Healing Comfort

I was commissioned to make a get well quilt for a brave friend battling cancer. The commission was for a soft and warm quilt. I asked about color choices. Modern favorite is black and white sophistication. NO WAY!! Make it cheerful and comforting. colorful and pretty. I thought about what would be nice to cuddle under, something that touches and has tactile interest. Something to ponder and day dream under. A meditation mantilla. Something with the chakra rainbow colors, to aid in visualizing healing. Softest quality flannel, front and back. The image that came to mind first was a hummingbird. "Ancient Aztecs recognized hummingbirds as brave and courageous fighters. It was admired because, despite its size, it showed great strength and power to fly. Its beauty, color and accuracy were highly prized qualities." I love the idea that bravery comes regardless of facts to the contrary, that despite lovely facades, a steely reserve can abide. The feathers are iridescent, prismatic. With amazing accuracy they dip into flowers larger than they are, and lap the nectar with their tongues. Their favorite are red flowers, such as honeysuckles and hibiscus. I drew up a pattern for a 3 foot hummingbird. The wings and tail would have rainbow colors. I decided to make a rag quilt with fringe on the top and smooth underside. In a style like foundation piecing I put the hummingbird together. Then I built the flower, red, pink, and orange with a yellow center sewn around the narrow beak. I imagined the hummingbird in a sky of blues. Beneath it a garden of greens. I pieced it together with pink and yellow on the back. Pink to symbolize cancer awareness, yellow as a cheerful warm sun. As I sewed I prayed and visualized healing miracles. I sewed love into the quilt. I put my heart into the quilt, and spent many hours creating a labor of love. As I held it up to look at it, I saw the world from a hummingbird's perspective. They don't consider bravery. They act on instinct. Wise beyond imagining, they migrate each year to the same feeders, the same gardens, and the same lovely humans who are so fond of them. If you chirp at them, they will chirp back. Their songs communicate to their young, their mates, warn adversaries, and sing for joy. Here is my quilt, front and back.

Never give up

I live in a canyon in the mountains. Cell phone coverage is spotty except for the very fanciest of smarty pants phones. When I travel to visit my progeny in Boise I need a phone. There are no longer any phone booths. How hard can it be to get a "burner phone?" Well let me tell you, for me it was very hard. I just wasted 2 hours trying to follow the simple instructions to activate my new flip phone at home where we have no cell coverage. Try to talk to a real human. No way. Try to log in on line. Get locked out by mistyping an email address. Have a very cheerful helper (read: controlling) spouse who offers to tell the non human that they are #$%@^^** Sheesh I can do that. If I could actually talk to a human, which I couldn't. I bought a flip phone and a prepaid card at the local dollar store. I came home and eventually got dragged into the 21st century backwards with my new phone. sheesh. So let's go to a much more pleasant topic: Quilts. I am working on a comfort quilt, commissioned by parents of a friend. It was promised today but is not quite done. So here it is in progress: It is all flannel and is "rag" style. The back is pink and yellow. It will be throw size. Right now it is about 3 ft square. I created it by looking at a paper piece pattern and just winging it. I am having such fun. The hummingbird is dipping into a giant red holly hock. I will also put this quote on the label: "Near your breastbone there is an open flower. Drink the honey that is all around that flower." (Kabir) Another fun project also a commission, is a Riley Blake Kit, "Farm Sweet Farm." So far I have 2 blocks, working on the hand applique and embroidery. It is very relaxing. The finished quilt will be 75" x 87" The embroidered details will make each animal so adorable. Here is what the big quilt will look like: The style is sweet and fresh. Not one I'd choose, but I am learning and having lots of fun. The fabric is fabulous and as usual with kits, there is so much left over, I am in scrap heaven. Creativity happens when we are pushed out of our comfort zone.