Monday, September 8, 2008

Smile for the Camera!


When Designer Quilts Magazine asked for photos to accompany their feature on quilting with MS, I called my friends for help. Sheila Lewis and Kathy Smith, both accomplished quilters, convincingly played themselves as my neighbor and professional photographer Sherry Simonetti snapped away. et the stage for the photo shoot and also posed for the camera.

Now that I no longer go upstairs to my sewing room, I work at the dining room table. It's become a dumping ground for fabrics and quilt projects, as well as anything else my family doesn’t quite know what to do with. Before we could take photos, the table had to be cleared, a stunt quilt located, and various poses discussed and rehearsed (so much for spontaneity).




Even thou the scene was staged, our laughter and smiles were authentic. 

The quilt that hangs in my dining room is a deceptively simple one patch, made from Milly Churbuck’s hand dyed cottons. The assorted 3 ½” squares came precut, in swatch packs Milly used to sell, featuring various color ways of her fabric. For a small price, I got plenty of colors, with scraps to spare for another project



What I tried to emulate were the simply pieced yet elegantly quilted comforters of Provence, France. CLICK TO ENLARGE the photo below. As you scroll around, you’ll see the borders are each hand quilted with a different motif. The date appears in the lower left corner.




Readers have often asked if Milly Churbuck’s hand dyed cottons are still available. They are not. However, I can recommend Cherrywood Hand Dyed Fabric or Vicki Welsh Hand Dyed Fabrics.

17 comments:

  1. What a happy "staged" picture and OMG you look fantastic! You're beautiful. Truly.

    I love your smile.


    *karendianne./ Living Life at LeeHaven

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  2. LOVE that quilt with the hand-dyed fabrics. And you look wonderfully happy with your friends surrounding you and your sewing machine! Thanks for sharing the photos.

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  3. Hey Diane -
    Looking forward to reading the article. You look great - and it was fun to she Kathie and Sheila. I do miss our good laughs!
    You can always use more than 1 red, you know......
    xoxo
    Barb

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  4. Looks like a fun day . . . even if it was staged *s*
    What a beautiful quilt!

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  5. You do all look like you're having a great time! And that quilt is gorgeous. I'll bet in person those hand-dyes are stunning.

    I owe you an email. Soon!

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  6. Diane, you look SO good!! I haven't seen you for about 2 years now I think (and we're a whole 25 miles apart). I'm glad you had a fun day with friends.

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  7. Love the quilt...the quilting especially! I noticed the date right off...what tiny stitches. Your smile is beautiful, not staged at all :)

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  8. Was just bouncing around and found your blog from guilting gallery - and this little quilt caught my eye. It is really pretty...so simple - yet so beautiful. Nice work - the hand quilting is stunning!!!

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  9. You DO look like you are all having a lovely time! Not at all stagey. I love the simplicity of that quilt on the wall - the colours are beautiful. And I also love the print beside it - just my cup of tea. As for dining room tables - highly over-rated items if kept pristine for diners! I think it is our duty as women of creativity and passion to keep them as messy as possible - that way, everybody who enters our home knows what our priorities are! :-)

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  10. Diane,
    I'm new to your blog and I am enamored with your breath taking quilts. I sympathize with your MS struggles as I have heart issues at the ripe old age of 44. My question is...where can I find those Milly Churbuck fabrics? I can't find them any where on the web. Thank for your help.
    Lindsey

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  11. Beautiful hand quilting and the colors are exquisite! The photos look great too!

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  12. Oh what a wonderful thing to have that article in the magazine! And you can tell you 3 are having fun!

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  13. I can't wait to read the article! You look great and the little quilt is wonderful. Isn't it great to have friends who can jump in and help like that (I am really impressed that they helped clear the dining room table...)

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  14. I love your quilt with the hand dyed fabrics. It makes me even more excited for the class I will be taking Wed. learning how to dye fabrics. Have a great day! Em

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  15. It is great to put a smiling face on a name and to see friendship around you.
    Marie-Damienne from France

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  16. sorry I'm late to the party! What a beautiful, deceptively simple quilt. It truly glows. Wonderful to have great friends to help out too!

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  17. I love that quilt on the wall! I need to get some hand dyes.

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