Saturday 1 August 2020

Summer Day





This quilt was inspired by the poem “The Summer Day” (See below) and given to me by Maureen. I tried three other ideas before this one because I wanted to have a grasshopper in the quilt. Said grasshopper is there (look at the label below).
I used an umbre fabric for the background because it reminded me of sunlight coming through trees. The rocks, water and grass are fabrics that were printed with that pattern which made it easy to cut out what I wanted. I also used pieces of dyed wool roving for the moss hanging from the trees. I initially wanted to make a needle felted grasshopper with the roving (didn't work).

The Summer Day
—Mary Oliver
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?



10 comments:

  1. What a brilliantly tactile piece you have created. I think you did the right thing putting the grasshopper in the label :)

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  2. I could quite happily get lost in the scene in your quilt - you get really drawn in. It's beautiful, and it's beautifully done! You used the fabrics in such an inspired way, and it's really captured the feeling of the poem.

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  3. Such a soothing piece. I love the grasshopper. I’ve done some needle felting, and so it gave me a bit of a chuckle when it didn’t work. I have so many pieces like that. Great job. Captures the poem perfectly.

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  4. I think I could just sit by this quilt and listen to that water running while enjoying the sunshine and shadows. Such a peaceful design. Nice that you added the grasshopper in the label.

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  5. Absolutely stunning! It captures the essence of the poem so beautifully.

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  6. Oh, Debbi, this is just divine. I love how so many of your quilts have a mystical feeling to them. All your choices work together so well to make a harmonious statement: Summer in the Pacific Northwest -not the hot, dry summer of other places. Well done, my dear friend.

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  7. Fabulous poem and I really like the depth you have achieved in your piece with your fabrics and stitching. It has a real energy of the woods and I love it.

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  8. This is a great poem. I've never heard it before and I especially love the phrase 'wild precious life'. I think you've captured that in the texture and vibrancy of your beautiful quilt. It seems to me full of colourful light streaming through the trees :)

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  9. I love this piece. You created a wonderfully flowing creek. Such a wonderful place to visit!!
    xx, Carol

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  10. This is a beautiful piece! I love the variation in the tree trunks and rocks, and the colors flowing in the creek.

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