Stuff I liked at FNF 2

I was happy to see another quilt by Mary Ruth Smith at this year's Form, Not Function show.  She has been in the show in the past and her work never fails to amaze! 

Mary Ruth Smith, Crossover


















She constructs a two-layer ground of sheer fabrics, french-seamed together to conceal the raw edges, and embroiders obsessively until almost the entire surface is covered with stitches.

From across the room you're not sure what method was used to execute the subtle cross pattern interrupted by white lines.  Up close you see the handwork.

I'm intrigued by the interplay of small patterns (each little segment has its own motifs and color scheme) and large (the dark cross shape overlaid with light rectangles).  And since I am doing a lot more hand-stitching myself this year, I can't help be impressed by the sheer time and effort that goes into all this handwork.

Walk into a quilt show this decade and you're overwhelmed with surface design -- all the ways you can put pattern or image onto fabric with painting, printing, dyeing, discharge, etc.  It's nice to see somebody doing it the old-fashioned way, and with such masterful technique and results.