Monday, November 14, 2016

a stumbling flag

 a folk art quilt for the family
made from false starts
by false I mean
'not followed through'
I do not mean lies
True starts
nine patch, flying geese, curved pieces
and layered scraps that look like houses
Also there are red left overs,
dots and hands and hearts
diamonds are forever I thought

geometric shapes - triangles, circles, squares, little grids
big stitches made with a big needle
a puzzle between the patterns
that fit together like a jig saw
like a zig zag
like a stumbling flag

quilts are flags for the bed said Margaret Atwood
the batting is a thin piece of harem cloth
to give it an inside
the backing is some rayon I purchased for a skirt, never made,
another false start
this is not a peaceful quilt or a quiet one,
it is messy and loud and full of false starts
linked togethher with threads that I untangle from each other and proceed
I connect myself together with these stitches,
watching downton abbey for the second time
home made cookie, cup of red rose

he said that I have been through a lot
she said that I was hiding

27 comments:

Unknown said...

This quilt sings to me, a loud and joyful song.

Sue McQ said...

Judy...this quilt is happy to my eyes. Whatever the content, it carries much energy and love. Each stitch filled with wonder.

Margaret said...

Some days I too feel 'messy and loud' inside. Sometimes I shout and swear alone in my wee house (the cat ignores me). Thanks for the comfort you give in this quilt of understanding.

Nifty Quilts said...

It's a treasure for your family, every last stitch. I love how the stitches make the pieces meld together. Wonderful quilt!

Kate Fernyhough said...

Beautiful post, absolutely stunning quilt, so wonderful to see it :)

Vivian said...

This quilt Judy, is the embodiment of happiness, little blocks of joy finally together for good. Lovely indeed!

Christine said...

You amaze me. this is shear glory.

jude said...

love the bed flag concept. And the thin cloth batting is so great isn't it? I love stacks of thin quilts in the winter.

Liz A said...

This is the quilt top that inspired my year of remembered patches ... seeing it quilted is further inspiration. Thank you for showing me the way ...

Geri deGruy said...

Beautiful !!!

willow woman said...

So vibrant and full of beautiful stitches!! It is always a journey recording our time and thoughts......thank you so much for sharing!!! It brightens my day!

Judy Martin said...

It was so amazing for me to put together (and quilt0 this all-sorts quilt in just one year. Zoom.

I want to say that putting all the small parts together into a big whole cleared so much dust away for me and started a new openness in my creativity. Shortly after designing this one, two new designs burst out.

And about the thin cloth inside - this is the first time that I have used harem cloth as a quilt batt and I do like it. I chose thinnest as possible this piece because I wanted to use big thread and big stitches - #5 perle cotton in multi-coloured and I thought that it would be easier to stitch. with the big needle required than with a regular batt.

The heavy thread and the amount of thread is giving this very thin quilt a marvelous weight. Just perfect.

Thanks for all of your generous comments.
xo

Doris said...

To look at this quilt makes me happy. And it would be great to touch it I'm sure.

Vicky aka Stichr said...

I actually see more organization than mess....the geese are flying in one direction, the dotted path following alongside. There is great movement.

I found myself nodding my head in agreement as I read you wanting to use big thread and needles, thus the thin "batt".....I was stitching a small thing with sz. 8 perle on 1 layer of fabric over cotton batt....my hand was aching afterwards. Rats.

apiecefullife said...

A metaphor, how the disparate pieces have come together so beautifully.

Mystic Quilter said...

O my goodness - a beautiful riot of colour and shape, stunning and I love your hand quilting, great texture!

jeanne hewell-chambers said...

This cloth is life in thread.

Grace Martin said...

Wow!

Unknown said...

This one is stunning! I just love the colors...such a happy quilt.

Judy Martin said...

Stumbling shows us the way forward, not the road back.

I just read this in an article by James D Campbell, a writer and curator, in his article about painter Jean Francois Lauda. Campbell also references the mindful angst of Philip Guston that helped that artist to grow his art outside of all expectations.

So let's stumble forward. Not knowing, but going on.

Saskia said...

awesome, heartfelt, beautiful

Margaret Cooter said...

Just as in the world of numbers "odd x odd = even", so in the world of quilts "false start + false start + false start ... = true quilt".

Velma Bolyard said...

he said she said. always.
good stitching.

Penny Berens said...

A joy filled stitched poem. Simply love it, Judy. XO

Penny Berens said...

Me again. I have been exploring the work of Akiko Ike lately and am very drawn to those lovely large stitches bringing the piece together.

Judy Martin said...

Penny, I looked up Akiko Ike just now and wow - a soul mate in stitch. Thank you for giving me her name. xo

Jane said...

Oh my my, I love it. Will be out to see it soon.