More fabric art today.

Art Quilt - detail of grandma tribute quilt (copyright Hanna Andersson)

My grandmother was born in 1918. That’s a long time ago. She gets mad about all the references everywhere to the internet.
– When things get interesting the always stops now and say You can find more information on the internet. They write it in the newspaper, say it on the TV and on radio shows she listen to. Even on the milk box.

She stopped working before computers came to offices everywhere. A blog to her is something alien of course.

The Grandma Quilt (copyright Hanna Andersson)
She didn’t approve of the quilt I made in her honor either, though she said nice about it. I know it’s not her style. She likes Bruno Liljefors who painted wild animals in the forest. I just wanted to show it to her. I made it because I wanted to make a quilt with lots of lace that also has personal meaning to me. She looked at it, and then we had coffee and talked about what the world was like when she was young. I have loved those talks since I was a kid.

In the middle there is a photo of her when she was very young. Maybe in 1930 or thereabout? She as was so very pretty and she still is. She is tall, funny and easy to talk to. How very old and fragile she is sometimes is difficult to grasp.

Art Quilt - detail of grandma tribute quilt (copyright Hanna Andersson)
I don’t remember what started this project. Maybe it was the long row of closely sewn metallic buttons I found in mom’s sewing room? She cut them from a dress that my grandmother made as newly wed… She and her friends bought fabric together and made similar dresses. She told me the all put on their new dresses and paraded down the stairs to the men, as a surprise, all looking the same. All girls together – what a sight that must have been…

Art Quilt - detail of grandma tribute quilt (copyright Hanna Andersson)

No I can no longer remember what came first, the idea or the material. I started this Art Quilt about three years ago and it has been finished for a long time, only missing the final touch. An edge and a backing fabric. But now it is finished and I like it. If I made this quilt today I would do a few things differently, but maybe that’s a common feeling with firstlings; first try art. You just don’t know what to expect from the materials, yourself or the final result. In this one I started with the most important pieces, the photo and the buttons, and kind of had to carefully work around them when adding the rest. I should have done a better background foundation I think. That is how I do my best collages. Work with the background until I’m satisfied and then add the last bit, a focal point. But as a learning experience this Art Quilt was a great project.

Art Quilt - detail of grandma tribute quilt (copyright Hanna Andersson)

The photo of my grandmother as young is transfered to fabric via the computer. Maybe this was the start of this quilt? A photography I couldn’t stop looking at. A try to see how it went… and then a project was born. An art quilt in…blue?

Art Quilt - detail of grandma tribute quilt (copyright Hanna Andersson)
Lace of course, just because it is pretty. I love the look of old and torn in art quilts. That vintage look of old lace and mother of pearl buttons is attractive to me.

Art Quilt - detail of grandma tribute quilt (copyright Hanna Andersson)
Details

Art Quilt - detail of grandma tribute quilt (copyright Hanna Andersson)
In my fabric art I like to incorporate little items, like buttons. And coffee cups, like this tiny one in porcelain.

Art Quilt - detail of grandma tribute quilt (copyright Hanna Andersson)

My grandmother celebrated her 90th birthday in December last year. I arranged the photo of her for the Thank you cards and helped buy them in town too. Her she is;

Only 90 (copyright Hanna Andersson)
I took these photos a week ago when I accompanied her to church. We attended a short ceremony and was then invited to a birthday lunch for recent congratulates in the congregations. All the birthday children where 80 and above. It was nice.

Who would you make a quilt about?