Artist Spotlight: Pam Delgado

Spur of the moment, Pam used my sateen charms to build onto some of her pretty log cabin blocks.

Recently, two talented women have posted their quilts-in-progress on Instagram, and they’re blowing my mind! Eager to share both of their beautiful stories with you, this week we’ll look over Pam Delgado’s shoulder as she explains the process of how this quilt came to be and her unique way of going about making all of her quilts.

I’ll keep next week’s quilt maker a surprise! Coincidentally, they’re both making log cabin quilts.

Pam Delgado’s quilts are all about pattern, play and loads of irresistible texture! Her log cabin quilt featured here makes me want to drop all of my current projects and start building log cabin blocks with all the scraps! It’s the kind of quilt I always dream of making but never quite get around to.

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“I love it when I play and things happen on their own and I don’t know how it will end up!”

- Pam Delgado

Look at all of those delicious crinkles that could only come from Pam’s hand quilting!

Pam graciously gave permission to share her Instagram story here:

Detail of Pam’s log cabin quilt in progress.

“This quilt began as the center portion only. I wanted a small project to use some scraps I liked and a challenge to make the whole thing with hand stitching only. The piece took on a life of its own, and I knew I wanted to keep going. Next I added the larger log cabin block border, which is quite detailed. Finally, I added the solid strip and the half square triangles using hand dyed cotton sateen by Tierney Barden.

My parameters included using only fabrics I already had, no machine stitching and no batting. The blocks are stitched to a scrap foundation of muslin or linen and the backing is from a cotton sateen duvet cover. When it came time to adding the binding, I was really tempted to use the machine; I didn’t and I’m glad!….

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Detail of Pam’s border that mixes prints with my naturally dyed solids. Inspired by Pam’s tenacity, I’d like to try hand sewing a binding to a small quilt.

This piece represents the way I see my life looking back. Lots of bits and pieces that when added together, make up a life without regrets. There are difficult parts, but mostly parts of beauty and joy. I never start a project knowing the outcome. I begin with an idea, and the piece always guides me to the end; I’m usually surprised with the direction it takes; I always learn something about the process and about myself.”

I wish I could pop by Pam’s house for a cup of tea and just watch her stitch in the sunshine! Thank you, Pam, for allowing me to share your story.

You can follow her feed: @pamdelgado8473

Detail of Pam’s log cabin quilt with her gorgeous hand quilting.

I’m truly touched every time I see something you’ve made using my naturally dyed fabrics. It’s a rewarding feeling, and honestly is what keeps the cycle going, so please tag your photos showing even a scrap of one of my fabrics #tierneybarden. I promise my heart will melt a little.

Say hello: @tierneybarden

Slow Fashion October and a Mighty Mini

I’ve recently had an epiphany: I deserve more time to play, and with my own fabrics.

Bird’s eye view of my mini quilt and trusty tools.

Silly as it sounds, since starting this beautiful dye business I’ve been of the mindset that the fabrics are for my customers, as well as for sample making and ready-made gifts for the shop, but not for me to let loose and play with. This stemmed from the fact that the substrates I purchase are organic and, therefore, more expensive. If you follow my Instagram feed you may have seen what my average dye day looks like in real time. The dye side of my business leaves little time to play, clearly an area of my work life that could use a little rebalancing.

With that said, I’m resisting no longer, and I’m ready to have the same kind of fun playing with colors and designs that you have! I want to immerse myself in stitching these incredibly beautiful fabrics like you do! Knowing that magic happens when I allow myself time to play, I’m making my first mini quilt!

Inspired by Amish and Welsh quilts, I sketched out a simple design that would allow the colors to sing. Next, I set about assembling the top using two fat quarters (one pink and one gold), a few scraps, and because I don’t dye black, some ready-made black organic sateen. This mini has one layer of wool batting. I’ll decide the binding color once the quilting is complete.

My hand-eye coordination is adjusting to making tiny stitches. I’m being brave (or ridiculous) by not drawing any quilting lines. I’ve done some big stitch quilting projects this year and I believe that’s where I developed this habit of eyeballing my quilting lines. Gosh, this is fun!

Here in the studio, there’s something special in the works, but first I really want to hear from you! In the comments below, tell me your favorite mini quilt design, your preferred way to hang mini quilts, if you exchange blocks with your quilty friends and whether you keep or give your minis! Anything you want to share about your love of mini quilts would be very much appreciated! Thank you!

Hoping to finish my Zweig sweater (pattern by Caitlin Hunter) during #slowfashionoctober

Photo courtesy of www.fringeassociation.com

Do you know about #slowfashionoctober?

Karen Templer annually hosts this thought-provoking opportunity to increase awareness of fast fashion and how we personally relate to it. Connect with a growing community, join in diverse conversations, read interviews and see inspiring projects all throughout October (and beyond). If you have an interest in your clothes, the textile industry, mindfulness about what we put on our bodies and in the earth, you’ll want to watch The True Cost , check out Karen’s website for thought-provoking prompts, interviews, inspiration and much more, and of course, follow the action on Instagram at #slowfashionoctober. Thank you Karen for creating and hosting this life-changing event!

Do you love butternut squash? I recently made this recipe and it’s so good! If you’ve never tried frying fresh sage leaves in butter, this is a perfect time to give it a go. All I can say is that I’ll be making this recipe all winter long.

While you’re over on Instagram exploring #slowfashionoctober, have a peek at my recent cochineal dye day @tierneybarden

Enchanted Squam. A Fairytale In the Woods.

Welcome to "My Enchanted Wonderland", an installation of art quilts that I had the honor of sharing this past week at Squam Art Workshops in NH.

Housed in the Deephaven Library at Rockywold-Deephaven Camps, an inherent coziness and intimacy infused the space surrounding my Nest and art quilts. As soon as the quilts were hung, I stood back with my amazing helper Terri Dautcher (@tldautcher) and we took it all in. It was the first time I saw my work all together and, as Terri can attest, I got a little choked up. I've spent the past eight months creating this installation, with most of it being made within the last six months. As a quilter, this has been a physically intense period of time, completely self-induced, with every art quilt featuring hand applique, and some also incorporating hand piecing or hand quilting. As a story teller, the intensity only continued to build because each story is so personal, and at the same time, universal. It's a lot to carry, which I see as a privilege because they are our stories. Sharing this little world of stitched stories with 200 like-minded people, nestled in the woods along the edge of Squam Lake, was truly a gift, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 

The view to the left of my Nest (the bed, the sacred space that fosters stitched stories.)

The view to the right of my Nest.

This installation was companion to the workshop I taught for two days, also titled Enchanted Wonderland. 28 incredibly gifted, generous, kind women gathered around work tables and cut what I'm calling botanical paper cuts, and then translated their favorite piece in fabric. (The blue and white pillow below is one I made as a class sample.) Some students even took their fabric pieces to the next level by adding hand or machine stitching outside of class. To be surrounded by people so open to adventure, and to see their eyes light up with excitement about what they've just created - well, it's my favorite part about teaching. I believe this workshop is worth offering to a wider audience, so stay tuned for a workshop update. You can see a group shot of each class holding some of their work on my instagram feed, @tierneybarden.

Close-up of the heart of my Nest. The pink and black Antique Stars is in the process of being hand pieced and will be hand quilted, some day.

Back to the installation, over the next few weeks I'm going to share each quilt right here, one at a time, as a way to talk more in-depth about my design process, how I choose quilting techniques in relation to the story being told and other topics. Send me your questions here in the comments, by email, or DM @tierneybarden on Instagram and I'll do my best to answer in the upcoming posts. That would be fun!

On my Nest is a Welsh-inspired quilt top that I made entirely with my naturally dyed organic sateens, and will be hand quilting this summer. There's also a small black and white paper cut featuring a mouse friend (background) that has then been hand appliqued also in black and white (foreground). More on this and other little pieces coming soon, too.

While at Squam, I was frequently asked what's in store for the quilts. I'd like them to travel to other unique, intimate spaces, and to share these stories with more people. I see the installation changing to fit the space, a welcome challenge. I'm open to location suggestions, and you can email me here.

Paper cuts used in Dark Night, 2018.

To every person at Squam Art Workshops who experienced the show and shared their thoughts and questions with me, thank you! For every person who held their experience more privately, thank you! To Elizabeth Duvivier (@elizabethduvivier) who flung the door wide open to such an incredible journey, thank you! To Meg Fussell (@squamlove), thank you for keeping Squam Love alive!  

For a generous dose of magical, woodsy, love-filled Squam Art Workshops eye-candy:

#squamlove  #squamlove2018  #squamwardbound and follow @squamlove to be the first to know about future Squam workshop offerings, have an inside look at all things Squam, and more!