LaVerne Kemp - the Warped Weaver

Have you visited LaVerne Kemp's blog, the Warped Weaver? Pictured here is her "Sweet Potato Pie" handwoven quilt. Over this holiday weekend, take a moment and be amazed at her artwork and those of her sister quilters, weavers and textile artists! Enjoy!

Aisha Cousins' Obama Skirt Project

Brooklyn artist Aisha Cousins, inspired by our African sisters who wear clothes promoting local and national politicians, is sporting six different President Obama fabric fashions for a year as part of her Obama Skirt Project. You can follow her on the project's blog. You can also enjoy one of the project's videos - this one features the strong voice of Carla Kelly singing My Country Tis of Thee. Enjoy!

Brother Quilter - Ken Ellis - have you seen his quilts!?

Thanks to Gwen for introducing me to quilts of Chicago artist Ken Ellis. Have you seen his quilts? Ellis has been quilting for more than 20 years. According to the ChicagoReader,

"Ellis learned to sew from his father, a maintenance engineer, while growing up on the Gold Coast, and he's always painted. He's also a big history buff. But it wasn't until after stints at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, the School of the Art Institute, and Columbia College that he combined the three interests. "I got fed up with school and went to work in a punk bar," he says. The bar was the famous La Mere Vipere, where he met his ex-wife, Marilyn. She turned him on to fabric dye, which she used to color T-shirts and pillows. The dye was brighter and more durable than oil paint, "which is on a layer of gesso and can crack and peel off," says Ellis. "My dye is part of the fabric and will be there as long as the fabric is there."

You can see more of Mr. Ellis' quilts at the Anatomically Correct website. Click here to see quilts from his "Sewing the Seeds" exhibit. So - what do you think of his quilt!? Enjoy!

Elizabeth Keckley Walking Tour in DC

Nineteenth-century sistah seamstress and quilter Elizabeth Keckley (sometimes Keckly) is hosting a 90 minute, 1.5 mile walking tour in Washington, DC - starting at the Ford's Theatre. Mrs. Keckley, played by actress Danielle A. Drake, "tells the story of her friendship with the Lincoln family and of her efforts to help former slaves find their way in the newly free city of Washington." Enjoy!

A Legacy of Twelve - Poems by Quilter Dorothy Montgomery

Have you had a chance to read South Carolina quilter Dorothy Montgomery's 58 page poetry booklet "A Legacy of Twelve: Notes from a Musical Scale Create Many Styles of Music"? Her 2006 book includes images of five of Miss Montgomery's quilts - including this one on the book's cover. The poems mostly focus on musical themes as Miss Montgomery is a retired music teacher. My favorite poems are the two about Harriet Tubman. Enjoy!

Stitched - Stop Action Sewing Machine Video

Saw this video minute and a half video over at sistah quilter Cheryl Sterling's blog A Needle Quickly Through Cloth. Enjoy!

Zuri Quilting Guild of Nashville Exhibits at Airport

Flying through the Nashville International Airport between now and May 31, 2010? Cruise on over to Concourse A, across from Gate A-3 for the exhibit "Sistahs of the Cloth: Pieces Together Our Past While Keeping Ourselves in Stitches" featuring quilts by the Zuri Quilting Guild of Nashville. If a trip to Tennessee isn't planned, do visit the Zuri Quilting Guild blog. Enjoy!

Cross-Stitch Black Women Buttons

Two of my weaknesses include: African American-themed fabrics and clothing buttons. So ..... when I saw these hand-crafted, cross-stitch buttons on etsy, I just had to order them. Each one is about 1.5 cm. I was surprised when the packet from Samantha and Sara arrived in the mail from Montreal. The pair also offer hair barrettes and pins. Do you collect buttons? Enjoy!