Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Journal quilting and stitching on the road

      Returning from a trip there is always a period of adjustment. Not only does one have to return to exercise (ho ho) and work routines, but this time to get out spring and summer clothes, check the yard, and rejoin real life with busy work  galore. Thus, this tardy blog.


      On the way to see grandchildren, I finished a white and blue sashiko that Ellen gave us to work on in our winter workshop for the Quilters' Connection. I will put it with the other sashiko pieces I have blogged on before, pieces to turn into pillows and coasters. Sashiko is by far my favorite road trip craft. It is so portable. Joe puts a book cd in the car;  I have scissors on a cord around my neck with a small sewing kit in the console; and we are ready-to-roll.  See other sashiko projects by typing that word in the white search area in the top left corner of this post near the Blogger icon. Hit return.
      
      I have just finished some journal quilts to complete with hand stitching, the next time we hit the road. The first is a bed to refer to that awful flu (notwithstanding the shots) which exhausted and grounded us for a month, it seemed. Also, I created that memory while also thinking of the doll beds that Joe is making for Hannah and Erika. This is a two-in-one journal quilt, almost. But it needs more quilting and truly refers to us.

     The second journal quilt is about the busy week of Easter and Passover, and the memory of how I obtained a huge pot of the best matzo ball soup for my big crew. I traded teen Lloyd his portrait (scroll down to see the painting at my April 19 blog) for his big silver pot of incomparable soup. The matzo balls are painterly eggs and the paint brushes allude to the exchange. It really needs some embroidery tidying up.


      The third unrelated quilt is older but it was an experiment in weaving fabrics too close for contrast. I kept adding puff paint and beads and even framed it to try to save it. I just tossed it in for history. Click to enlarge photos.


5 comments:

  1. The bed one is my favorite--Too cute and clever! As always, you amaze me. Thanks for sharing!!
    Love U
    RA

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  2. Yah! I'm the first to comment. Your Easter/Passover bowl of matzo ball soup looks perfect to me. I especially like the pink and silver. Your turquoise quilt is quite nice. I like those lines...are they fish? Lovely.

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  3. You are always thinking, always planning, always doing -- and the results are always fascinating! ss

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  4. Dear Linda,
    I enjoyed your blog today. I learn so much! I had never heard of Sashiko and typed it in the Search. From there I scrolled down to Sept. 8, 2012 and the Sketching on the Road which was most interesting to me as to the selections of pens, pencils, brushes etc. As I said, I’m learning a lot. Then I moved to Sum. July 29,2012. Before I read the sidebar I recognized your portrait done in charcoal pencil by Ericka. Perfect likeness. Sarah

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  5. Another fun post. I wanted to see the Sashiko up close, so clicked on it. Superb work! You put me to shame. My one and only Sashiko piece turned out to be so very lame. I need to try again. Loved the other little pieces, too. Had to laugh in fellow sympathy over the "flu" one, since husband and I also came down with the dreaded bug. The last one is an interesting experiment and doesn't deserve to be tossed. Oh, and great job on the Matzo Ball soup quilt!!!!

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