nationalquiltmuseum

(3:00) Her thirteenth birthday was a watershed event as she received her very first sewing machine – it was second hand. Sewing by necessity she hand sewed up until this time.

(4:18) Who’s the equivalent of Barbie in the UK…Philippa tells us about these dolls. 

(5:19) Philippa shares the training regimen people who want to learn to sew must follow. 

(6:43) She went to work with Courtaulds Lingerie in the UK in the mid 1980’s. Learn how she got this job and what working there was like.

(9:00) After 5 years at Courtaulds, Philippa and her husband moved to Dhahran Saudi Arabia. She shares her stories of the move and living in Saudi Arabia. Her motto was wherever you are in the world, there are both positives and negatives. Also, real life is where we are today.

(11:48) She talks about the birth of her two sons Daniel and Benjamin and their “idyllic 1950’s like childhood”. She was also called “the funky mom”! Oh, and her boys were using power tools at the age of three!

(14:59) While in Saudi Arabia, she started a business creating bespoke dresses…she tells us why it was so very successful. And she explains how the process of creating bespoke pieces is so different.

(16:25) Here she shares the story of the chance meeting that changed her life and what it was about quilting that pulled her in.

(19:09) What’s her very favorite quilt? Well, she dropped her kids off at her mom’s and flew to New York to a quilt retreat. This is where Gobsmacked came in! Better than her honeymoon she says!!! And that phone call from Meredith Schroeder…. Well just listen!

(24:30) Philippa tells us of the contents of her two books. The autobiography “Quilting in the Limelight” and Applique Mastery. Hear about her 10,000-mile drive back to England from Saudi Arabia. “Whatever you do informs what else you do.”

(28:00) And that 10k journey…Philippa shares some of her adventures.

(29:10) Philippa explains why her famous quilt was named after Anne Lamott’s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Lamott book Bird by Bird.

(33:29) David Tongeman and Philippa met in 2019 at a party and became fast friends – this led to a wonderful business partnership. She tells us the story of their meeting and the evolution of their partnership. In fact,…they were already prepared for the Covid-19 lockdown when it came about! She also takes us through the genesis of Quilter’s Question Time and the community it’s created.

(40:06) Philippa talks about persistence and why it’s so very important to stick with something to get good at it. She also doesn’t believe in talent…it’s more about doing, and doing, and doing! And anything is possible if you really want to do it!

(42:25) A prolific gardener, she talks about her deep need to be outside…and even to care for her ducks and chickens. She also described the custom-made greenhouse her husband built for her based-on Bird by Bird.

(44:55) Philippa talks openly about her family and why the environmental issues are a big reason for her not travelling.

(45:50) What’s her dream…? A LOT of homebody projects!

(47:40) Was there a question we didn’t ask that she wishes we had asked?!

(48:25) To reach out to Philippa go to Garment Maker’s Question Time https://www.gmqt.co.uk/or Quilters’ Question Time https://www.quiltersquestiontime.com/ . Her personal website on PhilippaNaylor.com http://www.philippanaylor.com/ has a link to contact her directly.

Finally…ever heard of Desert Island Discs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Island_Discs ? She likens her experience on Sew & So to this classic BBC radio Program!

If you know someone who has an outstanding story that should be shared on this podcast, drop Meg a note to Meg@sewandsopodcast.com or complete the form on our website.

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests. 

The conversation begins with Rachael Barr, Curator of the National Quilt Museum. She talks about the history of the museum, its mission and the behind-the-scenes activities involved in bringing an exhibition to life.  One current exhibit is “New Quilts from an Old Favorite: Shakespeare 2022”. This competition challenges quiltmakers from around the world to create an innovative quilt based on a specific traditional pattern. Each artist brings the magic of storytelling to life through their own creative interpretation and techniques. The theme for this year’s competition is Shakespeare. 

Laura Pomes, this year’s first place winner, comes from a background of theatrical costume design. She talks about the research, the inspiration and the various techniques used to create Twelfth Night Vision, which is suggestive of a painted portrait of William Shakespeare.  She did a lot of experimentation to ensure that each section of the quilt was different than the others and was reminiscent of the Elizabethan era. “Every time I turned around, she explained, “I was trying to express some type of Shakespearean theme.”  (6:00-14:38)

When second place winner Rachel Burke was asked about her reaction to winning, she shares that, “My heart is equal parts gratitude and amazement.”  Her quilt, called Come Ye Spirits was inspired by Lady MacBeth’s monologue where she calls upon the spirits of the underworld to assist her in her ambitious goals. The piece started out simple but became more complex as she went along and ended up consisting of almost 3,000 pieces.  

Another one of our conversations was with award-winning artist Sheila Frampton Cooper, who ventured into the world or abstract quilt making in 2010. Her exhibit Untamed Abstraction reflects the fact that she likes to push the limits when piecing. She describes one of her quilts, in such exquisite detail that it brings it to life for the listener. (20:57-27:17)

Mildred Sorrells, Hall of Fame Quilter, shares a fascinating story about her quilt that was inspired by an antique quilt from 1856.  Whether talking with artists, guests or staff, the excitement is palpable—proof that you don’t just visit the museum, you experience it. 

Becky Glasby, Educational Director at the Museum, talks about the museum’s “Block of the Month” Club, and the excitement of seeing how different quilt artists bring their own interpretation to the challenge.  Her piece, Cheers for 30 years is also on display. The museum is always interested in acquiring new work from artists, and encourages people to visit their website,  quiltmuseum.orgto learn more about events and submitting a proposal for their work. (33:04 - 38:55)

If you’re looking to be inspired, pull up a chair and listen to this delightful and informative podcast. 

If you know someone who has an outstanding story that should be shared on this podcast, drop Meg a note to info@sewandsopodcast.com or complete the form on our website.

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests. 

Becky loves all aspects of quilting—from choosing the pattern to cutting the fabric, to stitching and piecing and mixing up patterns and colors. She also loves machine quilting—especially free motion quilting. Because she doesn’t have to follow a set pattern and can basically do whatever she wants, she feels that it enhances her ability to create and be artistic. She compares free motion quilting to handwriting. “Whether it's meanders or stipples, or swirls or squiggly lines, you know whatever it is you're creating it's not always going to look exactly the same from one person to the next…like handwriting, you have your own speed, your own density of the quilting.” And as Becky explains to her students, like handwriting it takes practice. (6:56 -11:02)

She speaks in-depth about the inspiration she gets from the exhibitions at the museum and the artists she’s met through her work there. She explains that it’s impossible to pick just one quilt or artist, or exhibit that stands out because there’s always something new and exciting happening. She loves meandering through the museum and talking to the guests about the quilts and exhibits. Becky is involved in a lot of different things at the museum, from the youth program to the school block challenge to the junior quilter’s club, to meeting artists and being involved in social media.

The creativity and jumping from one project to another keeps things fun and interesting. One of her favorite aspects of the job is teaching the next generation of quilters at quilt camp, which is held every June. Some are beginners, many of whom are learning about quilting and using a sewing machine for the first time. The intermediate group is using machines to do binding and learning other techniques. Because they’ve been in the program for four or five years, it’s exciting to see how their personalities evolve and how they’re reflected in their quilting. The advanced quilters get to do free quilting and put their own spin on the patterns provided. You hear the pride in Becky’s voice as she talks about being able to pass the skill in this art form onto to the next generation and watching them grow with it from year to year. (18:37-22:22)

An international destination for quilters, The Quilt Museum is celebrating its 30th Anniversary. The process of selecting artists and pieces to be exhibited in its contemporary collection is fascinating, and quite involved, as there are two side galleries with at least three rotating exhibits at any given time. As a non-profit organization, most of their more than 660 quilts are donated; about half our hand-stitched, half-machine sewn, with others using a combination of both techniques. 97% of the work exhibited is by women artists. The museum has between 40,000 to 50,000 visitors from around the globe each year; many of them are in the spring for Quilt Week. Another global attraction is the online Block of the Month Club. Started in 2018, it currently has 21,000 members globally. As Becky talks about the wealth of programs offered by the museum, its growing community of passionate quilters, and the many little-known facts about the museum, you can see that this is a woman who is 100% dedicated to celebrating contemporary quilters and their work. (37:49-44:52) 

Be sure to join us for this fascinating podcast, brimming with possibilities, potential, and passion. Becky’s contact information is on the museum’s website, quiltmuseum.org. You can also connect with Becky and the museum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

If you know someone who has an outstanding story that should be shared on this podcast, drop Meg a note to info@sewandsopodcast.com or complete the form on our website.

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.