::sigh:: I feel kind of lame here b/c I *like* traditional quilts. Which is not to say that I don't love the innovation and artistry of the new and non-traditional, but, as usual, traditional work gets pushed aside as uninteresting or uninspired when it's compared to the avant garde.
If Michaels would stock fabric, I would love them forever. As it is, unless I want to drive over into Amish country, Jo-Ann's is really my only option around here.
And, @ greengray: If you price out the religious right, you don't have to listen to them. It's not a great loss, unless you're Wal Mart and they're your "target market".
Which is totally true, but it sucks for those of us who have liberal values and low-income wallets. It's a constant struggle between the realities of the bank account and your morals--but places like Wal-Mart don't care about people like that. We're not squeaky enough or organized enough to make a difference.
I remember a post about this a couple of months ago. I rushed to show my mom about it who quilts non-stop and loves to make controversial textile art. And just controversial art.
3 favorites of my mom's work:
1. The womb quilt. Renamed by my friends the vagina quilt. It involves lots of layers of velvet, and you can literally climb into it. It's awesome.
2. My side of the bed. It's a massive white satin quilt with the outlines of my parents curled up on their sides, facing away from each other. It's absolutely gorgeous.
3. Snug as a Bug in a Rug. It doesn't actually have bugs on it, but it has loads of little plastic spiders and lizards and snakes sewed onto it in the shape of a house, sort of. It's awesome, and in my mom's metaphorical way quite aggressive and feminists (snakes, to her, are a symbol of defense against rape).
She has lots more. But those are the ones I like best. I've inherited two and I hope to inherit the other.
This country really has a problem with people wanting to set morals for all. It seems that too many people are so concerned with eliminating everything in society that could personally offend THEM that they totally lose track of their own faults.
If you don't believe in using the morning-after pill, why deny others? If you don't want to look at something that offends you, don't look! My church meets on Saturday because we think that is the true Sabbath day and we don't celebrate christmas or easter. We're not running around picketing everyone who meets on Sunday or puts up a christmas tree, but the reaction we get from others around us would lead some to think we do. I don't want the beliefs of others pushed on me, so how can I push mine on others?
I wish more Americans understood the concept of free will.
Can I add that Jo-Ann is like, the tackiest place in the entire world? Every time I've had to go in to buy something essential to a project it was like wading through a swamp of ugly printed fleece and horrible disposable seasonal decorations. This news doesn't surprise me, but it does make me want to get out my sewing machine.
The coolest quilt I've ever seen was one depicting Kathleen Hanna (complete with 'slut' written on her stomach) holding on to the tail of a tiger. It was made as a fibers class project at my university.
That being said, I think "controversial" quilts are refreshing - I can't think of many young people who are into quilting, but damn that Kathleen Hanna piece made me want to buy a sewing machine immediately.
@SkipToMyLou: This is why I loved volunteering on a hospital ward for elderly patients with dementia. Moments of hilarity every day because they were all like "I'm old & I'm gonna say what I want". I did however develop excellent peripheral vision because the old guys would wheel up beside me & try to pat me on the ass. I would always grab their hand and say "Oh ... it's so lovely to see you" with a knowing smile on my face & they'd have this "dammit foiled again" expression.
When I found out about this controversy a few weeks ago I RAN to The City Quilter in Chelsea to pick up a copy to send to my mom in the Bible Belt. The images are remarkably tame, by New York standards, but in the context of a quilting magazine, I'm not at all surprised by JoAnn's reaction. I applaud Mark Lipinski for taking this risk! (the best quilt in the spread includes a baby's head peeking out of a vag, btw. So cute!)
@anna-p: My mom and I go to City Quilter for our monthly outing! That place is great. We're going today just so she can get a copy of this issue. They've been saving one for her!
1. Those quilts are amazing. They are works of art. I think most people would be more impressed by the craftsmanship than offended by the subject matter.
2. The penis one? So not a big deal.
3. I would kill to have the dinosaur one for my wall.
""Good grief! What year is this???," one reader posts on the Design Crisis blog, "Since when did JoAnn Fabrics become the arbiter of MY morals? I'll go to church for that . . . and when I want styrofoam chickens I'll go to JoAnn's."
Hrm... seems like this logic can be applied to many things.
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04/04/09
If Michaels would stock fabric, I would love them forever. As it is, unless I want to drive over into Amish country, Jo-Ann's is really my only option around here.
And, @ greengray:
If you price out the religious right, you don't have to listen to them. It's not a great loss, unless you're Wal Mart and they're your "target market".
Which is totally true, but it sucks for those of us who have liberal values and low-income wallets. It's a constant struggle between the realities of the bank account and your morals--but places like Wal-Mart don't care about people like that. We're not squeaky enough or organized enough to make a difference.
04/04/09
3 favorites of my mom's work:
1. The womb quilt. Renamed by my friends the vagina quilt. It involves lots of layers of velvet, and you can literally climb into it. It's awesome.
2. My side of the bed. It's a massive white satin quilt with the outlines of my parents curled up on their sides, facing away from each other. It's absolutely gorgeous.
3. Snug as a Bug in a Rug. It doesn't actually have bugs on it, but it has loads of little plastic spiders and lizards and snakes sewed onto it in the shape of a house, sort of. It's awesome, and in my mom's metaphorical way quite aggressive and feminists (snakes, to her, are a symbol of defense against rape).
She has lots more. But those are the ones I like best. I've inherited two and I hope to inherit the other.
04/04/09
Well, seriously, I'd love to see pictures of those quilts. If you don't mind, of course.
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[s659.photobucket.com]
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If you don't believe in using the morning-after pill, why deny others? If you don't want to look at something that offends you, don't look! My church meets on Saturday because we think that is the true Sabbath day and we don't celebrate christmas or easter. We're not running around picketing everyone who meets on Sunday or puts up a christmas tree, but the reaction we get from others around us would lead some to think we do. I don't want the beliefs of others pushed on me, so how can I push mine on others?
I wish more Americans understood the concept of free will.
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That being said, I think "controversial" quilts are refreshing - I can't think of many young people who are into quilting, but damn that Kathleen Hanna piece made me want to buy a sewing machine immediately.
04/04/09
plus, penis quilts are sooo fucking last year. and also, only good for annoying bachlorette parties. ugh.
04/04/09
I do love nutty old biddies with a sense of humor
I bet she'd be good friends with Gladys "I love Jesus, but I drink a little" Hardy.
[www.boreme.com]
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i'm embarissed now. or maybe i'm just still drunk...?
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2. The penis one? So not a big deal.
3. I would kill to have the dinosaur one for my wall.
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04/04/09
Hrm... seems like this logic can be applied to many things.
04/04/09