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Sunday 24 January 2016

A Patchwork Exhibition....photo heavy!

I was going to start my blog saying that there are no dolls in today's post but technically that isn't true, so I will start by saying that there are none of MY dolls in this post as today, although I have taken some photos of one of my own dolls, I will save those for another day.  Today I thought I'd share some photos of a patchwork exhibition that is taking place locally.  I only heard about it on Friday when I visited my favourite haberdashers, so although it runs until the 12th February, I thought I'd pop along today with my friend to see what was being displayed.  I had no idea if items would be for sale or whether it was a large exhibition, in fact all I knew was that it was being held in the Mayor's residence in Torre del Mar.

When I got there one of the ladies from the haberdashers was there as she is exhibiting a couple of her quilts.  I have known her for many years, she's a sweet lady who I call a friend, although we only chat when I go to get sewing supplies.  Her name is Puri, which I think is short for Purificación  and she comes from the north of Spain but has lived in this area for many years.  She is very talented with a needle and thread and she knits beautifully as well. 

Well the exhibition wasn't in a very big room but it was quite full of some lovely things which I thought I'd share here.  I hope you'll enjoy all the photos. 

Below Puri stands in front of one of the two patchwork quilts she was showing.  This one took her 9 months to make (bear in mind she also works full time in the haberdashers!) and every single stitch is done by hand,  no sewing machine involved!!!


This is Puri's second quilt on display, a beautiful mix of purples and lilacs.  We were counting the number of squares in this one and we came up with 3,150 squares.  This one is also stitched completely by hand and took her two years to complete!!!  She also told us that she worked on this one in July and August.....a couple of incredibly HOT months here in Spain to be working on a heavy and large quilt!!!


There were some beautiful quilts on display and below are photos of almost all of them....I'm sure I missed some!!

I really loved how this one had the patterns placed asymmetrically.


Several people had Tilda dolls on display too...as well as some pretty cushions...


I loved these simple house designs, very effective!


These appliqued tee shirts and canvas shoes really did appeal to me.  I love this little girls face, the balloons, all painted on and then the added fabrics for her outfit!   This tee shirt had matching canvas shoes and I can't believe that I didn't photograph them!


 I think this tee shirt below is also very affective.  The elegant lady in her lace blouse are all hand painted onto the tee shirt, whilst her fancy hat is appliqued with ribbons and lace.


The tee shirt below was my favourite of the three displayed.  The 'almost' profile of a curly haired child just hints at her sweetness....and then the pretty sundress and knickers are made using added fabric.  This gave me soooo many ideas! 


And these matching canvas shoes, isn't it really cute how the eyelets for the laces also form the back of the child's sundress, whilst the tongues form the child's bloomers!!!  The applied roses in her hair also add a really unique touch to these shoes!


 I think this quilt, below, would make my eyes go funny if it were on my wall or bed!!


This long narrow wall panel of quilted cubes was very good, as is the 'tidy' hanging next to it.  My friend Jan who I went with said she fancied making one of these for herself, maybe for her glasses and tv remote controls, so they'd all be close to hand! 


 A couple of pretty patchwork bags and some more Tilda dolls...


I like this nautical wall hanging, it would fit in very well with my decor here at the coast!


 Very attractive black and white colour scheme on this quilt being used as a table cover...


Some Christmas themed items.  The large Tilda doll in white is so nicely done...


A closer look at the white Tilda...Lovely outfit!



Pretty butterflies and flowers...


Some more long legged Tildas lounging against some attractive cushions...


This wall hanging or single bed quilt below is made using fabric panels that reminded me a lot of Mary Engelbreit fabric...


This nice one was partially hidden by the door frame but you can see how lovely it is all the same...


A lovely one for a small child's cot ...


 Obviously a cat lover made this cute one!


 Love this elderly lady depicted in applique in this quilt! 


A small Christmas design of this cute girl holding her Christmas wreath...


I particularly loved the soft pastel colours and the simplicity of this quilt.  At first glance I thought the squares were edged in lace, however on closer inspection I realised that squares are sewn together with the seam allowance on the right side, then the seam allowances are all snipped almost to the seam, so creating this really lovely 'frilly' effect.  I am going to attempt to do something like this myself I think!!  


Nice symmetrical design shown below:


Some more Tildas and a small Nativity scene as well as some babies bibs and Christmas baubles all made from fabric...


Loved this one, how gorgeous are these street scenes!


This one really appealed to me as each square is done differently it would seem.  I would think that it would work really well for real 'scraps' of fabric!


Puri and some of the other exhibitors...


 Another prettily designed quilt that I suspect is now owned by a lucky child!


Gorgeous peacock cushion cover...


Another one designed for a child I think, very cute!


 I really like the colours of this alphabet quilt.  Notice that two extra 'characters' in the Spanish alphabet, the double L 'll' and the enya, an N with a little 'caterpillar' over it's head!!  Sorry, I don't have them on my English keyboard!


A super snow scene, you don't get much of those around here so someone has a great imagination! ;)   And a tall fabric cat, he's about 20 plus inches tall, a duck and some owls, are all joined by a lovely sewing machine cover...


A very cute shoulder bag made to look like a little house!


This ladies wool jacket was beautifully appliqued with houses and trees, I'm sure if you turned up anywhere wearing this, you would certainly get a lot of people asking about it!  Unique! 


I've heard of chicken in a basket, but pigs and sheep?  How cute are these little critters in their nest of straw!


A very attractive apron, which gave me and my friend loads of ideas for the fabrics in our stashes!


Finally, and coincidentally, two weeks ago I spotted this book in the local 'English' shop.  Entitled 'Pretty in Patchwork, doll quilts' and written by Cathy Gaubert, I decided to buy it, if only for the fact that I love anything to do with dolls but I do also love craft books.  So it was great that so soon afterwards I should hear about and visit a quilt exhibition!  Must be a sign!!!


Well I hope you've enjoyed seeing these lovely works of fabric art as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you. 

I hope you all have a great week ahead and for those of you in the places affected by extreme weather of the cold kind, I hope that you perhaps have a  nice quilt of your own to snuggle under to keep safe and warm!!


18 comments:

  1. Some amazing quilts - I wouldn't have the patience to spend so long on one design but Puri's purple/square quilt is amazing

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    1. Aren't they just gorgeous Tricia! I'm very tempted to start one but like you I don't think I'd have the patience to spend so much time on one item. Maybe if we both started with a cushion cover....or perhaps even a 'coaster' ;)
      xxx

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  2. beautiful quilts and other items. Love the colours and designs. I do love looking at the quilts that are in exhibitions the work and detail is amazing. I also liked the quilt with the outside seems making it look feathered and soft.
    I have a few quilts, cut and part sewn, maybe I need to try and finish them this year ! It would help with my clearing out if they were finally finshed and given to the people they were meant for!! :) xx

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    1. Dee you really should finish yours! They're so beautiful aren't they? I might just tackle one for a doll from the book....one day!
      I really l ike that feathered one, it looks so trendy and as you say, soft.
      One of these days.....
      xxx

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  3. Thanks so much for sharing! I sooo love Quilts!

    The asymmetrical one is my favorite.
    I have books about Amish quilts and love mostly the classics; made really with pieces of old clothes in darker colours. 'Dunkelbunt' as Hundertwasser says :)

    Got not enough skills and patient.
    But asome years ago I made a memorie-quilt for my mothers 80th birthday with 'memory-fabrics, given from all her children (old Ts, napkins, bibs...)
    It wasn't really beautiful, but she loves it anyway :)

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    1. You're welcome Anne and yes, me too! I love them. I actually have an old one that is faded and it looks very nice when I put it on the bed, but it is getting a little shabby now...maybe shabby chic!!! And it no longer goes with our bedroom decor, but I still like it a lot.
      That memory quilt sounds like a brilliant idea, did you take any photos?
      xxx

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  4. This is a great post, Sharon! So love the old lady - she is goin to be my role model.The nautcal scene is my second favourite.
    Oh, how I wish I'd kept up my early love of quilting. I still have the baby quilt top I made at primary school but 'was going to quilt' when my children were on the way 30+ years ago and, with possibly my only ever grandchild due in 5 weeks, it looks as though it won't be completed for him either! I used to hand quilt but can't do it anymore and have never learnt to machine quilt.

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    1. LOL You know that I thought of you Jenni when I saw it! ;)
      It's a great quilt, I love the stockings around her ankles, someone had a good sense of humour when sewing that one.a
      Can it really be only 5 weeks till you're an abuela ;) I am excited for you and look forward to seeing photos...yes get that quilt finished and maybe he can have it for his bed when he's out of his cot!!!! Oh! Is it a boy then?????
      xxx

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  5. Wow Sharon! I love seeing these beautiful works of art! The quilts and wall hangings are remarkable and your friend is a most lovely lady! I noticed a nativity on the wall that was so beautiful and the Tilda doll and the woman's jacket both stood out to me. Very unique and lovely. Thank you for a gorgeous post!

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    1. Aren't they lovely Ginger?! Yes Puri really is very nice, she is a great enabler too because she always encourages me in my fabric buying.....and she doesn't even own the shop, she just works there! ;)
      xxx

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  6. Oh they are all so lovely, thanks for sharing all these photos Sharon. Thousands of hours work in all those quilts, and the little pigs and sheep in the basket really tickled my fancy. :)
    Hugs,
    X

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    1. You're very welcome Xanadu! Glad you enjoyed it.a
      Those little animals are very cute, aren't they? I can imagine a little baby enjoying playing with those too!
      xxx

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  7. Outstanding work indeed! How wonderful you actually got to see them in real life and to photograph them for us to admire and hopefully gain some inspiration.

    I used to make patchwork items, sewing the pieces together by hand and using the Laura Ashley fabrics in the late 60s-70s then selling them on through my S-I-L's black and white timbered village hall craft shop in Betley in Cheshire.
    Unfortunately those days and skills have long gone.

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    1. Aren't they lovely Kendal! I was so impressed that I'm actually thinking of having a go one of these days ..... well that's the plan anyway! The shop that my friend works at, down on the coast, actually have quilting and patchwork classes but I hate to commit myself to going in case we have to come back home halfway through and it would never get finished or something, which is a poor excuse I know. But maybe one day....
      xxx

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  8. Wow! Love these. Of course some more than others... Love the wonky colorful one!
    I asked my neighbour to make me a doll quilt and she used fabrics leftover from when I sewed for my own children. And she made it reversible when I said I needed two, because I loved both the pinks and the reds and couldn't decide... My dollies like to picnic on their quilt! And they get wrapped in it for trips!
    Great memories!
    Thanks for posting these. Just like being there...

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    1. They're lovely, aren't they Jano! I realised afterwards that there was one that I didn't photograph, it was like a dolls house with all the rooms shown, like the front of the house was opened up for us to see in.....and it was one of my favourites as well. :( Oh well, perhaps another time!
      I will definitely make a dolly one one of these days, I think it's a great idea to have a double sided one with two different colours! Your girls must be very happy that you got it for them :)
      xxx

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  9. wspaniała sentymentalna podróż do krainy
    Fantazji i Dobrego Humoru - dziękuję!!!

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    1. Jesteś bardzo mile widziane, cieszę się, że się podobało. xxx

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