Since returning from QuiltCon I’ve had quilts on the brain. I know a lot of people were inspired by the show and I was no different. I mentioned in my post about my adventure that I fell in love with the Quilts from the 70’s Collection on display at QuiltCon. It got me thinking about my love of vintage fabrics, flea market finds, old trims and doodads, etc. I’ve been collecting (aka hoarding) these things for years, using them for a refashioning project here and there but mostly just stashing.
So I pulled out piles of tea towels, table cloths, needlework, trims, etc and spread them all over my studio. (This may or may not have been aided by the shelf collapse in my storage closet. Oops.) I found some of my favorite pieces that I wanted to showcase then started gathering other vintage materials that share similar color palettes, art styles and eras. So far, this rooster block (above) is the result of my efforts. It still has a way to go, as I’m thinking about adding some vintage buttons and hand stitched details. So far I love it!
Even though the rooster is not done, I couldn’t resist auditioning other favorites. I like to place the focal piece in the middle, another tea towel, and plop a bunch of loosely coordinating fabrics around it. These colors feel so cheerful on such a dreary day!
More and more piles are taking over my studio! I’ve placed these on large pieces of foam core making them easy to move or stack up if I need to…y’know, walk through the room or use a surface for something! I like having them out to observe at different times. It helps me add and subtract details at a leisurely pace, rather than pounding away, trying to figure out the puzzle. And these are like puzzles to me. Part puzzle, part collage, and 100% fun.
That’s what’s on my worktable today! What are you working on?