Monday, April 23, 2012

Joe's Red Garden: my return to Journal Quilting

      Tornado parties, deep snowfalls and trampolines are favorite childhood memories of my life in Amarillo. We didn't do gardens there in the prettiest dust bowl you might imagine. There is a mini Grand Canyon after all. But we did have irises, hydrangeas and little yellow tomatoes in my yard. Croquet and football took over, mostly.  Joe's dad grew lots of roses in Little Rock, but Joe and I have never gardened except for his digging holes for bulbs in the fall, our planting around the house wherever there is a vacancy, and my one time successful herb garden.


       I am so glad Joe decided to make a garden in his retirement, however too early it may be. I will call it his little red garden for he edged this sunny slope with big red paving stones and grass for a new direction. Altho he tied strings and built trellises, he mainly wanted flowers. I wanted food. So he allowed for that as well.

      Missing my journal quilting, I made one this afternoon. I had fabrics of seeds but chose a batik background since I think that is a good contrast with strong graphics. I grabbed some narrow strips that suggested trellises left over from the Round Robin. I laid these out and secured them with a glue stick. I needed more life and created an award for Joe, just grabbing ribbons from an open drawer. I needed to bead the center of the badge but there was a sticky rhinestone left over from a grandchild's craft and I stuck that on. I would have continued if I could have found my puff paint, but you know how cluttered an craft person's work areas can get! (I finally found it!...in a box, carefully put away.)

     After sewing this collage, I cut it down to 12 x 12, added a batik backing  and sewed the edges of the quilt sandwich (top collage, batting, backing). I added some red bias tape for edges, reminiscent of Joe's red edges to his garden. Forgetting the quilt was finished, I went back to sew in free motion Joe's garden 2012 on the tomato and embellished the award. This showed up on the back. Duh. I colored it out with a blue-green Sharpie. I REALLY have missed journal quilting.
      

10 comments:

  1. 'Can't wait to see the revival of your journal quilts - this one was a great start! What fun to have a garden -- lots of cooking and giving away! ss

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  2. What a treat, Linda. Love the garden and love the quilt. Can't wait to hear about the produce as it comes from the garden. I actually think it's exciting!

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  3. Can't wait to see it in person! Glad you are back at the journal quilts!

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  4. I really am impressed with Joe's garden. You have a great design ability on small pieces which is not that easy...particularly when done quickly and on first try.... Perhaps it is true we improve with practice...rita

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  5. Thank you for all your inspirational creations! You really are a teacher, always have been.

    Glad that Joe's joined the gardening crew...Michael and I are confirmed farming addicts.

    A Happy Day to you,

    Bev

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  6. L..thanks for sending along some blue inked sites.
    I just clicked and poof..there it was..love your veggie
    quilt for Joe’s garden.hug, j

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  7. Love your creation with impromptu uses of sticky rhinestones and ribbons. Yes, Joe does deserve an award, but so do you. How about a photo of the back?
    NM

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  8. Hi Linda the garden blog is very nice, a wonderful Idea for a long simmer. atara

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  9. Hi Linda the garden blog is very nice, a wonderful Idea for a long simmer. atara

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