Thursday 5 May 2016

TGIFF! - Separation of Church and State

Woo hoo! It's TGIFF! time again. I've got a bit of a weird naming story for the quilt I'm sharing this week.

This quilt started with the need to use up some scraps from an overflowing scrap bin. I wanted to try to use more tones and colours that aren't my favourites.

When I shared the finished top for Separation of Church and State a few weeks ago, I didn't share why it was called that because I didn't know. This was not intended to be some deep philosophical or political statement piece.

As I was playing with the layout, the expression Separation of Church and State just popped into my mind. There hadn't been a discussion with anyone or something on the news. I hadn't even gotten to the word play stage I usually try to come up with a name.

I just looked up at it and it was Separation of Church and State. It was weird. Then I looked at the top again and thought "well, maybe it looks a little like a stained glass window or some of the triangle points look like church steeples." But even I'll admit that it was a stretch.

I did add the line of Essex linen to help make the name work, but that was about it in terms of intentional design in the top to match the name.



The quilting was done with my favourite Aurifil thread (a beige colour #2847), using that great walking foot technique I learned from Healther Lair.

Here are a few close-ups:



Coming back to the story of the name. When I was burying the threads and finishing up the quilt, I was trying to help my son work on his poetry assignment from school, which was to make up three new stanzas for a poem. The poem was actually a prayer and he was losing his mind over it. As I was trying to be patient with him and his over-the-top reaction, I was secretly wishing for a little more separation between church and state.


Sometimes it just takes a while for the reason behind the name to make itself clear, I guess. ;)

Here's a view of the back where you can really see the quilting pattern.


Size: 25" by 30"






14 comments:

  1. This is gorgeous MR! I love, love, love the quilting and the colours and that big white border. It's just beautiful!

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  2. I really enjoyed reading your post MR and your quilt is a delight, gorgeous use of colour and tone and the quilting sets it off perfectly. Such a fab finish - Chris :D

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  3. I love the name - I'm a big science/history geek, so really enjoy it when quilting has a slant like that! Great quilting too x

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  4. This turned out really cool and what awesome quilting!

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  5. This looks fab and the quilting is perfect. And I think if a name comes to you and feels right, it's best just go with it :)

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  6. This is a beautiful piece. Sometimes a quilt just speaks to you and it sounds like this one had a lot to say. I love the name for this mini improv quilt.

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  7. Beautiful quilt and love the quilting!! Thank you for hosting!

    -Soma

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  8. Awesome quilt! The quilting is perfect!

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  9. I wish great quilt titles just popped into my head :) I think it is a lovely quilt and your quilting really shines. Thanks for hosting!

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  10. Beautiful quilt, love the colours, the large white border and thr quilting is amazing.

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  11. It's a great piece. Congrats on the finish.

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  12. Great story, and, as a former English teacher, can totally appreciate both the double entendre you've got in the name of your quilt (LOVE it) as well as the frustration of a teen... I see a pyramid in the lower half of the quilt...it's really cool. :-)

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  13. It's a dramatic quilt...it needed a dramatic name. And you filled the bill, by the way. Your son's assignment really jells it though. I also am an English teacher and agree with Sandra that the name does double duty for the quilt and its story. My favorite (I think) is the quilting. I love the drama of the angles and straight lines. How you get them so even is the really big question!

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  14. What a fun, colorful piece! The quilting really adds to the design. :-)

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