Pieces and Patchwork and Quilting at UMass.

EverythingWestport

Friday, June 6, 2008

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The Shining Tides Quilt Guild “put on the Ritz” as the public was treated this weekend to a dazzling array and display of contemporary, artistic and traditional bed, lap and wall quilts as their 9^th Annual Quilt Show got under way at UMass Dartmouth.

If you want to walk the walk, however, you have to talk the talk: Trapunto, appliqué, patchwork, pieced, embroidery, quilting machines, and many combinations thereof.

“I love picking out the fabric. The colors and patterns are so exciting,” one quilter said. “Fat quarters work well with smaller quilts, for ease of color and design coordination,” said another.

“The love of fabric and color, and the creation of something of beauty is the motivating force in making a quilt,” said Sandy Zekan of North Dartmouth. “Each quilt has a reason for having been made, and each quilt carries a story,” said Lucille Peloquin of South Dartmouth. These stories are typed up and displayed on each quilt, providing the viewer with a little insight to the creator’s purpose.

Left to right: (1) “Ancient Mariner at Sunrise” by Patricia Delaney – voted World’s Best Machine Quilted in 2007; (2) Doris Cloutier (right), who had five quilts in the show, talks with an admirer of this one; (3) “Wedding Kimono” from Shoo-Fly Quilters of Tosashimizu, Kochi, Japan; and (4) the raffle quilt made by the Westport Point Quilters.

However, hand quilting is another story. Every quilter’s dream today is to own a quilting machine. Upwards of $10,000 each, these technological marvels can reduce hand quilting time from months to a handful of days! Many quilters piece their quilt tops by hand or machine, but then send them out to be machine quilted. “I have 12 unfinished quilts”, one quilter at the show said. “I have 10 “UFOs” another chimed in. Machine made and machine stitched quilts using technologically sophisticated. long-arm quilting machines allow today’s quilter to fit in a project or two between a busy work and home life.

The Guild’s Sister-City Guild, “Shoo-Fly Quilters” of Tosashimizu, Kochi, Japan displayed several quilts in the show including Boutique Table items (known as “Manjiro School Ties and Corsage”) made from an 80 year old kimono. They were named in honor of the first Japanese man to reside in America. The beautiful “Wedding Kimono” from this group was also on display.

The Raffle Quilt named “Flowers and Hearts for Spring” has it’s own story too. It is hand-appliquéd, hand-embroidered and hand-quilted by members of their guild. 10% of the proceeds will be donated to the Katie Brown Educational Fund in memory of the young woman who was killed in 2001. The fund supports an effort to help end relationship violence. Shown with the raffle quilt at the top of this page is from left to right: Diane DeMello of New Bedford, Carmy Davis of Dartmouth, Sandy Zekan of North Dartmouth, Lucille Peloquin of Dartmouth, Doris Cloutier of Acushnet, and Pam Joyce of South Dartmouth. They contributed to the making of this gorgeous quilt.

Left to right: (1) A brilliant array of colorful thread for sale; (2) fat quarters for sale; (3) hundreds of intricate quilts were on display; and (4) “Japanese Dolls” by Jo Bruce.

“One cold February meeting,” said Laurie Dupres, “I forced STQG members to actually sew by hand during the meeting. Some were not happy.” “Look, the only thing I want to do by hand is eat,” said one member. “A lovely quilt named “Chocolate” resulted from hand-pieced blocks sewn by members,” Laurie said.

“The Tender Loving Quilters have made over 1000 Baby Quilts that have been presented to the sick babies at St. Lukes Hospital,” said Pam Joyce from South Dartmouth.

On display was “Ancient Mariner at Sunrise” by Patricia Delaney – voted World’s Best Machine Quilted in 2007. “Lyons Quilt” on loan from the Rotch-Jones Duff House and Garden Museum was also on display.

Other notables were: “Serenity” by Janice Macomber, first prize at MQX 2007, “Celtic Stars” by Jo Bruce, Best of Show Topsfield Fair 2001, and “Japanese Dolls” by Jo Bruce, Best of Show Topsfield 2003.

Westport was respectfully represented with a raffle quilt made by the Westport Point Quilters. The quilt was made in 2008 using 4” blocks paper-pieced and appliqué blocks. The quilt is for a raffle at the Westport Point United Methodist Church.

Laurie Despres of Fairhaven (shown left with her quilt Snails Trails) was the originator of the Shining Tides Quilt Guild in 1991. “We had 20 members back then” she said. “We’re now over a hundred!”

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