Many of you have been anxiously looking for the first signs of spring, as I have. From buds on flowering and leafing trees to longer days, we’re all ready for change.
I look for dragonflies, such as this one that caught my eye while photographing quilts at a client’s lovely home last fall just before leaving Colorado toward a life that continued to change.
Why am I talking bugs on a quilting site?
Is this really about TQS 2015 Block of the Month?
Before answering I have to talk bugs.
Dragonflies are amazing creatures to watch as they hover in one spot for a very long time and dart from place to place. They’re long-tailed, four-winged insects that inhabit the waters and wetlands of North America. And although they have four wings, they come in two sets, and if needed, they can fly just fine with one pair. They can go from a dead halt to about 90 miles per hour in just a few seconds.
In the 22 months since the devastating Black Forest Fire that took home and quilting studio, I have flown far from everything I’ve known all my life. With my husband, I've tweaked future plans, changed states and retired. I’ve physically done just about everything I can to rebuild home, business and life … and metamorphosed.
What does this bug offer all of us who try to adapt to change?
Dragonflies are amazing creatures, and amazing creatures often come with interesting mythology. In part, the meaning of the Dragonfly symbol to some Native Americans represents transformation and life's ever constant process of change. This symbolism is based on the life of a dragonfly which in the first year or more of their lives, they live in the water as nymphs. They then metamorphose - change - into the flying creature we recognize as the dragonfly. This particular insect has been on Earth for over 100 million years. Because of this, they have a wonderful ability to adapt to their surroundings – to change.
In the Dakota/Lakota mythology, the dragonfly is equated with the mirage or illusion, because their wings beat so rapidly that the human eye cannot see it. They tell us that things are not always as they seem, and that life itself is not always what it appears to be.
Now on to the quilting part of this post. What does this have to do with quilting?!
I was pretty beaten down moving from Colorado, trying to rebuild my quilting business. But I realized through the encouragement of family and friends who reminded me of the talents I still had to offer, that things are not always as they seem, and that life itself is not always what it appears to be.
I needed to adapt to change like this little creature and begin life and business anew.
An opportunity to let my talents shine - and to beat with all four wings - was presented to me in the form of this singular quilt, to be featured as the 2015 block of the month on The Quilt Show (TQS) sometime later this year between July and December. I was invited by Lilo Bowman, Editor-in-Chief, to attend one of the tapings last month, but had to refuse due to scheduling conflicts. Drat.
The TQS 2015 Block of the Month quilt!
The gorgeous quilt top...
...quilted!
For me, it's all about balance. Balance in texture, style and art form.
That ornery fox. It'd better not eat that chicken. I don't think he's as sly as he thinks because he's having a hard time finding it.
Above, locate the block with the bird atop the horse to the far left: ...
... it's singing a few notes into the background!
This dogs' name is Spot - so monikered because of the spots I thought he needed.
EVERY country home needs a pebbled pathway, and the sheep need cotton-bally texture.
Outer border detailing. Since the inner border was flanked with prairie points, stitching was constrained within these areas. No problem, thanks to being able to drop the belts on my Gammill retrofitted Statler Stitcher and use the old trusty hand-guided mode!
Isn't there a smell of spring flowers on this breeze? And the gate is beckoning our visit.
This shot shows the first taping of this quilt at The Quilt Show, as sent to me by a good friend who just happened to buy a ticket to go, and emailed it to me. Another dragonfly? I think so.
Things are not always as they seem. God turns everything to the good for us as we strive to adapt to change and live life to its fullest. His love comes in different ways: friends, family, clients, fires - and if you believe - even dragonflies.
May you be blessed to find your dragonfly soon.
