I really got into this, it was fun working on the smaller scale of these 3 1/2" blocks. Lots of tiny beads found their way into the little corners...
The bottom right corner of the quilt...
I had to sneak just a little of my printed flower fabric in here. Just a little...
...and my initials...
Martha Green made the FIMO geisha girl. Hard to believe I started piecing this quilt while at the John Campbell Folk School in Martha's workshop, back in June of 2005. "The Fan Quilt" took a long siesta during "Crazy for Flowers" and the "Summer Mandala"...and woke up as "The H Quilt". But now it is really almost done...
Except for beading all the fan blades...my friend Judy said she knew this was going to happen, but she didn't want to tell me....My lower back is really starting to complain about all this beading. Same thing happened last December when I was finishing up "Crazy for Flowers".
At the end of January when I go to the annual quilt retreat at Point Bonita, my favorite miracle worker Heidi will be there....we have two massage therapists, whose main practice is quilters, come and they spend the week there working on all of us...last year Heidi said my right leg was over an inch shorter than my left one, due to the muscles on my right side being so constricted from my crazy quilt work. She spent 90 minutes just reefing on me; by the end she was up on the table with one of her knees ground into my lower back and her right hand pulling my right leg up, up, up and out. Sounds painful but you can't believe how good it felt. For three days afterwards I felt like there were about 100 square miles of wide open new territory in my lower back.
Needless to say, I cannot wait to see Heidi again this year....
This is truly lovely. The amount of wonderful detail and love you've put into this makes it something to treasure. Somehow I think that something that takes a long time to develop becomes even more meaningful.
ReplyDeleteListen, take care of your back!. I'm older than you, and I'm beginning to feel the effects of repeated strain on parts of the body. (In my case it's the wrists, from much, much writing on student papers.) Take lots of breaks and find some good exercises. I'll try to send you a link.
The quilt is truly lovely - I'm glad it took that direction in its evolution from "the fan quilt." Would Heidi take needlepointers and blog junkies? My back hurts too - from too much sitting and not enough stretching and walking.
ReplyDeleteThis quilt is so pretty, I can not believe how fast you are. It seems you just started that quilt. What a special quilt it is.
ReplyDeleteLove the story about the message! The quilt is great and I must admit I am glad you will be beading the fan blades - I love the texture and pop the beads give.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for all the encouragement on my blog - you are a sweetie!
Beautiful and fast! Yay! And finished! But now what's next to be done on it? Maybe take a day off for your back! It sounds as if you need to see Heidi on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteSo much work and so beautiful... progress!
ReplyDeleteSo, so beautiful Allie! I can't wait to see the fan blades.
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant idea to have massage therapists at your retreat. I've been seeing one for my bum hip, and at one appointment she loosened up by forearm after I had knit too much. Ahh, what relief.
This is gorgeous, and you have so much gun!
ReplyDeleteI think all of us would benefit from a visit of Heidi!
I do a little bit of belly dancing each week, and our teacher is very attentive to our bodies, and we do a lot of stretching. Otherwise, I think my back would hurt from the work in front of a PC and from the sewing and the like.
I don't know how you could ever bear to part with your quilts. This one, as so many of the others, is stunningly beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOh, boy... these beads are getting out of hand! ;0) Take care of your back... I know you sit at a table to bead, but in this case, couldn't you sit in a nice supportive recliner with a heating pad (my favored location) to ease those tweaked muscles?
ReplyDeleteMy mother just bought me a more supportive chair for my studio. Evening backaches are not fun!
ReplyDeleteLovely work!
How can any gal be fortunate enough to have the initials triple A!? That quilt is so wonderful. That massage therapist sounds wonderful.
ReplyDelete