something stitched

 

 

As much a part of family legacy as the birth of new generations is the passing of those we love. There are many ways we may show our respect at the passing of a loved one. In the past colors used for clothing indicated the process and time of mourning for family members. Articles of clothing may be used to make quilts as remembrances of our loss. When a friend passed away her family chose to drape her casket with a quilt as a symbol of her love of sewing and quilting. Others make quilts after the passing of a loved one as part of the grieving and healing process. The making and using of this small quilt, Doves of Remembrance, is a symbol of respect and remembrance, a celebration of love for my mother who taught me to sew.

 

Ode to Quilters of ‘57

Before leaving for our extended summer vacation throughout northwest USA and Canada and Alaska I had cut pieces for a quilt that I might work on while traveling. I did take my Featherweight Singer machine thinking there would surely be rainy days when we wouldn’t be touring or sight seeing. I got all the block pieces done and the individual rows sewn and then we were into Alaska and all sewing ended. I have a commitment to finish the 2018 raffle quilt for the Texas quilt guild but for breaks I pulled out the blocks and have begun to work on them. It is just not me to work on only one project at a time and a diversion is needed sometimes when working on a large project to change my tension (not the machine but the human). So one of the thirteen blocks has been completed. Three blocks will make up the quilt: Farmer’s Daughter, Sister’s Choice and Grandmother’s Choice. The working title of this project is “Ode to the Quilters of ‘57” in remembrance of my grandmother’s quilting group.

The same blocks are being used in the raffle quilt along with a couple of others so perhaps a pattern for others to use will emerge from the two projects.

I was surprised to explore the Wind CAve National Park exhibit and find small art quilts representing the National Parks and their 100th anniversary.  The quilters are a group from Nebraska that are “friends of the parks” and decided to make the quilts, contacting the park service to see if they were interested in displaying them.  Obviously they were and the display will be on the move.  At Wind Cave in June, at MtRushmore in July and the ranger didn’t know after that.  Perhaps they will be in the parks that are depicted. If you visit any of the national parks this summer or know more about this exhibit look for them. As an art quilter it was delightful to see the various techniques used to depict the scenes.  They are very nicely done with that personal memory from the artist and I apologize for not having a name associated with each one.  I did know one of the artists, Sheila Green, having met her at the International Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, NE and done some work  related to her work with NE elementary students on the role of quilts in the days of the pioneers.  I did a similar guide for Iowa quilts. Enjoy the few photos I took.