Sunday, August 12, 2007

French Sphinx in the Marais

Pictures from last week's walk in the Marais. I found a gorgeous courtyard:

With a pair of French sphinx. The only similarity to Egyptian sphinx is in the lion's body. An Egyptian sphinx would never have breasts and all the ones I've seen are looking straight ahead very serenely or majestically.

This one is missing her nose. These faces almost look like they're in pain to me. I suppose I'd be in pain if my nose had fallen off too.


Another detail in the courtyard:

I enjoyed your comments on my last post, which is not to say that I don't always enjoy them - I do. I had not thought about how machine quilters so often work without any marking at all and yet here are hand quilters being told they need to buy templates and stencils. harumph.

Too much of the quilting industry is based on making quilters feel inferior, that they have to buy this book to perfect their quilting stitch, and that book to learn the technique to make those seams match, have to buy the templates because you aren't good enough to do it yourself. You're a bad quilter but you'll be great if you'll just buy more stuff.

Most of the shows are just as terrible, choosing soulless technique and symmetry over wobbley joyful works. I look at the quilts and find nothing appealing in them at all.

To completely change tacks, now I have some links to share with you.

Julie used my freepiecing method to make words for this marvelous quilt. There are lots of detail shot of the quilt as well as pics of some other fun quilts.

Mismatched Quilter Katie is making the most amazing freepieced letters I've ever seen. She's completely blowing me away. She's come up with her own "handwriting" style and it's fabulous. Start with her August 6th entry showing the completed Space quilt and then work backwards to see the quilt in progress. She's also put in detailed pics of how she makes the letters, and she's teaching me a few things.

Quilting Rush Laurie Ann is making a great improvised homage to Elvis as well as keepsake name quilts for visiting Japanese students. All marvelous.

And last, but by no means least, Rantala Rags Dot is making a great appliqued Halloween bouquet. I love how she's used her fabric to make ghost and boo flowers. I'm pleased to have inspired her and in turn am getting great ideas from her. Anyone else want to join in?

11 comments:

Gypsy Quilter said...

Love the doorway photo. I can see great possibilities in those curly S's. For a border, in a spiral. Ummm, lovely. Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

I don't know if it's so much that the industry sets out to make quilters feel inferior, but many quilters feel they need patterns and instructions to do ANYTHING. A lot of people just don't feel able to take the leap and do something of their own. And the quilting industry certainly is right there to reinforce that thinking!

I actually own a "pattern" for a one patch quilt to be made of 6" squares. No, I didn't buy it; I WON it in a prize pack at a quilt show. LOL

Donna said...

Had to laugh -- when I saw your sphinx pics I thought they looked like a haughty, noses in the air pair -- didn't see pain so much as "snottiness" :-)

Thanks for the links at the end of your post. I found it particularly interesting to scan through the space ship words...

Joyce said...

I agree that too much stress is put on perfection and not enough on the joy of creating. If I knew exactly how it would look when it was done, as from a kit, I wouldn't even be interested in starting a quilt. That is the best part about free piecing and free-motion quilting. After all, who doesn't want to be free!

keryn said...

I think the sphinxes are in pain because of those impossible breasts. The only time mine looked like that, after my kids were born, it was damn painful!

Some people do tend to want to buy anything that promises them success; a lot of the quilt industry depends on it. We are all far too concerned with the 'right' way to do things, and never find our own way. I am proud that I am a reformed perfectionist; I have no desire for people to think I never make mistakes, which is what perfectionism is all about.

Mary Johnson said...

Isn't it funny how people look at the same thing and interpret it differently - the Sphinx look very sexual to me as if their likeness was captured during an orgasm. Take another look - see what I mean?

Clare said...

The Sphinx do look a bit odd with breasts but I think Mary does have a point.

When I started quilting I was told that I had to have this, that and the other, so I purchased this, that and the other. Most of it is still sitting in the bottom of the workbox untouched. It's amazing what you can do with some material, a sewing machine and a little bit of imagination. After all, the pioneers of quilting did not have half the stuff we have today and look what they did!

Quiltdivajulie said...

Thanks, Tonya - you said it SO well: "soulless technique and symmetry over wobbley joyful works" I am inspired looking at the work of others but I have no intention of making a "show quilt" - ever. I'm much happier enjoying the colors and the process, even when my version comes out looking nothing like my original plan.

Anonymous said...

beautiful sphinx, i have a wonderful collection of photos from you!
as far as perfection goes, i guess that creating and making things should be fun. for me the spirit of quilting is in improvising, recycling , experimenting and telling a personal story. this is what i enjoy. i guess for some people, having a kit or a set of instructions and something to aspire to helps them on their way. so as much as i hate " the perfect stitch" and buying things, i have come to accept any method that one might use to get the feeling of making something. i guess it still feels good....i am getting soft in my old age :-)

jmb_craftypickle said...

Great comments...keep up the wobbly good times and thanks for sharing all those friend quilter's pieces. I really enjoyed seeing them...especially the Halloween bouquet, which I just might try...hmmm

Quilts And Pieces said...

I don't think it is pain. Come on your in paris. It is the big O.