October 16, 2016

Back to Basics


All summer, I felt torn between coming here to write Big Thoughts about life vs staying outside and living it. As if there were nothing in the middle. Anyone who has spent more than 20 minutes with me knows that balance has never been my strong point. Now, however, it is becoming a medical necessity.

Because for first time in my 61 3/4 years, the insanity out there is actually worse than than the routine craziness in my mind. It has shaken my balance and I am in desperate need of a safe haven.

When I think of safe havens, I thought of my connection to all of you. Yet my lack of posts in the previous months and months shows me that writing Big Thoughts is obviously more than I can handle, at least until November 10th. And so, for the moment anyway, I'm just going to go back to basics: writing about the stuff I am making. And maybe we can pick up where I left you off?

I created this over a very snowy winter a few years ago.
The rule for this quilt was simple: only fabric already in my shelves, and even then, only my favorite ones.It holds the story cloths that really reflect my My Story:



It has bits and pieces from flea markets...
And from the pile of jeans that Himself has been stockpiling for future black market operations:
I basted the quilt top to some kantha cloth and began some handstitching here and there. But no clear direction emerged. I threw it on the bed for inspiration...
But nothing happened, so so I just rolled it up and stashed it away.

Meanwhile, over the past three years, I have also been handstitching the world's longest connection of blue and white squares, with no intention other than an idle fantasy about the Guinness Book of Records.
Several weeks ago, these two worlds collided. Probably moved by a search for a piece of myself to cling to, I put the quilt top back on the wall and the blue and white squares jumped on. That lead to these four borders:
I have been focusing all my stitching on them, embellishing them with other scraps that I have created for no apparent reason...just moving the needle through them in complete contentment.




And THEN, all the stars aligned. Specifically, the stars over at Spirit Cloth, where Jude has retooled her Sun, Stars, and Moon teachings. She periodically fills her shop with clusters of overdyed indigo stars and moons and lo and behold, I was actually able to score a few sets. Within 24 hours of landing here, these little beauties found their way into the border:
 



Sooner or later, it will be time to marry the borders to the quilt but right now, we're just enjoying our very fine romance.

Thanks for looking. I feel better already.

20 comments:

  1. Who knew that a haven could be truly patriotic, that in telling of the need for a safe haven, you provided one...from the mostly, red, white and blue scraps, the stars, the threads, the kantha, the straight, the squiggly stitching, (something that I wrestle with all the time when I put my needle and thread to my cloths), from all of this time not here, you come back with a might quiet roar of sanity and I feel wrapped up in this most basic of feelings, connection...

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    1. A mighty roar of sanity, that feels so good to hear. And the colors--I just am a sucker for denim blue and bright red, who knew Betsy Ross felt the same way?

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  2. Need to clarify my comment; meant to say Julie that you have come back with a mighty quiet roar of sanity because sharing what you love to do is a fine prescription for what is presently ailing all of us in this land and I feel, as I mentioned, wrapped up in this most basic of feelings, connection and agreement.

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    1. I knew that, Marti!

      And yes, if all of us would get back to doing what we love to do, perhaps the roar of insanity would go down a notch.

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  3. love this, there is deep soul comfort in your words, cloth and stitch and the deep connection with Jude's Sun Moon Stars

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  4. so happy to take in all of the Post....and the colors, even though
    i know there is all the political energy in the air, ....when i saw
    the images here i didn't think of that, but thought it was such
    a joyfull happy coming together of color and image, and how GOOD it
    was to see the old familiar ones
    the blue and white could not be better to frame it...it's WONDER FULL

    I always know you are always There and though i love your thoughts, i
    am always ok waiting for you to come here when the time is right...
    Soon things will quiet some and we can begin to know how to go forward.
    I'm thinking that the day after the voting would really be the day to
    Begin....earnestly looking for ways to enact Changes that we believe in.
    Love and Love to you, you know that.....

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    1. Thinking about what you wrote...what I love about fabric is that it has NO political energy at all. Seriously. It is, yes, color and image and that's completely enough. Maybe burying my head in it is the Change I can accomplish, the rest seems so overwhelming.

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  5. Thank you for seeking your own safe haven as I found reading your words and looking at your work very honest and soothing... those of us that give ourselves permission to do what we love are so blessed... thanks again, Julie.

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    1. Sometimes you can't wait for permission, you just gotta do it.

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  6. glorious! it's so good to have you back with the goings of cloth. I am even happier now.

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    1. Your happiness is pushing out from all corners of your blog, and now here it is on mine!!!

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  7. Thank you for showing how your ideas develop. And I hope it will give you sanity back and let craziness outside. Sometimes you can only shut your ears and eyes and hope it will be over soon. It won´t but you can collect some inner strength meanwhile. Even from the other side of the ocean it all sounds horrible. Thinking of you all. Wishing you the best.

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    1. Thanks, Doris, it is pretty bad. I read an article in the NY Times today about therapists finding that their clients are reporting anxiety about just feeling unsafe. But that's out there, the strength is in here, as you say.

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  8. way to go Julie, what large, happy and beautiful quilt! plus the personal details are magical.
    we all have to try and be the safe haven for ourselves and one another, Dee sharing something similar I feel, as we all do I suppose, what else can we do!?
    p.s. am oh so happy you are back blogging, sharing....missed it and you too, kind regards from OBK and the Gang, they LOVE your stories

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    1. They're probably very worried about Little Bird, who, as you well know, is now an illegal alien since he has overstayed his student visa. Molly has proposed a marriage of convenience but he doesn't think they could plausibly defend a dog-bird love match in front of an Immigration Official.Tui has taken it upon himself to build a wall so the law cannot get IN here.

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  9. I just discovered your blog through a link on Jude's. Spent a pleasant hour or so going back through your archives. Nice work, thanks for sharing. I got to spend time with my friends boxer today and thought of you. Sorry for your loss but happy for your new black boxer. That helps. I'm sure I'll be back.

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    1. Thanks for taking the time not only to peruse but to let me know. It feeds me.

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  10. Thank you for The Basics and your posts on the Human Mark. Im learning to find my own way with thread and fabric in an isolated place.

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  11. So nice of you to reach out--I see from your blog that we share an adoration of vintage blocks.

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