1 00:00:04,538 --> 00:00:07,040 Hello. I'm Deanna Springer live at the 2 00:00:07,107 --> 00:00:10,577 Great Wisconsin Quilt Show with insights to this year's event. 3 00:00:10,644 --> 00:00:14,081 It's Wednesday setup day, so you'll hear the vendors setting 4 00:00:14,147 --> 00:00:17,484 up behind and I'm joined by Victoria Findlay Wolfe. 5 00:00:17,551 --> 00:00:19,786 >> Hey, thanks for having me. >> Oh, we've talked about this 6 00:00:19,853 --> 00:00:23,123 for years. Yeah, we've met. >> So many times. 7 00:00:23,190 --> 00:00:25,559 >> You're here. >> Get to be here. 8 00:00:25,626 --> 00:00:28,328 >> She's all the way here from New York State and New York 9 00:00:28,395 --> 00:00:32,099 City. happy to be back in the Midwest. 10 00:00:32,165 --> 00:00:34,535 >> And you're a quilter. >> I am. 11 00:00:34,601 --> 00:00:36,603 >> You have two special quilt exhibits and a vendor booth 12 00:00:36,670 --> 00:00:40,774 here this week. >> I do definitely. So I am a 13 00:00:40,841 --> 00:00:44,678 Midwestern Minnesota girl. So right next to you here in. 14 00:00:44,745 --> 00:00:47,080 >> Wisconsin, Minnesota. >> Minnesota slips out every 15 00:00:47,147 --> 00:00:48,615 once in a while. >> Especially when we're 16 00:00:48,682 --> 00:00:52,085 together. >> Exactly. Yeah. But I do have 17 00:00:52,152 --> 00:00:55,088 the two different exhibits that I'm really happy to be sharing 18 00:00:55,155 --> 00:00:57,224 with everybody. >> And these are some of the 19 00:00:57,291 --> 00:01:00,194 biggest quilts we've ever featured. So thank you for 20 00:01:00,260 --> 00:01:03,130 driving them all the way here and hanging them. We are 21 00:01:03,197 --> 00:01:05,999 standing in one of your exhibits. It's called Virtual. 22 00:01:06,066 --> 00:01:08,869 Voyage Voyage. So tell us about the quilt you're standing 23 00:01:08,936 --> 00:01:12,339 behind that's behind you. >> So we know that we kind of 24 00:01:12,406 --> 00:01:15,809 saw our lives into our quilts, our daily lives, but we also we 25 00:01:15,876 --> 00:01:20,681 hold so many memories. And my Midwest memories of coming from 26 00:01:20,747 --> 00:01:23,517 the farm that I grew up in Minnesota, but going down to 27 00:01:23,584 --> 00:01:26,820 visit my grandparents who lived in Wabasha, Minnesota, which 28 00:01:26,887 --> 00:01:31,658 had the Wabasha Bridge that goes across to Wisconsin was 29 00:01:31,725 --> 00:01:36,530 sort of a real highlight of my youth. And so we have all these 30 00:01:36,597 --> 00:01:39,533 great memories, and it's really nice to hang on to them. And 31 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,469 what's nicer is I can make a quilt out of those memories to 32 00:01:42,536 --> 00:01:45,606 make them a tangible thing that I can hold on to. 33 00:01:45,672 --> 00:01:48,475 >> And they tell a story. So these are your grandparents in 34 00:01:48,542 --> 00:01:52,179 the quilt behind you? >> Yes it is. So this quilt is 35 00:01:52,246 --> 00:01:55,516 called. That's a very good question. What is the name of 36 00:01:55,582 --> 00:01:58,585 my grandparents quilt? It's my grandparents quilt. Just put me 37 00:01:58,652 --> 00:02:01,822 right on the top. It's called concurrency actually. So, you 38 00:02:01,889 --> 00:02:04,992 know, when we're looking through the photo albums and we 39 00:02:05,058 --> 00:02:08,195 see all the photos and we remember them the way that they 40 00:02:08,262 --> 00:02:10,230 were in the photos, that forever. 41 00:02:10,297 --> 00:02:12,666 >> Fond memories. >> But when this picture was 42 00:02:12,733 --> 00:02:15,669 taken of them, I was probably only about three years old. And 43 00:02:15,736 --> 00:02:18,572 I was realizing that every time I make a quilt, because most of 44 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:21,608 this exhibit is based on my grandparents, that when I'm 45 00:02:21,675 --> 00:02:24,645 making a quilt, I'm sort of remembering them in a way. But 46 00:02:24,711 --> 00:02:27,414 in this case, I'm remembering that I'm the one who's changing 47 00:02:27,481 --> 00:02:29,850 because they forever stay the same. So it's really about the 48 00:02:29,917 --> 00:02:33,487 past and the future happening simultaneously. So I'm 49 00:02:33,554 --> 00:02:37,124 inserting myself into their garden and can you believe it? 50 00:02:37,191 --> 00:02:41,862 I have all their peonies and iris and gladiola. They go 51 00:02:41,929 --> 00:02:45,098 where I go. So they went from Minnesota to Long Island, and 52 00:02:45,165 --> 00:02:48,702 now they're at my upstate New York house, and they're still 53 00:02:48,769 --> 00:02:51,538 blooming. So I have the irises in my hands. 54 00:02:51,605 --> 00:02:53,507 >> Incredible memories and incredible story. You mentioned 55 00:02:53,574 --> 00:02:56,643 a bridge. The quilt behind me. >> Bridge, the bridge, the 56 00:02:56,710 --> 00:03:00,214 mighty Mississippi. I mean, to me, there's just nothing better. 57 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:04,251 >> That separates Wisconsin and Minnesota. 58 00:03:04,318 --> 00:03:07,654 didn't travel, we didn't vacation. 59 00:03:08,689 --> 00:03:11,959 >> In, I grew up on a farm. But when we would come here, my 60 00:03:12,025 --> 00:03:15,729 grandpa would put us in the car and drive us across the Wabasha 61 00:03:15,796 --> 00:03:17,965 Bridge into Wisconsin. And it was the most amazing thing I've 62 00:03:18,031 --> 00:03:20,934 ever been. I was in another state. I couldn't believe it. 63 00:03:21,001 --> 00:03:23,904 >> And it's not like you drove across and went shopping or had 64 00:03:23,971 --> 00:03:26,406 lunch. No, you drove across. >> And we turned around and 65 00:03:26,473 --> 00:03:29,343 drove back like that. Was it fun? 66 00:03:29,409 --> 00:03:32,713 >> Grandpa's are great. Yes. Yeah. 67 00:03:32,779 --> 00:03:35,749 virtual voyage quilts here. >> So all of these quilts, 68 00:03:35,816 --> 00:03:39,086 everything that I do is really based on keeping a foot on 69 00:03:39,152 --> 00:03:41,455 tradition and where I learned to quilt because my grandmother 70 00:03:41,522 --> 00:03:44,124 was a quilter, she made all those gorgeous double knit 71 00:03:44,191 --> 00:03:48,495 polyester quilts. And so I have some pieces that are in honor 72 00:03:48,562 --> 00:03:51,932 of her and her work. And it's also when I'm making a quilt, 73 00:03:51,999 --> 00:03:54,535 I'm trying to remember all the things that she did and 74 00:03:54,601 --> 00:03:57,404 incorporate them into my quilts as well. So keeping that foot 75 00:03:57,471 --> 00:04:01,241 in tradition, but giving a modern spin and storytelling, 76 00:04:01,308 --> 00:04:04,311 being able to. >> Storytelling. 77 00:04:05,479 --> 00:04:08,549 memories and have something tangible to hold on to. 78 00:04:08,615 --> 00:04:10,918 >> Gorgeous. Yeah. Are they in storage throughout the year 79 00:04:10,984 --> 00:04:13,654 when you're not exhibiting? >> Well, they're often 80 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,823 traveling to different exhibits. Otherwise they are generally in 81 00:04:16,890 --> 00:04:19,393 storage. So we've pulled these out. Some of them haven't 82 00:04:19,459 --> 00:04:22,963 gotten to be out in a while. One of them is new, one of them 83 00:04:23,030 --> 00:04:25,265 is brand new. So that one hasn't been exhibited before. 84 00:04:25,332 --> 00:04:28,001 >> Which one is it? >> It's really fun. The one 85 00:04:28,068 --> 00:04:31,638 that's called feed sacks and gunny sacks. So that is my. 86 00:04:31,705 --> 00:04:34,441 >> White. >> Background, myself and my 87 00:04:34,508 --> 00:04:38,312 grandmother right next to the river here. And her three 88 00:04:38,378 --> 00:04:41,315 daughters and her three daughters. My grandma would 89 00:04:41,381 --> 00:04:43,984 make all of their clothing. And when they were young, out of 90 00:04:44,051 --> 00:04:48,455 the feed sacks and they hated hated those fabrics. And all 91 00:04:48,522 --> 00:04:52,860 the feed sacks went to my oldest aunt and she didn't. So 92 00:04:52,926 --> 00:04:56,897 my mom sewed. And then when my. That's my Aunt Marianne. When 93 00:04:56,964 --> 00:05:01,134 she passed away, they all came to me and I was like, oh my 94 00:05:01,201 --> 00:05:04,238 gosh, all these gorgeous feed sacks that she had. And then 95 00:05:04,304 --> 00:05:07,074 when I realized the dress that I'm wearing, I did not like to 96 00:05:07,140 --> 00:05:10,244 wear dresses when I was a kid. >> Just like your mom. 97 00:05:10,310 --> 00:05:14,114 >> Did not like to wear dresses, but I wore my mom's dress and 98 00:05:14,181 --> 00:05:16,850 it's a gunny sack dress. Do you remember the gunny sack dresses 99 00:05:16,917 --> 00:05:18,952 from the 80s? And I was like, well, there you go. 100 00:05:19,019 --> 00:05:21,788 >> You have. >> To three generations of of 101 00:05:21,855 --> 00:05:24,758 family and quilting. >> A. Tiny sacks and gunny. 102 00:05:24,825 --> 00:05:28,028 >> Sacks quilt. grandma's quilts were tied. 103 00:05:28,095 --> 00:05:30,931 They were finished that way. They would have been tied. So I 104 00:05:30,998 --> 00:05:33,166 again, throwing that nod into the tradition of where I 105 00:05:33,233 --> 00:05:35,802 learned to quilt and making sure those elements are still 106 00:05:35,869 --> 00:05:38,205 in what I do now. >> You're so inspiring. Oh, 107 00:05:38,272 --> 00:05:41,308 it's so much fun. It's still set up day, so each of the 108 00:05:41,375 --> 00:05:45,212 quilts will have a tag hanging on them. So I will know. I will 109 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:48,081 know. Coming and the attendees will know the names of your 110 00:05:48,148 --> 00:05:50,384 quilts and the titles and the stories of the quilts. Exactly. 111 00:05:50,450 --> 00:05:53,220 So they get hung up last today. But yes, Thursday, Friday, 112 00:05:53,287 --> 00:05:55,989 Saturday. You can see the quilts and you have virtual 113 00:05:56,056 --> 00:05:57,925 voyage exhibit here. You also have quilting experience. 114 00:05:57,991 --> 00:06:00,827 >> Yes. So the Quilting Experience is my newest book. 115 00:06:00,894 --> 00:06:03,764 And it's not just about making quilts, it's also about 116 00:06:03,830 --> 00:06:06,733 gathering everybody else's textile stories, quilt stories. 117 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:10,904 We all have one. And how fibers really tie us together. So it's 118 00:06:10,971 --> 00:06:13,473 based on a lot of different themes. Again, still keeping 119 00:06:13,540 --> 00:06:16,743 that foot sort of in tradition and modern and artistic. And 120 00:06:16,810 --> 00:06:20,380 how do you take those patterns and how do we sow our lives 121 00:06:20,447 --> 00:06:23,383 into our quilts? Right? We're not just buying fabrics, but 122 00:06:23,450 --> 00:06:27,487 we're sewing. The grandchild was born or somebody got 123 00:06:27,554 --> 00:06:30,624 married, or you had to get up and cook dinner when you were 124 00:06:30,691 --> 00:06:33,594 ready to sew that quilt top together. Like, you know, we're 125 00:06:33,660 --> 00:06:35,562 sewing all our daily lives are really going into these quilts. 126 00:06:35,629 --> 00:06:39,399 And that's really what that book is about. 127 00:06:39,466 --> 00:06:41,668 between your two exhibits, you have a vendor booth. 128 00:06:41,735 --> 00:06:44,104 >> I do, I also have all my vending stuff and you're happy 129 00:06:44,171 --> 00:06:45,839 to. will be here. 130 00:06:47,608 --> 00:06:50,410 >> Yep. We have them all and we're happy to talk quilts all 131 00:06:50,477 --> 00:06:53,113 during the show. >> Come and see Victoria at the 132 00:06:53,180 --> 00:06:55,616 Great Wisconsin Quilt Show you walk into the front of the show, 133 00:06:55,682 --> 00:06:58,585 you look right. You'll see quilts flying in the air. 134 00:06:58,652 --> 00:07:01,221 There's two quilts that Victoria sent in early that are 135 00:07:01,288 --> 00:07:05,359 hanging 20ft off the ground. Yeah, so you can't miss 136 00:07:05,425 --> 00:07:08,529 Victoria turn in to the vendor mall. Turn right, look right. 137 00:07:08,595 --> 00:07:11,765 See the quilts and come and visit the Great Wisconsin Quilt 138 00:07:11,832 --> 00:07:14,535 Show this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Thank you so much, 139 00:07:14,601 --> 00:07:16,236 Victoria. >> Thank you Diane. 140 00:07:16,303 --> 00:07:18,939 >> Thank you for spending time with you. Happy to be here. And 141 00:07:19,006 --> 00:07:21,875 how can people find you online? >> BFW quilts. I know that 142 00:07:21,942 --> 00:07:25,946 sounds funny, but it's Victoria Findlay Wolfe, so VFW 143 00:07:26,013 --> 00:07:28,382 quilts.com. Thank you Victoria. Thank you. 144 00:07:28,448 --> 00:07:32,519 >> And thank you for tuning in for insights behind the Great 145 00:07:32,586 --> 00:07:38,592 Wisconsin Quilt Show, head over to quilt show.com to learn more.