Text on quilts has interested me for a long time...I think perhaps because I am always drawn to layers of meaning and stories.
About fifteen years ago I started my cowboy quilt. Somewhere along the way I decided to put part of the text of Cole Porter's song "Don't Fence Me In," on the back.
Once again, I've begun to stitch text. This time fragments of letters and notes written to me from friends and family. I will be covering a "Sunbonnet Sue" quilt that my mother made for me when I was nine or ten. The fabric for the dolls either came from family or from clothing that Mom made for me. The words add to the story, add layers of understanding, and certainly of love.
I've started with a couple sentences from a letter my grandfather wrote to me when I was four. "The tomatoes in the garden at the ranch are starting to turn red and I miss having you here to help me pick them."
I'm glad I didn't rush into mending this quilt too quickly... And because I can't help myself:
Friends?