Right before Market, I quilted a sweet little thing for Scott Hansen at Blue Nickel Studios. This quilt is made from the new solids American Made Brand from Clothworks. Scott wanted something simple and linear that wouldn’t compete with the fabric or the design, an abstract American flag. We brainstormed a few ideas, and settled on the idea of a road map. What is more perfect and simple than the lines on a map? Loved this collaboration!!
The lines themselves are in “mushroom” So fine by Superior, and the compass rose is in several layers of “military gold” Glide by Fil-Tec.
When it’s washed, this will really give the feel of a map worn with age, crinkled by being stuffed into someone’s glovebox, the ink smudged a bit where it got wet in the rain searching for where to go.
This Memorial Day, with our soldiers still overseas and our veterans here at home, I can’t help but think of these roads that connect all of us, spiritually and physically, and how travel between the states in this gigantic nation of ours really defines our national spirit. We may not all follow the same religion (or any religion), we may not agree on our politics, but we do know that the freedom often is often protected by a few.
If you want to do this on your own quilt, think about the north/south and east/west main arteries (wouldn’t they look cool in red?) Look at a map and see how a town or city looks, with its loops of interstate that circle it. Think about open spaces and tighter packed urban areas. Then don’t worry about backtracking and making it wobbly. Most big interstates have an old road running alongside it for some distance, the precursor to the interstate system. And have fun! If you do make a map with your quilting, please share!
Love this!