Monday, March 27, 2006

Completely Yours

I watched "Walk the Line" on the airplane a couple of weeks ago. Can't say I thought it was all that incredible, tho it might have looked more impressive on a screen larger than 4" high. But one scene made a real impression on me. Johnny Cash wants to make a record. He sings something for the producer, who isn't in the least bit impressed. the producer's heard that before, he wants something else. If Johnny were lying in the gutter, would that be his final song? Would that be what he wants to express to the world with his dying breath? The producer wants to hear a song that is uniquely Johnny Cash, that comes from the heart.

Have you made a quilt that reflects you? That no one else at any other time could have made? I think that's what I love about quilts with words on them and in particular names and dates. It adds a very personal touch. Just take a look at the wonderful quilt that Sarah made for her niece Abby. That is most definitely Abby's quilt, made just for her.

This is another one of my favorites. This is a detail from the quilt "Pieties" made by Maria Cadman Hubbard in 1848:

The quilt is made up of blocks with mostly biblical sayings in them, these great sawtooth stars, and the maker's name and the date. It's a fantastic quilt. You can see the whole quilt, as well as some other great folk art word quilts, here.

I'm not doing something new by playing with letters, quilters have been doing it for many years. My quilts just don't look like theirs or contain the same messages.

Speaking of which, I sewed the letters for two more terms of endearment yesterday, and one this morning. Now I have some ironing to do. I'm crossing my fingers that Blogger will soon get over whatever difficulties it has been having with posting pics.

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6 comments:

  1. Quilts And Pieces10:22 AM

    Oh I have always been so intrigued with quilts with all those small sawtooths and designs - this is sooo cool!

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  2. Finn10:41 AM

    Thank you Tonya, personally, that was EXACTLY what I need to hear.

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  3. Finn10:13 AM

    Hey Ton, this post was such a good one I came back to read it again...*VBG*...ya, that good!!

    Set me to wondering how many gals who love quilting and make quilts can/will/won't take a step back and see if they are "blind followers", like the lemmings, on a made dash to the sea? Accepting that it's "good" or "best" to do what everyone else is doing. Sometimes I think with the mass marketing, one gets caught up in "the trend" or what is in fashion at the moment. Have we no place to draw inspiration except what someone created for sale? Or maybe its just safer. Anyway, thanks for what you said...lots of mind fodder to ponder. Hugs for being you..*VBS*

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  4. Kay4:20 PM

    I'm especially glad that Maria was still going strong at 79! Hubbard is one of my family names by the way. Hmm..

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  5. Kay8:26 AM

    Tonya, I just had to come back and say something about this post. It has been in my mind since I read it. I think it's very wise, and sums up the whole question of why make things, and creativity. There is an interesting discussion of these questions on the Quilt Studio forum. (There's a button on my blog if you're not familiar with this.) It's in the Ask a Pro folder in response to a statement by Keisha Roberts. Thanks for your post. It has added to my thoughts on the whole subject.

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  6. Anonymous9:20 PM

    Thanks for linking the comment on "walk the line" with quilting. I've felt that so many times before that I want to make the quilt that reflects me. Thanks for the inspiration!

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