Old Garden Beach Memories
11" x 14
Fabric paint, hand cut stencils, 100% cotton.
Well, here is my Garden quilt, wrinkles and all!
I'm really pleased with the concept and design of this quilt, but absolutely hate the wrinkled background. I've been trying to use less fusibles in my quilt construction, but that was a big mistake for this particular quilt. Thursday morning I was going to start it all over again, but then realized I could end up with two unfinished quilts on July 31st., so I just "let it go" and continued to work on this one.
When I first started to think about this theme, I was planning on making something based on a purple clematis plant in my garden, but when I was not motivated to start I decided that I needed a different approach. I really don't know what made me think of this, but the idea literally came to me while showering about two weeks ago. I really enjoy designing and making quilts based on something personal.
My childhood summers were spent in Rockport, a small town on the Massachusetts coast, about an hour north of Boston. A few times during the summer we would walk to "Old Garden Beach" which was maybe a mile from my family's cottage. Every house or cottage along the way had some type of garden, big or small. I think these walks were my first introduction to gardens and specific flowers, especially those that are more commonly found near the ocean, such as beach roses ( Rosa Rugosa ) and hollyhocks. I really wanted to make something that reminded me of those very special childhood memories of hearing ocean waves crashing, salty air and beautiful gardens.
I spent many hours experimenting and agonizing over the "perfect" background. I tried both paint and hand dyed fabric, but nothing was quite right. After much frustration, I re-evaluated just what I wanted to emphasize and realized it was the flowers and Old Garden Beach sign ( which I believe was much smaller and more rustic when I was a kid ). I then gave myself permission to just indicate with white on white, the sky, water, sailboats and grass, in order for the flowers to "pop". I was really pleased with both that decision and how it was looking until it started to wrinkle.
The fabric paint used was either applied using hand cut stencils or sponge. A few french knots were added to attach the flower blossoms.
Old Garden Beach
Rockport, MA.
July, 2020
Oh Andrea, this reminded me of the time you picked me up in Rockport. I love the story about your time on this beach and the beautiful gardens you passed by. I'm glad you decided to continue to work on this - in spite of the wrinkles. I am always fighting wrinkles - both in my quilts, and on my person! Well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Carolyn! That was a fun day spent together so early on, on our MM journey! Wrinkles, yes...they do do crop up in more places than quilts!!!!
DeleteYour quilt is simply lovely. Spare but so evocative. And the narrative that accompanies it--charming. I can picture the little girl Andrea as she wanders and feasts her eyes on the beauties of the beach, the gardens, the water, everything. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThanks Alice, once again I am ever so grateful for this group as I would never have thought of creating this without the MM's!
ReplyDeleteYou never fail to amaze with your skills of multimedia use. I love the story this tells. What wrinkles?
ReplyDeleteLol...you are most generous to ignore them Gail, thank you!!!
DeleteLove the composition and your adorable 3 D flowers!!! You always have great stories tied to your work!!!
ReplyDeleteRockport is a favorite place of mine!! Love the hollyhocks. Your quilt brought some great memories!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely Quilt ! And I really enjoyed your narrative … made me think of all the summers I spent in West Seattle with my beloved Grandma who lived right across the street from the beach. We spent so much time walking through the sand, picking up sea shells, watching seagulls, and actually swimming in that icy-cold water ! This same Grandmother was in her own way a "Master Gardener," and it was from her that I also became intrigued with plants, flower, soil, etc.
ReplyDeleteGREAT Job ! Beautiful quilt ! ! !
I love the composition and when I first looked at it I didn't realize that you had painted the greenery. They look great along with the precious flowers and subtle quilted images you did.
ReplyDelete