Art Quilting | Not your grandmothers craft but still awesome
More fabric art today.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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?
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.
Details
In my fabric art I like to incorporate little items, like buttons. And coffee cups, like this tiny one in porcelain.
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;
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?
Remind me I tell you about my job as a lifestory writer. I quilt words for people as a profession. I am in the middle of one now so I can’t make it too long now.
This is a wonderful tribute to your grandmother. My grandmother is one of my greatest inspirations in my creative life.
I love this tribute to your grandmother. I just found the first thing I ever embroidered (with my grandma’s help) – and have thinking about doing something special with it. Enjoy every moment you have with your grandmother.
S? fin denna quilten ?r !!! Och s? s?t din mormor ?r ! Jag kan f?rst? hennes irritation n?r det uppmanas ?verallt att g? till internet f?r att f? mera info. Om man inte ?r bekant med det mediet m?ste man ju bli aningen frustrerad!
You’re so lucky to have her wiht you and be able to enjoy that sweet lady!
ENjoy her!!!!
Hej!
Vilken tjusig farmor/mormor du har. B?de d? och nu! Och j?ttegullig kvilt, jag gillade speciellt att du anv?nt s? mycket olika material. Hur stor ?r den?
T?nkte passa p? att tacka dig ocks?, jag blev s? inspirerad av din etsy shop att jag tillslut v?gade ?ppna min egen. :)) Tack! Fast jag k?nner mig lite splittrad, f?r nu har jag tv? bloggar, en p? engelska och en p? svenska. haha Vi f?r se hur det g?r!
Ha en trevlig helg!
God Bless your Grandmom on celebrating her 90th birthday! Your art quilt is beautiful. If I make a quilt, I do one on both of my grandmothers. My gram , the one I grew up with, died when she was 96. My other gram I recently was gifted with a picture of her who I never knew about. I love this picture of her. It is so beautiful.
One day I learn how to quilt and actually do this. Thanks for sharing your quilt and your story.
Your quilt tribute to your grandmother is lovely! My grtandmother was also born in 1918 which, as she likes to say, was “a hell of a year”! Aren’t we lucky to have had our beloved grandmothers for so long?
This is wonderful! I’d love to do this with my moms picture! Thank you so much for sharing it! Pure inspiration!
What an inspiring idea. I love the photo and all of the bits that you added to the quilt. What a treasure to still be able to spend time with her and continue to hear her stories. A Happy Birthday to your Gramm, too!
Your quilt is very lovely as is your dear grandmother.
I made one about my grandmother too and gave it to a cousin for her wedding. It was one of my first art quilts and can be seen early on on my blog: artquiltsbylynn.blogspot.com.
My grandma’s name was Ella so the quilt is named Ella too.
Your quilt is very lovely as is your dear grandmother.
I made one about my grandmother too and gave it to a cousin for her wedding. It was one of my first art quilts and can be seen early on on my blog: artquiltsbylynn.blogspot.com.
My grandma’s name was Ella so the quilt is named Ella too.
Your quilt is very lovely as is your dear grandmother.
I made one about my grandmother too and gave it to a cousin for her wedding. It was one of my first art quilts and can be seen early on on my blog: artquiltsbylynn.blogspot.com.
My grandma’s name was Ella so the quilt is named Ella too.
Beautiful! What a lovely tribute to your grandmother.
Oh I love this quilt, so full of memories, must be very precious to you.
And your grandmother is gorgeous. My father is about her age, born 1915, and still rather fit.
Love your blog btw. :o)
What a beautiful project!! Your grandmother is beautiful, too, and she sounds like a wonderful person. You are lucky to have her.
you’re so creative. =)
your hearts post inspired me to make my valentines:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21184579@N00/3278324164/
never be afraid to share your art & perception of the world with the world! your hearts are beautiful, filled with creativity and colour and vivacity, just like you!
i wish you a wonderful valentine’s day spent with the people you love!
hugs,
Ingrid
Oh, hanna, why you gotta go and diss this piece? Feeling insecure? That’s silly. Cuz it rocks! Totally. If you made it today, it wouldn’t look as good, so how’s that? (Please, I’m 52 and wearing glasses, don’t hit me! lol)
No really, it SEEMS to me to be a very emotional piece, and that’s how you were feeling when you made it. It’s litterally filled with comforts and that’s prolly how you feel about her, right? She comforts you?
I’m telling you (and go look yourself if ya don’t believe me – google her), Jenni Bowlin would be dead jellus if she saw this. She hand sews stuff like this all the time, and this rocks hers.
I had a wonderful relayship with one of my grandmas and with my mom too, but I think I’d make my quilt about my daughter, cuz lately I am completely wowed by how she’s grown up and the decisions she makes right now, and I just admire her so much (and am gratified to be her creator).
Happy Day O Love to you,
Aimeslee xoxo
My Paper Paisleys Art Adventures Blog
What a beautiful quilt and homage to your grandmother. (BTW Happy Valentine’s Day!) She still has that wonderful smile, and you are so lucky to be able to talk with her. I only knew one of my grandmothers, but she taught me to embroider and to crochet; I think I still have the first piece I did, but I have let the skill fall by the wayside. Thank you for sharing your piece and your thoughts about it.
That is a beautiful tribute to your grandmother; what a wonderful thing to have and hold and treasure. If I was going to make one; I’ll bet you could guess what subject matter I would choose.
:-)
Happy Hearts Day!
what a wonderful story about the buttons and dresses. The quilt is lovely, as all yours are. I love the story about your grandmother too…she sounds like quite a woman!