Don Tate II - Fab Designer!

WOW! For Christmas I got my newest cousin, 2 year old Brittany, two yards of the cutest African American-themed fleece. (Ok - the fabric was really for my cousin who is an expert sewstress!). While looking at book illustrator Don Tate's blog, I learned he's the fabric designer! (The photo is from his blog.) Way to go Don! When will the cotton prints be available?

Something Warm on eBay

The rare catalog, Something to Keep You Warm, by Roland Freeman is now on eBay... starting price is $300. I've only seen a copy of this catalog when Roland's exhibit Communion of the Spirits was on display at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. The catalog was behind glass. Do have a look at the aution (I have no idea who the seller is) ... it's rare that you'll see this catalog!

200 Years Black Paper Dolls

The Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum - in Washington DC - is exhibiting the Black Paper Doll collection of Arabella Grayson until April 2007.

You'll see Topsey dolls from the 1860s, a Sally Hemings doll, to modern ones, such as Winnie Mandela, Grace Jones, Josephine Baker, and even Star Jones! The collection also includes pieces from the US as well as Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy and Sweden. Be sure to read The Examiner's, Robin Tierney review of the show or DeNeen L. Brown's Washington Post article. Enjoy!

Cozbi - does Quilts!

Five or so years ago, I attended a doll show in Washington, DC and fell in love with a delicate, exquisitely handmade, one-of-a-kind doll by Brooklyn dollmaker Cozbi A. Cabrera. I kept coming back to this beige and gold African American doll, whose body was 100% linen and dress made of silk with beading, and eventually purchased it that afternoon.

While visiting Cozbi's website recently, I've learned she has expanded into children's clothes, bibs, pillows, women's clothes, and .... quilts. This quilt, Singing Bones, is available for sale. Keep stitching Cozbi!

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf RARE fabric

The Internet can be a GEM! Thank you to Bernard Collet - who has an extraordinary collection of 200 different African fancy prints - scroll down to see yesterday's post. He forwarded to me a scan of a RARE - at least here in the US - print of Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. (You can read a commentary about the new president by Mojúbàolú Olúfúnké Okome in JENDA: A JOURNAL OF CULTURE AND AFRICAN WOMEN STUDIES).

I'll trade practically any piece in my African American fabric collection for a half yard or more of the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf fabric! Thanks for sharing Mr. Collet.

African Presidents in Cloth

Have you visited the African Textile Resources Centre website or been to their stall in London's Portobello Market? Take a moment to see the online exhibit, Images of Power: African Presidents on Printed Fabrics. The various prints are from the collection of M. Bernard Collet.

Nelson Mandela in Fabric - can cotton prints of Liberia's Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf or Barack Obama be far behind?

Would you buy political prints if available at your local fabric shop?

African Folklore Embroidery

The Great Lakes African American Quilters Network will host a workshop on African Folklore Embroidery in January 2007.

The African Folklore Embroidery kits are the brainchild of Leora Raikin, a South African native who now lives in Southern California, who learned the craft of the Ndebele tribe from her mother. The basic kits are 11" and retail for $26. Super Kits are 17" and retail for $42. Squares from the kit can be used for pillows, quilts, purses and wallhangings. Enjoy!

Clarindia is Making 100 Quilts!

Southern quilter and founding member of the Brown Sugar Stitchers Quilt Guild in Atlanta, Clarindia, has set out to make 100 African Canvas Memory Quilts. She's up to number 53! I love this new twist to making a series of quilts. Many of her quilts are available for sale.

Visit Clarindia other blog, O.V. Brantley Studio, to learn about her annual Fulton County Attorneys office signature quilt, see the Delta Sigma Theta quilt, and Evora's Earth quilt, which honors my mother Evora Hicks. (On a side note, I gotta find out of Clarindia and I are related - we have family from AR, too!)

Best wishes on the next 47 quilts, Clarindia!

Crochet Buffet - delicious!

Today will be a slight departure from quilting news. What a fun joy to visit Crochet Buffet photo gallery - this sister has created a delightful hamburger and fries and more feast (photo).

Faultless Hot Iron Cleaner

Did I burn some Polly & Esther (polyester) fabric this morning! My high-end iron was BLACK and sticky, yuck! To the rescue - Faultless Hot Iron Cleaner. A tube of this cleaner should be in every quilters' Christmas stocking!

Peggie Hartwell - SC Quilter

Who's teaching the next generation of quilters? Check-out South Carolina quilter and Artist in the Classroom for the State of South Carolina, Peggie Hartwell. The "Dream Faces" blocks were created by little ones Peggie taught. See the other quilts her students made on her website. Kudos to our quilt teachers!

Rachel D. K. Clark - Coats!

Finally it's getting COLD here in the DC area. If I could sew clothes, I'd make one of Rachel Clark's coats, like this mud-cloth one, for the winter! You can see her coats, vests, and fabric purses on her website and order patterns to make yourself. Visually so exciting! Go, Rachel!

Rosie Lee Tompkins (1936 - 2006)

Northern California sistah quilter and Arkansas native Rosie Lee Tompkins passed away last week.

I first became familiar with Tompkins' quilts from Eli Leon's catalog, Who'd a Thought It: Improvisation in African-American Quiltmaking: December 31, 1987 to February 28, 1988. Tompkins stitched incredibly colorful free-form, strip and string quilts. Her works were exhibited in solo shows at Anthony Meier Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA (2003), Peter Blum, New York, NY (2002), the Berkeley Art Museum (1997) and numerous group exhibitions. (Photo: Three Sixes, 1986)

Tompkins, a pseudonym, wished to remain anonymous. Whatever her real name, I'm glad her quilts were shared with us.

Cheap Threads, Mini Quilts Exhibit

If you are in the DC area, do stop by the Graham Collection in Brookland. The current exhibit is "Cheap Threads, Miniature Quilts and Wall Hangings (A Textile Journey)" - until December 27. In addition to handmade Christmas tree ornaments (all on sale), you'll find GORGEOUS quilts - all affordably priced from $250 to couple thousand dollars.

Featured quilters include: Tonia Mitchell (I LOVE her quilt of woman title Jewel! It's an elongated portrait of a woman. The male portait has sold), Viola Burley Leak, Bisa Butler (photo), Barbara Lynn Bechthold (see her Essence of Lynn), Betty Baines (she has one fabulous piece featuring a black woman doll on kuba cloth, leather, and copper plate - and yes, its a quilt!), Imani Whiters-Russell, Adrienne McDoanld (she has an elegant tie-stained wallhanging with an old world feel), Joanna Banks - great self-portrait wallhangings!, Shirley Taylor, and Francine Haskins.

Miami Quilters - BigMama, Girl Scouts

"Down by the Riverside" September 15 – December, 17 - North Dade Regional Library. This is an exhibition of quilts by members and friends of BigMama Quilters & Vintage Guild, Inc., who have maintained the traditions of quiltmaking among African Americans, within their homes and families.

"Holding On to Southern Traditions: Lessons in African-American Quiltmaking." September 16–December 13 - Culmer/Overtown Branch Library - 350 NW 13 Street Miami, FL 33136 (305) 579-5322 - This exhibition of quilts and photographs from the Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida, Troop #1026, of the Liberty City Charter School. These quilts are made by the girls!

If you get a chance to see the exhibits, please share your thoughts!

World AIDS Day - one quilt

December 1 is World AIDS Day. Forty million people worldwide are living with HIV. Check out the USAToday article and slide show featuring the AIDS Memorial Quilt - remember when it was on display in DC ten years ago? The AIDS Memorial Quilt is now 54 tons heavy - honoring more than 40,000.

The Atlanta Constitution has an article about the quilt with this photo of 46-year-old cosmetologist Kimberly Jackson's panel made for her friend and client, Dr. Wandra Jones-Phillips, who passed away in 2001.