Appalachian patchwork quilt, a photo from West Virginia, Sud

Photographer's Note

This is a section of a patchwork quilt being offered at a raffle during the Vandalia Gathering over Memorial Day weekend. The Vandalia Gathering is an annual celebration of mountain culture (arts, crafts, music, dance, food) held on the Capitol grounds in Charleston, West Virginia. There are musician contests, square dancing, a "Liar's Contest", food booths, arts and crafts by local artists. Each year they raffle off one of these hand stitched patchwork quilts.

I remember as a child, my great grandmother and both my grandmothers stitching small pieces of material together and making these quilts. We would stay at my great grandmother's and sleep in a feather bed upstairs with a pile of these quilts so thick, you'd better be comfortable when you were tucked in because you couldn't hardly move afterward. These quilts are a warm reminder always of Appalachia.

I could only get a section of it because so many people stopped to admire it and buy the raffle tickets.

Vasa, avene, dareco, gunbud, isabela_sor, lucasgalodoido, crhieatt, romanaa, zhelach trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

MEHMETALI (161) 2008-05-30 15:59

hi shelly very mix and nice colours

Vasa (515) 2008-05-30 16:04

Dear Shelly,

your choice is typical woman choice, but I like it. With your note the information is complete and I see that you had a nice day. So glad to see you, best regards,

Branko

avene (12675) 2008-05-30 16:18

hi Shelly,
hehee, the reference to "typical woman choice" made me laugh out loud :)))) I must confess I find it medieval, to put it mildly. are there "women photos" and "men photos"? :)))) on the other hand, there once was somebody on this site who suggested that because of my gender I should not try speaking about the technical aspects of photography :)))) hilarious, don't you think?
and I guess I'm a woman after all because I do like this shot. the detail of the patchwork quilt nicely illustrates how carefully it has been made, and I enjoyed reading your note, it fits the photo very well. keep these "women" photos coming, I'll try to post something similar as a solidarity :))))

have a great weekend,
Kristine

Dyerco (10185) 2008-05-30 16:41

Hi Shelly
You did a great job of composing this as you had lots to choose from. Nicely done.
Phil

gunbud (34066) 2008-05-30 19:21

Hi Shelly,
Excellent simple capture fo this work of art. There is a lot of love and patience as well a craft to this lovely quilt. Beautiful warm clear colors with sharp details to this fine image.
Regards, Tom

ElAprendiz (30) 2008-05-30 20:55

Hi Shelly:

One very striking, with geometric shapes quite interesting and original.

The composition is reinforced with the perfect frame. Fine shades and a big contrast. Surely that is an unusual takes, which arouses much interest at the time it is observed.

PS: Thank you for your comments on my series of sculptures of musicians, exposed in the city of Ibague. Even I needed to complete it.

John

isabela_sor (47748) 2008-05-30 22:53 [Comment]

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dareco (17136) 2008-05-31 0:40

Hey, I use to do this, and my sister is still huge into quilting! This is a beauty! Very nice colors and design. Good detail! A really lovely picture Shelly. TFS and have a super weekend!

mark_mk (266) 2008-05-31 9:34

Hi Shelly,
something you don`t see that often on this site and I really like it! The colors are great and all these different geometric shapes. Seems like you really started a conversation about "women photos" and "men photos", how funny.
The image is very well presented and I even see the American national colors in your frame, how nice.
Well done.

Take care
Mark

Wandering_Dan (3449) 2008-05-31 16:42

Hi, Shelly -

I dunno about this being a "typical woman's photo" - well, except for the pink. I hate pink. But that's OK, I like the photo anyway. :-) You've made a nice balance of the perfect square in the upper right against the diagonals running through the rest of the image. Good framing, too.

And as for you, Kristine - see the thread.

Best,
Dan

lucasgalodoido (27698) 2008-05-31 19:16

Olá Shelly,
very interesting this forms and colors of this work, and great framing too.
Parabéns e Abraço!

lestans (17258) 2008-06-01 0:51

What a work of art! I like colors choosen here for the patchwork, really beautifull and well put together.
I woul like to show you some patchworks I bought in Nan, in north Thailand: very different colors, and very different shape, but so nice too!

Ciao!!

Livia

batalay (41261) 2008-06-01 6:59

Hello Shelly,

I love this patchwork with diagonals, horizontal, verticals and fractals all built in. I hope my ws is taken in the light manner in which I meant it, but in one month, it will be 4th of July. Accordingly, I meddled a little.

Your new Intro note is wonderful — upbeat, and engaging. Have a good Sunday.

Bulent

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crhieatt (5347) 2008-06-01 8:48

Shelly,
I'm getting all excited at the prospect of a Liar's Contest - I just know so many things that aren't true.

One such thing might be the idea that the American quilting tradition comes from Scandinavian Europe - and if that's not true it certainly should be. Those guys need to keep warm!

Regards
Colin

crckt (7222) 2008-06-02 15:01

Hi Shelly,
BRILLIANT! WOW! the patterns are great, but the way you have composed this is quite amazing.
Thanks for sharing,
shaeri

romanaa (8430) 2008-06-04 4:43

Hi Shelly,
I love these quilts, I saw them first when I was in England, I started to be crazy about them and bought one (the supermarket quality, because I was a student then and could not afford the better quality), yet, it is stíll in my bedroom.

Beautiful picture and I think that the close up offers much more details to enjoy than if it was a shot of the whole quilt. The photos of this kind refresh this landscape site and fill up the whole feeling one can get while going through the pictures of a specific country.

I loved reading your note and and the discussion it rose up and I promise I will join you and Kristine in posting "women photos". :-))))

Best regards

Romana

windosil (1158) 2008-06-05 14:43

Hallo again, Shelly, just found your latest group and your inspiring new introduction.
This picture really shows the 3-D textures of the quilting. Great!
I remember my grandmother in a remote part of Northern Ireland had such quilts 80 years ago; we slept under them when we visited, but I do not know who made them. Here in Dunbar there is a very active group of Quilters who meet together every week and make lovely "pictures" to raffle for charity. One was presented to the local medical centre to hang on the wall. I will try to photograph next time they exhibit, and join the "women"!
Warm wishes,
Winifred

COSTANTINO (116490) 2008-06-20 11:23

Hello Shelly,
Gia soy Shelly,
everything that is traditional is so interesting for me and this photo offers it..
Nice suprise,clever idea,one more beautiful photo
Have a nice week end
Compliments from GREECE

zhelach (3626) 2008-08-07 9:19

Hello Shelly!
Lovely hand made! Beautiful colors, geometry and texture! I like it!
TFS, Best regards
Zorica

baclama (19214) 2008-10-27 12:58

hi,
very good and nicely details...
welle done
TFS
vero