Sunday, November 3, 2013

MeMaw's Quilt - The Rolling Blog Hop Reveal



A while back, my friend Christine at OneKissCreations invited me to take part in a rolling hop -- she'd send each of us a goodie package with a mystery component and some additional beads, and we could create something to share on our own schedule within a certain time period.  I love Christine's sense of humor, sense of style, and sense of creativity, so of course I said yes.

The package arrived, and, with great ladylike grace and restraint (snort), I ripped it open to discover the mystery component. And my thought process was something like, "Spools! Spools? Hmmm, spools....."

The image that kept coming to me over and over again when I thought of spools was one of my maternal grandmother, who spent a couple of years (or at least it seemed to me, although given a kid's sense of time, it probably was only a several months) making a pair of quilts, which she then gave to me and my sister.

So my creation was going to be a reflection of my grandmother, who we called MeMaw, her style, and her quilt.  Here's a little bit about my MeMaw -- she and my grandfather had a farm, although she also worked in town.  She had gorgeous snow white hair, long legs and a terrific figure (which, sadly, I did not inherit), a great smile, and always took care to dress with flair. She had an incredible strength and spirit.  I so wish my children could have known her.

Anyway, here's MeMaw, and here is a section of the quilt she made for me.

See what I mean about dressing with flair? She's wearing a silk dress and
fab jewelry, even though the infant me might have spit up or done
something else messy at any moment.  The lady had style and guts!
The quilt is queen-sized, and I have yet to find a square that has a duplicated fabric center.

And I'm happy to introduce to you MeMaw's Quilt Necklace.


I decided the best way to capture the idea of the quilt was to wrap the spool in a quilt of beads.  I made a right angle weave base, and added every small bead I could find in my stash to the open squares.  There are gemstones, crystals, Czech glass, and pearls in there -- hopefully a faithful reflection of MeMaw's love of sparkly jewelry.  For the neckstrap, I braided some beautiful sari silk that I had from another swap, AntiquityTraveler's blogoversary hop.  The color was a perfect mimic for the background of the quilt.  I will admit to having had fifteen different kinds of fits trying to figure out a clasp, since the silk wasn't long enough to allow me to loop it over, but I finally came up with one that I was happy with.

I tried really hard to do like MeMaw and not repeat any beads
in the squares, but there are a couple of duplicates.
The Quilt on the quilt

Thanks, Christine, for letting me play along!  And if you're interested in seeing what the others have created (and the results so far are pretty eclectic, kind of like the artists involved), here's a list:
Bobbie (aka MeMaw's granddaughter - you're here)


18 comments:

Karin Slaton said...

What a lovely tribute to your grandmother, Bobbie! And oh, that quilt - the beauty of so many gorgeous, charming fabrics and the craftsmanship! How lovely that you used Christine's spool to celebrate her gift in miniature!

AntiquityTravelers said...

oh my! seriously oh my! I am blown away by what you've created here! This is such a great representation of your grandma's quilt - it is just amazing! I LOVE it! Such an original piece Bobbie. WOW

CraftyHope said...

Oh Bobbie, what a wonderful story about your MeMaw and the quilt she made for you. I've got a soft spot for quilts and would love to learn to make my own one day. I'm a little jealous of the one you have. And then you turned your spool into a QUILT! That's pretty stinkin' awesome. I think it's pretty cool that you had that vision and absolutely came through with it. I also really like how differently we've all used those spools so far. So much inspiration!!

Therese's Treasures said...

Hi Bobbie,
That was a very sweet tribute to your Me Maw. She looked like a true Southern Lady. The quilt that she made for you is beautiful, so is the spool you created to honor her, all sparkly and soft.
Therese

Christine Altmiller said...

In awe, once more! Your inspiration is right there! Your MeMaw, her cathedral window quilt, the colors and pattern, the perfect timing of the sari ribbon!!! I am deeply in love with this piece, Bobbie! I am sending my mom over here. One of the first quilts she made was a cathedral window. They have always captured my attention whenever I see one, so this spool is so exciting to me! Thank you thank you THANK YOU for doing this hop! I really appreciate your time and your artistry. When I first picked up the spools, I just thought they were cool. The memories stirring up in people are such an unexpected bonus :-) Thanks for sharing a little bit of your MeMaw with us.

Maryanne said...

I love what you did with the spool! These spools seem to bring out warm thoughts and memories for a lot of us. Cathedral Window is one of my favorite quilt patterns, to look at and to make. The RAW base was the perfect stitch to achieve the pattern. Just lovely, the necklace and the memories behind it.

Amy S. said...

This is REALLY AMAZING!!!! I've been enjoying watching this hop and amazed at the results every time. I love the synergy of a spool:sewing:quilt, and how you brought it all together with your beadwork! Fantastic.

Patti Vanderbloemen said...

WOW! WOW! WOW! This is so cool on so many levels! First of all, the beading is super fantastic - and the most beautiful tribute to your Grandma! How you even thought of this creation is beyond me! Right down to the braided silk cording! I so very much love this!

Second of all, my mother is a quilter, so I appreciate the effort that not only went into her quilts, but also your tribute spool!

Third, the fact that you called her MeMaw instantly reminded me of Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory - my favorite TV program!

What an awesome post! :)

windrock studio said...

Sweetly and amazingly beautiful! I love your piece.

Liz said...

What a beautiful post. I think you inherited her gorgeous smile and her artistic flare. Quilts belong in the art world. Your spool is delightful. I am amazed at how well you captured the essence of a quilt, only it's better because it's sparkly and made from beads! MeMaw would love it. I love it. You sure know how to dress up a wooden spool.

KJ said...

Now that was inspired. Nice work.

PyxeeStyx said...

You've done an amazing job of replicating the quilt in your pendant. Nice! :)

LisaS said...

Oh I love this quilted spool! Your work is absolutely gorgeous and perfect inspiration ;)

Tanya said...

Bobbie, that is amazing! I love how it looks so much like a quilt. The sari ribbon is a perfect match. I also love how you hung it horizontally.

(I have to say that I opened the package with as much lady like grace as you did, lol.)

Honey from the Bee said...

I love your inspiration so much! Your piece is so wearable and has such a great memory attached for you.

Becky Pancake said...

What a wonderful tribute to your MeMaw.

Elysian Studios said...

Bobbie, I just love how you used a quilt as your inspiration for your spool necklace. THe intricate beading is lovely, and it really reflects the spirit of a treasured quilt. Well done!

Gwenbeads said...

Very sweet. I love the charm square effect of your beaded bead and your grandmother's quilt is a real treasure!