Crazy Little Conversations

Crazy Little Conversations In The Attic ~ 39" X 57" ~ 1998

Nancy, who blogs near Philadelphia, posted yesterday about some spider web blocks, entitling this clever entry: "Thinking of Wilbur".  I left a comment stating that I had a quilt with the words "Some Pig" quilted into a spiderweb. Her response: "I’d like to see that there Some Pig quilt of yours", prompted today's post.  This quilt is seventeen years old, it's a visual interpretation of word-play run amok! The title comes from CRAZY-patch construction of LITTLE CONVERSATION printS IN THE ATTIC windows setting.  Once the blocks were constructed I thought about literal conversations that might be had in an attic (reminiscent of the old $25,000 Pyramid game show... "things that might be said in an attic!") and added my own: "was I ever able to fit into this?", "what are we saving this for?", "you used to wear this?", "it has to be  up here somewhere", and "last one down turns out the light!" are all found in appliqued thought bubbles within the blocks.

Elaborating on the attic theme saw the raising of the "roof" to incorporate an actual attic space complete with a pair of mice; who happen to be playing, of course, (what else?) Cra-Z 8's!

I imagined there to be spiders in my attic, spiderweb quilting (by hand!) became the obvious choice. You can make out the words "some pig" just below the light bulb in this photo detail.

And there she is, the author of those words, Charlotte herself!

I'm grateful to Nancy for her recent thoughts of Wilbur, because of them (and her e-mail request) I was reunited with an old friend today... she's still looking pretty good after all these years and has reminded me of all the fun that quilting is, and always has been!

Life is Good!

Was It Something I Said?

My mother called to tell me a joke the other night; it was about a nun who took a vow of silence at the convent she joined, she was promised that she could speak two words after five years. When five years had passed she was called into the office and asked if she had two words to commincate : "hard bed" was her response. Upon hearing that she was assured that her comfort would be taken into account and attended to; she was dismissed for five more years. Five more years went by and, again, she was called into the office; this time "cold food" were her two words. She was sent away with more reassurance that her meals would be more to her liking. Ultimately, five more years passed and the office scenario was replayed; this time "I quit" were the nun's two words. "Well, I think that would be best" came the response from her superior, "all you've done since you arrived here is complain!" I liked the joke, it has stayed with me yesterday. I've thought about this and at the risk of over-analyzing what was meant to be a cute joke I began to think about how what we say, regardless of how often we say it, becomes a definition of who we are. If we use many, or just a few, our words (like it or not) become reflections of our personalities. I, for one, am going to pay closer attention to the words I use today and think, deliberately, of how they might be heard and interpreted!

Life is Good!