Common Threads

Textiles, weaving and other threads that bind us.

Not-So-Common Thread

Link | | Verónica

I ran across this great post on Design Sponge and was amazed by the beautiful hand embroidery by Maricor/Maricar. The attention to detail is exquisite and I love their use of color – the embroidery pops off the screen. I am always on the look out for unique and  modern uses of the “domestic arts” of the past and Maricor/Maricar’s work brings embroidery solidly to the present. The post by Design Sponge does a great job of telling you about their work so please read it here. Also, visit the Maricor/Maricar website and blog.

International Quilt Festival

| Verónica

My friend, Natalia, and I attended the 2011 International Quilt Festival in Houston. More than simply utilitarian, these quilts are works of art. Styles ranged from traditional to contemporary, incorporating a variety of techniques including hand quilting, embroidery, appliqué, machine quilting, piecing and fusing. Here are a few of my favorites.

“The Laneway” by Grace Whiting from the O Canada exhibit. Techniques: Some machine piecing and quilting; hand appliquéd. Delicate threads create the foliage while the quilting pattern echoes the undulations of the fallen snow.
“Bouquet” was hand-pieced, appliquéd, embroidered and quilted by Keiko Morihiro from Japan as her 30th wedding anniversary present to her husband. Winner: Master Award for Traditional Artistry.
“Twitter” was assembled using recycled materials, including newspapers, to represent the artist’s vision of an environmentally responsible social network.
From the Art-Whimsical category, “Tokyo – Wish You Were Hair” by Pam RuBert. The artist made the quilt for an exhibition “exploring the intersection of fiber art with new technologies.”

For more quilts by Pam RuBert, click here.

“Dixie Dingo Dreaming” by award-winning fabric artist, Susan Carlson. Her work is like a collage that fuses small fabric pieces into a recognizable image.
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Read  more about Susan Carlson’s work here. Keep track of the happenings leading up to the 2012 International Quilt Festival here.