buy viagra without prescription

buy viagra without prescription

Sunday, December 4th, 2011

At times of great stress, a quilter will often turn to the comfort of making a quilt which has a deeper meaning lost to the viewers of the quilt if they do not know the story behind it. I made such a quilt in 1992 after being diagnosed as having a medical problem that required further diagnosis via a biopsy. The “lump” proved to be benign but, in the meantime, the time that elapsed between discovery and diagnosis seemed like an eternity.

While waiting, I thought about life, the importance about my journey here, and what the future might hold. I wanted to make a quilt that “stated” my core beliefs and said something about who I am. Now, when I look at this quilt, I can see only the design flaws and things I would do differently if making this quilt today. Nonetheless, this quilt represents intense feelings of uncertainty as well as a longing to be in a far very different “place” such as in a sleigh with my beloved, passing a quaint, little church. This one is made of fabric that looks like stones and has a gold cross on top that stands as a beacon of hope in the vastness of Nature that surrounds it.

1992 quilt
“A Winter’s Journey,” fused and needle-turned appliqué quilt by Pat

In retrospect, I would make the borders wider and would quilt them. I would move the lone tree to a position by itself, so that it does not “blend in” to the background of other trees. I would make the mountain tops less “even” and with more peaks. Appliqué was a fairly new technique to me, at the time, and fusible appliqué was just coming into more prominent use. The horse and sleigh with human figures was very fun to make, an adaptation of a portion of a commercial pattern. For me, the “people” represent my husband and I, on a journey to goodness-knows-where, surrounded by the bleakness of winter and the whiteness of the snow which symbolized the “white out” of “forever.”

One does not have to be a terrific quilter to personalize quilting and make it meaningful. This quilt was made when I was still taking baby steps in learning to quilt. Now that I am an advanced quilter, it is easy to scoff at my own feeble attempts in the first quilts I ever made. However, each one has taught me something and the lessons extend far beyond the technical aspects of quilting. I have learned that it is okay to try, even if we fail to meet our own standards, in retrospect.

Self-expression and the use of textiles as a point of connection between heart and hand are the most important considerations. Sure, if I decided to make this quilt again today, it would be superior in execution. However, I could never again capture the essence of feelings from which this quilt demanded to come into being. The good news is that I have lived almost twenty more years since that troubling time. The quilt reminds me that I am here, by the grace of God alone, and that He has many more lessons to impart to me and to others who heed His direction.

May you have peace today.

Patricia Cummings

Tags:
Posted in , , | Comments Off

buy viagra without prescription

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

Why Quilts “Matter”: A Quilt Discussion
by Patricia L. Cummings

quilt in progress

This particular quilt which I named “Die Gedanken Sind Frei” is composed of reproduction blocks based on various antique quilts in my collection or traditional quilt blocks I have made to illustrate designs for published (printed magazine) articles when originals were not available. I started quilting this by hand about a year ago and hope to resume working on it again, soon! I’ve been sidetracked with research and writing articles and books! Both nineteenth and twentieth century quilt block representations are included in this quilt.

Although no one has ever asked me for an opinion as to why quilts matter, this topic has been a theme in many of my previous writings. Since I am counting sheep instead of zzz’s on this already too long a night at 12:53 a.m., I have begun thinking (again) about quilts and this very subject of why they DO matter.

Most people who consider the “value” of a quilt, think in terms of dollars: how cheaply they can buy a nice quilt for their bed, or an antique one to collect, or how inexpensively they can make a quality quilt. Perhaps, they recall quilts made by their own grandmother, aunt or mother. Some quilters compare their own talents to those of others who are reaping monetary rewards in big shows, galleries or in private sales, and conclude that they would like to make competition quilts in the hope of winning a big cash award. Just maybe that could happen! Everyone likes to think that their work is so unique and so precious that it is certainly valuable in a way that translates into collecting money for parting with (i.e. selling) some of their own artist “statements.”

buy viagra without prescription
In a world awash with quilts in every corner of the globe and with the number of coolie laborers who churn out the “hand quilted” two stitches per inch quilts in third world countries (sold in U.S. department stores), not to even mention the number of quilts that are being generated by people of more skill, it is clear to see that in the future, museums will be collecting less and less quilts. They will simply run out of room! The baby boomers, age 55+, are among the most prolific quilters today! (They have the money and the time to engage in this (now) rather expensive “hobby” with $30,000 sewing machines, fabric at at least $10 dollars per yard and that cost escalating. Even cotton thread is more expensive these days, its price increasing due to shortage of cotton and failure of cotton crops on the world market).

buy viagra without prescription
The term “museum quality” quilt has always seemed like a misnomer to me as it does not always reflect the quilts that typically have found their way into museum holdings. I have to wonder what that term means to most people. There are some “nice” quilts in institutional collections but based on certain collections I have personally seen and/or studied, I’d hazard a guess that many of them were collected just because someone wanted to find a “good home” for them. Some are falling apart, have little provenance, or were not well-constructed in the first place. To automatically assume that a “museum quality” quilt denotes a pristine and terrific quilt is to guess wrong. Museums today are becoming more discerning in collecting any new items and often request a donation to care for a quilt “in perpetuity”. A disclaimer is also provided that the museum may “de-accession” the quilt, at any time. The term could mean selling it to another institution or otherwise “getting rid” of it.

buy viagra without prescription
As a related aside, I’ll mention that today, I was reading (the late) Cuesta Benberry’s ideas about the naming of quilts. In her study of fictional literature, especially of the nineteenth century, a time when some quilt historians have believed that no formal names for quilts existed, she found references to certain quilt patterns that would have been known by readers of the day who shared knowledge of the given names as a common point of reference. She concludes that the quilt designs would not have been mentioned by name had they not generally been known.

Benberry continues her analysis by saying that when the quilt name is noted in a short story, the name of the quilt is not capitalized nor is it in quotation marks. Rather, it is presented in a lower case format, as if to say that the quilt, a common everyday object, just did not carry enough clout to be recognized by its own proper name. This situation has changed, especially when quilt patterns were offered regularly in nineteenth century catalogs, journals, magazines and later, books. I found her views to be very insightful and a refreshing approach to customary and standard pat observations of those who have studied quilt history. It is always good to consider new perspectives and ingenious of Benberry to study the connection of literature and quilts.

buy viagra without prescription
As a quilt maker, not just a casual observer of quilts made by other people, the value of any quilt goes far deeper than is visible by any mortal other than the quilter who envisioned the textile. Advanced quilters and certainly quilt artists strive to make their quilts just a little different from others they have seen. That goal is the driving factor in the variety of pieced and appliquéd quilts that we see with a nineteenth or twentieth century provenance.

People live by copying, that much is true. However, they also like to put their own “spin” on things to take a traditional pattern and make it their own. That could mean changing the color choices, the size of the blocks, setting blocks on point rather than in a straight alignment and a myriad number of other ways that someone can take an idea and manipulate it to suit themselves. It happens all the time, and more than the public would realize.

There are certain timeless design themes that are found again and again: flowers, animals, children at play, plants, the sun, people, landscapes, geometric shapes, interlocking shapes, the sea, the mountains, holiday themes, etc. Quilts often reflect the world in which we live. Some modern quilts explore fractal geometry, a fascinating subject that is more and more being studied as a way to better understand the universe, including biological/medical implications.

buy viagra without prescription
Quilts celebrate traditions! As the Holy Bible states, there is little new under the sun. The beauty of any quilt is found in the love that is put its creation as well as the quilter’s desire to create something that never existed before. To that end, the quilt artist selects fabrics, cuts them into various shapes and assembles the pieces according to their own creative inspirations.

buy viagra without prescription
There is something about a quilt that makes people want to reach out and touch it. That is especially true of old quilts that have been washed, again and again, and as a result are very soft and cuddly. Even animals realize the comfort of quilts. Even dogs and cats manage to pull off any quilt or crocheted afghan draped on the back of a sofa and paw it into their own little “nest” that surrounds them with warmth.

As quilters, we make quilts for many different reasons: to honor people, to share ideas, and to leave a trace of ourselves behind when we are no longer here, and for many people, as a source of income. Some of us challenge ourselves to improve and update our skills and with experience and persistence, most quilters become better at their craft, over time. The learning curve needed to make all of the different styles of quilts is a challenge in and of itself. No quilter ever needs to be bored or worry about finding something meaningful to do. Work is always available and if one likes to quilt by hand, a project can always be taken along to pick up and put down at will, when one has a few moments available.

buy viagra without prescription
Textiles of all kinds, among them quilts, embroideries, woven and printed fabrics (old and new), and certainly, clothing, can be clues as to the lifestyle of the people who made them and the culture in which they originated.

buy viagra without prescription
Quilts and other textiles, from needlepoint kneeling cushions to quilted banners and embellished/embroidered garments of church officials are used for ecclesiastical celebrations. Ceremonial bibs and other special textiles such as baptismal gowns are worn and often passed down through a number of generations. Quilts often are given in honor of the birth of a baby. They are most certainly associated with weddings. Historically, they have a long tradition of being given to departing loved ones (to family members heading west during the years of America’s expansion or to a minister who was assigned to another congregation, especially during the nineteenth century when those elegant quilts were made in Baltimore, Maryland for Methodist ministers.

buy viagra without prescription
Quilts matter to me because I have been immersed in their study and in their making for almost three decades. Before becoming a quilter, I engaged in many other creative outlets including oil painting, doll making, embroidery techniques of all kinds, home sewing, crocheting, stenciling and making other crafted items. In quilting, I found a means of expression that exceeded anything creative I had ever attempted before.

As an active and avid quilt researcher, I try to bring some of the excitement of my own personal findings to light in my many articles published in print venues, books and (for free perusal) on my website and on this blog. I have enjoyed the past twelve years of writing my own quilt history column for The Quilter magazine and more articles are in the works!

Quilting as a hobby, or rather… as a passion, has longevity and has far more significance to a quilter than any non-quilting person would be able to imagine. Quilts have an intrinsic value that far exceeds their associated dollar value. The prices of quilts, like books, on the secondary market would probably astound their original makers, especially those stay-at-home moms in other centuries, some of whom never “earned” a penny in their lives, yet worked tirelessly for the comfort of their families, including making quilts to keep them warm.

buy viagra without prescription
Today, those who traffic in quilts, shows, fabrics, fibers, books, magazines, notions, sewing thread, classes, workshops, lectures, retreats and everything else that makes up the commercial world of quilting represent what is referred to as the quilt industry. This worldwide enterprise generates billions of dollars in trade each year. Even if all that were to go away tomorrow, we would still have “little old lady” quilters to whom quilting and quilt friends are vital components of life, necessary as the air they breathe. In summary, these thoughts delineate just a few of the reasons why quilts matter!

Quilts today collectively represent tradition, innovation and vision. Non-quilters who are non-conversant with the richness of the quilting legacy would have a much better appreciation of the meaning of quilts if they only knew more about quilt history and how styles of quilts have evolved and developed over time. It is a beautiful study and one that has enriched my life immeasurably! Quilting engages the soul and the mind and one cannot overstate its importance. This essay cannot begin to reveal the significance of quilts as objects of material culture.

Cheers!

copyright 2011, Patricia Cummings
, Concord, NH

Tags:
Posted in , , | Comments Off

buy viagra without prescription

Wednesday, September 28th, 2011

The much-awaited film documentary, “Prohibition,” by award-winning New Hampshire filmmaker Ken Burns will be offered on amazon.com in early October via the purchase of a DVD or Blu-Ray version. The same series will be aired on various PBS stations around the country. In whatever manner you view this slice of American history, I am sure you won’t want to miss this coverage!

“T” quilts may or may not have been made in the nineteenth century (1800s) to protest drinking. Likewise, two-color quilts in the pattern that is sometimes called “Drunkard’s Path,” made during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, have traditionally been assigned to that “motive” as well. That could be the case but the truth of the matter is that the intent has gone to the grave and cannot be verified 100% unless perhaps someone decides to hold a seance (not recommended). So, without documentation, we are left with record speculation. The geometric curvilinear configuration of “Drunkard’s Path,” often rendered in red and white or blue and white fabrics, has many other published names!

To read a cogent summary of one discussion, read Kim Wulfert’s blog entry at:

To see a beautiful example of an offered this week on eBay, visit listing # 310331854634 by French72.

Google the term “Drunkard’s Path quilt” to find other references and files online.

For the love of quilts,

Patricia Cummings

Tags: , ,
Posted in , , | Comments Off

buy viagra without prescription

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

This afternoon, we received the following photo taken by Charlotte Croft, maker of the quilt below. While she says it is not the most beautiful quilt she has ever made, I’d have to disagree. It was made with such warmth and kindness for a victim of Hurricane Irene, it simply glows with the love that went into it.

Charlotte is always stepping up to the plate whether it is to help finish the quilt of someone who has passed on and didn’t have a chance to complete the work; or making quilts for family or friends; or to exhibit annually at the Billings Farm and Museum quilt exhibit. For this quilt, she gathered orphan blocks and put them altogether. It is a scrap lover’s paradise.

I predict that this one-of-a-kind quilt, if it survives will be much in demand in future years. The current collector’s trend is toward “wonky” quilts with character and this seems to fit the bill. Charlotte, with your eye for color, you make beautiful quilts without even trying! I love it!

quilt for victim of
Quilt to be sent to comfort a victim of Hurricane Irene, a Charlotte Croft creation!

Patricia Cummings

Posted in | Comments Off

buy viagra without prescription

Monday, September 5th, 2011

If you don’t like to read tragic, heart wrenching stories, turn your attention to some other matter… now! This post is about Alzheimer’s Disease. It isn’t just a random ailment. It wears a face. That face could be that of your grandmother, your mother, or some other loved one who leaves you to pick up the pieces after their mind has been shattered and they no longer make sense to themselves or anyone else. It is a disease of frustration. On some level, the patient knows and feels their loss of clarity and cognition. On yet another level, they lose their faculty for things that once came so easily. The letter I am going to post here (page 1 of 2 pages) is the final letter my mom ever wrote. When she was unable to speak, she simply handed me this note that has only a hint of her former beautiful penmanship and has misspelled and crossed out words as well as jumbled thoughts.

final letter from Mom
This is the final letter ever written to me by “Mom.”

Today, I started to make a quilt with these words, and what you see here is a photo transfer with a patch of Forget-me-not flowers added, a photo by James Cummings. I am not sure I can continue and actually finish this page into a quilt. After all these years, the memory of her final illness is still painful. She begged for help, a doctor who could “fix” her and make her whole again and give her back her mind. Yet, there was no one who could possibly help as she sunk into the personal isolation of the disease, the anger that accompanied loss of herself, and the alienation that the disease created in relationships with others. Only God had a remedy and in his own sweet time, he took her “home,” an end to a long life of 92 years that I am afraid included more days of trials than days of sunshine.

I would like to be able to make a quilt for Ami Simm’s Alzheimer’s Quilts Initiative program - – but my personal experience is getting in the way. I just can’t bring myself to make cute or cheerful little quilts that someone would actually buy to support the cause. For now, all I can do is to lend my verbal support to her program and tell you that it is a good thing to raise awareness of this disease and to raise money for research into possible cures or treatments.

God Bless us all,

Patricia Cummings

Tags: , ,
Posted in , , |

buy viagra without prescription

Sunday, August 14th, 2011

The following link connects with a wonderful summary written by Lisa Evans, quilt historian and medieval quilt specialist, who like many of us have been following a certain quilt myth for years now.

Don’t take “our” word for it. Read the book yourself!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in , , | Comments Off

buy viagra without prescription

Thursday, August 4th, 2011

Recently, I spotted a tag on a quilt in an antique shop that said “Civil War Era” quilt. I would love to know more about this quilt: where it has been, how it was damaged, and who made it. Alas, once a quilt gets sold in an estate sale or abused for awhile before being shuffled off to an antiques dealer because it “might” be worth something, the only clues to its previous “life” are visible on the quilt’s surface.


Was the dealer capitalizing on a popular theme, the Civil War, or did he/she have actual provenance information of which we were unaware? We’ll never know!

This quilt has a long tear that looks that it has been sliced with a sharp object. In spite of that, the quilt is very charming! Although it was originally intended to be a bed quilt, no doubt, it is striking when it is placed vertically. Its colors and the designs are cleverly rendered in scraps but with enough repeated colors to give the quilt a sense of unity.

At first, I thought I’d spend time trying to “fix” the damage, but then I reasoned that I did not buy it to “use” on a bed. I purchased it because I simply like it. Good enough reason. I would be happy enough to just reproduce a similar quilt someday, if I find the time. If not, I have enjoyed and appreciated the work of some unknown quilter that will forever remain anonymous. It is sobering to realize how little family members of quilters can care about their work. Quilts often pass out of family hands to total strangers who, like me, would like to see a quilt used for something other than a dog bed.

There was just something compelling about this quilt. It spoke to me. It’s hard to explain why quilters just love quilts but we do! I am sure that the person who made this quilt has long been pushing up the daisies. The quilt is still here and it tells a story that we can only imagine. Maybe that is part of its charm.

Patricia Cummings

Tags:
Posted in , , | Comments Off

buy viagra without prescription

Sunday, July 10th, 2011

Some quilters are totally frightened at the prospect of doing appliqué and yet it is one of the most enjoyable types of quilting to do, if one knows how! That seems to be the key: the word “if.” I must have been very lucky to have been taught how to appliqué by a couple of outstanding quilters. To me, needleturn appliqué looks the prettiest. If that is too daunting, start out with something less intimidating like buttonhole stitch appliqué by hand. In the 1930s, quilters did not even bother to turn under the edges of the appliqué at all, in some instances, and just appliquéd on the raw edge. That can become problematic if the quilt or finished quilted item is ever washed. If the stitched are not closely-spaced, there will be unraveling.

cover of a pattern for a vintage Pansy coverlet
Detailed instructions for the vintage Pansy quilt shown here are available @$9.95 which includes shipping (U.S.). For more details, contact: The flowers and leaves are appliquéd with Buttonhole Stitch in the original but the motifs could be appliquéd in any way one chooses.

Some of the mid-19th century quilts that fascinate us today, like the Baltimore Album beauties and the quilts of the Red & Green tradition, were appliquéd. They look elegant and often required the skills of a fine needlewoman to add embroidery and layers of fabric in designs (as well as a skilled hand in inking as many were signature quilts).

In today’s society, it seems that we want “instant” everything. Anything that takes time and care is “too much trouble” for most people. Yesterday I told a friend that I really appreciate the fact that I was educated in Catholic school for the first six grades. We were taught “cursive” writing or “Penmanship” as it was called. I loved to practice writing the letters and always enjoyed reading my mother’s beautiful cursive handwriting.

letter to Jack 1964
An unmailed letter to my brother Jack, written by my mother in February 1964, mentions me. Jack was away at Air Force Basic Training in San Antonio, Texas, at the time.

Over the years, my own handwriting has deteriorated but if I concentrate, I can still write well. Similarly, I love to do Calligraphy and have taken several courses to learn how. Whether we concentrate on making beautiful letters or beautiful stitches, time is required… and care as well as concentration.

The fact was brought out on the Nightly News the other night that Penmanship (cursive writing) will no longer be taught in America. In the day of the computer, the subject is not considered important. To my way of thinking, children are being cheated out of a wonderful, artistic experience. When we take shortcuts, in the long run, we are never as satisfied as if we had taken the time to learn how to do something that is more pleasing.

Fusible appliqué and other shortcuts are fine, as is printing letters of the alphabet instead of writing them in an artistic manner. I have to ask, “What are we losing in the process?” Something to consider… Anyone else a fan of adding beauty to our world in small ways?

Patricia Cummings who likes the Argentinian saying: “Before one dies, one should write a book, plant a tree and have a baby,” and is happy to say that she has completed all of those experiences! Cheers!

Tags: , ,
Posted in , , | Comments Off

buy viagra without prescription

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

Beth and Dan Davis in period costume - July 2010
Beth Davis and her husband, Dan, July 2010

Long time friend and professional associate, Elizabeth Davis, has been appointed as Vice-President of the . Beth is a dedicated quilt historian who has contributed much to the quilt world as we know it.

Beth Davis at Genessee
A costumed Beth Davis hand quilts on various quilt projects to show museum visitors how this activity might have looked in the old days

She volunteers as an historical interpreter at one of the houses on location at in Rochester, New York. Her book, A Stitch in Time, provides details about the museum’s antique quilt collection and is available in the museum’s gift store.

Beth Davis holding her book

Beth learned about the business of quilt appraisals by attending annual meetings at Paducah, Kentucky where conducts its annual contest display of quilts that draws quilters from everywhere! A program to train and certify quilt appraisers was founded by , a well-known collector and fabric designer who holds an M.F.A. degree. To pass muster and become certified, a student must excel in knowledge about antique quilt patterns, comparative values and ethics. The PAAQT group to which Beth Davis has been named vice-president is an off-shoot of a group that encompasses graduates of the AQS program.

Beth Davis at her educational booth
Quilt Show 2007 in NY

As quilt historian of her quilt club for years, Beth has led many an educational program about antique quilts. She sets up an educational booth at her local show and provides information about quilt care, often showing visitors my book, buy viagra without prescription, now available as an easily-stored e-book (nothing other than a computer needed to view it).

Beth has been very active in her two local quilt guilds, one in Henrietta, NY and another one located in Rochester, New York. Recently, she designed a quilt for the Rochester group group whioch was made twice by members of the group, One of the quilts will be raffled within the club and the other identical quilt will become part of the group’s saved quilts. The Genessee Valley Quilt Club (GVQC) draws its members from the local Rochester, NY area and is currently marking its 75th year anniversary. It is one of the oldest continually-meeting quilt groups in the country.

Beth and her friend, Anne, in Paducah 2011
Beth Davis and her friend, Anne, getting stocked up on quilting supplies at the AQS Show in Paducah, 2011.

When not quilting or appraising quilts, Beth who worked as an international import/export agent for Kodak for more than thirty years, spends her time as a substitute postal worker. Beth conducts Save Our Stories interviews for the Alliance for American Quilts. At home, she and her husband, Dan, enjoy their miniature horses, and a group of ever-expanding household pets. To read a story about one of Beth’s horses click on “.” Jim and I congratulate Elizabeth Davis on all of her accomplishments and wish her continued success!

For Your Information:

buy viagra without prescription

The group’s biennial quilt show will be set up on the campus of Rochester Institute of Technology. The show lasts for three days, June 3-5, 2011. Six hundred member quilts and 10 traveling exhibits will be featured as well as more than 40 participating vendors. In addition, the show will host a Wearable Art Show, an Iron Quilter Competition, an exhibit of Challenge Quilts, and a Live Auction (with proceeds to be given to Gilda’s Club). “Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend” is challenge quilt theme this year and prize money of $1,000 will be awarded by a certified quilt judge and an appraiser.
For more information, contact Val Schultz,

Posted by Patricia Cummings, Quilter’s Muse Publications

Posted in , |

buy viagra without prescription

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

Here is a link to today’s announcement of special activities in August 2011 in Manhattan to raise money for the Alliance for the American Quilt which helps to preserve heritage materials and quilters’ stories for posterity.

Posted in , | Comments Off

buy viagra without prescription

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

A reader who identifies herself only as “Suzan” has sent photos of a “Mammy” quilt she made in Redwork. Here is one of the photos:

Mammy Quilt with words
A “Mammy” quilt with words: “Our Patchwork Heritage Strengthens Not Weakens.”

Posted in , | Comments Off

buy viagra without prescription

Monday, May 9th, 2011

Today, Julie Silber who is an active preserver of quilt history through all of her many activities from film producer to curator to quilt collector/quilt dealer (and fun auctioneer for the American Quilt Study Group’s seminars), has come up with an amazing Crazy Quilt that previously belonged to Mary Strickler. Below is a full-size view of this extraordinary piece. I am amazed that in my personal collection, I have one of the prints of children. I love the large size pieces of fabric that show children and animals and I just adore this quilt! Hope you enjoy seeing it! Thanks to Julie for permission to post it here. I appreciate all of her efforts and those of her helpful partner.

Crazy Quilt from the Quilt Complex
Overall view of a beautiful Crazy Quilt. The fun, however, lies in the details. Be sure to visit all of the many close-up photos at Julie’s site:

You can read much more about the theme of Victorian Crazy Quilts on my website: . I have enjoyed making this style of quilt for many years now, have taught Crazy Quilting as a workshop to guilds and Community Education participants and have had some of my quilts published in Miniature Quilts (out of business and formerly published by Chitra Publications) and magazine articles. Very fun, indeed! Just key in the words, “Crazy Quilt” in the search engine on our main website. Enjoy!


For Kindles

The full length film of “Hearts and Hands,” first produced by Julie Silber, Pat Ferrero and the late Elaine Hedges, may still be available directly from Julie Silber. It is a wonderful film. Don’t miss it!

Contact info for Julie:

Julie Silber
The Quilt Complex
P.O. Box 729
Albion, CA 95410
707-937-0739

Patricia Cummings, quilt historian, and one of the first regional quilt coordinators (1993-1994) for the

Tags: , ,
Posted in , , | Comments Off

buy viagra without prescription

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

Award-winning Artist Mary Stoudt Chosen for Ohio’s Prestigious “Quilt National” Show from May 28-Sept. 5

Her colorful and contemporary work also in upcoming shows at some things looming and the GoggleWorks in Reading, PA.

City View
“City View”

Reading, Pa—Award-winning contemporary quilting and fiber artist Mary E. Stoudt () will be part of three major national and regional arts shows being held throughout spring, summer and fall 2011.

They include the prestigious Quilt National exhibit at the Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, Ohio; the national juried “Size Matters” Show at the some things looming Fiber Arts Gallery and Studio, Reading, PA; and the “Inside Outside: A Broad Interpretation of Space and Place on the Edge and in Between,” Reading, PA.

Since the 1970s, Stoudt, a former art teacher, has been stitching, weaving, making paper and creating mixed media to create diverse works described by critics as “whimsical and spiritual.” She has a studio (#314) in The GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St., Reading, PA 19601.

Village Dreamscape
“Village Dreamscape”

She said, “In 2003, I started layering fabric in a grid fashion. Simply put, I visualize the quilt’s composition, its colors and forms and than—as I move through the process—I improvise on the details. For certain pieces, I make an actual size pattern as I move through the creation process, but I introduce new elements while using the patterns. “I love the warmth, the flexibility, the play of color and the textures of quilt making.”

Wool Meets Cotton
“Wool Meets Cotton”

In addition to her colorful one-of-a-kind original contemporary quilts 3 x 5 feet and larger, Stoudt creates quilted-based beaded and embroidered necklaces, painted 100 percent one-of-a-kind silk scarves and other pieces. Her art has appeared in invitational and juried shows throughout eastern Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic States, other states and other countries.

• The 17th biennial juried exhibition of contemporary art quilts, “Quilt National,” will be on view at the from May 28 through Sept. 5, 2011. Stoudt’s quilt “Equilibrium” will be included and was also chosen for a special award. Quilt National demonstrates the transformations taking place in the world of quilting. Its purpose is to carry the definition of quilting far beyond its traditional parameters and to promote quilt making as what it always has been–an art form.

• “Size Matters” will run from May that will run from May 7 through June 18, 2011 at , 526 Washington St., Reading. It will incorporate original work representing any and all techniques in fiber and textile arts. The right size is 12” square for two-dimensional work for “Size Matters.” Three-dimensional work can be freestanding or must fit on a 12”x12”x12” pedestal. Stoudt’s “Pipes 1, 2 and 3” were selected for the show.

• “Inside Outside” is the 2011 juried show at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St., Reading, which runs from May 13 to June 19, 2011. Stoudt’s “Vintage Gold Circle,” a mixed media work of fiber and papier mache, has been selected for this show.

For further information on her work and the three upcoming shows, visit Mary Stoudt’s website: www.marystoudt-artquilts.com, e-mail her at , or call 610-507-1815.

# # #

Mary E. Stoudt: Artist Statement

Mary Stoudt

“I create my art quilts looking through a lens informed by decades of experimenting with a wide variety of art media, namely, photography, printmaking, ceramics, weaving, collage, and sculpture.

“To begin an art piece, I imagine a basic composition in my head, concentrating on color and form, and then work intuitively through each piece. As I progress through the quilt, I improvise, perhaps like a jazz musician would.

“Sometimes, I give myself assignments such as, ‘See how big you can make a quilt,’ or ‘Use wool and cotton together,’ or ‘ See how many layer you can add.’ Some of my quilt creations could be put in categories such as color studies, storytelling, or optical illusions.

“I am influenced by a variety of artists, Here is my short list of favorites…Hundertwasser, Red Grooms, Audrey Flack, Louise Bourgeois, Chuck Close, Lee Krasner. If I made a list of favorites a month from now, I would probably add more names. Visiting an art gallery or art museum is my idea of a good time.”

Mary E. Stoudt Invitational Group Shows:

Pennsylvania Art Educators, Harrisburg
Artists’ look at Y2K, Penn State, PA

True Stories/Waking Dreams, Florida Craftsmen, Inc.

Without Restraints, Allentown, PA
New Arts Program, Allentown, PA

Yeiser Art Center:
Quilt National 2007 

“Up in Stitches,” Penn State Berks 2008
Art of the State, PA (1ST Crafts – 2008), (2nd Place – 2009 & 2010)

The Natural World, GoogleWorks Art Center (1st Place – 2009)

Allentown Art Museum Juried Show (2nd Place – 2009)

Amazing Art Show SAQA 2008

Paper and fiber-Museu Da Praia- Maragogi, Alagoas, Brazil- 2009

“More than Fiber,” GoogleWorks Art Center 2010

“Collective Thread,” University of Central Missouri Gallery of Design 2010

“Works on Paper,” Reutlingen, Germany 2010

The Art of Jazz Frank Scott Memorial Art Show- 1st place 2010

Concordia College- N.Y. Sew New 2010

Reading Public Museum-”Art of the Craft”-2010

Quilt National 2011
“Size Matters,” some things looming, Reading-2011.
–

SHIRKcommunications

HOME OFFICE:
The GoggleWorks
2nd & Washington Streets
Reading, PA 19601
(610)736-9223
Fax: (610)736-9224
Alan Shirk
alan@shirkcom.com

SATELLITE OFFICE:
105 Willow Glen Road
Morgantown, PA 19543
(610)286-1977
Cell: (610) 574-0295
Mike Shirk

This press release sent by Alan Shirk: , 610-736-9223 is brought to you courtesy of

Posted in , , | Comments Off

buy viagra without prescription

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

Recently, I first heard of “going home” quilts. These are quilts that are used in nursing homes. A quilt drapes the body of an individual (usually confined in a body bag) who has expired there. What a dignified and respectful way to transport the person to a waiting hearse! The residents who might happen to witness the event become less upset, and the individual who has died is escorted out of the home in style.

I am wondering how widespread this practice is. The quilts, of course, are not damaged in any way. They can be used again and again. I would love to hear from you if you have made such a quilt or if you know of this kind of event happening in a nursing home near you. This is yet another way that quilts serve in a very practical and humble way. I’d love to hear from you!

Patricia L. Cummings

Posted in |

buy viagra without prescription

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

I remember coming home from school every day when I was in high school. I was the youngest child and I would be the first to arrive home in the late afternoon while my parents were both at work in another city. Before digging in to “homework,” an idea that has probably disappeared now, along with the dinosaurs, I would often flip on the television. There was the usual choice: coverage of the Vietnam War or Peyton Place, an ongoing soap opera based on the controversial novel of the same name written by a New Hampshire woman. It was a scandalous work, at the time, because actual residents of her town were thinly disguised and shown in conjunction with their misdoings. I knew that the war was happening, in real time, and that was often the program of choice.

Souvenir textile from Vietnam

The Vietnam war was/is the only war that was ever broadcast in a blow by blow kind of way. I am not sure that our exposure to rice paddies and the down and dirty daily battles of soldiers did a thing to lessen the length of the war. This morning I am recalling other events covered by the media: the Kent State University shootings, the motorcade in Dallas where John F. Kennedy was shot dead, the fatal shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald, the Oklahoma bombing, the Texas massacre, the Twin Tower plane assaults, and the most recent world tragedy: the Japanese disaster.

The first time we see images of tragic events, we are stunned, captivated and want to learn more. We “stay tuned” for the latest, only to see a replay, again and again, of the event in question, to the point that we become DE-sensitized. Suddenly, it is like watching a cartoon or a scripted TV movie. The images and events take on a surreal meaning.

I am thinking of this issue today as I try to explain to myself the responses of some quilters at the suggestion of making quilts to send to Japan. Quilts have long been associated with care and comfort. In days past, when children stayed home sick from school, their mother would often bring out a “charm quilt” and ask them to find two patches that were alike. Carefully, they would look at the patterns, colors and designs of 999 patches, trying to find two matching fabrics. In so doing, I bet that a lot of them temporarily forgot their troubles. Now, I am not suggesting that people make charm quilts to send to Japan. However, in the midst of all of the worries currently challenging residents there, I can see how a bright cheerful quilt would mean a lot, especially to a child who has lost his home, toys and normal daily routine.

It is fine to say, “Someone else can do it,” or “The Red Cross is handing out blankets,” or “They don’t really need quilts.” Any excuse for not doing anything is as good as another. Just do not underestimate the impact of your part in potentially helping to improve a very bad situation. Sending a little love, wrapped in a quilt, is a sensitive response and an opportunity to show that you care.

Patricia Cummings

Tags:
Posted in , , | Comments Off