unconventional & unexpected...

True confessions, this book was pre-ordered as soon as I heard about its publication and I was predisposed to love it. Happily, it does not disappoint and my nose has been buried between the covers since it arrived last week. Roderick Kiracofe's previous and wonderful work explored the evolution of American quilts up to 1950. "Unconventional & Unexpected: American Quilts Below the Radar" explores quilts made after this time and more specifically utility quilts. These are my favourite kind of quilts: the ones I obsess over on Pinterest and Ebay. To see them treated in an academic way so beautifully as modern works of art makes my heart sing. 

The book is gorgeous with lots of images and essays from renowned textile personages. Am still at the child-like stage of looking at the pictures and trying to pick my favorite one which changes daily. These quilts are the most colorful, joyful and soulful expressions of their creators' spirit. Made of polyesters, wools and corduroys as well as cottons they are the embodiment of recycled materials. They were made for warmth and they were made to be used. Stylistically, these patchworks intersect traditional quilts and purely improvisational ones. They are abstract in pattern and yet have form.

I love this book and can't recommend it enough. My only regret is that I wish Kiracofe had written it decades ago so that these quilts were valued as I suspect the most beautiful of their kind have been worn to bits, abused and discarded... 

 Camera cord where art thou? These quilts deserve more than my phone.

Prairie points...

And yo-yos...

Now I know all my favorite bloggers are writing about this book. Have studiously not looked at their posts and am now off to read what more intelligent insights they have about it :)  

let there be light...

Well we are back from some ferry hopping and beach time with cell phones turned off. In the modern age it feels subversive to go off the grid. A bit caught up in the film festival but am feeling refreshed and looking forward to lots of sewing. As written in a previous post, I love the Juki in every way but one. It could do with more lighting. At a hardware store, I found this LED product pictured above.

It is quite thin, can use rechargeable batteries and the adhesive hook and loop strip is repositionable. Here are the before and after shots unfortunately taken with my phone...

Now the LED is just over half an inch thick so it may get in the way when quilting but for piecing it really lights up the bed without any heat or an electrical cord getting in the way. I bought two lights as I think my serger could use one...

Also on a final and exciting note, the much anticipated this and the sure to be interesting that arrived in the mail so book reviews to follow. As well, there is the most beautiful (and sadly only borrowed) antique quilt given to my friend by her client that you all must see...

random holiday shots for my Mum:)