My husband and I took a quick trip to Lincoln, NE a week ago. It was the penultimate weekend before Ken Burns’ quilts were leaving the International Quilt Study Center and Museum.
I am so sorry we waited so long to go, because I am going to gush about this exhibition and now it is too late. BUT! Here is a video of the exhibition that you can watch. It was really moving for me.
Many women in my family have quilted. My great-grandmother, my great aunt, and my grandmother all quilted. I am lucky to own a quilt my great aunt pieced and my great grandmother quilted. All by hand. And for my college graduation, my grandmother made me a gorgeous wall hanging representing the beginning of life.
After college, when I was flailing and sad, my mom taught me to quilt. It was an oasis in chaos – and started me on 20+ of creating as an escape. I went through many different phases, but being back to quilting the last 4 years has been my oasis again.
I love the exhibit – loved seeing the craft I love elevated and lauded.
When I came back home, I craved a project that would echo the work and style of what I saw. Because blue and white are his favorite colors in a quilt, I decided to pull out my blue and cream and white stash and work through it for a sampler quilt.
I am making Long Time Gone by Jen Kingwell. It will look gorgeous in the blues and creams – and the name is absolutely perfect – evoking the quilts and women who came before me and their gifts to me.
1 thought on “Blue and white”