FRONT AND THE BACK FABRIC AROUND SO IT'S FREE.

AND THEN I WOULD GO AHEAD AND TRIM OFF ANY EXCESS SO THAT YOU PULL AWAY THE BATTING.

IT RELIEVES SOME OF THE BULK THERE.

WITH THAT SEWN IN PLACE AND LETTING THAT FALL TO ONE SIDE, THIS COMES RIGHT OVER.

AND YOU CAN HAND-STITCH THAT IN PLACE.

AND IT GIVES A VERY NICE FLAT FINISH TO YOUR BLOCKS WHEN YOU WANT TO WORK ON THEM SEPARATELY.

OUR TIP OF THE DAY HAS TO DO WITH AN IRONING BOARD THAT WAS INVENTED BY NANCY LONG SPECIFICALLY FOR HER LAP QUILTING PROJECTS.

IT FREES THE SEAM SO SHE CAN GET THE IRON RIGHT IN THERE TO POSITION THAT SEAM IN ONE PLACE.

WE'LL BE EXCHANGING HOUSE BLOCKS TO MAKE ANOTHER QUILT.

JUST LOOK AT THE WONDERFUL HOUSES THAT HAVE COME FROM ENGLAND.

THATCHED ROOFS, MACHINE STITCHED, FLOWERS IN THE WINDOWS.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT WEEK WHEN WE HAVE "APPLIQUE ARTISTRY" ON "LAP QUILTING."

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

♪ 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.