GEORGE TOWN, Sept 22 — The art of quilt-making has been around for centuries in many different parts of the world.
In Malaysia, some may remember two-layer patchwork quilts made by their grandmothers, often fashioned from colourful squares and rectangles of leftover fabrics.
For Janie Yap, it was a hobby she picked up in Australia in 1991 and today, quilting has become a canvas for her to tell the stories of her life, her travels and to commemorate special milestones of her family members.
The 78-year-old has hand-sewn over 130 quilts of various sizes, many of which she has gifted to friends and family.
Each quilt takes anywhere from one to seven months to make, depending on the size and intricacy of the designs.
Yap said she sews the designs by hand, which was why the process is so time consuming and that she only uses a sewing machine for the borders.
Initially, she began with basic patchwork quilts, but over the years, she started incorporating stories into the designs of her creations.
“In the beginning, I was guided by patterns. Then I started to see things and images in my mind that I wanted to convert into quilts,” she said.
Janie Yap with a quilt she made for her granddaughter’s 12th birthday. Behind her is the quilt that was inspired by her trek up the Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan and the quilt on the right, the nutmegs. — Picture by Opalyn Mok
One of her quilts was an ode to her mother’s Nyonya heritage and Penang, her hometown. It features motifs of the Nyonya kebaya, a trishaw, the outline of Penang island, and intricate decorations made with Nyonya beads.
“My mother was a Nyonya so this quilt with the beads is in honour of my mother’s heritage, although I never did learn how to make Nyonya beaded shoes,” she said.
There are also quilts showcasing Malaysian scenes, including one that features a traditional kampung house and roosters.
Initially, driven by her passion for plants, many of her quilts showcased botanical themes. Over time, she began to incorporate additional elements into her designs.
When she travelled to India, she noticed the colourful sarees that the women wore, inspiring her to create a quilt adorned with colourful motifs of these traditional garments.
On a trek to the Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan, the breathtaking views left a lasting impression, leading her to craft a quilt depicting the iconic Taktsang Monastery perched on the cliffside of Upper Paro.
There was also a quilt that documented her venture into making nutmeg juice with her friends during the Covid-19 lockdowns.
“This is an ode to nutmegs, I remembered how making the juices had stained some of my clothes and this gave me the idea to make this quilt,” she said.
As an avid quilt maker, the retired teacher is always on the hunt for interesting fabrics to add to her collection.
“We have to be careful when using different fabrics for the quilt, we will always wash it before use as some of the colours of these fabrics could run,” she explained. When she discovered beautiful batik fabric from a local batik maker that didn’t bleed, she was inspired to create a quilt in praise of Nysa Kapas.
Quilts, similar to any other fabrics, when stored for a long time could discolour so there is a tradition among quilt makers to air their quilts often.
Yap said that in Australia and the United States, some towns hold annual quilt airings where quilts are displayed along streets, hung on balconies, and even inside pubs.
“It was such a festive occasion in Australia that it became a tourist attraction,” she said.
For Janie Yap, it was a hobby she picked up in Australia in 1991. — Picture by Opalyn Mok
This is why Yap has named her upcoming sharing sessions as the “Hanging of the Quilts” at The Art Gallery in Burma Road.
Instead of a regular exhibition of her quilts, Yap will be holding sharing sessions at 2.30pm on September 28 and 29 to talk about her quilting journey.
Visitors are required to register with a minimum fee of RM15 to attend these sessions. Those interested may call 012-6041434.