Thursday, April 05, 2007

I’m still here. Work has been busy, but I’ve gotten a lot of things accomplished. I have to work tomorrow, but it should be a quiet day.

We’ve had blizzard winds for the past 48 hours. We eased by with just a couple inches of snow, but the winds have been fierce. The sun has been breaking through the clouds and howling winds today. You can make it through just about anything if the sun is shining. A memory--- when I was a little girl growing up in Louisiana, the first day my mother would let us go barefooted was my birthday March 15th. I have seen more “birthday” home movies without shoes. That was back before going barefooted was dangerous, and health codes, and it was the cool thing to do. (Please don’t think I’m some kind of red-neck) We thought it was a treat---you didn’t have to go to the trouble of putting on shoes. Needless to say—times, styles and venues have changed.

This picture is about as close to spring as I’ll get.
Look past imperfection, it’s the 3rd quilted piece I ever made. It was about 15 years ago. I went into a gift shop and saw this piece. It was made by an Amish person, they were asking $100.00. No, I did not have $100 to spend on something as frivolous as something to hang on the wall. I must have admired it weekly for 2 months. Knowing the price would never decrease, I brought a pen and paper and baby on my hip, and drew the project out. I told Don about it. I appliquéd and quilted the piece. It has uneven stitches and wavy lines that should be straight, but he built the oak basket frame and it still hangs in my bedroom today. I had never heard of fabric brands and pretty much taught myself everything I had known up to this point. I guess it proves to me that quilting was not a fad for me; it’s something constant inside of who I am. The frame is more awesome to me than the quilt. I have contemplated changing the quilting--- I hope my skill and techniques are a little more defined 15 years later, but then I realize this piece marks a place in time and deserves its place on the wall.

Gratitudes:
Eric’s safe travel home through snow and wind.
Birdhouses
Utah

11 comments:

Libby said...

The quilt and the frame belong together - don't change a thing. My feet love to be without shoes. I usually wear some sort of 'slip-on' clogs, flip flops, etc. Even when I try to keep my shoes on, I will suddenly notice they are gone and will have to start tracking around the house to find out where I ditched them *s*

Utah?

Juliann in WA said...

what a great story about this quilted piece - I wouldn"t change a thing.

Leigh said...

I wouldn't change a thing. It is where you were at that time. Besides it looks ok to me. The frame is incredible.

Tazzie said...

It's just gorgeous Melanie, and I just love the frame too - it looks like it would have been quite hard to make. Enjoy your Easter weekend.
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)

CONNIE W said...

I appreciated reading your post of today...thanks for sharing that.

Joanne said...

I wouldn't change a thing about it and the frame is exquisite -- he fit those pieces together so perfectly -- wow.

Kim said...

Isn't it great when a quilted piece brings back such vivid memories? I think that's a part of the charm of quilting--marking the steps in our lives, looking back at where we've been! Thanks for sharing!

Judith said...

It is cute, maybe not perfect, but no ones first quilt is.

KC Quilter said...

I love your first project--and from this side of the screen, there are no imperfections! And for the record, I never wear shoes when I don't have too! I even have to sew at the machine sock-footed!!!! Have a great Easter.

Nancy said...

No, no, no! Don't change out the quilt. It's perfect in that awesome frame. What a great job both you and your sweetie did.

Ouch! SNOW!!!! I've been running the AC! But it is supposed to get much colder tonight. In the upper 30s with a high tomorrow in the low 50s. VERY cold here for this time of year.

Oh, and I'll freely admit to being a redneck. Is it any wonder having been born and raised in the Mississippi Delta? LOL! And I HATE shoes. I never wear shoes in the house and outside I wear as little shoe as possible. The guys in my office told me they could tell when winter was officially over because I started showing up for work in my sandals again.

Patti said...

What a neat little piece and a wonderful frame. It's perfect just the way it is.

I love to go barefoot! I go barefoot in the house a lot.