Tree of Life Modern Quilt Interpretation

If you’ve been with me for a while you know about my wonderful list of Quilts Under Construction. I keep all projects that have progressed from an idea to a potential quilt to a nearly done project on that list. I update the list a few times a year, crossing off and moving things from different parts of the list. It isn’t fancy, just handwritten on a sheet of paper on a clipboard I keep in a drawer. It covers finished Quilt Tops, Quilts Being Quilted, and Blocks. It only enters the list when I’ve decided that some play or an experiment are actually going to be made into a quilt.

The reason I love my list so much is twofold. One, it gives me a direct appreciation for the time I’ve spent creating. It serves as a living memory of all the things I’ve done and can do. History and potential in one. Two, whenever I am blessed with some time, inclination, and less than normal motivation I can consult the list and get inspired. One day I might be in the mood for some easy piecing so I can consult the list and grab one of those projects. Maybe I actually, freakishly, have the desire to baste a quilt so I can see what is ready and has a backing made. Having it on paper means I am not storing it in already busy brain. In other words, I don’t have to open the already packed closet to see what might fall out!

So a few weeks ago I pulled out my list because I had an afternoon and felt like piecing. My tree of life blocks captured my attention. I had 4 blocks and vaguely remembered thinking 5 would be enough for a quilt. No problem! I could make one more block. So I did. This size (18”) is fiddly as you have to make a lot of 2.5” half square triangles but it’s not rocket science. One more block done with ease.

These blocks came in to being, firstly, as a sample for a class I did in conjunction with the Heritage Park Festival of Quilts. I took a quilt from their antique collection and created a modern version. This was one sample, then I made a few more, and now I’ve made 5.

At this point, I could have set the blocks aside but I loved where things were going so I went to the stash (and then the store) for some greens to border the blocks when set on point. My math was off so it is a bit wonky but it works well enough and will be fine with quilting.

Now I can move this set of blocks to the other side of the list for quilt tops. All the satisfaction.

Back on the Road

This past weekend I went on my first quilting trip since the Pandemic. I’ve had a few in person events and the odd class, but this was my first get packed, get on a plane, and a hang out with quilters all weekend kind of trip. It’s been forever!

It felt so good.

As stressed as I get before leaving (always with a moment of regret for the commitment) I feel amazing once I arrive. This teaching gig gets me to some beautiful places with wonderful people. I am so lucky.

This particular trip was to Parksville, British Columbia. Parksville is a town North of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. In the summer it is packed with tourists because it has great beaches, beautiful parks, and a wonderful people. By this time of year the tourists are gone and the rain is settling in. Still absolutely worth the trip.

The Parksville Quilt House Guild is the largest guild on Vancouver Island and one of the oldest in British Columbia. Everyone I met was kind, full of laughs, and tremendously supportive. My hosts were incredible. I taught two workshops (Traditional Variations and Improv Lettering) and delivered a trunk show to over 150 people. At the workshops quilters brought treats for the group, fruit from their own trees, and made sure I had tea and medicine when an unexpected migraine hit. And, they followed my supply list and brought chocolate!

I’ve written before about how inspiring it is for me to be on these trips. I get to see parts of the country (or the world) but I also get to witness the creative acts of quilters. Both things inspire me so much. I get my own cool ideas as we all play together. More importantly, I get to witness the changes, ideas, and freedom many quilters feel in my events. Yes, I am tooting my own horn, but I see a lot of quilters leave my events brimming with ideas and with newfound freedom. No one has given them permission to play before and you can tell.

At the end of my trunk show I had one lovely women come to me and tell me that she is more of a “looker” than a quilter. She made her first quilts decades ago and while she was so proud of what she did she was judged by the quilt police and barely sewed after that, feeling like she couldn’t be good enough. After seeing my improv quilts, my bits of wonkiness, even my mismatched points when I am trying for precision, she felt so good. It’s not that my bad work made her feel better about herself. No, it was that she could see there was another way to create, and that the judgement of the past didn’t need to apply to her anymore.

That right there is why the stress before leaving is worth it. It’s always worth it. Rainbows over the ocean, bald eagles, and stellar sea lions are only a plus.

Quilt Block Diary of Cheryl Arkison in Egypt and Turkey

It would be a cliche to say ‘there are no words’ to describe our epic trip to Egypt and Turkey this summer. But this is a blog and that makes no sense. I could also say something about a’ picture says a thousand words’ but again, you probably want more info than that.

My daughter, long time readers will know her as The Evil Genius, qualified for world championships at both the U17 and U19 level in her chosen sport: modern pentathlon. This is a five sport event that includes fencing, swimming, obstacle course, shooting, and running. Not wanting her to have all the fun, and because we were nervous about sending our 15yo halfway around the world alone, we planned to go with her and make it a big family affair. Egypt has long been a bucket list trip for me, so I was extra excited.

It was a packed month between the competitions and exploring. We started at the first event in Alexandria. Staying in an apartment and not the venue with the rest of the teams was certainly an experience! We were not in an area with any other Western tourists. A little bit exciting in the Ubers each day. But we were comfortable and felt safe, even if the city is very loud, active, and dirty. The competition went better than expected, especially considering she fell on the first day of training there and badly sprained her ankle. We gave her the choice of competing or not and she decided to persevere. As a mother I was both proud and horrified. Mostly proud.

After Alexandria and a few days in Cairo to recoup, train, and slightly be touristy we met up with the rest of the family in Turkey. I had travelled with my daughter to Alex, the rest of the family was at a wedding. There we road tripped through the beautiful countryside to the Aegean Coast. We swam in turquoise waters, ate all the food, visited mind boggling ruins, and laughed our butts off. We had an extra kid (one of the other athletes) and my MIL. And yes, we all got along.

The next competition was in Istanbul. My daughter stayed with the rest of the team there and we had fun exploring this massive and cool city when not watching the Canadian athletes. We were there a week and I feel like we barely scratched the surface of what there is to experience.

When the competitions were over and the rest of the team went home or on to other events our family travelled back to Egypt. This was our time to see all of the ancient sites. We got to go IN some pyramids, felt humbled by the craftsmanship, engineering, and detail of the ancient Egyptians, and then finished our trip on a houseboat on the Nile. Not a cruise, but a houseboat moored in Luxor where we even got to swim in the famous river (don’t worry, there are no crocodiles since they build the Aswan Dam).

Prior to leaving I decided to bring along a stack of fabric squares. My plan was for a block a day. I wasn’t entirely sure how this would play out, but I wanted to try. Surprisingly, I was very motivated and did indeed make a block for every day. I even finished the last one as we were boarding the flight home. The blocks serve as a bit of a trip diary. They are all appliqued in one way or another with freehand cut shapes. Oh, except one, you’ll be able to figure that out. Each block is inspired by our experiences, our sites, or events of the day. Most interpretations are abstract, some a bit more literal. The gallery above shares the block and just one inspiration photo.

Day 1 - Arrive in Alexandria via Cairo.

Day 2 - Training Day in Alexandria, where we discover the importance of shade and KT Tape.

Day 3 - First day of competition and opening ceremonies.

Day 4 - Competition for my girl and her sprained ankle.

Day 5 - Canada is killing it on the obstacle course!

Day 6 - Less events today so we explored Alexandria a bit into the evening.

Day 7 - Finals competition. All three Canadian athletes made finals.

Day 8 - Mixed relay and one last ride in an Uber in Alexandria’s crazy, potholed and crowded streets.

Day 9 - A bit touristy in Alex, the famous Library and the Kim el Shoqafa Catacombs

Day 10 - The new Grand Egyptian Museum is a cool building, but not really open yet.

Day 11 - Stressful travel day that ended with a gorgeous drive through Turkey and an amazing meal, plus all the family is back together!

Day 12 - Sidetrack to see the ruins at Troy.

Day 13 - Road tripping to Fethiye through mountains of olive groves.

Day 14 - Ah, that Turquoise Coast.

Day 15 - Pammukale, swimming in Cleopatra’s temple and the most beautiful coliseum.

Day 16 - From the coast up the mountains and arriving in Istanbul on the great Turkish highways.

Day 17 - Up the Galata Tower and exploring the streets of Istanbul.

Day 18 - The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia plus Sultanahmet Square and more delicious food.

Day 19 - Cheering on our girl at her second competition!

Day 20 - Wandering the Grand Bazaar and it’s surrounding streets.

Day 21 - Food tour of Istanbul means more delicious food. Oh, these little cups of tea.

Day 22 - Another competition day, with a side trip to explore a bit more of Istanbul in-between events.

Day 23 - Relaxing on the marble of a Turkish Hammer is glorious.

Day 24 - In Cairo again, exploring the old museum and the city

Day 25 - The pyramids!!!!!

Day 26 - Exploring the Black Desert, the White Desert, the Baharyia Oasis and camping under the stars.

Day 27 - Sunrise in the White Desert then a travel day to Luxor

Day 28 - So many tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and the Queens, but I was really there for the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

Day 29 - The temples at Karnak and Luxor exceeded my imagination, the Mummification Museum? Not so much.

Day 30 - Saw the sunrise hot air balloons then swam in the Nile and began the long journey home.

As I worked through the jet lag on our return home I pieced the quilt top together. Stay tuned for that. If you want more details and photos you can always check out my daily posts on Instagram.

Morning Make 2023 - Stitched Mosaic Portrait

For the third quilt portrait I turned to Timna Tarr. I first encountered Timna’s map quilts back when I judged QuiltCon. Her work is creative and unique. When she starting making her mosaic quilts I, along with many others, was transfixed. She started with barnyard animals but has progressed to some very unique portraits. Without a doubt, I had to try this technique in my year of portraits.

There is a book out, Stitched Photo Mosaic Quilting. I signed up for her on demand class via Creative Spark instead. The class was great. Timna broke down the technique into simple steps with clear instructions. It was easy to watch it once then head straight to the fabric.

Once you’ve picked your starting image you go right ahead and draw a grid over it. The diagonal grid is a suggestions of Timna’s technique, but not a requirement. Each square of the grid is one 2.5” block. Some will only be one fabric, others are made up of sometimes five! I don’t want to teach the technique myself that Timna gets paid to do, but she breaks it down into a layered machine appliqué to construct each block. I will admit, this was new to me, as was using invisible thread to sew.

I can’t lie it really was not a technique I enjoyed. Sure, I love the end results and overall look, but I didn’t really enjoy making it. So, so fiddly on some of those pieces! And I can honestly say I do not like the look of invisible thread. Yes, it is not that invisible. Partway through the project I kept thinking how much more I would enjoy this if I took the grid effect and then improvised instead. Stay tuned…

The picture I used was from a ski trip this past winter. We were skiing in clouds that day and everything was covered in a layer of frost, including me. It is such a happy memory and translating it into a quilt is a great way to capture it.