So many thoughts came to mind with the topic of Comfort. I was in Rome, Italy for 10 days in Sept. - Oct. with 50 other people from our church, and one of my first thoughts of comfort was of shoes... slippers...sandals... anything to keep my poor tired aching feet comfortable.
And then, of course, the gathering of many of the MMs (and 20,000+ other quilters) at the incredible International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX just a couple of weeks ago. (Really needed comfortable shoes for that event !)
And then another thought: "Southern Comfort !" With a splash of tonic, or as my mother would have preferred... with a slight amount of Grenadine :-D
And then... "Comfort Foods." Our Southern Hospitality is filled with Comfort Foods that delight the palate and sooth the soul. Soul Food.... What do I turn to for Comfort ? Family, of course, and friends.
Above all, I turn to God. And for me, some of the closest times I have with God are with His music. I've been a church musician since way back in the 7th grade (a long time ago !) and have been privileged to present His beautiful music in various church services for over 40 years. And so, I chose a beautiful, soul-ful hymn based on Isaiah 40:1-8 that was written in the 1500's; translated in the 1800's and is as important now as it was centuries ago. "Comfort, Comfort O My People."
Using TAP (Transfer Artist Paper) developed by Lesley Riley, I printed the lyrics for "Comfort, Comfort..." onto a TAP image transfer sheet and then transferred the image to my background fabric. The fabric is filled with music notations (treble and bass clefs, etc.) I free-motion quilted the quilt, and outlined the treble clefs to give them some prominence. (Actually, it was my husband, Greg, who suggested outlining the treble clefs ! Isn't it great to have the husbands come up with such wonderful ideas !) Binding and the hanging sleeve (with my label) were next. The last step was to stitch the cross onto the left side of the quilt. I used my Bernina couching foot and Madeira monofilament thread to apply the heavy copper metallic thread. (Basically, this is the same process as I described in our "Green" quilts in September). The backing fabric is filled with music notations, and I know you can't see it in the pictures, but the hymn that's printed on that fab is "Amazing Grace" ! How sweet the sound !
Peace and blessings to all .... Kathy
This is one of my favorites of yours Kathy, probably because of the symbolism. Worship and God's Word is the purest comfort I've ever experienced and I know you feel the same. My first idea for this theme was the Bible, my mug of coffee and my cozy loveseat by the window. Your quilt spoke to me to to 'be unafraid' about using spiritual themes in this online challenge. If I'd been true to the first idea my quilt would have had more personal meaning for me as yours does for you. Lesson learned. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sister ...... You've walked the journey with me these last 10 years, and you've taught me much about learning to be true to ourselves. Much love to you... Kath
DeleteEven though you and I enter different church doors each Sunday morning, this lovely piece spoke to my heart. I understand the comfort you receive from the place and the music.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rita .... We may enter through different doors, but the destination is the same ! Love, Kathy
DeleteWhat a meaningful piece you have created for yourself and for us to see. It's simplicity in design is striking and your personal story and connection with it are to be admired.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nedra .... The journey is taken a step at a time ! It was so nice meeting you in Houston ... what a wonderful trip that was :-D
DeleteKathy, this is a lovely hymn. Thank you for sharing one from the Old Testament that can be appreciated by all of us, whatever our religious heritage. As usual, your machine quilting is beautifully done, subtle yet how it enhances this piece.
ReplyDeleteOh I wish I had those fabrics! Love both of them. Too many times I want to put music into a piece visually...
ReplyDeleteand so subtle. We all have so many sources of comfort.
Hi Linda .... what's so funny about the fabrics is that they're all remnants ! I always search the remnant and sale bins at the stores, and both of these fabrics were vendor samples I probably got a Quilting Guild garage sale in Anchorage :-D I have most of my fabs sorted into large plastic bins so when I'm looking for a particular themed fab, hopefully I've put the right pieces of fabric in the right bins ! Thanks for your comment !
DeleteThanks for sharing this with us. Music is such a comfort to most of us, and church music goes to the heart of it all. What a fabulous piece, It speaks to your sense of peace and the comfort your faith brings you through music. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lois ... The loss of my son ten years ago catapulted all of us into journeys we never thought we'd take, and changed the rhythm of my life forever. God and His abundant gifts are what keep me moving with that sense of peace and comfort you mentioned. Thanks for your gracious comments.
DeleteIt was great meeting you in Houston !
Your subtle, soothing quilt tells the whole story!
ReplyDeleteLove this hymn and the simplicity of your depiction of God's comfort.
ReplyDeleteI love how simple, yet powerful your quilt design is. Thank you for sharing just how and why you arrived at the decision to create this very meaningful
ReplyDeletequilt.