I'm not one of those people who collect Eiffel Tower tchochka's. After all, I love the view when I drive across the Golden Gate Bridge - the panorama of San Francisco Bay on one side and the Marin Headlands and Pacific Ocean on the other side - but can't imagine accumulating bridge paraphernalia. Yet now I find myself making a Paris quilt.
The design is simple: large squares of fabric imprinted with a map of Paris and triangles of contrasting colors surrounding the squares. No funny Eiffel Towers. No French poodles. Check it out!
I'm looking forward to quilting my way down the boulevards and across the rues. And then I can sleep in (or at least under) Paris every night. Stay tuned for a photo of the quilt when it's completed.
It surprises me that quilting is not more popular in France. Knitting and embroidery, yes. And of course Paris is the cathedral of couture. But on last year's trip I was unable to find even one quilt store in Paris. However, I did make it to Marché St. Pierre link which reminded me of stores in NYC's garment district with its stacks of fabric bolts. Beautiful silks and wools and velvets, but scarcely any quilting cottons. I expected to at least see Asian prints and metallics. I do like French toile, though. link And through French google link I found Association French Patchwork link which has quilting terms en français on their lexique page. The French patchwork and quilting webring has some charming personal quilting sites. link
If you know of any quilt stores in Paris, let me know.
When I moved to Burgundy, one of the first people I met was a Dutch woman who lives in a chateau nearby. She's a great quilter and some of her designs are featured in various quilting books. She started teaching a quilting class for some of us local English speakers. I almost flunked geometry in high school 45 years ago and I have to say that when my traumatic geometry memories started surfacing, I decided to enjoy quilting from a distance. I love seeing the results of my ex-classmates' beautiful work and I have a greater appreciation for the skill involved in this craft. Lenny shops primarily in Holland and London for her fabrics; however, she has found fabric locally. I'll ask her where and get back to you. Great blog site! I look forward to reading it regularly. chezanna
Posted by: chezanna | June 24, 2005 at 03:26 PM
Your quilt sounds really cool. I will look forward to seeing a picture when you are done...
Posted by: Anne | July 21, 2005 at 01:55 PM
I am pleased to hear I am not the only one who cannot find anything in Paris or surrounding areas for Quilting/Patchwork. So frustrating. Not yet being fluent enough in French it is doubly frustrating not to be able to describe what I am looking for. Yes, beautiful fabrics - but where are all the quilting people in Paris? I am regularly in Torcy - I don't think anyone there even sew's. There is only a very tiny shop in Carrfour which sells cottons.
Posted by: Anita Heerwagen | February 20, 2006 at 05:29 AM
There is a quilt shop called Le Rouvray in Paris very close to Notre Dame. I went there this July. It's a cute shop, not tons of fabric but a good selection. They speak English there too. www.lerouvray.com Also where did you buy the teal map of Paris from? I hadn't seen it in teal before.
~Kari Rivers~
Posted by: Kari Rivers | August 17, 2006 at 03:08 PM