Monday, January 03, 2011

Ramsess Quilts a Magnificant Moor!

While visiting the famed Eso Won bookstore in Los Angeles, I was arrested upon seeing one of the most magnificent quilts I've ever seen .... one about 8 or 9 feet tall of a Moor warrior. You've likely seen the poster that inspired the quilt. You gotta understand - this magnificent Moor warrior looked as if he would step off the fabric and defend his family! The Moor is standing on fabric steps and, honestly, you can imagine him lifting his robes so his sandal feet don't trip.

I asked James there at Eso Won who the heck made the quilt and he shared that the quilter was a man named Ramsess, who also creates stain glass windows. I had to meet this quilter. A family friend eventually made an introduction for me and I met Ramsess back at Eso Won after Sunday services.

It was great meeting Ramsess in person. What a warm spirit - my iPhone photo here doesn't do him or the quilt justice. Anyway, he shared his technique for making the quilt - for him it is like making a stain glass window, only using fabrics. He has just a regular sewing machine. The quilt is still to be quilted, hanging with safety pins to keep the batting in place. Even the back of the quilt is fine.

Now the kicker - Ramsess just started to quilt in March 2010! Let me put this another way - he just learned to quilt March 2010!

A couple of his quilts will be on exhibit at the William Grant Still Arts Center in Los Angeles as part of the 28th Annual Black Doll show, which opens January 8, 2011. Enjoy!

13 comments:

Donna McDine said...

Wow! Breathtaking! Thanks for sharing.

Best wishes for your continued success,
Donna
Children’s Author
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Lenora said...

Wow I am speechless, the man has some serious skills! I will never say what I can't do ever again!!

Shauna Roberts said...

Incredible! Thanks for sharing this. I need to get over to Eso Wan soon to see this.

the shulammite said...

the brother can quilt! wow!

Delbra, AAQLA said...

That quilt is absolutely stunning. A true example of bigger than life. Ramsess you do great work.
Delbra,

Big Mama said...

Hmmm, I was in Eso Won Saturday and
would have thought that Moor was done by an experienced quilter. Ramses is truly visually gifted. Just think how encouraging this would be for some beginning quilter to know that the light at the end of their tunnel may not be as far away as one would imagine.
A truly superb piece.

Kristi's Book Nook said...

What a magnificent quilt!

Karoda said...

WoWee! I hope he has plans to enter it in a show!

MzP said...

Amazing work of art!! What an inspiration!

janice a/k/a earthloczwoman said...

Awesome and inspiring. He is really gifted. Thank you for sharing.

Nik said...

Get out of town! How...magnificent! I'd love to see more of his stained glass work as well.

Tara said...

This is so inspiring! I truly enjoyed reading this post...nothing is impossible if you just put your mind to it!

Angie said...

Wow! Let me say how much I love Ramsess and have a piece of etched glass work of his proudly displayed in my home. To know that he know does quilts is just wonderful. I guess another LA trip is in order. March 2010 he started???? Wow. Blessings to Ramsess.