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Show Page 26 - THE HERALD. Provo. Utah. Sunday. January 23. 1983 Quilting Renewed Interest Revives Old Craft (Continued from Page 25) A nationwide surge in quilting began with the approach of the nation's bicentennial celebration, says Liz Fisher, a former Massachusetts shop owner. Renewed interest in an old craft created the contemporary quilt a new style with bright colors, new are losing the quality. "Instead of looking like a $400 quilt it looks like it came out of a rag bag. But the same amount of work went into it. "I tell people to use all new materials and spend a little more to we color coordinate. An average-siz- e quilt should cost between $60 and $70 for the batting, backing and meanings, untraditional components, and a new purpose. No top." A judge at quilt contests, Fisher longer are quilts made solely to cover a bed or keep a body warm. says a winning quilt has a perfect They are treated and displayed as blend of good workmanship, origiart works. nality and creativity, and effective A trend toward the modern was use of color and fabric. "The whole thing has to work." seen at a Springville Museum of Art A This several ago. display years judge has never been an quilt New Jersey woman captured the entrant because "I don't care if northern section of her state with a people like what I do. screen print of an industrial plant "Quilt contests bother me. You spewing massive amounts of pollu-- , should be happy with what you do tion into the air as vehicles raced because it pleases you, not because along the interstate in front of the of someone else's criteria." Most important to Clark is the plant. Modern quilts by "fabric artists" color, which should be appealing are "painted" using fabric as a and "knock your eyes out." Next, is a design that must work with the medium rather than oils. "Designers are turning to solids, color. "If the color and design are good large prints and decorator-styl- e fabrics. The big movement is into enough, a little flaw in the constenciling, batiking, dying and struction can sneak by." Both women teach quilting painting with fabric paints," says Fisher who recently attended a classes. Clark also has a small national quilt festival in Houston business selling pieced tops, mainly with Melissa Clark. within Utah, and completed quilts After viewing quilts submitted out of state. from other states, Clark noted that Many women assume they know although she knows of many tal- everything about quilting and can ented quilters in Utah Valley alone, market their works after just one many Utah quilts lack in quality course, says Clark. when compared to the quilts she But there is more to quilting than saw. cutting, piecing and stitching. "Quality is becoming a lost art. I There is also designing, color placenoticed that many here in Utah ment and coordination, material have a long way to go. quality, truing points and proper t' "It's the 'make-do- , pressing. idea. We are so excited about Many get impatient, creating something in 10 hours out Clark says. They want to make of scraps that cost four dollars, that something exquisite the first wear-it-ou- first-time- rs time.not realizing how many quilts e made by quilters don't turn out well. Quilts need to have lights and darks, says Clark, and different size prints. "When people are first picking out their fabrics they get little prints in monochromatic schemes. I did that too at first. "Now I'll spend five or six hours looking at bolts. I stack them up, stand back and squint test to see if they have a good feel to them. long-tim- Picking colors is something you have to learn." The two women view the production state of quilting differently. Clark pieces by machine and uses some speed techniques. Fisher works almost totally by hand even to piece tops together. "I am absolutely against machine quilting, but machine piecing does have its place. A machine-don- e quilt is less valuable," says Fisher. "It is comparable to furniture that is made in a factory and that made by a craftsman." She keeps quilting supplies in her purse, by the phone and near the TV to make use of otherwise wasted time. Pieces for blocks are stored in individual bags. What surprised Fisher when she moved here was the popularity of quilting a finished top. "Every place else, people often pay someone else to quilt so they can go on with the next design. They send it to the Amish or Nova Scotia. Many that take my class here know all about quilting and putting a quilt on frames, but have never pieced a top. With my students in the East, it was just the opposite. "I really don't like to quilt. I like the planning and piecing. Consequently I have many unquilted tops." Clark says almost the same thing. For her, the joy is in the designing. Once she designs a quilt top, selects the colors and experiments to see that it will turn out as hoped, she would rather turn the sewing over to her daughters. "I get a lot of enjoyment out of designing and I always make my own templates," says Clark, who is three classes short of a degree in mechanical engineering. "I never considered myself an artistic person. My husband's family are all talented in wood, oils, welding or watercolors. Jim and I feel left out. The only way I can draw is with a straight edge and compass." It is difficult to draft an original design, says Fisher. "If the design is something symmetrical, it has probably been done before. If asymmetrical, there is a chance it might be a unique pattern." Printed patterns may not be accurate, says Fisher, who also drafts all of her templates. "I absolutely feel that the template should be the size of the finished piece. You draw the sewing line. Then cut it out inch bigger." fix ' my it ..itPitteriaa Photo Deaais Closeup detail of Liz Fisher's quilted wall hanging. ( -- ; one-quart- er Women need more confidence in their own creative ability, believes Fisher. "In the long run, you realize drafting templates is a skill that will help because you may not be able to find a pattern in the size needed. "The pioneers took time to express their creativity. It's almost offensive to buy someone else's kit or pattern when we have more time and pleasant surroundings to work in than they did. We could take a lesson from our ancestors." Ann Landers 3I:Hi . Are We Doomed? hang around and make us late. . If I didn't see any of those clods for five years, or even 10, it wouldn't bother me in the least. In fact, I'd love it. Sick Of Them In Michigan Dear Mich: I hate to sound like a broken record, but it takes two kinds of people to create the situation you described. Lunkheads with lots of chutzpah and jellyfish like you and your husband who haven't the guts to come right out and say, "Sorry, we can't entertain you right now it." please call before you come I wish my husband's family had a next time." CONFIDENTIAL to Worried rule like that. They are driving me nuts. The doorbell rings and there About Our Children's Hearing: whenever they happen There is, indeed, cause for concern. they are Ear specialists are seeing an unto be in the neighborhood. I can't count the number of times precedented number of kids with they have appeared at our door at permanent hearing loss from the mealtime, when we have had other constant assault by loud music. company, when we are painting the TURN DOWN THOSE STEREOS, living room or when I am coloring KIDS. CAN YOU HEAR ME? I my hair. Even when we tell them SAID, CUT THE VOLUME. we are dressing to go out, they still YOU'RE GOING DEAF. instinctive. 50 1717 is SAQ.G! On Selected: Gowns Bridal Gowns January. Sales Formats Bridesmaids Presses Mothers Gowns lit KB) l. FOR BEST SELECTIOM Ut 24 i effKtm fcaan. an Saoriif, r Eat 67 Provo PEO Will meet Monday at 8 p.m. at the home of Molly Nyman, 746 W. saies Center january I - am. i . . . c:i:n c: jti;:e linn nun! H7 East Center - Spanish Fork January. 377-936- 9 P- in. Wk I'hone: 7W-717- L. H. SMOOT Club Notes mTWK Up To Dear Ann Landers: I am scared The threat of a nuclear holocaust stiff that the entire population is is, on the other hand, very real. going homosexual and mankind will Methods to prevent this insane be doomed. Wherever one looks, form of mass genocide should take there is exploitation of sex. It's on precedence over everything else. If TV, radio, in magazines, books, we don't solve this problem, there because newspapers, the theater and in won't be any others films. Pornography is everywhere. there won't be any people. I'm afraid we are going to become Dear Ann Landers: The woman so jaded that no one will be inter- who wrote about her fiance's famested in normal sex anymore. ily getting together every five years Could this be the day of reckoning should leave well enough alone. As the Bible has warned us about? Will you say in your column from time a nuclear bomb be dropped by Lord to time, "If it ain't broke, don't fix knows who and blow up everything and everybody, so the world can start anew? The prospect scares me to death. Frightened in Florida Dear Fright: You mixed your fear of homosexuality with the danger of a nuclear holocaust. Two more diverse subjects would be hard to imagine. Homosexuality may produce a slight decrease in the population over a period of years, but humankind is in no danger of extinction because of it. People will always be interested in reproductive sex. It is 4 7" 1 lJi 700 S., Orem. 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