Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Oh Sleep It is a Blessed Thing: a Journal Quilt

      After teaching English and history to 7th graders and becoming enamored of art history along the way, I decided to go to art school on my 50th birthday. My feet were like lead in cement, walking across the street from the museum to apply to the SMFA. I painted and painted, dawn to dusk, and the best time for dreaming up ideas for my canvas was in bed after everyone was sound asleep. So quiet...I could think.
click to enlarge
      Dreaming up new ideas became a habit but that is not good if everyone in the house awakens at 6 a.m. to go to work or be walked (dog). Nevertheless, I still love to think late at night, and then when there are lots of new adventures and beginnings as there are in our family now, I really need to sleep more to keep up with the crowd. 
       This is my second 12" x 12" journal quilt for my new group in Massachusetts, the Journal Quilt Connection. For July, birthdays or new beginnings is the topic. I was planning this as an extra quilt, but the Ohm and Om fit right in with the idea, if the website I found is correct, which explains the meaning of OM. I saw the fabrics with letters and pictured them and images coming out of my head as my head was on the pillow. I made the binding by pulling the backing over the sides to hem. I used a batik fabric for the face and machine stitched absolutely everything.
         First I sketched the idea, then gathered the fabric, scissors, glue stick and Wonder Under. I was off!

5 comments:

  1. I love the way you find and use fabric in your journal quilts. You always seem to choose just the right look, just the right texture for whatever you are "painting" with the fabric. Sleep is something dear to all of us, early or late. s

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  2. How exciting that you now have your first quilt for your new group! You are off to a superb start. Sherron above is so right about what a genius you are in "painting" with your excellent fabric choices. I love the sleep mask, too--most clever.

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  3. This is JQ2. My first was the origami crane 12" x 12" started on June 1!! :*) Some of us are creating them fortnightly, but the leader and I have done one a week!

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  4. Nothing better than working late at night OR early in the morning when everyone in the house is asleep. That is not an option I have at the present since getting enough sleep is now a priority. I love your use of contrasting patterns and fabrics with a touch of Picasso.
    NM

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  5. Okay, I'm posting again and this time I'm correcting my grammar. :-) I absolutely love this journal quilt - the fabrics, the whole idea about ideas coming to mind, sleep or not - all really come to life. Perfect!

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