Monday, April 20, 2015


Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

Jane’s “Neighbor” Quilt



My first thoughts about this challenge centered around Mr. Rogers’ television show. I still hear him singing about the beautiful day in the neighborhood. I tried to design a quilt with houses showing the diversity of our neighborhood. I just couldn’t come up with something I liked.

I also thought of discussions at church about Love Your Neighbor and Who Is Your Neighbor? That sent me off on images of a handshake.

Finally, I thought about “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors”. I found out that it came from a poem by Robert Frost titled Mending Wall.

Our next door neighbors decided to raise chickens for the fresh eggs. I was a bit concerned thinking about roosters that crow, the smell and general mess chickens can make. I also worried about our dog and how she would react to having chickens beyond the fence. All has gone well. No roosters. We get fresh eggs sometimes. Patches doesn’t bark, but she has tried to dig under the fence…

Techniques:

The fence posts started as a screen print to which I added paint. I quilted it and added water soluble media (Inktense Blocks and crayons). The green background was a hand dye which I had texturized with Shiva paint sticks. The dog and chickens were various fabrics fused to the background with some dyed cheesecloth for the dirt. It was a lot of fun to make. The perspective was the hardest part for me.


11 comments:

  1. Great depiction of theme! I think you did very well with the perspective - I struggle with that so much!! Love the fence and chickens and want to see up close!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. YES...I so agree with Nedra! Would love to see a closer photo of your very clever quilt?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jane. This made me smile! Love those chickens and your colors

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a great idea. So glad there are no roosters next to you. Perspective is so hard. You did a great job.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great idea - looks like Patches is about to greet the neighbors up close and personal.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think you captured the theme perfectly, and you're right on with the perspective ! You did a great job using so many different and varied products and techniques !

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great work, Jane! You put in a lot of time on this quilt. Frost's poem is one of my favorites. His major point is that "something there is that doesn't love a wall" and goes on to discuss how Nature over time destroys walls and fences, barriers to neighbors and friends! Patches--like Nature--doesn't love the fence and manages to get under it, and YOU, despite the fence, get an occasional egg. Love this quilt!

    ReplyDelete
  8. This quilt makes me smile! But then so does Patches. Not your usual but I think you could be a natural at pictorial humor! Wonderful depth of color. Perfect theme interpretation.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a fun quilt Jane. I with Patches - curious about what's on the other side of the fence! This is such a great interpretation of good fences-good neighbors. I DO wish that you would choose "large" for the posting of the photo, however, so that we can get a better look at this fun quilt!

    ReplyDelete
  10. This quilt is perfect for Neighbor. I love the colors, the critters and the message. Wonderful job!

    ReplyDelete