Monday, August 2, 2010

Grandma's Flower Garden


Last year, I saw in various shops flowers, which my grandma used to have in her garden in front of the farmhouse, they lived in. They are called 'Phlox' (Phlox paniculata Hybr.) and 'Bartnelke' (Dianthus barbatus). Every time,I came across them, it reminded me of her. She also had roses and of course other flowers.

We lived near and visited them often. She was a very kind and loving women. My father was the oldest of six, and I was for six years the only grandchild. - Don't ask about beeing spoiled! I was 11, when she died with 64.

As I was thinking of her more often, a moment came to my mind. We were together in the garden and she guided me to a rose and said: 'This rose is called 'Gloria Dei' and I planted it after you were born.' This touched me deeply! In fact, me being born healthy and sane is reason to be thankful, because my mother went ill with polio in her 8th week of pregnancy.

For this quilt I did effects on a picture of a Gloria Dei rose and put my Grandma on it, then printed it on cotton and fixed it with fast-to-fuse. The flowers are hand-sewn with roses printed on cotton. The purple piece on the left is a hand-dyed tumbler-sheet painted with gold. The yellow and green cotton is hand-dyed.

7 comments:

  1. What a lovely tribute to your grandmother. And beautifully executed.

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  2. Heidi, this is so beautiful and so meaningful. What a great memory and honor to your grandmother! She would be so proud...
    I appreciate, too, the many and varied techniques you used in creating this piece.
    An heirloom keepsake for the coming generations.

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  3. Heidi, your hand dyed background fabric is really wonderful. Did it already have this vertical striping or did you stitch those in? Your photo treatment is perfect, vintage but fresh, current. A wonderful tribute to your memories.

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  4. Heidi, that's quite an amazing story and has led to a lovely little quilt. Your grandmom would be so pleaased to see it, I'm sure!
    Sue

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  5. My computer doctor solved the problem about posting comments. Yea, I am so happy.

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  6. Heidi,
    I love the way you have superimposed your Grandmother on the rose. It really ties everything in your story together. It is a lovely piece and is perfect for this challenge.

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  7. Heidi, I know I already left a comment but where is it? I think these computers gang up on us sometimes! The quilt is a lovely remembrance and beautifully done. I like the combination of methods you used. Well done. Helen

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