Triangle Shirtwaist Exhibit & Two Color Quilts

While in New York to see the quilt shows last month, the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire took place. The fire cost the lives of many young women working at the factory, and ushered in many of the reforms that we still enjoy today. Around the corner from the Empire Guild Show, at the Fashion Institute of Technology, an exhibit was held to commemorate the anniversary.
I took this photo because of the quote at the bottom of the page - "You could touch the sorrow in the air".

Quite unusual, and modern, wouldn't you say? The displays were made of paper, and, if you look closely, the detail really depicts that day.

The burnt cloth of the skirt. The names of the victims, on the spiral at left. On the back wall, the women preparing to jump to escape the flames. I've read a couple of books involving the fire, and was, at first, surprised by the modern approach to the exhibit, but it was a solemn tribute to the women who perished that day.

On a lighter note, I have been thinking about the red and white quilts (who hasn't?!), and remembered that I had made a doll quilt of red and white sailboats. Both of the solids used are vintage pieces, as is the bias binding. Here is a little redwork piece that I bought online. I am not certain of it's intended use, but it works perfectly as a little sheet for one of my doll beds!Here is another two color quilt, using a great cheddar solid. I really quilted the heck out of this, didn't I?

The last doll quilt has a little story. I was at an auction, which used to be a frequent event for me, and there was a doll quilt made of a cadet printed with little stars, and a heavier, almost sacking type material. Well, it went for more than I cared to spend, so I went home, and made a copy of it for myself, of similar fabrics, and machine quilted it simply. It looks nearly identical to the one that brought the big bucks!