The embroidery group met at 6:00 pm and went over the couching method that was introduced last month. They then worked on Fern, Sheaf, Fly and Feathered Chain stitches. As more ladies came in, stitches were proudly showed off and taught to others.
Next month there will not be an embroidery meeting. HOWEVER, do mark on your calendars Oct. 20th at 6:00 pm to learn various techniques with Satin Stitches. Then at the Nov. 17th embroidery meeting at 6:00 pm, bring in an 18" x 18" background fabric (washed, pressed and creased in half and in half again - finding the middle), your favorite marking tool (pencil, Frixion pen, etc.) and if you have one - a light box (or tape for the windows). We will have a few light boxes available for members to use. There will be patterns for you to copy onto your fabric so that you can put most, if not all, the stitches you have learned this year into a project to work on in 2015. You will have options so you can make your project a one of a kind - so please do not be late.
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PROGRAM
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Imagine that you are in October 1946, World War II is in the past, the future is looking up, and as an interested quilter, you have gathered with friends of like interest to meet the
Emporia, Kansas "Phenomenon" - Rose Kretsinger!
What excitement - in 1935, Rose Kretsinger co-authoried with Carrie Hall to write "Romance of the PatchWork Quilt in America" and you are getting to meet her and see her work.
Rose gave us a brief history, she is 60 years old, born in Hope, Kansas in 1886 in the upstairs apartment of her father's dry goods store. They moved to Abilene to live with her mother's parents until 1898 when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri. In 1904, Rose started her 4 years of higher eductation at the Art Institute of Chicago in Decorative Design. She then had the privilege of going to Europe on and off for the next few years as an antique buyer. In 1914 she married Mr. Kretsinger and moved to Emporia, Kansas where she still resides today.
The Colonial revival period started around 1920 and publications like the "Ladies Home Journal" , were one of the places that Rose went to for inspiration for her designs. Piecing quilts do not interest Rose as much as embroidery and applique work. When her mother moved in with them after the passing of Rose's father, quilting became an important part of her relationship with her mother until her untimely death in 1926.
Rose showed several items that inspired many of the patterns that she has created. The picture above shows a lovely doily that turned out to be a holder for hot pads.
Then there are patterns that beg to be tweaked.
Rose encouraged all of us to get to be best friends with our butcher, he has the neatest paper for tracing designs on. Bigger and sturdier than other papers that are out there.
Rose likes to draw her pattern on the butcher paper, cut out and place her fabric choices and if they work, start putting them together right from the paper.
Mr. Krestlinger is an attorney, Rose loves to go visit him at work and "discover" what wonders his office holds - file folders and/or legal packets that make great templates.
Carbon paper to copy designs - handle gently so as not to smudge and sew them together to make the size you need.
Rose finds three factors to be the most important in making her quilts
COLOR DESIGN & the QUILTING itself.
As you can see from the Snow Flake Quilt above, she tries to stay with the 2 parts figure to 3 parts background for a pleasing sight and somewhere to rest your eyes.
(Rose gave us so much information that I may have gotten some wrong, so please forgive me if I put the incorrect name with the following quilts.)
Garden Trellis
Whig Rose - Democrat Rose - Antique Rose (the last is the name that Rose gave this quilt as her husband is a Republican) Notice the border where she is using undulating lines.
Oriental Poppy
Ohio Rose
(Shown here just above the quilt on the table which is also an Ohio Rose, with straight borders)
Indian Wreath. A central medallion where Rose eliminated some items and added more color.
Pride of Iowa
Orchid Wreath - this is Rose's own pattern that she made for her daughter using a Coco Cola advertisement as the inspiration.
French Basket Quilt
(missed this one)
New Rose Tree with swags and tassels in the border.
Rose Wreath
Out of 900+ entries, Rose won 2nd place for this quilt in the Womens Day Contest that was held.
Her interlocking circles really make this quilt and keep the eye moving.
Rose improved upon the Paradise Garden Design above and is the last quilt that she has finished. She put in over 4 years with the stuffed work she did with a stilleto.
Rose stated that she likes to enter fairs and the such just to hear what people have to say about her quilts.
This is a quilt that she has not finished yet - she thinks the flowers are too heavy.
She is trying a different version to see how she likes the change.
Rose read for us an insert from "Romance of the Patchwork Quilt in America" where it stated that everyone has a natural desire to create beauty. With a little patience, practice and study - we all can create "A thing of beauty is a joy forever" (John Keats 1818).
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Then with a change of glasses - Debbie Divine, a historical re-enactor based out of Salina - left her Rose Kretsinger persona and finished answering our questions. Twelve of Rose's quilts have been donated to the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Debbie had the privilege of seeing them as they are not often on display. The items in Debbie's re-enactment are replicas of tools that Rose used, not always exact, but as close as she can get them. Debbie loves research and Rose was a perfect subject to study and become. Congratulations to Debbie for staying in character throughout the presentation. Debbie herself loves to try new techniques and stays with making smaller quilts.
Debbie let us know that
Barbara Brackman and Karla Menaugh have a new book out - "Emporia Rose, Applique Quilts" that showcases Rose Kretsinger and other Emporia quilters of the past.
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Show 'n Tell
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Carol B. is a proud grandmother - her granddaughter took a Grand Champion in 4-H clothing and the day that they came to interview her, Carol was there. She was very pleased and surprised to find herself, her daughter and granddaughter on the front page. See Carol if you would like to read the article they wrote.
For their 50th Anniversary, Carol made the above applique and embrodered remembrance.
Frances showed us her "coin" prayer quilt. With the back as pretty as the front.
Jane made the above quilt, her back makes it reversible.
Donna learned another way to cut and move layer cakes and then had her husband help her arrange them into this great look. The back is shown in the bottom right corner.
Lisa showed us her unfinished quilt that Susie quilted as she did not think she would get it back to the quild for show and tell when it is finished. (Remember, you can click on a picture and blow it up to get a better look.)
Deb was on her way out of an auction when she heard this quilt top being auctioned off and no one bidding, so she ran back waving her hand and it became hers for only $5. Doing her own quilting - Deb has kept the investment in this quilt way down.
Deb's son has had too many friends having children, she never knows when he is going to pop in and ask her if she has a baby blanket - so this is one she came up with from a saved fabric.
Mark told Susie she needed to start tracking her time - he knows she has over 30 hours in on this whole cloth. Susie can explain how she did it and got the trapunto portions. This is one that you have to see in person to really get the full effect. Gorgeous.
Here is the block that Bev made at the quilt block workshop. She saw the design while driving and stopped in to ask for the pattern.
Lynn's 16 year old granddaughter picked out the fabrics and requested just a quilt with squares. Lynn started it, but then her granddaughter finished it. And when Susie got done quilting it with circles - much more grand than Lynn thought possible.
Here is Juanita's quilt block from the workshop.
Carol brought in this crazy quilt to share with the ladies in the embroidery group. Lots of hand stitching on it.
Christina made her quilt block with her family heritage in mind and is still tweaking it.
Virginia not only made this block she is showing, but is also working on a second one, with a third in the design stage and a fourth now wanted by her son. Good job Virginia.
Jane forgot to show us her block though it was on display among the other "barn quilt blocks" worked on at the workshop.
Erlene had more of a tell this month. She had the privilege of taking care of a 14 year old grandson and taught him to sew - it's okay to be into Joanns for hours - as long as it is for fabric for HIS project.
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Block of the Season
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Fall - "Every Which Way Geese"
Vevia got her inspiration from the Jan/Feb '14, No 155 Quiltmaker magazine, page 52. Peg Spradin's "Baby Pinwheels"
In order to get the size and make it easier to do, Vevia made some changes and showed everyone how to put it together.
After you have made the first block, make a couple more. The above pictured table runner is made with three "Every Which Way Geese" blocks.
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Start gathering your change together for next month - Such a quick and easy way to shop right here at home.
See you at 6:00 pm. on September 15th at the First Baptist Church in Clay Center, KS.
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