Healing Prayer Banner

I finished my commissioned quilt yesterday and mailed it off. The feeling was...trepidation. Will they like it, feel good about the money spent, feel inspired to use it as a meditation tool? I thought I'd feel relief and pride. Here is the list of items they requested:   "Healing Prayer Flag Banner 48" x 36" Including but not limited to the following items: tree of life, white Great Pyrenees dog, tabby Maine coon cat, name : Baylee embroidered, red fox, polar bear, hummingbird with blue circle symbol of diabetes male deer with big rack or horned god, dragonfly, yellow butterfly, rune alphabet embroidered, ogham alphabet embroidered, Celtic knots, triple goddess symbol, pentagram or pentacle, wheel of year sabbat, phases of moon, Thor's hammer, 5 elements, chakras, tiny voodoo doll, angels, fairies, hand and machine quilted in labyrinth pattern, contentment, tarot card 3 of cups." I described the creating process in an earlier post. Here are some photos of the finish. 

Kanobi, Great White Pyrenees, and suede medicine bag with crystal, flicker, and chuckar feather.

Felted chakras, blue is also for diabetes symbol with hummingbirds

Fairy with pewter goddess button, violet and indigo chakras. Lapis stone and silver feather on indigo.

Paper pieced sun with satin rays, bone carved Buddha eyes and third eye symbol of contentment. From Indonesia.

Angels and tiny star fish. Northern lights sky.

Water quilting, rocks, dragonfly, and 3 of cups tarot.

Fire from dahlia flower fabric, red tulle, and pewter Thor's hammer.

Day of the Dead, including marigolds, and ogham alphabet.

Polar Bear with heart embroidery, water fabric and beading.

Label n the back.

Red fox on the trail of a bird, labyrinth with Baylee's name and heart of beads in the center, red, orange, and yellow chakras.

The finished Healing Prayer Banner. Grey binding from African tone on tone.

Water details, circles.

I am taking a break from commissions for at least a little while, time to recharge my creative batteries. But, I got 'er done. Have you done a commission, and how did it turn out for you? 


Well, the update is they are very disappointed and upset, and do not like it in any way. I have asked them to return it and I will make another or refund their money. I think I will just refund the money and learn to avoid this kind of long distance commission. And, I am sick of living in 105 ° heat without air conditioning.

Clearing out my Qi

   I am a fabric and sewing notion hoarder. There, I said it. Yeah, but...  I even made a list of "reasons to buy more fabric." (Titled "He made me wait in the car." It's an Idaho thing.) It had 88 items. I left it on my old computer, and when I moved, it went  ~poof~. Dangit. I have gathered more reasons, and can recreate a lot of the list, the point is, I hoard regardless of reasons. I am 57 years old, and already living on bonus time, so in an effort to unhoard, I have adopted a new philosophy. It is: see if I can get rid of all my fabric, in this lifetime. I am no longer saving the nice and pretty fabric/notions/etc. for that special project. I am using it now. Wow. Yesterday I took a large carton box to the consignment shop full of good stuff. You would think that it was the family jewels the way I agonized over what to include. For pete's sake, most of it is stuff I was given or found at thrift shops, and is old stuff I have had for over a decade...  I did toss in a nice zip lock of generous flannel pieces in shades of greens, olive, and turquoises, all over ¼ yd. each. A big jar of buttons, a mason jar full of wooden spools with pretty and ancient thread, poly batting, zippers, elastic, notions... buh-bye. Then I came home and went through a giant box of flannel scraps and ruthlessly tossed all of the small pieces, even though I intend to make a ticker tape quilt which calls for a zillion tiny pieces... I filled a garbage can. I have another box full and ready to go to the consignment shop. If I get rid of all my fabric, I'll come to your house and help you sew on  yours. xo

Another hoarder... look at the pollen on those thighs!

Living the Dream

We have all heard the wish to live our dream. How can a person escape the rat maze and follow their heart? Extricating oneself from the tangled web of the life we build is a tough act. I am here to say it can be done, and I am proof. I have had lots of challenges as well as many leaping into the dark abyss moments. I don't write about those here, but you never know, I might change the tenor of this blog. Meanwhile, here I am, living the dream, one teensy part of which is being commissioned to design and make art quilts. So, I advertise in my etsy shop. Last month I was approached by a client who sent me a deposit for supplies, and a big list of items she wanted to include. One of her first questions was, how do I go about the process? I meditate and draw sketches.

First Draft Sketch

Then I get a big sheet of muslin and start laying down cut up fabric. I search the internet, mainly etsy, for the fabric images and trinkets I don't have. I found great stuff! I have to push myself to get 'er done, because I have a producing 2500 sq. ft. garden to tend, and a house to keep... distractions. Here is the work in progress:

36" x 48" Tree of Life

 I intend to have it done this month.

Hotter than Blue Blazes!!

Quilts of Valor ~ 2013

Yesterday it was 102° here in Riggins, Idaho. The American Legion hosted a picnic luncheon for military veterans of WW II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Afghanistan War, and Iraqi War. The Pinehurst Quilters guild awarded 31 veterans with handmade quilts, honoring and celebrating the sacrifice each veteran made. As the Regional Coordinator, Sharon Ledbetter, talked about the inception for the program 10 years ago, all eyes were on her, and all hearts were beating together. She told of a quilter's vision of her veteran son huddled on a bed at night, tormented by his demons, unable to sleep. Then she envisioned a quilt wrapped around his shoulders, and her arms comforting him. Every veteran's eyes were cloudy as they pictured their demons, and all of us supporters cried. It was a moment to always remember. As we handed out the quilts, and hugged the vets, joy and pride were palpable. It was awesome. I am so glad I contributed my quilt.