At the sewing table with Tracy Chevalier

    If you follow Cornflower Books you'll know that I've recently run a series of posts in which authors allow us into their studies and talk a little about their working methods. Today I'm continuing that theme but with a difference, as my special guest tells us about a major part of her research for her latest book - one that involved time at the sewing table rather than the writing desk.

    I mentioned the other day that Tracy Chevalier's new novel The Last Runaway was "craft-inducing", and as you'll see from my review proper, that's because it features needlework - specifically some millinery and a wonderful 'running thread' of quilting - to great effect. The book as a whole is enormously enjoyable, but that aspect of the story fascinated me, and so I'm delighted and privileged to have this post on the subject from Tracy Chevalier herself. Over to Tracy:

    I have always liked to do what I call hands-on research for my novels. It began with Girl With a Pearl Earring: to write about a painter, I thought I’d better take a painting class to see what it felt like. Since then I have worked in a Victorian cemetery for Falling Angels; watched weavers make tapestries (and wove a tiny bit myself) for The Lady and the Unicorn; made a Dorset button for Burning Bright; found fossils for Remarkable Creatures. For my new novel The Last Runaway I have learned to quilt.

    Quilts were a common pastime for 19^th-century English and American women. My heroine, Honor Bright, who emigrates from Dorset to Ohio, makes pieced patchwork quilts. So I found a quilting class nearby, where our teacher Fiona taught us a different technique each week. Here’s what I learned to make:

Grandmother’s Garden rosettes

Two sewn together make a pin cushion (much used now)

           

Put more together and you have a cushion cover

Stars from diamonds

A pinwheel

Four-square

Log cabin cushion cover

 Finally we learned how to quilt, stitching in patterns through the layers to hold them together

quilting sample

    Once class was over, I knew I wanted to make a whole quilt, and joined a quilting group. We meet every Monday at one another’s homes. Over the course of a year, I made a simple 4-square pattern quilt, all by hand as I wanted to make it the way my heroine would have.

Tracy’s 1^st quilt

 

    What did I learn that I could transfer to the novel?

•Thimbles really are very useful, otherwise there’s pain and blood

•It helps to thread several needles at once

•When combining different fabrics, vary the size of the patterns, or the patchwork will look too even

•A splash of oddball colour or pattern gives a quilt variety and movement – it’s the exception that sets the rule of the rest of the work

•It is possible to make a quilt without tying a single knot (though I didn’t manage this!)

    Not all of this made it into the novel. But the best thing I gained from making a quilt was an understanding of the rhythm of creation, a pace I was able to transfer to Honor Bright. It’s a rhythm I’ve learned to love, so much that I’ve started another quilt!

Tracy’s Gee’s Bend quilt

 

    In the early stages of her research for the novel, by complete coincidence Tracy was invited by the V&A to write a short story about a quilt, and in taking on this commission she paid a visit to the museum's textile store to look at some of the reserve collection and its archive. You can see a short film of her visit here.

    My thanks to Tracy for sharing her adventures in quilting and for letting us see her pictures of her own work; I love her phrase "the rhythm of creation", and I shall bear her words in mind the next time I pick up a needle. Thankyou, Tracy!

Comments

[Mary]

Fascinating to hear how Tracy studies a skill before she writes and where it has led her to continue quilting. This background piece on quilt-making and the one on your other blog on Tracy's editing is illuminating and fun, especially as I am in the middle of her book.

On another note, I made a hand-pieced top for a quilt and partially completed the quilting just to see if I could do it. This article reminds me to pull it out and complete it! As Honor would say, 'Tis more challenging.

[Cornflower]

Do it, Mary!
Glad you have found these posts interesting - it's a great pleasure to have Tracy as my guest.

[Ruth M]

I love the way writers come alive and turn into real people when they converse casually. I suppose some turn into people I wouldn't like but so far, Cornflower, you've invited only good ones!

Delighted to see Tracy's Gee's Bend-style quilt. We viewed an amazing collection of these historic quilts, some of which are still being made in rural Alabama. Mules from Gee's Bend were used to pull the funeral wagon of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

[Cornflower]

All my guests have been delightful, and it is so nice to see something of the 'real person', as you say, Ruth.
For anyone who may like to know more, I've found a good article about the Gee's Bend quilts: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/geesbend.html?c=y&page=1#, and this chronology - which mentions Dr. King's funeral and the mules - is interesting, too: http://www.philamuseum.org/booklets/8_49_104_1.html

[adele geras]

I too am fascinated by quilts and admire Tracy's dedication! And will of course read the book, too!
Lovely post!

[Nicole Adams]

To see Tracy on TV this morning push me to know more about Her. I discoved this site and the lovely quilts! fascinating. Thank you.I will read the book and hope to come to the V&A.

[Cornflower]

Adele, I loved the book - I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

[Cornflower]

Glad you found this post, Nicole, and enjoy Tracy's V&A event - I wish I could go!

[Lila]

Tracy, I commend you on your patchwork lessons! Lovely!
I'm a quilter myself... one great memory I have is of taking my granddaughter to the High Museum in Atlanta when the Gee's Bend quilts were there. They held the 6 year-old child's attention and were truly a visual feast!
Now I shall have to read "The Last Runaway"!

[Cornflower]

I bet you'll love the book, Lila.

[Grainne]

Just listened to interview in Woman's hour on BBC Radio 4. Then found this link, fascinating and makes me want to read the book and start quilting again.
My Mum is a fabulous quilter so I'm sending her this link.

Grainne in Hove

[Cornflower]

Wonderful, Grainne! Do read the book, and I guarantee it will strengthen your resolve to take up quilting again.