The History of Quilting (Part 1 The Origins)

(When I started researching quilting I did not know how extensive it is. There is a lot of information out there on Quilting.  So I decided to split up what I found into several parts.  I hope that you enjoy what I have found and I hope that this inspires you.)

Quilting:  It is defined as the stitching together of layers of fabric and padding.  Quilts have also been referred to as a "fabric sandwich". 

  The name quilt actually came from the Latin word Culcita meaning "stuffed sack".  It made it into the English language from the French word Cuilte.
  How quilting came to be and how far back in time it started is not known.  But we do know that the quilting techniques we use today have been used for several millennia.

  One of the earliest known quilted garments is depicted  on a carved ivory figure of a Pharaoh of the Egyptian first dynasty from about 3400BC.

  In 1924 archaeologists discovered one of the oldest surviving quilted objects.  Found in Mongolia it is a quilted floor covering.  It's age is around 100BC to 200AD.  The motifs depict animals with abstract spirals on the borders of the covering.  It is worked in a back stitch while the background is diamond quilted in a coarse running stitch.
  Another quilted artifact that is about as old as the floor covering is a quilted slipper found in Samarrand in a rubbish heap.  The backstitch used on the slipper is identical to the one used on the rug.
  Samarrand was a major stop on the Silk Road between China and Europe.  The one thing for sure is the early objects that were found contain Egyptian cotton.  It seems that the Egyptian and Mediterranean trade influenced early quilting.

  In the late 11th century among many other thing brought back from the Crusades quilted objects were one of them.

  The evidence of quilting made its presence known in the 12th century Europe.  Not only was quilted padding used under a knights armor but also there is a reference to a quilt adorning a bridal bed in a French poem entitled "La Laide Desire". 

  In the 13th century German "Parvizal" mentions a quilt in Grail Castle.

  In the 14th century quilted clothing began to appear in France, Germany, England and Italy.  Also in the 14th century quilting may have started working its way into the lower classes.  Until this time quilting was fairly common in the upper classes.  Arriving at this conclusion a 14th century Italian ivory shows St. Joseph traditionally regarded as a peasant or lower class artisan wearing a diamond quilted tunic.

  The oldest known bed quilt also survives from the 14th century.  Found  in Sicily it is made of Linen and padded wool blocks across the center of it are scenes from the legend  of Tristan its size is 122" by 106".

  Surviving quilts from these periods are mainly Linen or silk worked with matching thread and stuffed with cotton.

Information found: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quilting
http://www.quilthistory.com/quilting.htm

A Whole New Day!

Good morning!  It is a beautiful sunny day here in central Texas!

It has been a while since I have written and I have been through some life changing events.  I lost my Uncle to lung and liver cancer.  The circumstances that took place before and after his death have frankly left me shocked to say the least.  Very, very angry to say the most.  Through this I have come to some decisions.

I am changing my creative direction just a bit. Yes, I am keeping this blog and not starting a new one.  My past is a part of me and my art and it is a very beautiful one.  With out my past I would not have developed into  this wonderful future that I am walking into now.  Yes, I will still be crazy quilting but I will be doing it with a purpose.  I am doing some media art also.  I can't wait to share that!  There will also be some great giveaways in the future.

To start with I will be putting up a series of historical posts on quilting and related topics.  I am also working on a wonderful tutorial on how to use cotton  fabrics in crazy quilting.  I think cottons in CQ is a very undeveloped area of creativity but since most of the cottons out there are geared towards traditional quilting we have to be selective on what we use in CQ.

I am so looking forward to this new way of creating!  I hope that you will too!

TTFN
The Lion

Been Thinking

Good Morning!  Also Happy Thanksgiving to everyone from the U.S.A.!  I am working on my contribution to my families meal.  Green Bean Casserole.  I am kinda the Green Bean Casserole person of the family.  I am  trying a new one out this year.  We will see how it goes it is a Southwest kind.

So anyway I have been thinking about what direction I am traveling with all my studies. (I call them studies because as far as I am concerned as long as your art is evolving you are studying it.) I have been "playing" with the media art for a while now but as most know Crazy Quilting is my true love.  I have used all types of fabric in my art.

Now with that being said I was recently on Facebook and saw a post that really bothered me.  A CQ artist had put up a picture of a recent block she had made and stated that she had stepped out of her comfort zone and used cotton fabrics.  She also stated that she had "gunked" it up enough.  I thought to myself "gunked"it up?  What the heck?  Why would you feel that you would need to "gunk" any of your art up?  Then when you get down to it why would anyone feel using cotton fabric is a challenge?

I have many times turned to cotton fabric to use in my CQ.  I personally LOVE the contrast of the materials that I use.  So I am looking at all the pictures that are being put up on Facebook and I am noticing that a good many ladies are using cotton fabrics.  Some of the blocks are very stunning.

I am also thinking that the reason so many CQ'ers are calling cotton fabric challenging is because they are putting together the wrong pieces of fabric.  They are instead of embracing the challenge of cotton fabric they are trying to put it in terms of the fancy fabrics that  they use or just not thinking of the pieces as they put together the block they are going to embellish.

So for the next few days I will be putting together a tutorial on cotton fabric blocks.  So see you in a few days.

TTFN
The Lion

An Ultra Fun Weekend

This past weekend was one of the best!  I had three of my grandsons for the weekend.  Uriah and his mom live with me. This was not an ordinary weekend it was The Vererans Day Car Show weekend.  I thought that the boys would enjoy themselves.  They did!  

Here are some pictures.

Here are Uriah and Shane.

Tyler, Shane and Cameron.

Here they are again.

I picked up Tyler, Shane and Cameron in Giddings on Saturday morning.  While I waited for them I decided to go to my favorite quilt shop, Gerlines.  I found out that she is closing her retail shop to do quilting. That upset my world!

All the fabric in the shop is half off.  I picked up a few pieces and plan to go back to get more.  Here is what I found.

Really cool right?

For all you Triditional Quilters you have to remember I am at heart a Crazy Quilter.  I can see all kinds of possibilities for these pieces.  If you are a Crazy Quilter......I bet your imagination is running wild now.

Now for the fun part of this post.  If you comment on this post I will put your name into a drawing for the pieces of fabric below.

Then you can let your imagination run wild.

TTFN

The Lion

Brain Storming

So yesterday I had a day off from work.  I did run in and purchase the Christmas items that I set back for my grandchildren.  If you have not been in to see what TJ Maxx has I fully suggest that you do.  We always get some of the best items.  Unique stocking stuffers.  In Europe it is TK Maxx and in Canada it is Weiners.  I was able to get all of my Grandkids Christmas Eve box items.  This year we got some really cool movies.

Anyway I was looking at the Christmas napkins while I was at the store and thought what could I use these for in my crafting.  It prints on the napkins are so cool!  Well this morning inspiration struck.  BAM!  You know sometimes that is how it happens.  What about the shoe boxes?  Yes, I am going to pick up a package or two tonight when I get into work and work on a shoebox and see if how it comes out.  My next day off is Tuesday so here is to a day of play!

 

TTFN

The Lion

A Thought

As some of you know I no longer work for ProLab.  I am now working for T J Maxx in Bastrop, Texas.  We do cardboard recycling there.  That means all of the boxes get crushed and hauled away.  We get shoes in and we do not use the shoe boxes.  They go into the crusher and get moved on.  So one day I was in the back room looking at the mound of shoe boxes.  It seemed a shame to let them all go to waste.  What can I do to upcycle them?  So I took a few home.

They sat for weeks on the kitchen table with me just looking at them.  The old man was starting to get upset because I had "that trash" on the table.  Then it just hit me.  BAM!  You know how inspiration works.

Here is what I came up with:

I have developed a really cool technique that works for me when adding the decoration to the shoe boxes.  They will make GREAT keepsake boxes while you can put a personal gift into them for your friends and family.

TTFN
The Lion

A Current Project

I had put together some blocks for a little six block project a few months back.  It has been slow going on this particular project since my attention has been spread between so many other things.  The key now is to just focus on finishing this project.

Here are pictures of the blocks without embellishment.

 



Here is the first finished block. 

 

I am working on the second block right now.  Pictures of it will soon be up.

Just wait until you see what else I have been doing for my attention to be turned from my CQ.

TTFN
The Lion