On Manitoulin Island we have many talented quilters. We have quilters who love piecing blocks, those who love applique or foundation paper piecing or making rag quilts. There are many quilters whose quilted projects are never seen by others and those who gladly share their skills and quilts.
In the Island Quilters Guild, we welcome all quilters to bring their positive energy and good will to encourage members at every level to share their work (and sometimes their difficulties – we learn from those as well as from successes!)
At our February 2023 meeting, one of our members, Myra Tallman, showed us some of the work she has been doing
for the last few years with English Paper Piecing. She is the most skilled in this area on the Island and probably in the country! She has been working with Millefiori patterns (A Millefiori Quilt is an interpretation of the beautiful Venetian Millefiori Glass. Millefiori translates from Italian into English as “thousand flowers”.) Her presentation took us from the very beginning stages of this type of piecing with paper patterns, fabric and glue sticks to the important phase of combining colours and patterns
to make amazing quilts.
She showed us numerous examples of the types of fabrics she uses to cut the shapes needed.
She made extra large templates so that she could demonstrate how she arranges the shapes
and then moves them around before finalizing the pattern she wants.
Myra couldn’t go through the entire process, but she did reference the books by Willyne Hammerstein, which come with patterns and templates.
At the end of the program, Myra gave us each a handout of tips as well as a kit of templates to challenge us to make one block. At our March meeting, we will take some photos of our results!
A Millefiori quilt made by Myra Tallman. Photo by Brenda Newman
Another Millefiori quilt by Myra Tallman. Photo by Brenda Newman
Myra Tallman – demonstrating the arrangement of fabric shapes.. Photo by Lauren MacDonald