Episode 167: Let’s Resume, Shall We?

Welcome to Episode No. 169 of the Off-Kilter Quilt Podcast (Where a Straight Line’s a State of Mind). My name is Frances, and I’m your hostess.

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Turns out this is *not* Episode 168, even though that’s what I say in the podcast. Nope, it’s 167. For the record.

In this ep, I talk a whole lot about the Quilt Alliance conference I just attended in DC–“Not Fade Away: Sharing Quilt Stories in the Digital Age”–which was just fantastic. Take a look at some of the Quilt Alliance’s amazing projects and consider becoming a member. I’m very excited about the work they’re doing, can you tell?

http://www.allianceforamericanquilts.org/projects/

Want to know more about 100 Good Wishes Quilts? Here’s a good summary:

http://originalquilts.com/100_good_wishes_quilts.htm

From the site:

To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is a custom to invite friends and family to contribute a patch of cloth with a wish for the baby. Part of the patch of cloth goes into the quilt for the baby, and the other part of the cloth can go into a creative memory notebook with the wish for the child. The quilt contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.”

From the Quilt Alliance conference, a beautiful example of such a quilt–this is Luana Rubin, who made this quilt when she was in the process of adopting her daughter, Sophie:

100 good wishesIf you really want to geek out on this topic, you can read Marin Hanson’s 2012 paper here:

http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1691&context=tsaconf

When Launa spoke about her 100 Good Wishes quilt, she was being videotaped for the Quilt Alliance’s Go Tell It at the Quilt Show project (“One quilt, one person, one video camera, three minutes=one more quilt story saved!”), where it will be archived shortly along with the other videos I mentioned from the Quilt Alliance conference. Go watch some of the ones already archived–they’re just incredible! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbRL8gNFw9DBEAuPT2fLHaehysLU9veeW

It turns out my pictures from the Sacred Threads exhibit aren’t good (surprise). But you can go here to look at entries in previous exhibits:

http://www.sacredthreadsquilts.com/html/gallery.html

If you want to learn about the Barn Quilt Tour in Garrett County, MD, go here: www.barnquilts.org

The website for the “Pieced Together” documentary, also about barn quilts, is here: www.piecedtogetherdoc.com

Okay, I think that’s it for now. Have a great week!