Saturday, February 24, 2007

Go visit Pam Holland's Blog and see the Tentmakers of Cairo

I've just been watching some video that Pam Holland has taken at the Australian quilt convention which is on in Melbourne this weekend. It is the next best thing to being there.

Pam has uploaded some video onto her blog, of the section of the show that Jenny Bowker has organised. Two men from Cairo are demonstrating how they do their applique tent linings (I think that what the tentmakers originally made but please correct me if I am wrong. Tents to me are those canvas square things with poles from my childhood that were put up at gala days for the afternoon tea tent - but that is another story), although these are smaller pieces aimed at the tourist market I think.

There are several videos to watch but the best two for seeing some of these applique pieces and the applique process are called movie ACQ5.mv4 and ACQ movie6. The applique pieces are rough cut (not an exact shape!) and then held on the surface of the quilt/wall hanging. Then the edges are turned under and stitched with what looks to me like a mattress needle - really big! Just amazing to watch and I recommend you go visit and watch too.

These wall hangings remind me of a little piece I purchased in the north of Thailand when I visited a few years ago. I must dig it out and take a piccy of it. At least you will have something to look at since my quilting has dried up! Actually I did do a little bit of stitching tonight while watching Antiques Roadshow. I did the last flower on a block of a BOM by Beth Ferrier called Simple Pleasures. I'll get the camera out tomorrow.

Here is the addy for Pam Holland's blog. I'm not sure if it will automatically come up as a link. I haven't learned how to do that yet. But I put it in the link section of the post as well, just in case. (Janice? Is this how I do it? Where are you when I need you????? - asleep of course, at this time of night, which is what I should be doing.)

http://pamhollanddesigns.typepad.com/

UPDATE
Janice has explained to the little chain link button and how to use it. I think I've got it right now - thanks Janice

1 comment:

Janice said...

No, the link didn't work. Did you see the little chain link icon at the top of your post edit area? and after you selected your text to make into a link you clicked on it and pasted the link in that? your link you paste must have the http:// bit.

Ring me and I'll talk you through it...

thanks for the link to Pam Holland's site though, it was amazing to see the tentmaker's quilts.