Friday, October 7, 2016

Jane Hartfield's Reflection Quilt


Reflection
By Jane Hartfield

My father died last March. He lived over 98 years and influenced me in so many ways. He was a man of great honor and especially integrity. I cannot possibly describe him in a short paragraph. However, I can reflect on his life and how he was ever a part of my life.

He lived in Winnsboro, LA, all of his life and on Lone Cedar Road about 50 years. There is a huge oak tree at the end of his driveway. It was in front of his parents’ house originally. I must have taken 100 pictures of that tree. I just love it. During the past year as my father’s health was declining, I was going to Winnsboro more frequently. On one of those trips, I was at the house by myself and had noticed an unusual cloud formation. It had been raining. When I went outside to take a picture of the clouds, there was a puddle on the driveway that reflected the oak tree in the twilight. I was able to take several photos with my phone. I have never seen that before or since. That is the picture on the front of the quilt.

I had to ask for help printing the photographs on fabric. I have tried it before without success. However, Teresa is very good at it and agreed to help me. She gave me the confidence to do it myself, but I am not sure my printer is up to it. I decided to print the picture of Daddy Ed and the picture of the whole tree as well as the reflection.
Of course, the next step was finding the right fabric. I thought that Stonehenge was good,  but I wanted to make it more of my own. So, using the thermofax screen Andrea had made for me of Daddy Ed’s handwriting, I printed all over the background. I fused the reflection picture to the front and decided it needed more. So, I added the picture of Daddy Ed which had been taken last December. It may have been the last time he played Dominoes. Then I had to quilt it. It is probably hard to see on the front, but I thread sketched the tree avoiding stitching through the pictures. It is much easier to see on the back. Then I fused the picture of the tree to the back and scribble stitched around the edges.

11 comments:

  1. Jane, what a touching and heart-felt quilt in memory of your father! I love it!

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  2. I love that you used your father's writing. A very special memory of your father and the tree.

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  3. This is indeed an heirloom. What a tribute on so many levels! You continually teach me. Thank you.

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  4. Love the background with your father's handwriting screen printed on it!! The photos and hand stitched tree are beautiful as is the wonderful reflection quilt in honor of your father.

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    1. Thank you, but it is not hand stitched. Just wanted to clarify that.

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    2. Excuse my carelessness Jane. I knew it was machine stitched but somehow typed hand -oops! Guess I was typing faster than my brain can think.

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  6. What a beautiful way to honor your father. Wonderful reflection of the tree, photograph, and the handwriting. The quilted tree is just perfect!

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  7. Love this quilt! Precious memory.

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  8. Jane, this piece is something that he would have loved seeing. what a warm and loving way of sharing your dad, through your art. it is wonderful.

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