Wings

Wings
24" x 36"

I spent most of May and June making this quilt for the Quilters Unlimited challenge. It was supposed to show a dream or fantasy on a starry night. I limited the palette to colors inspired by Fred Tomaselli. Normally I go for brights on black, but I like the way these muted colors show up.

I was going to leave the body a silhouette, but she cried for a face and more. I called Patrice for advice, and she told me to "just draw a face." After studying and sketching, I did create a face, which I put onto the fabric with transfer paper, then embroidered it by machine and by hand, and added shading with tulle.  She doesn't have a perfect face, but then who does?

Her body was bare, except for quilting, so I remembered a poem that I wrote some time ago. It's about one of Noah's daughters, who had wings and ... I guess winged women have haunted me for a while. The poem was too long for her body, so I shortened it. I don't expect anyone to read it, but I loved writing it on her. It's like tattooing my poem on my own body.

To see this and lots of gorgeous quilts go to the Quilters Unlimited show; it opens Sept. 11 at the Museum of Florida History, 500 S. Bronough St., Tallahassee.