Interview with Carolyn Dahl, November 1, 2002

Partial Transcript: This is JoAnn Pospisil interviewing Carolyn Dahl at the Houston International Quilt Festival on November 1st, 2002.

Segment Synopsis: Carolyn Dahl is introduced. She describes the quilt she brought for the interview, which she titled "Don't Throw Away My Dolls." She says it is a memory quilt based on memories and objects from her childhood and family traditions. She describes her exact process of creating unique fabric stamps using those special objects from her childhood.

Keywords: "Don't Throw Away My Dolls"; Backing; Beads; Buttons; Carol Duvall; Childhood; Choices; Color palette; Colors; Cooking; Coral; Crochet; Design process; Dishrags; Fabric paint; Family home; Family rituals; Fiber - Cotton; Fish; Foam sponges; Future; Heat guns; Images; Imprints; Ink; Intangible; Material; Memories; Memory quilts; Messages; Mothers; Nephews; Onjects; Painting; Pastel; Plans; Potato mashers; Printing blocks; Prints; Quiltmaking process; Sisters; Stamps; Stories; Storybook dolls; Surface designers; Symbols; Techniques; Television programs

Subjects: Artists; Arts and crafts.; Decorative arts; Families.; Quilting.; Quilts--Design.; Quilts.; Textile artists; Textiles

Partial Transcript: Well, can you tell us about your interest in quilting?

Segment Synopsis: Dahl talks about how she began her interest in quilting via her career in teaching fabric dyeing and painting. She says her grandmother was a quilter, but she herself was still self-taught in quilting.

Keywords: 1980s; Contact; Fabric; Fabric dyeing; Family; Grandmothers; Hand quilting; Learning; Learning quiltmaking; Painting; Quilters; Self-taught; Stitching; Teaching; Teaching quiltmaking

Subjects: Artists; Arts and crafts.; Decorative arts; Families.; Quilting.; Quilts--Design.; Quilts.; Textile artists; Textiles

Partial Transcript: How many hours a week would you say you spend quilting?

Segment Synopsis: Dahl talks about how half of her time is spent dyeing her fabric before she can even begin quilting.

Keywords: Colors; Design process; Hours; Quiltmaking process; Schedules; Studios; White fabric

Subjects: Artists; Arts and crafts.; Decorative arts; Quilting.; Quilts--Design.; Quilts.; Textile artists; Textiles

Partial Transcript: Your first memory of a quilt?

Segment Synopsis: Dahl describes her first memory of a quilt, which was one made by her grandmother for one of her dolls. She talks about her grandmother's rug weaving and quilting and her mother's crochet. She talks about how her own quilting impacts her immediate family and more about her quilting schedule.

Keywords: Baby doll quilts; Bed quilts; Clothes; Crochet; Decorative; Design process; Fabric; Family; Grandmothers; Hours; Impact; Memories; Mothers; Non-utilitarian quilts; Passion; Professional quiltmakers; Professions; Quilt memory; Quilt purpose - Artistic expression; Quilt purpose - Bedcovering; Quilt purpose - Home decoration; Quilt purpose - Utilitarian; Quiltmaking process; Rag rugs; Rug weaving; Saving; Schedules; Supportive; Thinking

Subjects: Artists; Arts and crafts.; Decorative arts; Quilting.; Quilts--Design.; Quilts.; Textile artists; Textiles

Partial Transcript: Uh, have you ever used quilting to get through a difficult time in your life?

Segment Synopsis: Dahl talks about quilting during a difficult time in her life during a health issue, and how her work was affected.

Keywords: Difficult times; Eye surgery; Eyes; Feelings; Miniature quilts; Quilting as therapy; Retinal detachments; Series

Subjects: Artists; Arts and crafts.; Decorative arts; Quilting.; Quilts--Design.; Quilts.; Textile artists; Textiles

Partial Transcript: What is it about quilting that you find pleasing?

Segment Synopsis: Dahl talks about her favorite aspects of quilting: the feel of the fabric and the meditative rhythm of sewing. She talks about her least favorite aspect: binding.

Keywords: Batting/wadding; Binding; Cloth; Hand quilting; Hate; Healing; Joining; Judging; Juried; Measuring; Meditation; Needles; Paint; Perfection; Pleasing; Precision; Rhythm; Softness; Standards; Techniques

Subjects: Artists; Arts and crafts.; Decorative arts; Quilting.; Quilts--Design.; Quilts.; Textile artists; Textiles

Partial Transcript: What do you think makes a great quilt?

Segment Synopsis: Dahl talks about what she thinks makes a great quilt, what makes an artistically powerful quilt, and what makes a quilt museum-worthy.

Keywords: "Calling out"; Art; Artistically powerful; Creativity; Definitions; Great quilts; Image; Intangible; Juried; Jurying; Museums; New; Painting; Quilter's voice; Special collections; Subjective; Textiles; Traditional quilts; Walk through

Subjects: Artists; Arts and crafts.; Decorative arts; Quilting.; Quilts--Design.; Quilts.; Textile artists; Textiles

Partial Transcript: What makes a great quilter?

Segment Synopsis: Dahl talks about what makes a great quilter and how one can learn from others.

Keywords: Background; Children; Conferences; Great quilters; Imagery; Leading; Learning; Others; Sensibility; Techniques; Vision

Subjects: Artists; Arts and crafts.; Decorative arts; Quilting.; Quilts--Design.; Quilts.; Textile artists; Textiles

Partial Transcript: Um, I think we've covered this already, as far as how you feel about c--machine quilting versus hand quilting.

Segment Synopsis: Dahl talks about using both machine and hand quilting. She talks about the impact of quilting on American life and women's history.

Keywords: American life; Beauty; Both; Comfort; Comforting; Community; Feelings; Hand quilting; Hands; Journal; Long arm quilting; Machine quilting; Quilt purpose - Comfort; Regional; Regions; Soothing; Women's history; Women's movement

Subjects: Artists; Arts and crafts.; Decorative arts; Quilting.; Quilts--Design.; Quilts.; Textile artists; Textiles

Partial Transcript: How do you think quilts should be used?

Segment Synopsis: Dahl talks about her views on how quilts should be used. She talks about what she does with her own quilts.

Keywords: Bed quilts; Exhibits; Family; Quilt purpose - Bedcovering; Quilt purpose - Exhibition; Quilt purpose - Gift or presentation; Quilt purpose - Utilitarian; Quilt shows/exhibitions; Quilts as gifts; Selling; Sizes; Uses; Wall hangings

Subjects: Artists; Arts and crafts.; Decorative arts; Quilting.; Quilts--Design.; Quilts.; Textile artists; Textiles

Partial Transcript: Uh, back to some of the details, uh, what kind of thread do you usually prefer to quilt with?

Segment Synopsis: Dahl talks about the materials and designs she chooses for her quilts.

Keywords: Batting/wadding; Choices; Decisions; Design process; Designs; Image; Materials; Patterns; Photography/Photo transfer; Thread

Subjects: Artists; Arts and crafts.; Decorative arts; Quilting.; Quilts--Design.; Quilts.; Textile artists; Textiles

Partial Transcript: Uh, do you have any other comments that you would like to make regarding your quilting or quilting in general?

Segment Synopsis: Dahl talks about why it is an exciting time in the world of quilting. She mentions some of the classes she teaches. She talks about why the quilting world is a great community. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Art; Art movements; Awareness; Cloth; Dyes; Embroidery; Exciting; Inclusion; Mean; Needlepoint; New York; Nice; Paint; Quilt conferences; Quilt movement; Quilt shows/exhibitions; Respect; Teaching; Teaching quiltmaking; Textiles; Traditional; Traditional quilts

Subjects: Artists; Arts and crafts.; Decorative arts; Quilting.; Quilts--Design.; Quilts.; Textile artists; Textiles