Monday, May 19, 2014

Haiku shawl and a traveling quilt

Some time last year I bought the pattern and yarn for the Haiku shawl and I finally pulled it out to work on it.  If you go to the Quince website, check out their yarn while you're there.  I really love the colors and the bird names, and now that I have tried it, the Tern yarn is just wonderful.
When I was in grade school we learned how to write a Haiku, and I still remember that assignment like it was yesterday.  The teacher taught us about syllables by clapping her hands as she pronounced each syllable in a word.  We all joined in reading aloud and clapping together.  Then we wrote a Haiku printed in our best penmanship and made a special cover out of colored construction paper that was decorated with blobs of paint blown across the paper with a straw.  Remember doing that?  This resulted in not only getting dizzy, but being sprayed with paint by your nearest classmate.  Usually it was a boy doing the spraying, as they could never contain themselves while brandishing such delightful weapons as straws and paint.  I remember my cover paper was pink, and my paint blobs and sprays looked like tree branches filled with blossoms.  My mom saved it, and I was quite proud.
I loved that assignment because it combined the mechanics of writing, with art and creativity (Thank you Mrs. Rhiehorst, wherever you are.)  It's what I like about quilting and crocheting too.  You follow a pattern, measure, and count stitches (mechanics), and choose colors and textures with fabric or yarn and embellish a pattern to make it your own (art and creativity).
Anyway, I have no idea where I'm going with this, but I can tell already that this shawl is going to be pretty, especially if I block the haiku out of it.  Maybe I'll give it to my mom. She'll be so proud.

The roses are from my yard, I can't seem to cut them fast enough.  The fabric was a sale purchase at Joann's, justified by the 5 projects I made this year out of my scrap bin (two more are in the works).

The quilt blocks are going to be a family gift.  So far the plan is to make 64 blocks, resulting in a wall hanging about 45x45, to be hung in my living room.  When we all get together this Thanksgiving, everyone will sign their name on a block.  Each time we add a new family member through marriage or birth, they sign a block.  Like a family tree quilt!  Then, maybe the quilt can "travel" to different homes of family members, stay for the year, then get passed along to someone different every Thanksgiving.  I told my daughter, that when I'm gone, someone has to keep the quilt "alive" until all the blocks are filled up.
She said that when I go, she goes, like an Egyptian tomb kind of thing.  I laughed and said just don't bury the quilt.



8 comments:

  1. I always enjoy your posts and your beautiful needlework, but this family quilt idea has captured my heart!

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  2. Fabulous idea, and I love your fabrics for this heirloom!

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  3. The quilt is going to be fabulous. As for the roses, I am so jealous. We had to pull several of ours up, they just weren't thriving. We still have our fairy roses though, my favorite! I look forward to seeing the finished shawl, the stitch and color are lovely!

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  4. That was a nice story about the Haiku, it is a nice piece of crochet! Your ideas for the family quilt are great, and I bet you will get all the squares filled before you "have to go"!
    KATRIN W.

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  5. Your shawl is very pretty. The yarn, design, looks so elegant and delicate. What a great idea for a quilt. I hope it has a very long life, and never gets buried in the backyard!

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  6. First of all your shawl is gorgeous, you are going to love it. The family quilt idea is wonderful, what a perfect way to celebrate your family.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  7. What a beautiful idea! A true family heirloom quilt. And your roses look good enough to eat. :)

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  8. The shawl is lovely!
    I love that idea for your beautiful quilt too, it will not only be beautiful but will be a family heirloom!
    More gorgeous roses!
    Gill xx

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You guys are awesome! Thank you for the comments!