As I mentioned before, quilting doesn't have a tradition in my home country, we don't even have a German word for it. We say "patchwork", or the more modern quilters say "quilten" as a verb.When my husband and I first met, we also talked about art, and he told me that he was into Kandinsky and the Bauhaus movement. He inspired me to find out more, and I started thinking about "form follows function". I decided that I would abstain from mere decoration in favour of useful things.
Of course, this is up to everyone to decide for herself!
This is one of the reasons for me to try and make a bed quilt.
As soon as my bird quilt was large enough that I could sleep under it, I noticed that my sleep was better.
Did you have this experience, too?
I found out that it seems to balance temperature better than the expensive bought quilt with innovative fiber which rather tends to overheating my postmenopautic body.
It will take me some more time to finish it, add a backing fabric (I found one, it is a turkish bedcover with huge roses), do the basting and binding, and I'm rather exited whether I will manage such a big project or miserably fail.
I'm not planning a batting, because I appreciate the light quality of my quilt.
When it is done, I plan one for my husband. In the bauhaus style, inspired by the weaver Gunta Stoelzl.
11 comments:
I like to use flannel for the backside of my quilts or as a batting because I like just a little bit of weight. The best thing about making your own is being able to personalize.
I've always love the "Bauhaus" too! ...and even did a small tapestry in this style some years ago.
The works of Kandinsky and Klee (Oh! how I loved my visit to Bern this year!) should be a dream to quilt..
...you'll love making it too....
...because it's for your man!..
oh nothing like a hand made cloth for the bed. and such inspiration in that links. i think this will be a grand endeavor!
I like your thoughts about form following funtion. I grew up with quilts made by my grandmother on all of our beds and when my husband and I were first married, my grandmother gave us a quilt that her mother (my great-grandmother) had started and that that she (my grandmother) had completed. We cherished it, used it on our brass/bronze/iron bed as a bedspread and painted the room based on the colors in the quilt. The first quilt I ever made was a bedquilt and all of the subsequent ones until about 10 years ago when I started experimenting with different techniques for portable projects. Even so I have continued to make bedquilts for family and friends.(It just takes a long time since I make them totally by hand, no sewing machine involved.)It's worth it though when they are appreciated.
Thanks for the introduction to Gunta Stoelzl. As a weaver, I knew Anni Albers work -- but it was wonderful to discover Stoelzl!
A Bauhaus quilt for J! Now, that should be wonderful to see. In the meantime, I can't believe yours is already large enough to sleep under. You are amazing.
It surprises me that quilt making does not have much of a history in Germany. My paternal grandmother's parents came to America and settled in Wisconsin. They kept many of their German customs, and so much so that even a generation later, my father did not learn English until he went to school at age five. They only spoke German at home. My grandmother was the one who made the most beautiful quilts, and now I am guessing they were inspired by the American inspiration of this traditional craft.
I agree, there is such a difference sleeping under a handmade quilt versus one that is store bought.
In dreams we fly.
Seems quick? Well, you have children and grandchildren, drive them to school, bake cakes, take part in meetings, cook for the husband, paint the attic. I just watch my husband cooking. I can quilt at that time.
Of course you will finish that project - you are a very determined lady with oodles of inspiration. Keep it up! xx
I look forward to seeing your progress with J's quilt. I am beginning to think much more about usable art rather than that for the walls.
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