MEET THE ARTISTS AND THE QUILTS AS WE TRAVEL TO QUILT NATIONAL IN ATHENS, OHIO.

IT IS A JURIED COMPETITION FOR CONTEMPORARY QUILT ARTISTS, PROMOTING QUILTMAKING AS AN ART FORM.

THEN I SPOTLIGHT A NEW SPOOL DESIGN RIGHT HERE IN OUR SEWING STUDIO.

...IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM GINGHER, INC., MAKERS OF SHEARS FOR THE HOME, BUSINESS, AND INDUSTRY, AND BERNINA, MAKERS OF SEWING MACHINES MANUFACTURED WITH THE CARE OF TRADITIONAL SWISS WORKMANSHIP.

WELCOME TO QUILT NATIONAL IN ATHENS, OHIO.

IT ALL BEGAN IN 1979 AND IS THE FIRST JURIED COMPETITION FOR CONTEMPORARY QUILTMAKERS THAT CONTINUES TODAY.

YOU ARE IN FOR A MIND-EXPANDING EXPERIENCE, MEETING AND VIEWING THESE VERY SERIOUS AND DEDICATED ARTISTS.

HILARY FLETCHER IS THE COORDINATOR FOR THE DAIRY BARN EVENT IN ATHENS.

CAN YOU GIVE US SOME BACKGROUND ABOUT THE DAIRY BARN EVENT, AND WHY IS THIS SUCH A SPECIAL QUILT SHOW?

WELL, WE THINK IT'S A KIND OF SPECIAL QUILT SHOW BECAUSE, UM, IT'S A SHOW THAT HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF ATTENTION TO OUR VERY, VERY SMALL COMMUNITY.

IT IS IN ATHENS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE NANCY CROW AND FRANCOISE BARNES WERE LIVING IN THE LATE '70s.

THEY, AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, WERE MAKING INNOVATIVE OR CONTEMPORARY QUILTS, AND THEY HAD A NETWORK OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE DOING THE SAME THING.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, THIS FACILITY WAS TURNED INTO AN ART CENTER.

WE ARE A 200-YEAR-OLD BARN, AND FORTUNATELY, WE DON'T LOOK THAT MUCH LIKE A BARN ON THE INSIDE NOW.

WE USED TO LOOK A LOT MORE LIKE IT.

AND THEY DECIDED THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD SITE TO HAVE A QUILT SHOW, AND THAT'S WHERE IT STARTED.

YOU HAVE BEEN IN CHARGE OF THE JURYING PROCESS, HILARY, AND THAT'S AN AWESOME UNDERTAKING.

TELL US HOW THAT-- THE CONCEPT OF THAT.

WELL, IT'S, UM, IT'S COMPUTERIZED, FOR ONE THING.

THE ENTRIES ARE ASSIGNED AN IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, AND THEN THE PRELIMINARY SELECTION IS MADE ON THE BASIS OF SLIDES.

EACH ARTIST SUBMITS A FULL-VIEW AND A DETAIL OF THE WORKS.

AND THE JURORS GO THROUGH, AND THEY DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO HAVE IN THE SHOW.

EACH PIECE IS SEEN AT LEAST THREE TIMES, SO WE FEEL THAT EVERYTHING GETS A FAIRLY GOOD SHOT.

THE LAST TIME THAT THEY SEE EVERYTHING IS AFTER THE SHOW HAS BEEN SELECTED, THEY GO BACK AND LOOK AT EVERYTHING ELSE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS REALLY THE SHOW THAT THEY WANT.

WE ALWAYS HAVE THREE JURORS.

TWO OF THEM ARE ALWAYS VERY WELL-KNOWN, ESTABLISHED QUILT ARTISTS.

THE THIRD PERSON IS ALWAYS SOMEONE WHOSE KNOWLEDGE IS SOMEWHAT BROADER-- SOMEONE WHO MAY BE THE DIRECTOR OF A NATIONAL GALLERY LIKE THE RENWICK, OR SOMEONE WHO'S THE DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS AT A VERY LARGE INSTITUTION.

AND WE FIND THAT THAT THIRD PERSON GIVES IT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, AND THE RESULTS SEEM TO INDICATE THAT THEY ALWAYS COME UP WITH A TERRIFIC SHOW.

WELL, GIVE US A NUMBER.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ENTER THIS SHOW?

THERE ARE ANYWHERE FROM 250, I THINK, FOR THE FIRST SHOW TO 550 ARTISTS FOR A RECENT SHOW, AND THOSE PEOPLE SUBMITTED 1,156 QUILTS.

THERE HAS BEEN A 30% INCREASE IN ENTRIES FOR EACH QUILT NATIONAL.

THIS INCLUDES ENTRIES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.

FOR THIS INTERNATIONAL EVENT, WE CAN, IN PART, THANK NANCY CROW.

I ASKED HER HOW IT ALL BEGAN.

IN 1978, HARRIET ANDERSON, WHO WAS VERY INFLUENTIAL HERE IN ATHENS IN THE CULTURAL ARTS, ASKED ME IF I WOULD TEACH A WORKSHOP IN CONTEMPORARY QUILTMAKING, THAT THEY WERE GOING TO APPLY FOR A GRANT AT THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL.

AND I SAID, "HARRIET, WE NEED AN EXHIBITION FORMAT "FOR CONTEMPORARY QUILTMAKERS.

"CONTEMPORARY QUILTMAKERS HAVE NO PLACE TO SHOW THEIR WORK.

EVERYTHING IS FOR TRADITIONAL QUILTMAKERS."

SO SHE SAID, "GREAT.

LET'S GO WITH THAT.

"LET'S GET A GRANT TO HAVE A CONTEMPORARY QUILT EXHIBITION THAT'S JURIED."

AND THAT'S HOW IT GOT STARTED.

WELL, IT WAS WITH YOUR IMPETUS, AND I THINK ANYONE THAT WOULD SAY THE WORD "CONTEMPORARY QUILTMAKING," YOUR NAME WOULD BE THE NEXT ONE.

I'M VERY HONORED TO MEET YOU TODAY, AND I--CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT YOU HAVE STARTED IN THIS COUNTRY AND THE IMPACT THAT YOU HAD?

DO YOU REALIZE THAT?

WELL, THANK YOU.

I DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT IT, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH, AND I WILL ALSO TELL YOU THIS.

THAT IN 1978 AND '79, THAT ABOUT 25 VOLUNTEER WOMEN PUT THIS TOGETHER.

I MEAN, IT WAS THE WORK OF MANY PEOPLE.

IT HAS GROWN, AND I KNOW IT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR QUILT BEHIND US, BECAUSE IT HAS A GREAT IMPACT, ALSO.

WELL, THE PATTERNING IN THIS-- I DON'T KNOW IF MANY QUILTMAKERS ARE AWARE, BUT I ALMOST ALWAYS USE A TRADITIONAL BLOCK AS THE UNDERPINNING OF MY WORK, AND THIS IS BASED ON NEW YORK BEAUTY, THE OLD NEW YORK BEAUTY PATTERN, BUT I'M VERY INFLUENCED BY SOUTH AMERICAN CULTURE BECAUSE I'VE LIVED SO MANY DIFFERENT TIMES IN SOUTH AMERICA.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE IS THE GAYNESS OF THE OXCART WHEELS WITH THE PATTERNING-- THEY OFTEN PAINT THEIR OXCARTS-- THE BIG FLOWERS USED IN THE WOMEN'S PEASANT BLOUSES.

AND THEN WITH THE BLACK AND WHITE FABRICS, I GROUPED THEM TO LOOK LIKE CROCHETED LACE, THE CROCHETED LACE YOU WOULD SEE ON THE BODICE OF THE BLOUSE, ETCETERA.

AND THE POINTS ARE VERY DERIVATIVE FROM THE OLD NEW YORK BEAUTY PATTERN.

WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US TODAY.

THANK YOU, NANCY.

THANK YOU.

THE JURORS SELECTED "WHEN WE WERE YOUNG," BY ELIZABETH BUSCH, AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE BEST OF SHOW AWARD.

SHE CONSIDERS HERSELF AN ARTIST WHOSE MEDIUM IS FIBER AND QUILTING.

THIS PIECE IS PART OF A SERIES, GEORGIA, THAT I DID LAST YEAR ABOUT THE BED-- QUILTS ABOUT THE BED AS OPPOSED TO FOR THE BED.

I'VE NEVER MADE A QUILT FOR THE BED, AND I'VE NOT DONE A TRADITIONAL KIND OF A QUILT.

AND THIS PIECE IS IN THE MIDDLE PART OF THE SERIES.

IT STARTS WITH A PIECE THAT IS ALSO IN THE SHOW CALLED "CHILD DREAM" THAT BEGINS IN EARLY LIFE.

THE SERIES CAME ABOUT BECAUSE I WAS ASKED TO PRODUCE FIVE NEW PIECES FOR A SHOW THAT WAS AT THE PORTLAND MUSEUM LAST YEAR AND HAD A NOTION IN MIND THAT WE ARE SURROUNDED ALL OF OUR LIVES WITH FABRIC AND, UH...NEVER REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT FACT, AND SO THESE QUILTS DEAL WITH THAT AND THE BED.

AND THIS PIECE, "WHEN WE WERE YOUNG," IS ABOUT THAT TIME IN EARLY MARRIAGE WHEN CHILDREN ARE YOUNG AND THINGS ARE VERY HAPPY AND POSITIVE.

I'VE ATTEMPTED TO ACCOMPLISH THAT IN THIS PIECE.

DOES IT START ON PAPER WITH A FULL SKETCH OR JUST WITH THE CLOTH?

A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

SOMETIMES I WORK WITH SKETCHES, BUT THE SKETCHES AREN'T WHAT THE PIECE WINDS UP BEING.

I ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN, GROW AS MARKS HAPPEN ON THE CANVAS.

I START WITH AN EMPTY CANVAS AND START PAINTING.

I WORK ON RAW COTTON CANVAS AND USE ACRYLIC PAINTS AND SEE WHAT EVOLVES FROM THERE.

WELL, IT ALL COMES TO LIFE, AND IT IS SO PLEASING.

WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S THE BEST OF SHOW.

CONGRATULATIONS, AGAIN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

JAN MYERS-- IT USED TO BE FROM MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

NOW IT'S JAN MYERS-NEWBURY FROM... PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

AND I'VE ALWAYS ASSOCIATED YOUR QUILTS WITH VERY PASTEL AND CALM HAND-DYED FABRICS.

TELL ME WHAT'S HAPPENED, JAN. WELL, UM, THINGS HAVE BEEN CHANGING IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, I WOULD SAY SORT OF A GRADUAL TRANSITION TO, OH, A LITTLE STRONGER, MORE BRILLIANT PALETTE, I GUESS, AND ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, I BEGAN TIE-DYING THE FABRICS IN ADDITION TO WORKING WITH THE SOLIDS.

AND WHAT I FEEL LIKE THAT HAS DONE FOR ME, I'M SLOWLY REALIZING, IS THAT, IN A SENSE, IT'S MY WAY OF WORKING WITH PRINTS, AND IT'S ALSO A WAY-- IT WAS A WAY TO INTRODUCE SOME UNPREDICTABILITY INTO THE WORK.

I THINK PRETTY MATHEMATICALLY AND GEOMETRICALLY WHEN I DESIGN.

IT'S BEEN A WAY TO FREE ME FROM THAT AND WORK A LITTLE BIT MORE INTUITIVELY, REALLY, BECAUSE THERE'S FACTORS IN THE FABRICS THAT I CAN'T PREDICT.

HOW DO YOU CONCEIVE YOUR QUILTS?

IS IT ON PAPER, OR HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

IN THE BEGINNING, I DESIGNED THEM ALL ON PAPER, AND I DON'T WORK ON PAPER AT ALL ANY LONGER.

GENERALLY, I'LL BEGIN WITH UNITS OF COLOR AND FABRIC THAT I FIRST BUILD.

IN THIS INSTANCE, BUILT STRIPED FABRICS, CUT THESE UNITS OUT, AND THEN I TAKE THE UNITS AND ARRANGE THEM ON A BOARD THAT HAS FLANNEL SO I CAN MOVE THINGS AROUND.

IT'S LIKE HAVING A MOVEABLE PUZZLE.

I JUST PLAY WITH THE PUZZLE UNTIL I FEEL LIKE THE PIECES ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE, ALTHOUGH THERE'S PROBABLY 500 "RIGHT PLACES" FOR EACH PIECE.

IT LOOKS RIGHT TO ME.

IT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU.

THE AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP GOES TO LIESEL NIESNER.

AM I SAYING YOUR NAME CORRECTLY?

YES.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOUR QUILT IS THE KIND THAT YOU WANT TO JUST STUDY FOR A LONG TIME AND PONDER.

HOW DID YOU CONCEIVE THIS IDEA?

I WAS, A LONG TIME AGO, ENGAGED TO DO ANY FOR THE PEOPLE OF GREENPEACE.

UM, THEY DO A DANGEROUS JOB, I THINK, THAT I COULDN'T MAKE, AND I HAD SOMETIMES THE IDEA I COULD PERHAPS MAKE A QUILT FOR THAT GROUP.

AND...

I LIKE RAINBOWS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND SOMETIMES I HAD THE IDEA TO MAKE THIS RAINBOW.

LIESEL STARTS WITH GRAPH PAPER AND COLORED PENCILS.

SHE IS ABSOLUTELY SELF-TAUGHT AND NEVER TOOK A CLASS.

IN THE BEGINNING OF MY QUILTING, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO TAKE A CLASS IN GERMAN.

THERE WERE NOTHING OF CLASSES AND BOOKS.

WHEN I MADE MY-- I THINK ABOUT MY FIFTH OR SIXTH QUILT, I LEARNED FIRST TIME THE WORD PATCHWORK.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

YES.

WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION OF ALL THE OTHER QUILTS HERE?

DO YOU HAVE--IS THERE ONE IMPRESSION YOU HAVE?

OH, YES.

I MISS THE WORDS, BUT I COULD SAY PERHAPS I AM OVERWHELMING-- OVERWHELMED.

IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL TO ME.

THE AWARD FOR THE MOST INNOVATIVE USE OF THE MEDIUM WAS RECEIVED BY JUDITH DINGLE.

IT IS VERY INNOVATIVE.

TELL US HOW-- WHY IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A QUILT.

I WAS WORKING WITH FLAT QUILTS, COMMISSIONED PIECES, FOR PROBABLY ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AND WAS ALWAYS VERY INTERESTED IN THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL ASPECT, THE IMPLIED THREE-DIMENSIONAL ASPECT OF THE PIECE, WHICH LED ME INTO WORKING WITH THE BLOCK-- THIS AREA AS A SEPARATE, INDIVIDUAL UNIT HELD TOGETHER BY OTHER MATERIALS WHICH ARE OF INTEREST TO ME, TOO.

SO YOU ACTUALLY-- IT'S A FREE-FLOATING-- PUT YOUR HAND BEHIND THERE, JUDITH, AND THEY CAN GET THE CONCEPT OF-- THERE'S A COMBINATION, OF, UM, OPAQUE, TRANSPARENT, AND SEMITRANSPARENT AREAS IN THE PIECE.

JUDI WARREN, FROM MAUMEE, OHIO, IN FRONT OF HER EXUBERANT, RISKY, WONDERFUL QUILT.

TELL US THE NAME AND HOW YOU CONCEIVED IT, JUDI.

THE NAME OF THE QUILT IS "MARCH 28, 1986-- RAIN AT FUSHIMI INARI."

FUSHIMI INARI IS A SHINTO SHRINE OUTSIDE OF KYOTO, WHICH, ON THE DAY THAT I VISITED, WAS AN ABSOLUTELY GRAY, WET, MISTY, RAINY DAY.

THE TORII GATE, WHICH IS TWO VERTICALS AND TWO HORIZONTALS AT FUSHIMI INARI, ABOUT 3 INCHES APART FOR 2 1/2 MILES, ONE AFTER THE OTHER, AND IT'S LIKE A TUNNEL.

OLD ONES HAVE FADED TO PALE PEACH, AND BRAND-NEW ONES ARE THIS COLOR OF POPPIES.

AS YOU LOOKED THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TORII GATES, YOU COULD SEE NEW, GREEN, WET LEAVES.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER TO APPLAUD OR CRY.

IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.

ALL THIS HAS COME OUT INTO A QUILT.

IT'S ALL FROM INSIDE AND YOUR IMAGES FROM REMEMBERING.

YES, UH-HUH.

IT'S WONDERFUL.

DO PEOPLE THAT ENTER QUILT NATIONAL REALLY HAVE THAT A FOCAL POINT?

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WORK TOWARDS THAT?

ONCE YOU HAD THE IDEA TO MAKE THE QUILT, WAS IT, "I'LL TRY TO MAKE THAT FOR QUILT NATIONAL"?

OH, I THINK THAT'S A MISTAKE WHEN YOU HAVE 1,160 ENTRIES AND 72 ACCEPTED PIECES.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE MADE THE QUILT BECAUSE YOU MUST MAKE THAT QUILT THAT WAY.

AND IF IT GETS IN QUILT NATIONAL OR ANY OTHER SHOW, WONDERFUL, BUT YOU WILL STILL BE PLEASED WITH IT AND HAPPY THAT YOU DID IT.

VERY GOOD POINT.

YOUR QUILT IS CONTEMPORARY, BUT YET YOU FEEL IT HAS TRADITIONAL ASPECTS.

EXPLAIN THAT.

I FEEL IT'S CONTEMPORARY BECAUSE TO ME, THE WORD MEANS "NOW."

I FEEL THAT IT IS VERY RESPECTFUL OF THE QUILTMAKING TRADITION IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL HERITAGE QUILTS THAT WERE MADE TO RECORD AN EVENT IN A QUILTMAKER'S LIFE.

FOR INSTANCE, WESTWARD MIGRATION HAS TITLES LIKE "ROCKY ROAD TO KANSAS" AND "DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS," DESCRIBING SOMETHING ABOUT AN EVENT THAT OCCURRED, WHICH IS WHAT THIS QUILT IS, IS A PLACE THAT WAS VISITED AND WON'T GO AWAY.

WE'RE SO GLAD YOU WENT TO JAPAN.

SO AM I.

THANK YOU.

MIRIAM NATHAN-ROBERTS FROM BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

YOUR QUILT IS ENTITLED "LETTING GO."

RIGHT.

TELL US ABOUT ITS MAKING, HOW IT ORIGINATED, AND ESPECIALLY ABOUT ALL THAT STRIP PIECING AND HOW YOU DYED THE FABRICS.

OK, I HAD BEEN DOING A SERIES OF INTERWEAVES THAT WERE ALL VERY STRAIGHT LINE, AND ALL OF THAT STRIPPING AND KEEPING EVERYTHING PRECISE HAD ME SLIGHTLY FRUSTRATED, SO I NEEDED SOMETHING THAT WOULD LET GO.

I THINK OF IT OFTEN AS A NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY WITH THE LETTING GO OF THE CONFETTI AND JUST RELAXING.

AND YOU'VE RELAXED THE LINES, AND IT'S TAKEN ON AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT LOOK.

YOUR SURFACE-- IS IT DYED FABRIC?

IT'S ALL HAND-DYED, WITH SOME OF IT DIRECT-DYED WITH THE PAINTBRUSH AND SOME OF IT DIPPED IN BUCKETS.

IF IT IS STRIPPED, IT WAS DONE IN BUCKETS-- EACH ONE DYED INDIVIDUALLY AND THEN CUT UP AND PUT BACK TOGETHER.

IF THEY'RE LONG PIECES, I DYED THEM WITH A PAINTBRUSH USING THE DYE ON THE FABRIC.

THERE'S SO MUCH STRUCTURE TO IT, BUT YET IT HAS A WONDERFUL RELEASE QUALITY TO IT.

IS IT ALL DONE ON PAPER FIRST?

HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

I DID THAT ON PAPER, AND ACTUALLY, I TRIED PAINTING IT.

I JUST WAS PLAYING WITH THE DYES AND PAINTED IT ON A SMALL PIECE OF FABRIC.

AND WHEN I WENT TO DO THIS, I DID HAVE TO MAKE A FULL-SIZED SKETCH IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PIECE IT TOGETHER, BECAUSE ALL THE CURVES WERE ENOUGH TO DRIVE YOU CRAZY.

LIKE MANY OF THE QUILTERS WE TALKED TO, MIRIAM WORKS ON MORE THAN ONE QUILT AT A TIME.

HER OTHER QUILT WAS ALSO IN THE SHOW.

IT'S CALLED "MUSEUM."

IT'S NOT OFTEN WE MEET QUILTERS FROM NEW YORK CITY, BUT AT QUILT NATIONAL, THERE WERE TWO.

FIRST, JANET PAGE KESSLER.

I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A DEPARTURE.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR QUILTMAKING AND HOW IT'S COME.

I AM A TRADITIONAL QUILTMAKER, OR I WAS UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN I DECIDED THAT I WOULD TRY ANOTHER FORMAT, UM, AWAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL GRID SYSTEM AND BLOCKS AND STARTED WITH APPLIQUE AND SHAPES THAT WERE VERY DIFFERENT.

AND THE MORE YOU STUDY THIS, THE RICHER IT SEEMS, PLUS THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE APPROACHES.

HOW DID THAT DEVELOP AS YOU DID THE PIECE?

ACTUALLY, I HAD INTENDED ONLY TO DO THE ONE SIDE.

I STARTED WITH THIS PIECE AND REALIZED I HAD SO MUCH FUN WITH IT, I THOUGHT I WOULD GO ON AND TRY BLACK AND WHITE TO SEE IF IT COULD BE JUST AS EFFECTIVE.

AND THEN FROM THERE, I DECIDED TO PUT THEM TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY WORKED SO WELL.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION?

IS IT AS GIFTS FOR THE FAMILY OR TO RESPOND TO OTHER QUILTMAKERS IN SHOWS SUCH AS THIS?

WHAT DO YOU THINK MOTIVATES YOU?

THAT'S ONLY A SMALL PART OF IT.

IT'S A NEED TO MAKE ART THAT KEEPS ME GOING.

AND WORKING IN A SERIES ALLOWS ME TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE FORMAT OR WITH THE, UM, DRAWING I'VE MADE, AND AS I DO PIECE AFTER PIECE, I FIND THAT I'M MORE FAMILIAR WITH IT AND CAN WORK FREER AND FREER AND FREER, POSSIBLY.

ALSO FROM NEW YORK WAS ROBIN SCHWALB, WINNER OF AN AWARD OF EXCELLENCE.

TELL US ABOUT IT, ROBIN.

WELL, I EARN MY LIVING WORKING WITH MOVIES, WORKING WITH WITH VIDEOTAPE AND WITH ALL KINDS OF ELECTRONIC GADGETS.

AND I THINK THAT ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY IS VERY BEAUTIFUL.

I THINK IT'S KIND OF PECULIAR THAT IN THE LATE 20th CENTURY, PEOPLE ARE STILL MAKING QUILTS ABOUT CHURN DASHES BECAUSE VERY FEW PEOPLE USE CHURN DASHES ANYMORE EVEN THOUGH IT'S AN EXQUISITE PATTERN.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO CELEBRATE THAT, THE TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.

IT'S WONDERFUL WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

NOW, YOU DIDN'T APPLIQUE ALL THOSE LITTLE BLACK CIRCLES?

NO, I DIDN'T.

I STENCILED THEM USING DECCA FABRIC PAINT AND A STENCIL BRUSH, AND I WOULD CUT A PATTERN OUT OF PAPER AND JUST GO BAP, BAP, BAP.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

AND THEN HEAT SET THEM ALL.

I HAVE FOUND--AND MAYBE YOU FEEL THIS WAY, ALSO-- THAT THE TECHNIQUE IS ALMOST SECONDARY TO THE DESIGN IN ALL OF THESE ART QUILTS.

THAT IT'S A PART OF IT, AND YOU DON'T DWELL ON IT.

IT'S BECAUSE THE OVERALL VISION THAT YOU SEE AT THE END.

ABSOLUTELY.

THE TECHNIQUE IS IN THE SERVICE OF THE DESIGN, AND I FEEL VERY STRONGLY WHATEVER TECHNIQUE I NEED TO ACCOMPLISH THAT DESIGN IS FINE.

THAT'S OK.

THERE ARE NO RULES.

NOW, ARE YOU MOTIVATED TO WORK ON MORE THAN ONE QUILT AT A TIME?

SOMETIMES I DO, BUT IN THE CASE OF "PCB BOP," I WAS ABSOLUTELY DRIVEN.

I HAD TO WORK ON THIS ONE AND THIS ONE ONLY AND FINISH IT.

IT WAS REALLY NECESSARY FOR SOME REASON THAT I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND.

WERE YOU BORN A QUILTMAKER, OR HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

I SEWED FROM A VERY EARLY AGE.

IN COLLEGE, I WAS A PAINTER, BUT AFTER COLLEGE, I TOOK UP QUILTMAKING.

AND I'VE ALWAYS LOVED TO SEW.

I'M NEVER HAPPIER THAN WHEN I'M SEWING, AND THE MORE COLORFUL, THE BETTER, AND IT JUST SEEMS A NATURAL EXTENSION.

DO YOU DO THE HAND QUILTING YOURSELF?

YES, YES.

I'VE ALSO TAKEN UP MACHINE QUILTING, TOO, BUT AT THIS POINT, IT'S AN EXPERIMENT FOR ME.

IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT QUALITY THAN HAND QUILTING.

I USE IT WHERE I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE.

ALL OF THESE ARTISTS WERE MOVED TO MAKE A QUILT BY A PARTICULAR INSPIRATION.

IT COULD RANGE FROM NATURE TO SOCIAL ISSUES, AND SOMETIMES TRADITIONAL QUILT PATTERNS WERE AN INFLUENCE.

BY STUDYING THESE QUILTS, WE CAN TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT TO THE AMERICAN SCENE TODAY AND PONDER IN AMAZEMENT WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR THE FUTURE.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO A NEW QUILT NATIONAL SHOW EVERY ODD YEAR.

JUST THINK-- 1991, 1993, AND ON AND ON.

NOW, FOR MORE INFORMATION, NOTE THE ADDRESS AT THE END OF OUR SHOW.

DO YOU NOTICE SOME OLD FRIENDS ON THE SET TODAY?

PERHAPS YOU REMEMBER OUR SPINNING SPOOLS QUILT, AND THEN AN ELONGATED SPOOL DESIGN ON A JUMPER, OUR SPINNING SPOOL STAR PATTERN, ANOTHER SAMPLER, TOTE BAGS, A PATTERN CLUB.

AND NOW WE'VE COME TO DANCING SPOOLS, ANOTHER NEW INSPIRATION.

THELMA CALDWELL FROM NEW MARKET, TENNESSEE, WROTE AND THOUGHT SHE COULD SEE SPOOLS DANCING, BUT SHE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PUT IT TOGETHER.

SO THAT WAS THE SPRINGBOARD FOR ME TO DO THIS LITTLE WALL HANGING, COMPLETE WITH THE STAGE SCENE, THE BACK OF THE AUDIENCE ON THE BOTTOM BORDER, AND THE STAIRS LEADING UP TO THE "SPOTLIGHT DANCING SPOOLS."

LET'S GO TO THE STUDIO AND SEE HOW TO PUT IT TOGETHER.

FOR "SPOTLIGHT DANCING SPOOLS," THERE ARE TEN BALLERINAS IN ALL DIFFERENT POSITIONS.

WE'RE GONNA CONCENTRATE ON THIS YOUNG LADY IN THE SECOND POSITION.

NOW, SHE'S BASED ON A 6 X 10-INCH PANEL, AND ONCE YOU GET THE SPOOL IN PLACE-- THE BODY IS A 2 1/2-INCH SQUARE WITH THE TRAPEZOIDS ON EITHER SIDE-- YOU'RE READY TO START DESIGNING HER HEAD AND HER LEGS.

I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A FEW HINTS ON HOW TO PUT THIS TOGETHER AND HOW TO DESIGN IT AND THE SYSTEM FOR PIECING IT.

KEEP IN MIND YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO JUST ONE LIKE THIS AND THEN FRAME IT FOR THE COVER OF A PHOTO ALBUM.

KEEP IN MIND THAT I WOULD START YOUR CODING WITH THE SEQUENCE THAT YOU WANT TO DO YOUR PIECING.

FOR INSTANCE, YOUR A's WILL BE PUT TOGETHER FIRST, THEN YOUR "B" PANELS-- HER ARMS-- AND THEN UP HERE, THE "C"-- THE HEAD--WILL ATTACH OVER HERE, AND THEN SHE'LL HAVE THIS WHOLE "C" PANEL, WHICH WILL BE THE BOTTOM PORTION.

ONCE YOU GET YOUR FIGURES CODED, YOU CAN CUT THEM OUT, KNOWING THIS PAPER AUTOMATICALLY BECOMES YOUR TEMPLATE.

I HAVE THE HEAD HERE LEFT TO DO, AND ALL I NEED TO DO IS, KNOWING THAT THE GRID WILL LINE UP TO THE STRAIGHT OF THE GRAIN ON MY CLOTH, I CAN JUST IRON THAT IN PLACE, AND THEN USING MY SEE-THROUGH RULER, GIVE MYSELF THE 1/4 INCH ON EACH SIDE OF MY FABRIC AND CUT THAT OUT.

THIS BECOMES MY SEAM ALLOWANCE.

WITH THE PAPER IN PLACE, I JUST LEAVE THE PAPER THERE, KNOWING THAT THEN I HAVE A GUIDE TO FOLLOW WHEN I'M SEWING.

KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU START THIS SPOOL PANEL THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEW UP TO THE RAW EDGE.

YOU'RE SIMPLY GONNA SEW UP TO THE EDGE OF THE PAPER, STOP, AND BACKSTITCH.

YOU'VE GOT THAT FREE-FLOATING SEAM SITUATION THAT MAKES IT SO EASY TO SET THIS PANEL IN PLACE.

A COUPLE OTHER HINTS I'D LIKE TO PASS ON.

FOR ANY OF THE FIGURES THAT HAVE A DIRECTION GOING TO THEM-- FOR INSTANCE, THIS BALLERINA OR THIS ONE-- NOW, SHE'S NOT ALL THE WAY IN A RECLINING POSITION.

HER TUTU'S KEEPING HER UP IN THE AIR, BUT SHE IS GOING IN ONE DIRECTION.

BE CERTAIN TO DO YOUR CODING AND YOUR GRIDDING ON THE POLY-COATED, OR THE SHINY SIDE, OF YOUR GRID-GRIP, AND WHEN YOU'RE DOING THAT, PUT IT ON A NICE WHITE PIECE OF PAPER, AND THE LINES WILL SHOW RIGHT THROUGH.

THAT WAY, WHEN YOU CODE IT, PRESS IT ON THE BACK OF YOUR FABRIC, YOUR BALLERINA WILL BE GOING IN THE DIRECTION THAT YOU ACTUALLY SEE.

I'M GONNA TAKE YOU TO THE SEWING MACHINE NOW AND SHOW YOU HOW TO PIECE THIS TOGETHER.

YOU'LL WANT TO CONSIDER THE NETTING OR THE TUTU SHE'S GOT ON, AND TO DO THAT, I SIMPLY PUT MY MACHINE ON THE ZIGZAG POSITION, PULL OUT THAT TOP THREAD, YOUR TOP THREAD, AND THEN, PUTTING YOUR TUTU IN-- CAN YOU SEE THAT?

I HAVE A PALE PINK.

AND AT THE VERY TOP OF THAT, I'LL JUST ZIGZAG RIGHT ON TOP OF THIS TOP THREAD.

AND AS THAT COMES ALL THE WAY DOWN-- AND OF COURSE, I DO A WHOLE LOT OF THAT, KNOWING THAT I CAN CUT OFF THE AMOUNT THAT I NEED.

AFTER THAT'S TAKEN OFF, YOU KNOW THAT ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS PULL THAT, AND SEE HOW THAT STARTS TO PULL UP, AND YOU GET A NICE RUFFLE?

THAT WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE TOP PORTION.

ACTUALLY, LET'S TURN THIS AROUND.

THIS WOULD BE THE HEAD PORTION, AND THIS WOULD BE THE BOTTOM.

THIS WOULD BE ATTACHED RIGHT ON HERE.

JUST BASTE THAT IN PLACE, READY FOR HER TUTU.

NOW, I'VE PICKED UP--LET ME GO BACK TO STRAIGHT SEWING HERE.

AND I'VE PICKED UP THE TWO MOST DIFFICULT TEMPLATES TO SHOW YOU HOW THIS WOULD WORK.

I THINK IT REALLY HELPS, WITH THESE IN PLACE, TO SNIP.

I'VE DONE-- I WANT TO SNIP RIGHT HERE, RIGHT UP TO THAT...

INSIDE ANGLE, THE ACUTE ANGLE THAT'S INSIDE BOTH THERE, HERE, AND OVER ON THE WHITE ONE, ALSO.

JUST SNIP RIGHT THERE TO RELEASE THAT.

THAT WAY, I CAN HOLD MY CLOTH UP TO A GOOD LIGHT SOURCE.

AND SEEING THE EDGES OF THE PAPER, THAT THEY ARE LINED UP, I CAN PIN IN PLACE.

AND IF YOU WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN IT'S GOING RIGHT, OPEN THAT UP AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOUR GRIDS THAT ARE COMING ALL THE WAY ACROSS, THAT THEY'RE LINED UP, ALSO.

I THINK IT'S EASIEST TO GO AHEAD AND SEW ON THIS SIDE, AND WITH THAT IN PLACE, START RIGHT HERE.

STITCH AND BACKSTITCH.

NOW, I'M ONLY DOING ONE SIDE.

STITCH AND BACKSTITCH.

AND THE FACT THAT I HAVE SNIPPED ALLOWS ME TO OPEN UP, MAKE CERTAIN THAT-- OH, I JUST LOVE IT WHEN MY GRID'S LINED UP.

THEN I CAN TURN THAT.

YOU SEE I'VE SNIPPED.

AND THAT ALLOWS THAT FIGURE TO TURN AND LINE UP WITH THE CLOTH AGAIN.

AND YOU'RE JUST GONNA LOVE THE WAY THAT PAPER STAYS IN PLACE, BECOMING A GUIDE FOR YOU TO SEW EACH TIME.

NOW I'M READY TO COME BACK AGAIN.

AND IT WILL TAKE A FEW TURNS HERE, BUT YOU'LL BE HAPPY WITH IT WHEN-- NOW, I THINK THIS NEXT ONE, I CAN ACTUALLY PUT MY NEEDLE DOWN, AND THEN LIFT THAT, AND JUST TURN THAT ALL THE WAY AROUND, AND I'M READY TO COME OUT TO THE END.

AND YOU'VE GOT--I'VE GOT PART OF THE ARM DONE, AND THE ONLY THING LEFT IS THIS ONE UP HERE, WELL, WHERE I HAVE TO TURN IT ALL THE WAY.

DO YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS HERE?

I'LL PIN THAT, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW I WOULD GO HERE, AND THAT ALLOWS ME TO GET THE TURN OF HER ARM.

NOW, YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS FIGURE WOULD GO TOGETHER ON EITHER SIDE, COMPLETING EACH PANEL.

NOTICE HOW I'VE QUILTED IT WITH RADIATING SPOTLIGHTS UP.

HOPE YOU'LL HAVE FUN MAKING "SPOTLIGHT DANCING SPOOLS."

...IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM GINGHER, INC., MAKERS OF SHEARS FOR THE HOME, BUSINESS, AND INDUSTRY, AND BERNINA, MAKERS OF SEWING MACHINES MANUFACTURED WITH THE CARE OF TRADITIONAL SWISS WORKMANSHIP.

GEORGIA BONESTEEL IS THE AUTHOR OF "BRIGHT IDEAS FOR LAP QUILTING."

THE BOOK CONTAINS DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS AND PATTERNS FOR THE QUILTS IN THIS SERIES.

PUBLISHED BY OXMOOR HOUSE, THE BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN LIBRARIES AND BOOKSTORES NATIONWIDE.