Tag: Lace

Fuck the Patriarchy Quilt - Finished

Fuck the Patriarchy

General Info

Start Date  Jan 14, 2015
Finish Date  Jun 5, 2015
Status  Finished
Size  Approx 63″ x 25″
Pattern My own design. Paper-pieced letters from Quilt Talk by Sam Hunter.
What it’s for Originally made for a social commentary fabric exhibition organised by Bee & Lotus Textiles. Exhibition date/location TBA.
Batting  2 layers bleached cotton batting

For a long time, I’ve thought about feminism in quilting today (as one does). Although a traditionally feminine domestic craft like quilting would likely to seem to be un-feminist, or even anti-feminist, to many outsiders, I have come to the conclusion it is actually a seriously feminist statement. In today’s day and age, women are expected to “have it all” and be everything to everyone else, but what they don’t get is any time to themselves. While quilting produces a product that may be given to someone out of love or caring, the process of quilting itself actually allows women to take time for themselves. Crafts have been shown to be extremely therapeutic, and when a woman decides that she is going to do one of these crafts it’s saying “My wants, needs and what I like to do are important too”.

As part of this dialogue I’ve been having with myself, I was inspired by the popular subversive cross stitch patterns, which use traditional counted cross stitch for extremely nontraditional sayings or text. I thought about making a super feminine traditional style wall hanging, with a modern feminist statement.

Towards the end of last year, there was much more attention in the media of women being killed or harmed by their partners. After hearing about several high profile incidents in both the USA and Australia, I found out that quilter and pattern maker Pam Bono had been killed by her husband in a murder/suicide. He even killed her beloved bulldog. At this point, I was outraged. The only thing I could think was “FUCK THE PATRIARCHY”.

This quilt is the synthesis of my anger over the fact that one woman a week in Australia and three women a DAY in the USA are killed by their partners or former partners. All proceeds from the potential sale of this quilt at the exhibition will be donated to a local women’s shelter.

Quilt Top Notes/Techniques

Foundation paper pieced letters.

Quilting Notes/Techniques

I wanted to use very traditional quilting to emphasize the traditional style of the quilt. I stippled the white background and stitched in the ditch of the letters with invisible thread. I marked out a pumpkin seed design for the inner border and marked a 1/2″ on point grid for the outer border.

I had originally planned to put the lace on the seam between the inner and outer border, pointing out. But as I finished my quilting, I decided to incorporate it into the binding instead. I free motion quilted over the edges of the lace on the sides and bottom to stop it from drooping.

Progress Pictures

Fuck the Patriarchy Quilt - FU letters Fuck the Patriarchy Quilt - letters Fuck the Patriarchy Quilt - Quilt Top

Fuck the Patriarchy Quilt - Label - For all the women murdered by men who claimed to love them Fuck the Patriarchy Quilt - Close up edge with lace

The Salty Quilter - Grandma's Roses - At the show

Grandma’s Roses

General Info

Start Date  Sep 10, 2011
Finish Date  Nov 8, 2011
Status  Finished
Size  Lap
Pattern  Austen and Lace by Anne Nadge
What it’s for  In memory of my Grandma Lois
Batting  Matilda’s Own cotton/poly batting

Shows

My quilt won first prize for a new quilter at the Braidwood Quilt Event 2011

Quilt Top Notes/Techniques

I wanted to make this quilt for my Grandma Lois for Christmas 2011. I had already purchased a fat quarter set and lace for it. Unfortunately, she passed away in June. I decided to finish the quilt to take to my Aunt Pam at home in California after I visit my Grandma’s grave to show her.

Finishing this quilt was a major challenge. I have never had so many things go wrong on one quilt. The fabric I ordered for the back didn’t show up as soon as I thought, so I needed to buy some locally. I bought a pre-cut remnant, but it was two inches too short. I went back and bought more. While cleaning my bobbin case, I dropped a screw from the needle plate down into the machine. After I got it back, I ran out out of thread and ended up buying the right colour, but wrong weight. After finishing the quilting, I was 10″ short on binding. Fortunately, the quilt shop had more. I managed to get it done a day earlier than I had planned and have sent it off to the quilt show.

Quilting Notes/Techniques

Quilted with roses and leaves in the diamonds. The rose border was quilted around the print in pink variegated thread.

I used Matilda’s Own cotton/poly batting for the first time. While it quilted very similarly to 100% cotton, there was definitely more bearding present. I’m not sure if I would use it again, but it is $5 cheaper per meter.

Progress Pictures

The Salty Quilter - Grandma's Roses - Finished The Salty Quilter - Grandma's Roses - blocks laid out The Salty Quilter - Grandma's Roses - Diamonds