Winnie the Pooh Quilt

Finally posting again - it seems like I blinked my eyes and the summer was over! How does that happen? Life just seems to speed by quicker all the time!

Well, since I have been working on contest quilts all summer and not able to post pictures of them (according to the quilt show rules) - I am re-visiting the Winnie the Pooh quilt I made for my grandson Broc last Christmas. (Oh no - time to think of Christmas gifts again!) 

This is his third "Pooh" blanket and they are sacred to him. I didn't make the first one, but tried to make the second one similair to his first one as a spare when the other one needed to be washed. It was in lighter pastel colors - cotton Pooh print on one side and minkee on the other with, of course, a satin binding.

But when I decided to make the third one, I had this bright red Winnie the Pooh fabric and red minkee . . . so this "Winnie" blanket looks different! The difference did not go unnoticed by Broc - but was eventually accepted!

I had a lot of fun making it. It gave me a chance to practice my free-motion embroidery around the trees and characters in the print. I still struggle with satin binding - but finished it!

Celebrate Spring 2012 - Cincinnati

So excited - my quilt "Peace Moon" was chosen for the Celebrate Spring 2012 Special Exhibit at the International Quilt Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio (April 2012).  The special exhibit is scheduled to travel throughout 2012 to International Quilt Festivals and Market Shows. I missed the chance to attend the show in Cincinnati, but hope maybe I will get a chance to see the exhibit at another show. This is the link to the online version of the Celebrate Spring 2012 Special Exhibit: http://www.quilts.com/sqf12/enVivo/index.html

When I created Peace Moon  -  I was inspired to show the connection between time, the earth, nature, and the ebb and flow of the tides. I drew the scene and painted in the moon, stars, sky, and water using fabric paint and Shiva Paintstiks. It took forever to get the reflection the way I wanted it - but it was fun!

I added the border, but still wasn't sure what my next move would be. I thought an hourglass would be a good addition and would represent the idea that our time (as humans) to take care of our earth and and each other is limited - just like the hourglass - it's running out. The idea of "real" peace on earth seemed a natural direction - so I inserted the peace sign and the earth - floating in ocean like the hourglass - at the mercy of time and the universe.

Then, being a teenager in the 70's I had to add a hand with the peace sign in the bottom right corner sticking out from behind the rock. 

Yes, I know its corny and idealistic - but isn't that what art is all about?