Maude Haeger's Quilted Sarcophagi

 Yesterday, I hosted a SAQA OH regional parlor meeting in Piqua, Ohio at Hartzell Propeller.  Hartzell graciously allows employees to reserve space for free for various activities and their "All Hands Room" is a wonderful space.

It was a busy day, with a panel discussion on quilting with Longarm, Mid-arm, and domestic sewing machines on movable platforms (thanks to Sue DeSantis, Chris Landis, Mindy Marik, Loraine Smith, Beth Schillig, and Deb Bentley who shared their observations and experiences) as well as writing artist statements (Maxine Thomas, presenter), filling out on-line exhibition applications, and of course lunch (pot luck) and show and tell.  Members of the Batty Binders art quilt group and Miami Valley Art Quilt Network attended, and I asked Maude Haeger to come as well.

You may recall Maude's work from my discussion on the Aullwood Show.  I met Maude through this and was very impressed with her work.  At left is Maude (Kathryn) and her beautiful quilted containers.

Maude has made several of these.  One of the first ones she made she made as a receptical for a friend's ashes.  The friend lived with Maude for  a while and when it was obvious she was dying, Maude made this container.  She included her friend's favorite colors, and took an outline of her son's hand and appliqued it into the top of the box so that the child's hand would always be in contact with his mother. Here, you can see the underside of one of the lids.

Maude finishes the pieces exquisitely.  Here, she's turned one inside out and you can see one of her signature "crowns" (New York Beauty).

It's not easy to make a three dimensional quilted piece, and certainly not one which is finished on all surfaces like Maude's work is....really cool!