all around the world

before I headed to d.c. last week I whipped together a baby quilt for a friend of mine to give to a friend of hers. the baby is expected to arrive any day now. I didn't have much time to make the quilt and my friend said a simple quilt was fine. she didn't want to go down empty handed and she thought it would be lovely to bring a magical mouse quilt along for the baby.

my friend's friend and her husband are world travelers so I thought an 'around the world' quilt would be perfect. I'm keen on having the quilts I make symbolically represent something about the people who will be cuddling or hanging the quilt - sometimes the symbols are in the design I settle on or the fabrics I choose for the project. most often theres a bit of symbolic 'thinking' in both the design and the fabrics.

we don't know whether the baby is a boy or girl - not that it matters, I'm always fond of bright, bold colors. however, if I know a baby is a girl I sometimes will incorporate a bit more feminine touches (ironic that I the queen of androgyny feels this way! but perhaps I'm being sensitive to prevailing notions and the dominant cultural paradigm) there are 16 fabrics used in this quilt. strip piecing makes this quilt a snap to construct. for this quilt each strip was 2 1/2 inches by 13 inches. finished block was 2 inch square. I had the top and the bottom both done in a day. it did take a couple more days to do all the finishing work.

stars heal

yesterday the starry surprise quilt was mailed - I'm crossing my fingers that it arrives to its destination by saturday and finds the final recipient home from the hospital. if not it will be a most cuddly welcome home gift!

front: two traditional designs - friendship star and flying geese, each star block measures 6" square. top is composed of all batik fabrics

back: center fabric reproduction of fabric from the 1800s (pennsylvania)

detail: hand stitched and hand tied

helpers on a snow day

yesterday ms t and dixie came over to hang out on ave c.

while sitting on the floor working a bit on starry surprise, first dixie then ms t were drawn to the project. funny, sitting there I felt like a quilting equivalent of a hopi storyteller figurine.

in a few years, I expect ms t will be able to handle the needle!

starry surprise

I've returned to one of my favorite quilt patterns - the friendship star. this quilt I'm calling starry surprise as it will be given as a gift from one friend to another. the recipient will be very surprised. for now that is all I can tell regarding the story for this quilt. I don't know the person who will receive the quilt, at least not directly, I do know (s)he is fond of green and has seen my work and has wished for a mouse quilt to cuddle into.

the person who will be receiving the quilt has been ill for a while and fortunately word is will make a full recovery - but there still is a way to go. (s)he is currently in the hospital. my hope is to have the quilt finished in time for the trip home. there will still be a bit of healing and strength building to complete apres hospital. the friend of mine who is having me make this quilt for his/her friend says hopefully it won't be long. so I'm stitching away and sewing love and healing energy into each stitch and knot.

quilt top composed of all quilts. friendship star and flying geese. quilt measures approximately 50"x58" - all cotton materials.