My Garden Grows Feathers

I'm not a gardener, by any means, not even of the 'fake' version - my silk plants grow way too much dust to even pretend to look real. I've known folks who truly enjoy working the soil, perhaps growing beautiful roses or even veggies that they share with those around them, or just enjoying a beautiful yard. Me, I grow quilts.

I don't particularly grow the floral ones very often, I tend to lean towards bright, bold and sometimes juvenile fabrics in my creations. One thing I do like, and that's a lot of color! Especially if there's a hint of purple...

The fabric from my newest quilted quilt is leftover from a project I started several years ago, a Stack 'N Whack butterfly quilt (did I mention that I like butterflies?). I really like pansies (too), in fact I have this same line of fabric in purple in other quilts from my 'early days' as a quilter. I found myself drawn to this print in my stash a year or so ago when I needed to make a Square in a Square class sample called Garden Party. Fitting. So, the piece was pieced, the class taught, and the quilt top went into the "quilts in waiting" pile and forgotten about.

Until this week. My "personal quilting vacation" that I try to schedule annually between Christmas and New Years. Yep. It was time to quilt this quilt. Interestingly enough, beginning my One Year Bible again yesterday I thought about the Garden of Eden as the reading was in Genesis (the book of beginnings!)...I had my own garden on the frame...invoking thoughts of warmer days (I don't do winter very well, give me endless summer, walks in the park, sitting by the shore watching the waves, keyword WARM!!)...the beginning of a new year, a fresh start...happily I quilted along!

Did I mention that I love to quilt feathers? I don't know what it is about them, but I've been drawn to feathers since before I had a longarm. I've struggled with feathers, believe me, I've struggled. Some of my first ones looked more like sad half hearts instead of the long slender plumes I envisioned. But as they say, it takes practice...so whenever I have the opportunity, I practice!


I couldn't decide if I wanted to do 'longarm' feathers (above) or 'formal' feathers (below) So I did both! Practice, practice, practice!



Then to finish it off I wrapped small formal feathers around the narrow border and flowing formal feathers in the wide border. It's always hard to decide what to do in a busy printed border as the quilting usually doesn't show up, but that's okay. I know it's there... that and my little "KEO" in the corner marking this quilt as my creation, the work of my hands. Sometimes I hide my initials, but I know they are there, the final signature of the love put into the quilt.


Interestingly enough, I neglected to put the year. Sometimes I do that so I'll remember when, but for some reason I didn't today. Perhaps because this little quilt crossed several years (my how quickly the years pass)...one in the piecing and two in the quilting - New Year's Eve and today! Too bad I didn't realize that today is one of those once in a lifetime days when it's the same both backward and forward... 01.02.2010 now that would have been cool to quilt...

Time. God created it for us. Genesis 1:14 tells us how He put lights in the expanse of the sky to separate day from night and to serve as signs to mark seasons, days and years.....

Father, we surrender this past year and give it up to You. We give You our failures, our regrets, and our disappointments, for we have no more use for them. Make us now a new people, forgetting what lies behind and pressing on toward that which lies ahead of us.

We give You all our hopes and dreams for the future. Purify them by Your Spirit so that our wills shall truly reflect Your will for us.

As we stand on the threshold of another year, encourage us by our successes of the past, challenge us by the power of Your Word, and guide us by the presence of Your Holy Spirit. --copied--

They say friends are like the garden of life, that when God wants to bless you He puts a person in your life.

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Today my quilt garden grew feathers...

Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:31

....and I'm trusting Him to grow my spiritual garden to reflect His love, forgiveness, mercy, restoration, joy, and peace.

My Garden Grows Feathers
41 x 41
Pieced and Quilted by
Karen E Overton

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8