The Mantas Traperas Project started in 2008 with a few pictures of country quilts found hanging on a clothline in Rocha, Uruguay.
From there it continued in Maldonado, Uruguay with pictures of my grandmother´s quilts. The ones she made for my uncle and my father who just turned 80. My grandmother was the one that taught me to sew and to knit, even though I am left handed and she was not.
During 2009 there were 6 of us visiting places where we could find Traperas, the uruguayan version of quilts. In September we participated in the Heritage Weekend with an exhibition of old Traperas and modern quilts that received praises from all the visitors.
In January of this year there were 4 of us writing like madwomen to apply for funds to turn this collection of strories and pictures into a book.
The proposal was unusual enough so that we got the support we needed to continue. We hope that by doing this we promote and rescue this craft.
What a wonderful project. It was brought to my attention by Alison Schwabe, an Australian quilt-maker living in Uruguay. The making of useful quilts from recycled scraps is a tradition which binds together the people of so many cultures and countries. It's exciting to catch a glimpse of that tradition in Uruguay. I'm not surprised you were able to get support for such a worthy project, and will eagerly await the book's eventual publication.
ResponderEliminarWendy Lugg