Newsletter

Newsletter - May 2006
Hello to all Accent Quilters and other interested parties.
It feels like ages since our last meeting, but of course we had Quinglish and then missed the May meeting. I have also been �on tour� with The Dizengoff Memorial Quilt to England, which was an amazing experience. I have joined a few chat sites on quilting on the Net and some of the correspondence is very interesting. Most recently has been discussion on the backs of quilts � how important or unimportant it is to have a �perfect� back. I�d be interested to know how our group feels and I am thinking of introducing such topics for a 10 minute discussion at our meetings.
To Touch or Not to Touch
The following bit of correspondence I extracted about a discussion on people touching quilts at exhibitions. It interested me personally because so many people want to touch / feel my Dizengoff quilt/s and my husband keeps saying I should put a sign up saying �Don�t Touch�. I disagree with him as I think you get a real �feel� for a quilt when you handle it. However, I must admit that at any exhibition I have attended, I stop myself from touching the exhibits because I know how grubby they could become after hundreds of people doing just that. So, please consider the merits of this extract from someone offering advice to a person who definitely does not want her quilts touched at exhibitions:
The following are good "hinting signs" to post around quilt shows and booths where people are tempted to touch and handle the quilts, and touching is not wanted:
"Please touch only with your eyes."
"Touching quilts damages fibers."
Post a large picture of a hand with a slash across it...(like the "don't do this" signs)...then below the hand, the words "No Touching". Always good--- "Do Not Touch the Quilts!"
Other ideas
Put quilts behind standards/ropes, i.e..out of reach; Hand out disposable gloves to those who just must touch; Post "white-glove" person/people to watch and do the touching with their gloves only; hang a "touching quilt" in the lobby, with a note "Last chance to touch a
quilt." Use bright colors for your signs; make them visible & easy to read. Don't be afraid to open your mouth and gently tell people you prefer that they don't touch the quilts. Perhaps this is another topic for discussion????
With full credit to Quilt Art's own Jacquie Scuitto, her poem that follows is perfect for this purpose.

TOUCH NOT THE QUILT
Don't touch that quilt!
I know, I know --
It appeals to all your senses,
But to all the ills
Your touch could convey
The quilt has no defenses.
Like kids in a candy store,
"Touch with your eyes"
Is the rule you should obey
To help the quilt
Look just as good
In far tomorrows as it does today.

Jacquie Scuitto aka The Muse

I also like this description of why people make quilts :

* to create beauty
* to reveal truth
* to immortalize
* to express religious values
* to express fantasy
* to express harmony
* to express chaos
* to record experience
* to protest
* to elevate the commonplace
* to express the universal
* to provide decoration

Here are some sites I have looked into lately that have inspired me:
www.AlzQuilts.com ;
http://www.quiltart.com/challenges/blue/ ;
http://www.faithquilts.org/show.php?page=thef

I look forward to seeing you all at our June meeting.

Happy Quilting!
Best

Marlyn

Special Projects

Gallery

Forthcoming Events

Monthly Meetings

Tips, Questions
& Answers

Competitions, Exhibitions

Home