Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Modern quilt contest

The project on my sewing table is something I've had in the works for a few years. I recently saw the contest that The Modern Quilt Guild has going on. It challenges us to create a quilt from a picture. The deadline is TODAY! Luckily, I have, not only the pictures that I've used for my inspiration, but I also had the quilt started... all the fabric bought, and cut out since last Spring. This contest is the perfect motivation for me to finish it. Unfortunately, I've also had a lot of other quilts that I needed to get done by certain deadlines, so I'm not sure this will get done today. Wish me luck!

Here's the picture of the inspiration. It's tile work from the New Orleans International Airport. Until my dad passed away 2 1/2 years ago, my family has lived in New Orleans or Baton Rouge for 40+ years. About a year ago, my mom moved from New Orleans to Dallas to be closer to my brother and her sister. This pictures was taken on our very last visit to New Orleans, in June of 2009. The kids and I flew there to help my mom pack up all of her house. Because of Katrina, there wasn't as much of it as there would have been. My parent's house had about 2-3 feet of water sitting in it for weeks, and almost everything was ruined. But that's another story.

This last trip was very bittersweet for me. This very airport terminal was the sight of a horrendous exodus, as people fled from the storm and its aftermath. In older parts of the terminal tiles are missing, broken, and a bit neglected, kind of like the city and the people of New Orleans, and the Gulf Coast, following Katrina and the BP oil spill. But I managed to snap this picture in a newer part of the terminal right before our own final flight away from New Orleans. It makes me so sad to no longer have family there, but I do have some friends still there, and hope to some day return. Until then, I DO know what it means to miss New Orleans. This quilt will remind me of the joyous city and place that I called home for many years.... Here it is in progress. Wish me luck. I'll try to post a picture of it finished as soon as it is!

PS It's Tuesday, and I'm linking up with Quilt Story's "Fabric Tuesday"! Take a look over there at the other wonderful fabric projects others are working on!

9 comments:

Susan said...

Wishing you luck from Los Angeles!
Thank you for the story behind the quilt..think you're going to make Quiltstory again. :)

Elizabeth Dackson said...

Wow, good luck with this one! I'm excited to see how it turns out, I really hope you finish it up. And I agree with Susan, I smell a QuiltStory feature for you... :)

AnneMarie said...

Wow - really cool! Can't wait to see how it comes along..

Annie said...

I absolutely love your photo choice! I can't wait to see the finished quilt! It will be great!

Becky said...

Thanks! I didn't quite finish it in time for the contest, but got most of it done, and am really happy with it!

felicity said...

I agree with Annie - what a terrific inspiration photo. I love your progress so far, and I look forward to seeing it completed.

Naturally Carol said...

That is a very touching story. I hope the process of making this quilt helps you to make some sense of it all. I think you should share pictures of the quilt with people in New Orleans somehow when it is made. All the best with progress on it.

Quiltstory said...

Love your inspiration and that will be such a special quilt! Good luck on finishing it soon...but no matter when you finish it will be a great quilt for you. Love it. Thanks for linking :)

monika@mysweetprairie.ca said...

Omg that is awesome! I cant get
over that tile! Nice find. The quit is terrific!