My husband recently got me tickets to go to a
quilt show at the
Rochester Memorial Art Gallery featuring "art" quilts. While I am excited about going, it led to a discussion about the functional quilts versus quilts made as art. Although I admire the latter - I definitely am all about quilts to snuggle in - or under. One of my biggest quilting heartbreaks is a baby quilt I made for my nephew - my own design even - using baby soft corduroy, flannel and a woven fabric of the family tartan - that was put away and as far as I know never used 'because it is too delicate for a child to use'. That's not how I made it - and that's not why I made it.
My Grandma made me a quilt out of recycled clothing and I don't know what else - and I used it, and repaired it, and loved it - for 22 years. I was heartbroken when I returned home after being overseas for 3 years and found the quilt had gotten damp from being too close to an air conditioning vent and mildewed, beyond repair. I salvaged a few blocks from the top - even framing one for my brother who had lost his own "grandma quilt" in one of his many moves, but I think I am still searching for a quilt that has that drape, and weight, and softness that this quilt had. I used it winter, summer, spring, fall - especially when I was sick or upset. It was like a little hug that just wrapped around the small of your back, and encouraged you to tuck up in a little ball to fit shoulders and toes under it's small dimensions. I miss that quilt. I think I will keep quilting and piecing until I recreate it - somehow. It may not look the same, but I will know the right feel when I feel it.
Recently, some members of the
Prolific Online Quilters blog ring have introduced me to Mark Lipinski of
Quilter's Home Magazine. Although I will admit to never having read the magazine, I think I remember seeing Mark on Simply Quilts when I was first getting started. At that time all the different personalities and experts were a blur, and VERY intimidating, and most of what they said just did not stick. I got most of my quilting information and inspiration through my Lazy Sister Sue, and really did not look out much further than that. Sue has been a font of information with no intimidation and has encouraged my experimentation as I find my own quilting style.
Recently though I have been expanding my horizons, joining the blog ring and Yahoo group, and learning a lot of things from my fellow in the trench quilters. However - a message that Mark put in the latest issue of the magazine, that I read
online (look under "read more from Mark about what quilts really are")- really struck home to me - and showed me that this personality, this expert quilter, really gets it. Really understands why
I am quilting. And suddenly Mark, and his magazine, have become much less intimidating.
Time to grab my coupon and head to JoAnns and hope the current issue is not sold out yet. Because as valuable as I think Mark's magazine could be - buying it with a coupon means more money left to buy more fabric - and maybe the next combination will be "the one."
I won't be online for a long weekend, so thought I would give you a bonus "turtle of the day" to tide you over until I am back on Tuesday.
The other item is my Heinz Pickle Pin. The photo of this did not turn out well, so this is a better one I found online. My mom had always told me about one she got when she was a kid (perhaps at the 1939 New York World's Fair, but I may be wrong) so when I got to go to the 1982 Worlds Fair in Knoxville I had to be sure to get my own.