San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles

02/18/2021

New Book in the SJMQT Store: Pearl and Her Gee's Bend Quilt!

When Pearl schedules a playdate with her friends Sallie and Ella, they have no idea they're about to travel back in time to Gee's Bend, Alabama to discover the origin of the beautiful quilts in Grandma's house. It doesn't take long for the girls to learn Grandma's quilts are more than pretty pieces of fabric stitched together to keep them warm; the history behind the family treasures is rich and bursting with love.

Pearl and her Gee's Bend Quilt is a journey through art and adventure, stitched together through the eyes of young Pearl, who dreams of creating a quilt of her own one day. Will her friends support Pearl's dreams of making a quilt? Has she learned enough to do it? And what surprise does Grandma have for the girls that will change everything?

Find out what happens in the heart-warming tale, Pearl and her Gee's Bend Quilt.

https://san-jose-museum-of-quilts-and-textiles.myshopify.com/collections/books-and-catalogs

Written by Tangular Irby (@geesbendmade on Instagram)
Accompanying coloring and activity book also available.

About the author:
She is the granddaughter of Gee's Bend quilters, Pearlie Kennedy Pettway and Jensie Lee Irby. She grew up admiring the beauty of the quilts gifted to her by family. Quilting became a way to honor the legacy of her maternal and paternal grandmothers, Gee's Bend quilters, who passed on long before their creations were recognized as more than just a means to keep their families warm.

02/18/2021

Upcoming VIRTUAL WORKSHOP: Intro to Reverse Appliqué with Sheng Lor (2-DAY CLASS)

Saturday, April 24 & Saturday, May 1
10am - 12pm PT (4 hours total)

Introduction to Reverse Appliqué introduces students to the basics of the technique as practiced in the Hmong tradition. Topics include materials and preparation, folding and cutting, and the appliqué stitch.

Sheng Lor is a textile artist based in San Francisco, California. Born in a refugee camp in Thailand and growing up in a Hmong immigrantcommunity in the U.S., she watched her mother, sisters, grandmother, and other Hmong women, create richly colored textiles by hand, day andnight. The dedication to making textiles for themselves and for sale in tourism markets by an entire gender of a community that transcendsgenerations provided the inspiration for Sheng to choose textiles asthe medium for her work.She received her BA in Art Studio from the University of California, Davis, in 2010.

Register:
https://www.sjquiltmuseum.org/events/sheng-lor

02/18/2021

Holy pixel! This quilt by Hystercine Rankin, from our permanent collection, is vibrant, detailed and joyous.

(Hystercine Rankin, One Patch Quilt, 1990)

Hystercine Rankin (1929-2010) learned quilting from her grandmother at the age of 12 and started making quilts to keep her family warm. She made traditional quilts like the log cabin, but created her own unique versions of them, utilizing colors and shapes to create distinctive works.

She also used appliqué and embroidery to create quilts that portrayed family stories and her memories. Rankin taught people to quilt at Mississippi Cultural Crossroads in Port Gibson, MS, and was a member of the Crossroads Quilters.

#BlackHistoryMonth #BlackWomenArtists #BHM

02/17/2021

Introducing Digital Artist in Residence: Carolina Cuevas

WATCH: A video introduction to SJMQT's current Digital Artist in Residence, Carolina Cuevas (@carolinac16)!

https://youtu.be/7ts5CxqsyRU

Carolina is a Cuban-American artist currently based in the Bay Area. She received her BFA in sculpture from the Kansas City Art Institute in Missouri. Her work has been included in several group exhibitions at Miami Dade College, in Florida, the Locust Project Gallery in Miami, the International Ceramics Studio in Hungary and The In-Art Gallery virtual show.

#SJMQT #MuseumFromHome #ArtistInResidence

Carolina is a Cuban-American artist currently based in the Bay Area. She received her BFA in sculpture from the Kansas City Art Institute in Missouri. Her w...

02/17/2021

PRIMO PROMO: How to Stand Out in Crowded Social Media with Stephen C. Wagner Gallerist, Professional Artist, & Educator

Stand out in the crowded social media arena, better understand the what, how & why of on-line tools for marketing your artwork, gain insight into promoting your exhibits & events, email campaigns, promoting on the Internet, and social networking including Facebook & Instagram.

Saturday, April 17, 2021
11am - 1pm Pacific
$25 FOR MEMBERS, $30 FOR NON-MEMBERS

https://www.sjquiltmuseum.org/events/primo-promo

#VirtualWorkshops #Artistworkshop #MuseumFromHome #ArtFromHome #ArtistCareerWorkshop

02/16/2021

2-in-1 Workshop with Becka Rahn: Designing Your Own Fabric & Selling Your Fabric Designs (Virtual) — San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles

Have you ever dreamed of being a fabric designer?

Introducing A 2-in-1 Workshop with Becka Rahn (@beckarahn)! Designing Your Own Fabric & Selling Your Fabric Designs

Designing fabric is more than just putting pencil to paper or generating pixels in Photoshop; it’s about connecting and sharing stories and ideas. Get a tour of what it’s like to design fabrics and print them using Spoonflower, a web-based service for printing your own fabric designs. Get the scoop on the technical details of uploading and proofing your files, see samples of different fabrics and walk through the process from start to finish. We’ll also talk cost-saving tips for getting the most out of your yard of fabric, ways to proof designs and more.

Saturday, April 10
11am - 1:30pm Pacific
$15 FOR MEMBERS, $25 FOR NON-MEMBERS

https://www.sjquiltmuseum.org/events/spoonflower

#SJMQT #MuseumFromHome #ArtistInResidence #VirtualWorkshop #ArtWorkshop #ZoomWorkshop

Saturday, April 10 11am - 1:30pm Pacific $15 for SJMQT Members, $25 For Non-Members THIS IS A VIRTUAL CLASS 2-in-1 Workshop with Becka Rahn Designing your own Fabric: A Spoonful of Spoonflower and Selling your Fabric Designs is as Simple as Tacos

02/16/2021

We're pretty excited that this is next door to us!! Swing on by and check out our windows (showcasing imagery from our permanent collection)! Institute of Contemporary Art San Jose has a great installation, viewable from the sidewalk, as well!

02/15/2021

Name that President! Not sure? You can find out by virtually exploring Jen Graham's exhibit, My Presidents, on our website!
https://www.sjquiltmuseum.org/current-exhibitions

Did you miss her artist interview, last November? https://www.sjquiltmuseum.org/blog/jen-graham

#presidentsday #embroidery

02/13/2021

Oh how we love the vibrancy and color of the Lunar New Year! Enjoy this Ao Dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) from our permanent collection (which is now searchable!)
https://www.sjquiltmuseum.org/search-the-collection

Le Si Hoang , Silk embelished with beads, velvet, and Indian patchwork tapestry, 56 x 18 in

#tet #lunarnewyear #chinesenewyear

02/12/2021

A perfect class for using up scraps and leftover fabric!

E Pluribus Quilt: A Quilt Class to Benefit San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles with Joe Cunningham (@joethequilter)

Saturday, March 20
9am - 12pm PT
Registration Fee: $35

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/e-pluribus-quilt-tickets-134001047741

Starting with a classic Tin Man quilt block, quilt artist Joe Cunningham makes it more like real life by first walking you through his system for making the block freehand, then showing how to make it any size and shape you like. The result is a complete diversity of blocks which are all made with the same technique, but all end up unique, just like real people. The quilt you make could use a standard format like the example shown here, or could be anything you like: a crowd of wildly different people or a single block isolating from every other in a large field. This 3-hour workshop will give you an introduction to Joe’s freehand cutting and sewing techniques, all in the comfort of your own sewing room! Ticket includes a recording of the class, which means you will be able to take it any time you like for a week. Have a ball, learn a new technique and support SJMQT all at once!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/e-pluribus-quilt-tickets-134001047741

Supplies:
This is a machine sewing class, for which you will need a sewing machine and all standard sewing equipment: thread, scissors, pins, Rotary cutter, rulers, mat, a variety of fabrics, etc.

02/12/2021

Happy Lunar New Year!
Learn about this holiday through our art-making activities.

www.sjquiltmuseum.org/makerspace-blog/lunar-new-year

Lunar New Year is a holiday and festival celebrated worldwide that follows the lunar calendar. It signifies the first new moon of the calendar, with the festival ending on the first full moon. As a result, unlike the Gregorian calendar in which we observe New Year on January 1st, the start of Lunar New Year changes each year. In 2021 it will begin on February 12th as the year of the ox.

There are many different kinds of decorations put up around households and businesses for various purposes. Of these decorations, we will explore Chinese knots and peach blossoms. Bundles of peach blossom branches are put in large vases at the entrance of houses as they represent prosperity, growth and romance. Chinese knots are rooted in Buddhist and Taoist tradition, with each type of knot representing different symbols. It is similar to macramé except that Chinese knots are made of a single thread and are symmetrical in all directions. While they can be hung on walls or doors as decoration, they have many other uses such as fastenings for clothing or given as good luck charm gifts.

02/10/2021

Natural dyeing is a fun, chemical-free and eco-conscious way to introduce color to your fabrics!

Saturday, March 13
11am - 12:30pm Pacific
$15 FOR MEMBERS, $25 FOR NON-MEMBERS

Join artist and Artist In Residence, Carolina Cuevas, where she will share techniques she uses in her own work, which centers around language and concepts of home.

In this workshop, you'll learn to make dyes and dye paste from organic and accessible materials to produce beautiful designs and patterns on fabric. We will be making our own dye using materials such as turmeric, onions skin, coffee beans, avocado pits. Then we will create a thickened dye paste that can be painted, printed, or stamped onto fabrics. We will be boiling, mixing, and steaming our dyes. You are free to bring other local materials that you would like to dye and we can create mini-experiments using the dye paste method. As a bonus, we will also learn how to use local materials to create inks for painting or writing.

For more information & registration:
https://www.sjquiltmuseum.org/events/natural-dye-workshop

#SJMQT #MuseumFromHome #ArtistInResidence #NaturalDye #VirtualWorkshop #ArtWorkshop #ZoomWorkshop

02/10/2021

PRIMO PROMO: How to Stand Out in Crowded Social Media with Stephen C. Wagner Gallerist, Professional Artist, & Educator

Stand out in the crowded social media arena, better understand the what, how & why of on-line tools for marketing your artwork, gain insight into promoting your exhibits & events, email campaigns, promoting on the Internet, and social networking including Facebook & Instagram.

Saturday, April 17, 2021
11am - 1pm Pacific
$25 FOR MEMBERS, $30 FOR NON-MEMBERS

https://www.sjquiltmuseum.org/events/primo-promo

#VirtualWorkshops #Artistworkshop #MuseumFromHome #ArtFromHome #ArtistCareerWorkshop

02/10/2021

SHARE THE LOVE by shopping at SJMQT! ♡

Can't see the people you love? Send them a valentine! Add a note to your valentine at checkout and we will print and send it your friends, family, and loved ones. You can also use the code “VALENTINE15” for 15% off your purchase!

Visit the link below to start shopping!
tiny.cc/shopsjmqt

#SJMQT #SmallMuseumBigLove #MuseumStore

02/08/2021

Natural dyeing is a fun, chemical-free and eco-conscious way to introduce color to your fabrics!

UPCOMING WORKSHOP: Natural Dyeing with Carolina Cuevas

In Artist in Residence Carolina Cuevas‘ (@carolinac16) workshop, you'll learn to make dyes and dye paste from organic and accessible materials to produce beautiful designs and patterns on fabric. You will be making your own dye using materials such as turmeric, onions skin, coffee beans, avocado pits. Then you will create a thickened dye paste that can be painted, printed, or stamped onto fabrics. You are free to bring other local materials that you would like to dye and we can create mini-experiments using the dye paste method. As a bonus, you will also learn how to use local materials to create inks for painting or writing!

Saturday, March 13
11am - 12:30pm Pacific
$15 FOR MEMBERS, $25 FOR NON-MEMBERS

For more information & registration:
https://www.sjquiltmuseum.org/events/natural-dye-workshop

#SJMQT #MuseumFromHome #ArtistInResidence #NaturalDye #VirtualWorkshop #ArtWorkshop #ZoomWorkshop

02/08/2021

A perfect class for using up scraps and leftover fabric!

E Pluribus Quilt: A Quilt Class to Benefit San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles with Joe Cunningham (@joethequilter)

Saturday, March 20
9am - 12pm PT
Registration Fee: $35

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/e-pluribus-quilt-tickets-134001047741

Starting with a classic Tin Man quilt block, quilt artist Joe Cunningham makes it more like real life by first walking you through his system for making the block freehand, then showing how to make it any size and shape you like. The result is a complete diversity of blocks which are all made with the same technique, but all end up unique, just like real people. The quilt you make could use a standard format like the example shown here, or could be anything you like: a crowd of wildly different people or a single block isolating from every other in a large field. This 3-hour workshop will give you an introduction to Joe’s freehand cutting and sewing techniques, all in the comfort of your own sewing room! Ticket includes a recording of the class, which means you will be able to take it any time you like for a week. Have a ball, learn a new technique and support SJMQT all at once!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/e-pluribus-quilt-tickets-134001047741

Supplies:
This is a machine sewing class, for which you will need a sewing machine and all standard sewing equipment: thread, scissors, pins, Rotary cutter, rulers, mat, a variety of fabrics, etc.

02/03/2021

Announcing our next Digital Artist in Residence (AIR) Workshop: Natural Dyeing with Carolina Cuevas!

Saturday, March 13
11am - 12:30pm Pacific
$15 FOR MEMBERS, $25 FOR NON-MEMBERS

Join artist and Artist In Residence, Carolina Cuevas, where she will share techniques she uses in her own work, which centers around language and concepts of home.

In this workshop, you'll learn to make dyes and dye paste from organic and accessible materials to produce beautiful designs and patterns on fabric. We will be making our own dye using materials such as turmeric, onions skin, coffee beans, avocado pits. Then we will create a thickened dye paste that can be painted, printed, or stamped onto fabrics. We will be boiling, mixing, and steaming our dyes. You are free to bring other local materials that you would like to dye and we can create mini-experiments using the dye paste method. As a bonus, we will also learn how to use local materials to create inks for painting or writing.

For more information & registration:
https://www.sjquiltmuseum.org/events/natural-dye-workshop

#SJMQT #MuseumFromHome #ArtistInResidence #NaturalDye #VirtualWorkshop #ArtWorkshop #ZoomWorkshop

02/02/2021

A huge thank you to our partner @schoolatmhp for all the work they do to support the community! Check out their calendar, which is filled with food distributions, COVID-19 testing, and vaccinations. We are so grateful for the opportunity to be part of this.

———

#Repost @schoolatmhp
・・・
🗣 We’d like to give a special shout out to @sjmqt who partnered with us last year to hand out art kits during food distribution, Avenida de Altares, Fiesta Navideña and Covid testing. 🚗 🚙 🌸 🎄 😷☺️ 🎨

It’s been a wonderful partnership with Liana and her team! 🤝 The kits they’ve provided help ensure families remain engaged with the arts in the safety and comfort of their homes 🏠 🖼 🎨 🖊 🧸

They’ll continue joining us once a month during Covid-19 testing to give out art kits for the whole family!
👍

02/02/2021

We are pleased to celebrate #blackhistorymonth by showcasing black textile artists AND highlights from our permanent collection, all month long (and frankly, all year long!) Artist Geraldine Nash, Hit or Miss, One Patch, 1995

Want to learn more? Check out this great Craft in America episode about Geraldine Nash and Mississippi Cultural Crossroads

https://www.craftinamerica.org/artist/geraldine-nash-2