Traditional Quilting

The quilt of Lynn Thompson and Pat Hershock

I recently introduced a client to some contemporary textile art and she said, "These look like quilts!" Technically they are, as a quilt is 3 layers connected by stitches. The traditional quilt above is made from a pattern and stitched by hand. The value of the quilt is influenced by the quality of the work (which is the lack of stitches showing in the construction of the quilt) and the precision and size of the quilting stitch. The stitches should be the same size on the front as they are on the back, and that only comes from years of experience. Today, it is getting more and more difficult to find hand quilters. Jean Judd is one of the few artists who creates contemporary art quilts that are hand quilted.

Custom Lampshades

I purchased these lamps at a local thrift shop this weekend. They were such a find and the first thing I thought of was how fun it will be to make a custom lampshade for them! My head is spinning with ideas! Custom lampshades are hard to find. After some serious looking I found a source. Now to find the perfect fabric for the shade.

Buttons, toggles, buckles and frogs

Check back later to see these buttons on a pillow!

A button (or three) adorning a pillow can be that finishing touch that completes the look for your home interior. Finding buttons is an adventure in and of itself. Ever since one of my interior designers ordered a pillow with a mitered face and a large square wooden button in the center I have been on the look out for all colors, sizes and types of buttons. I'm ready to share my secrets. M&J Trimming has a diverse selection of decorative buttons. I prefer buttons from bone, horn, shell, wood and metal. You can also find a great selection from Durango Button Company. If you're in a rush, the best place to look locally is yarn shops. They stock large buttons for sweaters and bags. Lastly, vintage buttons are a great accent and can be purchased on garments at used clothing stores.

New Pindler Outdoor Fabrics

photo credit Pindler and Pindler

Pindler and Pindler's new Signature Exclusive Newport Mansions Indoor Outdoor Collection
Outdoor fabrics are improving by leaps and bounds. We used to only be able to get blue marine canvas. Today all the major vendors have their own fabric lines and the texture has improved.
Some of the fabrics are so soft and pliable you'd be surprised to learn they are sun and moisture resistant. We recently made interior pillows for a client from "outdoor" fabric for her Hawaiian home. Everything seems to fade in their brilliant clear sunny weather!

Framed Textile Art

Curves and Color, Disney Hall

24" x 30.5"

Pamela Price Klebaum has perfected an acrylic frame that openly attaches textile art quilts to clear plexiglass for hanging textiles in an upscale yet traditional format. Without harming the textiles, this method of mounting art gives substantial support to even mixed media pieces that are uneven in weight. Interior designers will appreciate the standard wire hanger that is hidden behind the contemporary textile. This clear frame also is beneficial in a commercial setting where art may be relocated periodically. Note that the wallpaper background is visible through the plexiglass.

Fiber 2010 West

Woven metal, woven plastic, woven recyclables, woven fiber....there is so much variety in contemporary weaving on display at the Studio Channel Island Art Center in the heart of Camarillo, now through May 22.

Ventura Textile Exhibit

Becoming Art at the Seams is a juried textile exhibit at the Ventura Art Museum through June 20. Due to the renovation of the original museum, the exhibit is located just a few blocks away at 89 S California Street. Presented is a diverse collection of 36 contemporary art quilts of greater Los Angeles artists.
Linda Miller's "Flowing Through 2009" shown above is a whole cloth, painted, layered with fabric and then decoratively stitched by both hand and machine. The photo doesn't do the art justice as a two dimensional picture cannot present the details and color intricacies. You'll just have to take a road trip! One of the most wonderful qualities of textiles is the ability to manipulate the fabric and fibers. "Elemental 1" by Linda Cassirer of Santa Barbara, incorporates yarn and felting techniques to bring an undulating motion to her art.

Also of note:
Time Gone By, Karen Rips
Driftwood, Madeleine Bajracharya
Rehearsal, Sherry Davis Kleinman
Tucked Away, Loris Bogue