Obama's image on quilts (crafts too): Traditional place in American history

[Undercurrent]

My mother was an award winning quilter. Some of her quilts were displayed in art galleries, some were sold, but most she gave to family and friends.

All of her quilts were hand assembled, and hand quilted. She never used a machine. My dad built a quilting frame for her using alder he fell and cut with his portable saw mill.

The history of America quilting pretty interesting to me.

--

From the blog, Black Threads:

Barbara Brackman Designs Obama Fabric - You can print it!

Thanks to quilt historian Barbara Brackman, author of Facts & Fabrications: Unraveling the Story of Quilts and Slavery, for sharing the following. She has created an Obama fabric pattern in a PDF file that you can download and print onto fabric with an inkjet printer. The Obama print features images of the new US President as well as President George Washington. Click here to get Obama fabric PDF.

AND, Barbara also has a PDF print featuring President Obama and Vice President Biden. Click here to get this PDF. Special shout out to Deb Rowden, who created this Obama's Rising Star block using Barbara's prints.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zz3CEpxOe-w/SXb-hFF3M-I/AAAAAAAABmc/dn7JlwXb6yA/s200/Obama%27s+Rising+Star+block+Barbara+and+Deb.jpg

links to mini article and PDFs at Black Threads:

http://blackthreads.blogspot.com/2009/01/barbara-brackman-designs-obama-fabric.html


Barbara Brackman's book:

Facts and Fabrications: Unraveling the History of Quilts and Slavery

Enslaved peoples in the American South preserved their memories with quilts. Today, In nine remarkable projects, quilt historian and artist Barbara Brackman guides readers through the stories they told--and lets crafters create quilts and samplers that capture their own memories. Mix and match historic blocks and Brackman’s new designs to create timeless treasures.

http://www.amazon.com/Facts-Fabrications-Unraveling-Projects-First-Person/dp/1571203648/blackthreadsc-20

[FrenchieCat]

1. I love Quilts!

I have some that I am collecting in an old giant chest.....

Very neat. Thanks!

[snowbear]

2. Me too, Me too!!

.
.

~~ Love quilts! ~~

Thank you Undercurrent!

-

[Undercurrent]

6. Thanks for decorating the thread!

[vaberella]

3. If you're mum is willing to sell, I'm willing to buy. That is gorgeous and thanks for this.

K*R

:kick:

[Undercurrent]

7. Thank you.

Sadly my mom died nearly 20 years ago.

[DangerousRhythm]

4. That is awesome!

Thank you for the links! :D

[Undercurrent]

5. So happy this topic is

appreciated.

When I was a little girl, my mom used to make the family quilts from our worn out clothing when the patching wasn't enough to keep the garment wearable any more. Later she could afford to buy fabric, and her quilts turned into art, but the last quilt she made before she died was for my dad. It was made entirely from his old shirts that she had saved for years. It was simple, not like the ones she had in galleries, but it was very, very special.

Through good times and bad, from Colonial days, through every war, every social or economic upheaval, influenced by our many cultures, quilts have told part of the story of our shared journey to this time and place. The ornate velvet quilts adorned with ribbons, and treasured mementos of the Victorian era, the quilts that traveled West on wagon trains, and the quilts made by necessity -- on the plantations using feed sacks, home spun, and the master's cast off, and the quilts made during the Great Depression. Hawaiian quilts. Seminole patchwork. Appalachian quilts. Amish quilts. All are part of who we are.

Looking back on my mom's work, her quilting told her story too.

[Undercurrent]

8. Off topic, but

look at this cool fabric being sold in downtown Nairobi.

[XemaSab]

9. I'll take 4 yards!

:D

:hide:

[Clio the Leo]

10. I'll take four! NT

[Undercurrent]

11. More Obama quilts

Bro and Sis with Obama - quilt
by Susan “lucky” Shie
http://eyembellishments.com/creatures/bro-and-sis-with-obama-quilt





by Diana Bracy
http://obamamae.ning.com/



edited to add a link

[firedupdem]

12. Beautiful! Thanks for these links and for sharing the info. about

your mom. Very nice.

:fistbump:

[Undercurrent]

13. Thank you. :)

More...



“Black history Obama quilts for the inauguration”
by Sondra Hassan
http://sondrahassan.com/2008/12/25/obamainaugurationquilts/





History Quilt
http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/sep06/stonequilts091206.htm





“SOLD DOWN SOUTH,” DETAIL (BALTIMORE), 2004. COTTON. 76 x 59 IN. MUSEUM SPECIAL PURCHASE FUND.

This quilt, by quilt-maker Barbara Pietila, depicts the impact of a slave sale.
http://www.africanamericanculture.org/press_photo.html