I quilted my first quilt at 10, i think. I remember going to the fabric store and picking out every single pink and blue calico that existed (if you aren’t familiar with calico its the printed cotton that has a lot of small scale patterns on them – used A LOT for quilting) this stuff:
Not awesome, but can be adorable – especially for a 10 year old. I wish i had the quilt to show you – its up in Portland and next time I go i’ll take a pic of this baby pink thing. I can’t wait to force it on my daughter. She will like it, oh yes she will, just like she will play with the dollhouse, YES SHE WILL!!!!
What if i turn into some crazy crafting mommy dearest who martyrs herself constantly by making ‘MEANINGFUL’ things for my kids, only for them to want to play ‘World of Stupidcraft or god forbid sports – UGH, oh the horror…..(kidding) It’s like some weird Martha Stewart version of Flowers in the Attic, where if they are good I let them out to go to Michaels and maybe on their birthday i take them to the fabric district to splurge on ball fringe to trim out their drapes that open to non-existent windows….otherwise they are forced to play with mommy’s pretty things she crafted for them.
It’s kinda going in that direction i think.
Anyway, I have a potential new client who has a BEAUTIFUL modern farmhouse in L.A. It’s an insanely awesome renovation job (yes i’ll show pics at some point soon) full of a ton of real reclaimed wood, hand-blown lighting, and just really, really good taste all around. So i’m brainstorming for what would look appropriate in a farmhouse but feel really modern, fresh and young.
ANd i love me some modern quilts (not so much the one above, but i love that too). Now i think that quilts get a bad rap…much like dollhouses. People associate them with being really really granny, but they don’t have to be.
I love the romance of them – the time and effort and love that goes into them, and how they really can last so long if done right. They become pieces of art, just as much as functional blankets. So here we go:
This was is a typical more ‘granny’ style quilt, but its styled to look pretty great in my book. Here’s why i love using quilts as a piece of art –
1. they are handmade and have a ton of detail, like a piece of art. But,
2, they are kinda cheap because people discard them because they are ‘old’. So as far as ‘art’ goes they are really good bang for your buck. yes i just said ‘bang for your buck’. deal with it.
And 3. they can be used as upholstery for a custom headboard, ottoman, pillow or best as artwork.
To prove this, i went on Etsy and Ebay and found a ton that are absolutely affordable as large scale pieces of art. And you don’t even have to frame them. You could build out a simple wood frame like i did with my flag, or just hang them on the wall with maybe some rope and bolts.
Alright here are a bunch that i now want to own:
This one is from Etsy, for $129.99 I’m VERY VERY tempted to get this because it is quite cheap, i only wish it was vintage:
I know. This technique is called ‘Bargello’ and its refreshingly different. Link HERE.
Then there is this one, forget about it.
Seriously? I love it and want it in my kids room (or the attic where i’ll keep them). Link, Here It’s $800, which isn’t nothing, obviously, but its really beautiful. C Collier, the etsy artist from Portland also did this one:
Right?
Then there is this one that is super cute, kinda modern take on the traditional quilt, but feels a little ‘kid’ to me, not quite right for my client. But you can buy HERE. It’s $150 and pretty big (3×4 feet). So great for a kids room.
But then i love a traditional quilt like this one above. It has to be styled right, in the right environment, but its undeniably beautiful – it just needs the right space. But i’m looking for something with more age to it or else with less ‘calico’, more solids. This feels a bit too ‘new trying to be old’ for this house.
Now this one was made in 1860’s and it’s kind of ideal. It has some age and its 100% authentic, BUT it has a really modern color palette (just navy and ivory) and modern graphic. It’s unfortunately a museum piece so i can’t buy it, but its more what i’m looking for.
This one is cute and modern, but again, not right for us.
This one above is intense and awesome. It’s MASSIVE and definitely not your grandma’s quilt. I might be able to swing this. It’s $1500, but it’s an 8×10 (well they listed it in centimeters which is annoying so i’m guestimating). I LOVE this and so far the best fit. Those colors are so saturated and it feels modern, but since its a quilt it could still work really well in this modern farmhouse. See link here
This is undeniably adorable. I mean, give me a kid right now and i’ll put this in their bedroom.
Link Here.
So here are some vintage ones from EBAY that i love:
Picture grey walls, indigo accents and a modern brass mushroom lamp? Hello, beautiful. Bid here.
OOOH, and this one might be the winner:
It has a ton of age, the color palette is perfect and its really graphic so it feels modern even though its over 100 years old. I will be bidding, so i’m not sharing the link. Lo siento.
And don’t forget these guys:
Always winners, but more predictable than a ‘quilt turned modern’. I actually worked on this shoot, it was for Domino when i worked for Cindy DiPrima, shot by the master Roland Bello, in Dara Caponigro’s house. How is something shot 6 years ago so timeless?
This one has more age to it, which i like.
Then finally there are the ‘yo yo’ style quilts that i secretly love when done right and styled right:
