Wind down your week with today’s somewhat random assortment of quilt- and textile-related news items, won’t you? (Click on the links to read more and to see photos).
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Are you a fan of “CSI,” “NCIS” or “L&O?” Then you may be interested in the story of 19th-century England’s Joe the Quilter (not be be confused with the contemporary American Joe “the Quilter” Cunningham, although apparently modern Joe has been influenced by historical Joe). Joseph Hedley of Tynedale, Northumberland, was a prolific and successful quiltmaker who made headlines in 1826 when he was murdered in his home. Despite a reward being offered, his killer was never found. Recently a team of archeologists excavated the foundations of his humble cottage as part of a larger historical preservation project and open-air museum – it looks like it’s going to be very interesting when it’s complete.
www.chroniclelive.co.uk
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October, as most of us know, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and TV show “Project Runway” is doing its part to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research by auctioning a quilt made by former designers on the show. (Fun fact: Modern Quilt Guild co-founder and author Alissa Haight Carlton is a casting director on “Project Runway,” so perhaps the fact they made a quilt is no coincidence.)
www.charitybuzz.com
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Home-decor-and-design website Lonny is getting in on the “decorate for autumn with quilts” trend with “Quilts Are the New Duvets, And You Should Have One for Fall,” which takes a decidedly modern bent.
www.lonny.com
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Fiber art and medical technology meet with “A View Within,” an exhibit by fiber artists Paula Chung and Karen Rip creating personal interpretations of body images captured by CT scans, MRIs, X-rays and ultrasounds. Both artists have exhibited in Quilt=Art=Quilts and at Quilt National, and they have had solo shows at the former ArtQuilt Gallery, NYC. “A View Within” is on display through November 1 at The Gallery at Penn College, Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
gallery.pct.edu
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In August the Wall Street Journal Magazine ran a short story on “The Art World’s New Material Obsession: Fiber.”
www.wsj.com
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Through October 12, visitors to the Guggenheim Museum’s Doris Salcedo retrospective exhibition will encounter Salcedo’s room-sized installation, A Flor de Piel (2014). A wave of red fabric unfolds across the floor, forming a vermillion terrain that emanates from the back of the gallery. On close inspection, viewers see that this material is made of hundreds of individual rose petals, each of which was chemically treated to preserve its dark hue and pliant texture, that Salcedo hand stitched together (there is a video on the Guggenheim blog that shows close-ups of the stitches). She created this work in homage to a Colombian nurse who was kidnapped and tortured to death after providing care to injured parties on both sides of Colombia’s protracted civil war.
blogs.guggenheim.org
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Without the textiles of India, quiltmaking today would be … well, I can’t even comprehend how much different quiltmaking would be without Indian textiles. After all, calico was not only originally made in India, but the name is derived from the ancient city of Calicut, where it was first obtained. The Fabric of India exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London through January 10, 2016, will be the first major exhibition to explore the dynamic and multifaceted world of handmade textiles from India, spanning from the 3rd century to the present day. Showcasing the best of the V&A’s world-renowned collection together with masterpieces from international partners and leading designers, the exhibition will feature over 200 objects, many on display for the first time. Visitors can expect a stunning range of historic dress, heirloom fabrics, and cutting-edge fashion.
www.vam.ac.uk
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Have you heard our big news? F+W, Quilters Newsletter’s parent company, has teamed up with quilt and pattern designer extraordinaire Tula Pink to bring to her fans new kits, books and an exclusive 12-part video series on QNNtv.com, “Tula’s House,” that details her design process. As I’ve said in the past, I’m definitely a Tula Pink fangirl, so I’m pretty excited to have even more of an excuse to look at her amazing fabrics and quilt designs, and I’m really looking forward to watching the series. Here’s a short teaser preview; find more preview videos on the Tula Pink QNNtv channel.
And now I really want to go home and start playing with fabric.
As always, to find out about Quilters Newsletter’s giveaways, quilting news, tips, techniques and more, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, QNNtv.com and our website. Plus, see Web Seminars on QuiltAndSewShop.com and classes, courses and workshops on Craft Daily.com and CraftOnlineUniversity.com.