"America is Like A Quilt"

A few days ago a friend gave me Sandy Bonsib's book "Americana Quilts" by That Patchwork Place; she knows how I love patriotic quilts.  It has several interesting quilts, but the thing that first grabbed my attention was a quotation.  When I first read it, I knew I wanted to incorporate it into a wall hanging for July 4, but I had no idea about a pattern.  However, I just couldn't get the quotation out of my mind.

"America is not like a blanket --- one piece of unbroken cloth, the same texture, the same size.  

America is more like a quilt --- many patches, many pieces, many colors, many sizes, 

all woven and held together by a common thread."  

--- Henry M. Jackson

While looking through some really old magazines for a simple pattern for a new quilter, I came upon a pattern I could not get out of my mind any more than I could forget the quotation.  The pattern is called "Scrappy Fans" by Christine Carlson, published in June 2000 Quick and Easy Quilting magazine.  (See, I told you it is an old magazine!)  Of course, some revision would be necessary to accommodate the quotation.

Here's a picture of the pattern in the magazine:  (It's paper piecing, which I've done only once and said I'd never do it again, ---- but I changed my mind.)

Don't ask how I could envision my idea; I don't know; but here's how I saw it in my mind's eye:

 Here's a closer look at the quotation.  My work is unimportant, but I think the quote speaks volumes!

The original designer used all colors and hers was about 10", but I wanted mine in reds, whites, and blues, and mine is 17" square. I did not use the sashings shown in the original, nor the borders.  I wrote out the quote and machine appliqued it and the border over the center of the quilt, and then, of course, realized I'd have to unsew and cut out the center triangles because the seams showed under the quotation fabric, but I got it done. That step would not have been necessary if I had just thought to put a batting under the square before I appliqued it to the original.  (Again, flying by the seat of my pants, as usual!)  I had dug in my patriotic fabrics and found a different fabric for each wedge of the paper piecing.  Then I decided to use different stitches from my Janome, repeating on the opposite side, for the quilting.

I got it finished and hung in the sunroom last night, and I'm very pleased with it, even though it is not perfect. It was a fun project, and was quite a challenge for me, in spite of the fact that it really is pretty simple.  I may try paper piecing again someday.

Yesterday from 9:30 AM to 6 PM, two friends were here, one teaching the other to piece a table topper.  They did get the top together, and will have to get together again for the quilting.  They wanted to make use of my sunroom for the day, and I really enjoyed them being here.  We had a good lunch, and at the end of the day, we were all tired, but felt we had a productive day.

I put out my "Freedom Stars and Flag" quilts yesterday.  I figure I might enjoy them this week of July 4. Probably if anyone got in my house, they would realize that I'm proud to be an American.  Lots of red, white and blue everywhere!    I do love this land of the free and home of the brave.  I pray it will always be that way, and that it will continue to be held together by that "common thread", which in my mind is the Constitution.  I pray that God will continue to bless America, sometimes even in spite of ourselves.

Have a happy and safe July 4!

---"Love"