Tuesday, July 23, 2013

"Not Fade Away: Sharing Stories In The Digital Age"

Executive director Amy Milne & board member Michele Muska

This post is a bit of a recap about a wonderful event that occurred Saturday, July 20th, in Herndon, VA.  The Quilt Alliance mission is to document the stories of quilts and the people who make them.  As the world of technology shifts we are carried along with it.  Some methods of documentation are as relevant today as they were 200 years ago.  How can we integrate the new digital technology, be it images or audio/video files, and preserve information?  These were the questions that were discussed in the day-long conference.  
Along with Michele Muska, my friend and fellow Quilt Alliance board member, I facilitated a workshop on quilt labels.  
The amazing Allie Aller discusses the story behind her quilt,
and creates a custom label during our first workshop

Michele Muska shows our group quilt that will be 
donated to the International Quilt Association silent auction.
Jannekin Smucker gives the keynote lecture:
"Quilt Stories:  Storied Quilts"

Luana Rubin interviews Jinny Beyer for 
Quilters: Save Our Stories

Our workshop participants enjoyed creating 
custom labels with textile paint, stencils, and Pentel Gel Roller Fabric pens!


Finally, students observed a demonstration of Story Patches by Stkr.it
It was fun to demonstrate how simple this product is to use.  
I'm writing a review of this product for an upcoming Quilting Arts issue!

In addition to the wonderful conference we were thrilled to be in the same location as the newly-opened Sacred Threads exhibition.  The quilts in this collection were very moving.  Maggie Weiss' quilt, entitled "Loss", brought me to tears.  If you have an opportunity to visit the Sacred Threads exhibition, which will travel nationally, be sure to see it!





6 comments:

  1. Thank you for posting the photos of the event. I was living vicariously through you. What a great event! I am sure it was so beneficial to all who came to listen to the lectures, and take your class. The Quilt Alliance is really doing a great job at preserving our stories, and bringing together everyone who uses a needle and thread - traditional and artistic.

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    1. Thank you, Jamie! It is a truly wonderful organization that embraces everyone. I'm honored to serve on the board of something I feel so passionately about!

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  2. Leslie, it was so much fun doing the workshop with you! I always learn so much when I hang out with you. Thanks for writing such a great recap!!! Miss you already. M

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    1. I feel the same way about you! See you in NYC for Quilters Take Manhattan! Woo Hoo!

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    1. It really was a wonderful event, Vivika! An entire day devoted to quilt documentation! Yay!

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