Each year, our Quaker meeting has a fundraiser to raise scholarship funds for a Quaker k-12 school on the West Bank in Israel. We sell Middle Eastern food, play Middle Eastern music, as well as have a white camel sale and a silent auction.

I was thinking of making a quilt to contribute to the auction. And given the theme of the Middle East, thought the quilt design should also be middle eastern.

But as I thought about it, I'm not sure what that would look like. Any suggestions? Pointers?

Thanks.

-- Jillaine

I just googled images of middle eastern quilts and there were too many ideas. Pick your comfort level and have fun. I liked the leather one, but could be done with fabric instead. Some wall art with horses had potential, and a simple block pattern in taffita was nice. Have at it.

Well, in that neck of the world, if you ask 5 people, you'll get 8 opinions.

You might look at the architecture and tile work as a source of inspiration (I don't know how complicated you want to get with this project).

The Hamsa is a very recognized symbol, as is the turquoisey-blue. Maybe different blocks using this symbol but made differently.

http://www.luckymojo.com/hamsahand.html
(Obviously, use the one on the right.)

http://www.google.com/images?q=hamsa...w=1280&bih=580

i don't know your skill level but there's a book called Bella Bella Quilts.

the designs in the book are based on mosaic tiled floors so it could work well in this situation.

some of the patterns are very easy and some are advanced so if you do buy the book it will certainly grow with you as your skills improve.

here's a link to her website and you can see many quilts in different colors and styles done by her and students of the books.


http://www.bellabellaquilts.com/home.html

That's a great book, but based on churches floors in Europe. While there might be some overlap, the tile work in the Middle East is markedly different, at least to my eyes (and seven years living there).

Here's an example:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/devinshire/5543995931/

But you can just do a search on combinations of the "country, mosque, tile work" and, guaranteed, someone has taken a picture of it and posted it somewhere.

But whatever, you do, unless it's so blandly generic, have it vetted just to make sure you don't innocently offend the recipients (or other locals).

these are great suggestions. I have one of the bella bella books on order. (I also have an Italian friend for whom I want to make a quilt based on Italian tile designs, which prompted the purchase of the bella bella book, but thanks... I'll consider it for this project as well.)

The other thing that occurred to me was to make a quilt based on the design of a rug. I attach a few images I found that might be "quilt-convertable". AND this also made me think that a OBW might actually work out as an interior section of the quilt with some sort of lovely border around....

(Isn't Google Great?)

-- Jillaine
P.S. on the sensitivity issue: yes, I'm very aware of this need. The purchaser of this quilt, though, would be an upper middle class white Quaker living in a well-off county in Maryland. ;-)

Then Gal288 found a wonderful PDF online about Islamic design, from which I extracted the following possibilities (in addition to some wonderful other ideas I couldn't pull out of the PDF):

Well, you know, Maryland does have its issues......
Just kidding. :wink: :wink: :wink:
OK, then clearly that's is NOT an issue. :lol: :lol:

The rugs are also a great source. I guess it just depends on how intricate you want to get.

Are you going to be doing the quilt all alone, or are there other members that can help out - making blocks, embellishing, sewing, whatever?

Can't wait to see what you decide.

It seems like in a quilt mag a couple of years ago there was an article about international quilters, and there were a couple from Israel. They were more artsy quilts and contemporary, but I do remember there being pomegranates in both of their quilts.

It might be interesting to do an applique quilt with fruits/flowers/plants from that part of the world.

Eq designed let me know what you think

Girl!!!! (or should I say Gal!!!! ?), you and I make such EXCELLENT partners in procrastination!!!! (inside joke: we're both trying to finish projects we're dissatisfied with)

Peg, this is great. Thank you! I wish I had that software. Well, actually, maybe not. Then I REALLY wouldn't get anything done!

Peg, tell me:

a) what's the difference between #2 and #3?

b) what's exactly going on in the light brown border? Or is that just the print on the fabric?

just fabrics, and I added 2 borders.

Love this idea ! Just the other day I came across a picture of wall tiles that inspired me to sit down and design a quilt~ inspiration comes from so many things ~ words, pictures, movement ~ and from all over the world !

Well, let's see, bemore! Do share!

here is the picture I found and now i am drawing the designs ~ plan to use the same colors ~

great! enjoying the music, too.

me tooo ! wish i knew where those tiles actually are ~ (smile)

Just wanted to post an update.

Some of the designs I found and the EQ design gal288 shared with me inspired me to try applying stack-and-whack/kaleidoscope to this quilt.

I include below the original fabric plus the result which will be the center of the quilt.

Looking good girl, like the sashing, getting a real tile feel. Keep up the good work, love the fabric and colors.

Thanks, Peg. Next steps: building the borders. I already have corner blocks. More later. Still looking for the tax docs. Did I mention I misplaced them? sigh.

Love the effect Jillaine !! I have not tried OBW yet and find it fascinating each time someone shows the original material and how it turns out ~ just have to screw up my courage and give it a try one of these days !!! Thanks for the inspiration !!

Love the designs posted in this thread! Some wonderful ideas!

Jillaine are you Quaker as in Friends? Just curious I grew up Quaker and was married in our Friends church.

Yes, DH and I are Quaker-- convinced, as they say-- Philip when he was in college, me when I got together with Philip! We were also married "under the care of" a Friends Meeting (in Ithaca, NY). We've been involved with our local Friends Meeting (Bethesda, MD) for about 10 years.

One of the members here became connected with Ramallah Friends School on the West Bank about 15 years ago, and since then, our Meeting has raised scholarship funds each year. Last year we were able to pay for two students' tuition. This year, we're shooting for three. We have a middle-eastern-themed spring fling each year. This is my (hoped for) contribution.

THis is also my first Kaleidoscope effort, and I find it quite fascinating. I prefer the sashing to the OBW look. At least for now, although I have an idea brewing in my head that OBW might work for. More on that later and elsewhere.

-- Jillaine

Here's what I've put together so far. It's not hanging flat here.

I had all these ideas for the borders, but when I started pinning them up, it felt too busy.

So I am now looking for suggestions for the border sections between corners.

Thanks!

Jillaine, Your boarders may not have been too busy, but a mater of proportion. Middle Eastern designs appear to have geometry and scale. These large corners overpower the majestic center panel. My mind thinks that you are well on your way to a more pricey, reversible quilt.

Post some picts of the borders you were considering, and let's figure out how you can make these beautiful corner blocks into the focus blocks on the reverse side.

I think you are wondeful, to take on this project !

I went to Isreal and Jordan last year and took pics of
beautiful tile work from over 2000 yrs ago ...
I believe art is for all....

olebat,

I believe you've nailed it! THANK YOU!

So basically, you're saying: recycle the corner blocks elsewhere because they're too big vis-a-vis the center section, and (if I'm reading correctly between the lines), use a smaller-scale set of blocks/piecing around the edges of the center block....

Yes?

-- Jillaine

I, too, was thinking of using a persian-type rug for inspiration as well as photos of middle eastern tilework. That's what I would start with. Best of luck on your project!

Yes. The corner blocks are nice looking, colors and pattern, just too big. They are over powering. They could be pieced together for a back panel on the same quilt with borders in the colors you've selected to create a truly amazing reversible quilt.

Okay... here's the latest iteration.

I now need to decide what's going to go in the corner blocks.

THen one more border, then I'm done.

Sorry for the color drainage. One of these days, we'll have a decent camera.

Oh yeah, this is great! You work pretty quickly too. The blocks you had before were real nice, is that a pattern you can make on a smaller scale?

Thanks, olebat!

The blocks I had before were actually fussy-cut from a batik that had a "star" pattern in the pattern itself.

Don't really have anything else like it.

Jillaine, have you put a set of mirrors against that leaf border to see how it would look as a OBW? I don't think it would work for a full quilt, but for cornerstones it may work. It would follow through with the color scheme, and have the geometric accent of the ME pattern you have going on.
Carol

Very lovely work so far! Congrats on a job well-done.

olebat, i'd thought of that (obw with leaf fabric) but I do not have enough of it.

Have you played with the HST's that you had on that previous border. Perhaps make a corner with opposing points?

I tried to log on earlier, these nasty storms have been playing havoc with connectivity. (Remember, I'm camping out this weekend.) I've been unable to learn anything of my caving friends in the Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia (Known as TAG) area. Our prime caving areas have been hit hard. I'm worried about our landowners, and cavers.

I'll check back tomorrow - but you may try to arrange the HST's into a star or pinwheel too. Play, have fun.
csj

What a wonderful quilt! I definitely have to bookmark this to see your finished beauty. I have so enjoyed reading this thread!
Maureen

I am really glad that you shared this information. Thank you very much.