Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Trip Around the World

This post is for Lily (human Aussie blogger Lily, not my cat), who asked what I do with my evil eye protection charms. They are up all over my walls. Some of them are much larger then you might expect. This Trip Around the World, aka Sunshine and Shadow, quilt hangs on the wall near my front door. The quilt is 45" square made up of 1.5" blocks.

It's one of my favorite quilts, made between May 1995 and April 1996. I think the colors and fabric all work. I love how the multicolor fabric gives me purple blocks in one spot and turquoise in another. Everytime I look at it I think, why am I not making another one of these? I guess if I wanted it to look even more Amishy I'd have put a really wide border on it, but I think it works without it.

This is the quilt that I learned what "easing" means, or rather doesn't mean. I was stretching and pulling my fabric to make it fit. D'oh. That is NOT easing. I managed to get it to work anyway and I have a nice chunk of leftovers in my orphan quilt, which I really will work on again one of these days.

Here's a detail. I just quilted Xs in each of the blocks with standard quilting thread.

I tried to get a good shot of my hallway, but it's just too dark. Still, you can see my quilt and some of my charms.

And here's the eye-in-the-hand-in-the-eye good luck piece that hangs next to the quilt. It's made out of faience: earthenware decorated with opaque colored glazes. This is a technique that goes back to the time of the pharohs. They made little blue hippos and things tho, not stuff like this.

Thanks for the lovely compliments about the darling baby Pokey pic from yesterday. She is my sweetheart. And in general, thanks for the comments. I love reading them. Ya'all have a good day.

11 comments:

Cher said...

I love seeing how you have this quilt displayed and the great collection of "eyes" displayed.
what a great trip around the world quilt...the colors are some of my favorites-but they work so well togther..you truly have a good eye for color combinations Tonya.

Quiltgranny said...

Love them all!

Finn said...

Another great quilt Ton ! I am curious, was this one quilted without a hoop...can't remember if you said whether or not you ever "hoop"quilted or not.

It is stunnning in it's color selection. Looking at the close up I'd never have guessed you used prints that were that large or bold. Really, really a neat quilt!

And of course, goes without saying how I feel about the "eye" thingys...*VBS* The eye in the hand must be 4 or 5"...wow!

I just watched Hildago yesterday afternoon...love the Saraha setting, sand in everything..walking across Egypt..ya!

Cathi said...

Here is a little known fact you probably don't want to know about me, LOL, but after my trip through Turkey, Israel and Egypt, seeing those hand of god and evil eye motifs, I got one tatooed, yup that is right, tatooed on my ankle. It has the hand, evil eye, Christian fish symbol, and star of David...and bird of peace motif... my symbolic way of remembering my trip and hoping for peace in the region... I got that done Christmas Eve 1993 by a Coptic Christian woman whose apartment was actually ON the old walls of Jerusalem! I had a pretty amazing trip...pretty life changing!

Anyway...this is my long way of saying I'm drawn to those symbols too...

Carolyn said...

Hi Tonya!
Thank you for visiting and commenting on my blog!
Your work is beautiful... the colors of the quilt in this post really knocked me out... I am in love with blues and fuschia and purple.

I thought I might pass along the site of another wonderful fabric artist: http://www.creativechick.com
You'll find some real eye-candy there!

Wishing you the best,
Carolyn

Anonymous said...

One of my favourite patterns! I love the way the multicoloured fabrics make the whole think kinda sparkly :-)

Quilts And Pieces said...

Ohhh that quilt so works! I love how the fabrics blend and don't blend - almost like the blooming 9-patch quilts. But these fabrics work so well together!

And your eyes just crack me up - they are sooo cool, but I just would never think of hanging good luck charm eyes on my wall! I love it (and them)!

Darcie said...

It's been so fun to see and hear about all of your cool Egyptian pieces. You will share Paris with us to, right?

Your Trip Around the World quilt is such eye candy! Those colors! So brilliant and dramatic.

Holly said...

Your TATW is striking. I love the blues. I like the souvenirs you have collected during your stay. Before Egypt, did you live anywhere else outside the U.S.?

Lily Mulholland said...

I feel very special and very honoured by this post!

Wow, I didn't realise how big some of the charms are. What will you do with them in gay Pareeee?

I am still chuckling at your easing comment. I learnt through doing my cushion (which is now complete) what happens to your fabric if you don't have a good pressing technique!!!! Especially if you're working with patterned fabric!!

Love your eye candy. It's amazing how the same fabric can look so different when you change the context.

Thanks Tonya!

Unknown said...

Your trip around the world is beautiful I love all the colors....Hugs Tina