Rainy Day Recall

On rainy days, I am so happy to stay inside and work on digitizing old family photos.

Outside on a rainy day.

Inside I spend the day with old family photos.

 
These photos may not have had raindrops actually falling on them from above, but many of them have suffered the effects of rising water.  They have gone through a flood or two, been pulled out of soggy photo albums, separated, dusted with talcum powder, and left to dry.  Eventually, while more pressing flood repairs called, they were tossed in a box to deal with "later."

I sort them, scan them, repair them, and upload them for future generations.

What better way to bring them back to life than with an art quilt?

"Rainy Day Recall," the computer screen and photos, translated into thread sketches and a mini-quilt.

A suggestion of a portrait, in green thread.

A photo revitalized, printed on Lutradur and sketched with threads.

I took this particular box of photos, mostly from the 1920s to 1940s, out of the family homestead garage when my mother-in-law downsized.  About six weeks later Hurricane Harvey hit, leaving five feet of water in the house.  They would have been a soggy mess not worth saving one more time.

Not only am I working with old family photos, but a lot of the trims and notions were handed down from family members as well.  They have little notes about when and where they were bought, and how much they cost.

I had so much fun blending different techniques into one piece, and you can read more about how I created it here.

Bring on a rainy day, and let me see which photos call out to be next!