Sunday, November 13, 2011

Birthday Reflections in Fiber: a Journal Quilt

     Birthdays keep happening. I wanted to make a journal quilt as an extra for a friend's celebration (perhaps for people to sign the back or to hold greetings in an envelope attached to the back). I Googled "quilt birthday cakes" Images and blogs, and found many quilts and quilted cakes. One complicated piece at Threads of Conversation tempted me. I tried to paper piece it without a pattern. I made the top backwards and sewed the pedestal on upside down twice and gave up. My proportions were so bad I had to add a frame.
      I decided to free-motion machine quilt with a multi-colored Superior thread and 90/14 needle and to bring the backing of cherries around to the front to form the edge or binding.It would help to slow down to plan!
Click to enlarge
       I stitched  some quotations* I had found for fabric fortune cookies should I decide to take those as a non-caloric addition to the party. So why were these quilting failures so much fun? Practice does not make perfect!.  Why would one want to quilt when people's eyes glaze over when you talk about it or your work is not perfect? Clueless here.
      Often I make quilts for people and then want to keep them. Aren't they fortunate! I may add "For LinLin1 on one side of the lower pedestal and "love LinLin2" on the other side. The whacky construction mirrors the whackiness of additional years. By the way, I have a real present for her.

*The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune.(English proverb)
   Age, like distance lends a double charm. (Oliver Wendell Holmes)
    Youth is a gift of nature, but age is a work of art. (Garson Kanin)

8 comments:

  1. "Life is just a bowl of cherries" - in a quilted cake or in a song. I love your artistic individuality here -- like the appropriate quotations too. ss

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  2. Shame on those who's eyes glaze over! Once again, you have amazed me. Love your "imperfect" non-caloric birthday journal quilt.
    SO whimsical...keep them coming!

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  3. Nice Linda...you continue to amaze me..thanks for sending it to me. I will no doubt be inspired to make a calorie free cake soon.....rita

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  4. Very inspiring! A sweet and thoughtful gift. KB-B

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  5. Oh Linda, it came out wonderfully. Your friend will love it.
    ES

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  6. "Life is just a bowl of cherries
    So live and laugh, aha!
    Laugh and love
    Live and laugh,
    Laugh and love,
    Live and laugh at it all!"

    Love the quilt! You've captured "celebration" in such a perfect way. The candles, the cherries, & the quotations make it THE best gift!!! What a treat for your lucky friend.

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  7. This turned out so well! I am particularly impressed with your "free motion writing." You have so far exceeded me in your ability to control FM quilting! I need to take lessons from you. Great colors, great fabrics. She will love this!

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  8. I love chocolate-dark chocolate-covered cherries, too. Love your cake. I don't know enough about quilting to note any imperfections. Lucky friend.
    NM

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