Vintage Quilt IV by bbrunophotography |
She didn't lose her bright outlook, nor her love for keeping busy, though. I can remember feeling shy the first time she hoisted me up on her tall bed and showed me some of her plans for the morning. First she'd peel potatoes and carrots for a soup, write a few letters to loved ones, and then came something that really captured my attention: She told me she was going to work on a quilt she'd begun several months earlier.
It wasn't just any quilt. Grandma laughed and called it "crazy". Crazy quilts were a popular form of fiber art, and a great way to repurpose fabric scraps from worn clothing, curtains, aprons--you name it. Rather than toss things out, Grandma said she cut them into oddball shapes and stitched them together by hand. She'd finish her crazy quilts with a special stitch that created a fancy fence around each fabric swatch. I loved watching her work, like magic unfolding before my very eyes.
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Vintage Quilt V by bbrunophotography |
I have a couple of precious family quilts--one from my maternal grandmother and the other from my dad's mother, who passed away before my parents ever met at the close of WWII. This past year, I draped Grandma's familiar quilt across a chair where sunlight warmed those old stitches. Using my Canon DSLR and a closeup lens, I took dozens of pictures of various portions of her handiwork, all the while thinking of the strong woman who created such beauty.
Because each of us has our own favorite color palettes, I decided to take my project a step further, by using a Wacom Intuos digital pen tablet to create a painterly effect. The result is my new Vintage Quilt Art series.
Vintage Quilt II by bbrunophotography |
This time of year, my mind automatically rolls back through the years. I've been thinking a lot of family and childhood and special objects that tie me to those special people who are no longer with me. I hope this is a blessed time for you as well, as you think of the people who added richness and color to the fabric of your life.
Take care!
Bonnie,
ReplyDeleteGod has truly bless you with some great memories. Your grandmother sounds like she was a wonderful creative person.
God bless you and have a great Christmas :-)
~Ron
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