Sophie and I just got home from Washington DC, where we went to visit my brother, the Smithsonian Museums, Mount Vernon, the Pandas in the zoo, and especially to see the Cherry Blossom Festival.
I've uploaded several photos from the trip, so you can see the beautiful cherry blossoms too. It was an especially poignant trip, knowing that many of the Sakura (cherry blossom) festivals in Japan have been canceled this year due to the earthquake and tsunami, and ongoing nuclear crisis.
As you go through this slideshow of Sakura photos, my hope is that you will feel as though you are walking under the blossom-laden branches with me, feeling the peaceful beauty that exists under these old trees that bend to wards the water and whisper in the wind….shedding showers of petals over the dreamers who stroll beneath.
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There is a lot of textile-related art and history to see in Washington DC, not including the textile museum!
Currently the Hyperbolic Crocheted Reef is at the Natural History Museum in the Smithsonian. I did a video review of this project 2 years ago in Harrogate, and you may enjoy this video by Margaret Wertheim on how she and her sister came to create the first crochet coral reef.
Several gowns have been added to the First Lady Inaugural Gown exhibit since I last saw it 30 years ago! From the most recent installment of Michelle Obama's white gown, to Martha Washington's dress, it is quite a trip through the history of fashion.
It was interesting to note that Lincoln's coat which he wore the night of his assassination, and the Star-Spangled Banner, have both been victims of souvenir-snippers in the past. (large chunks of the fabric are gone after being cut off for mementos by souvenir hounds)
Several of the pop-culture items on display at the American History Museum are textile related – Jim Hensen's original fabric puppets, the two tapestry chairs from All in the Family, and costumes worn by Olympic gold-medal skaters…
There is also a nice display about the first sewing machines, which describes the huge impact this invention made on women's lives. I was surprised to see Isaac Singer's oil painting portrait in the National Portrait Gallery. But then again…why not?
And of course, there are historic quilts sprinkled throughout all the museums, many of them simple patterns using clothing scraps…recycled to create a quilt for warmth and beauty. How far we have come, with this beloved art and craft, that allows us to work with an amazing variety of art & design on cotton fabric.
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eQuilter *1000 QUILTS for JAPAN*
eQuilter is partnering with Mission of Love to deliver one or more shipments of disaster relief supplies (medical, educational, and basic needs) and donated comfort quilts, to the people of Japan.
IMPORTANT: Please carefully read all of the project page information about deadlines, shipping, sizes, and FAQs… and if your question is not answered, you can contact eQuilter Customer Service at [email protected]
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