This is the story of a quilt I made for my mother. I started this many years ago – I dare not say how many! My mom loves flowers and bright colors – two things that are very easy to put into a quilt. There are so many ways to do this. I was so overwhelmed by the infinite ways to make a flower quilt that I was reluctant to commit to one design.
I was doodling one afternoon, cutting out flower shapes and making a bouquet. I started with a coloring page from Vedul’s Montessori days and added different flowers, a humming bird and butterflies. Several tries later, I came up with this layout.
I taped this piece of newspaper art to my sewing room wall and it stayed there for a few days while I mulled over fabrics to use for the flowers, the background, etc. I wanted to use several pieces of silk I had collected. Each piece is from a sari that belonged to my grandmother or my mother or an aunt. Some were collected by my grandmother to make her cross stitch rugs. My grandmother passed away in 2003 but she gave me her leftover silk when I started quilting. Every piece of silk in this collection was used and loved as a sari for many years. While their color and luster has held up very well, they are quite thin and thread-bare in some places. Using them in small pieces as in applique was the only way to preserve them.
I used a combination of applique, fabric paints and fabric markers. Most shapes were drawn free-hand and my drawing skills have not improved since my grade school days. I’m so happy how this came out though. The center was done and set aside for some months while I decided how to make this into a larger quilt. I wanted to frame it with some simple blocks that would accent the central applique but not compete with it.
From my considerable stash, I picked a number of mostly blue and purple fabric to bring out the purple border around the applique, as well as a few in other colors to accent the flowers in the applique. Some of the surrounding fabric are from my silk collection and some are from a stash I bought when we visited Alaska with my parents in 2009. Most are leftovers from other quilts I’ve made. Though it took a number of years from start to finish, I’m glad I waited for inspiration to strike, and the design, the fabric and the layout meshed together into a delightful quilt. Completed March 2016.
Some more Pictures:
Love the story behind this quilt. To me, that is the essence OF a quilt, and I believe there are tangible vibes in our quilts, more so when they come with rich stories and emotions as does this one. Beautiful choices of framing, the purple the large white area and that border–!! So unusual and perfect. Vasudha can you email me so I can get your address? You come in as a no-reply so I can’t contact you directly. 😉
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Now here is #2 comment. A wonderful finish, and the story behind it all, guess we all have a story with each quilt or wall hanging. Sari silks, what beauties, and the border, I like that SO much, It sets off the flowers perfectly. My first post on my blog,not one comment. I even had to struggle to find it on Google. But as I grew better with photos and words, and found new friends all over the world, it has been an amazing and wonderful part of my life.
lots better quilt than my first one
Hi Vasudha! I’m glad Sandra tracked you down – she’s a good egg and I know a friendship was formed. What a lovely story behind the quilt, and I’m so glad I got a chance to read it. What a beautiful homage to your grandmother and her treasured silks. I love the simple border around those flowers, and that multi-colored final border really pulls out the colors and gives the whole piece focus. The only thing missing is how you quilted this, and where is the picture of it with your mom? ~smile~ Roseanne
What a pretty quilt with an amazing story!!! Love the sari silk addition. There is so much beautiful color going on!
Very sweet quilt. The final border is stunning, very eye catching.
another beautiful quilt.
I made a quilt for my Momma that took me 12 years to make. It was pieced by machine, and quilted by hand. She showed me a picture of a quilt from a magazine, I looked for ages for a pattern and could not find it. sew I created my own. if I did it again, it would be done very differently. but it came out well and she loves it. she has used it everyday for many years now.