23 May, 2010

Roots


Roots
May 2010
Approximately Twin Sized
100% cotton, original design

Here it is, aptly named, my Dad's quilt: Roots.  Roots for the garden growth that sustained my Baba and Dido as well as our family.  Roots for the foundation of where we come from. Roots to acknowledge such an important part of our family legacy.  Roots to impart growth the the family as the next generations arrive and thrive.


This was a true family project. My sister and sister-in-law and I pieced together the top, with a few helpful hands from my daughters and husband. Hubby and my brother watched the 6 kids so we could get that done, while my Mom kept the secret and took care of my sister's dog when she was away to get the top done. Then my brother and sister-in-law found the fabric for the back (so much Mark Lipinksi Krakow - how appropriate). They, with their kids, basted the quilt. I quilted it, again with input from Hubby and help from the girls. Here are my brother and I putting the finishing touches on the quilt. Me, the binding, and he, the label. (This picture entertains me so, the surgeon doing hand stitching.)


Here is a broader view of the quilt, off the back deck of my brother's house.  A house my Dad built for them. My Dad is a builder, always has been. He is one of those guys that doesn't know how not to work, so he is always happy to be putting something together. Of late, he's been spending some time with crochet hooks instead of hammer and nail. 

Now, some details. This is part of the flower patch. A 2 inch checkerboard, with free motion quilting. See those little flowers interspersed here and there?

This is the house. Baba and Dido's house was this tiny house that my Dad himself help build, probably back in high school. It was probably less than 500 square feet. It consisted of a sitting room, an eat-in kitchen, one bedroom plus another sleeping area, and an entry/pantry. At some point my Dad added on another room, creating two bedrooms in total. And I still remember, back in the 80s, when the bathroom, and running water, was added.

It was quite a shock to the system to visit the house - we were suburban kids. I hated using the outhouse, and our arrival meant sleeping in stuffy beds, listening to the drinking and yelling of Ukrainian visits. Even to this day, it shows me what one can do in a small house.

On two sides of the house was a boardwalk made of wood. A small forest was on the back side, and a small lawn on the front.  Otherwise the house was surrounded by garden.

No Ukrainian garden would be complete without dill and onions! Each of the veggies in the garden was quilted individually, with some brown, tight stipple in between.  In fact, looking at these close-ups, you will see that each section was quilted individually.  I would say I used at least 20 different threads throughout the quilt. Time-consuming and frustrating at times, but worth it.
The white picket fence that led up to the house was a perfect spot to really personalize the quilt. I practiced my cursive writing and put the family's names on the fence. This frames the yard with the picnic table, complete with a box of drying onions on it.

This Toe-Catcher photo shows the slough/dug out at the front of the property, complete with the little dock where we stood to gather water for the garden. Or where we caught frogs to freak out my Mom.

This is the label for the quilt. My brother is a label star. He found the grain elevator image. It was perfect because both my parents grew up across the street from the grain elevator. He played with the image, adding the town name and the necessary details about the quilt.

And here we are sharing the quilt with Dad, at a family brunch. It was presented with little fuss, but we all spent a lot time pouring over the details. I didn't see any tears from my Dad, but that isn't surprising. He's a gruff, tough man. But he knew what it was right away and definitely appreciated it. I only hope that it keeps him warm for all his upcoming naps on the couch.
(This quilt shared as part of the Spring 2010 Blogger's Quilt Festival.)


73 comments:

Rossie said...

It's amazing! What an awesome gift!

jacquie said...

wow! i don't even know what to say...amazing work by everyone!

tracy_a said...

WOW. That is amazing - what a wonderful quilt and a wonderful story. A true heirloom.

Sandra Schwab said...

What an amazing story and what an amazing quilt. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!

jess said...

This is such inspiring beauty... not only in the details, but the heart and love you all put into it. :)

Anna said...

What a wonderful quilt! And I love the story connected to it; that so many worked on it and that the motifs had such meaning.

Katie B said...

It's an incredible quilt, Cheryl. I love the story behind it. A work of art!

KatieQ said...

Thank you for sharing the final chapter in the creation saga of your incredible quilt. The quilt is stunning, but it is the quilting that elevates it to a level that is remarkable.
Seeing all of the individual details you quilted really makes it come alive.

Dresden Quilter said...

The quilt is beautiful. I love that everyone was able to work on it.

rlbates said...

Absolutely wonderful!

Unknown said...

Amazing Cheryl! The effort and love put into this piece is stunning - I love all the details, and your quilting. Thanks for sharing it with bqf :)

linda said...

Great story. He reminds me of my Father in law. Great quilt!

Molly said...

The love in that quilt must be almost palpable. What an amazing gift!

Cynthia said...

Great design! Love the quilting! Amazing!

Megan said...

A lot of people have already used this word, but it truly is amazing! What a wonderful heirloom for your family. And I love how so many different people had a part in creating it. Stunning!

Cami said...

I am speechless! This is amazing! I love it! What a beautiful quilt and so inspiring.

Me? A Mom? said...

truly a work of art!

Anonymous said...

As wonderful as this quilt is, I love the story even more!

Zonnah said...

I love how everyone worked on it! Now, how to get my husband to help me?

Anonymous said...

Cheryl,
It turned out beautifully. Thank you for sharing this it once again made me weepy.

karen said...

I love how everyone worked on this fabulous quilt! What a treasure.

felicity said...

Well your dad may not have cried, but I sure did. Your beautiful quilt is an inredible labour of love, Cheryl.

Andrea said...

Am I the only one here that shed some tears of overwhelming wow factor? Cheryl, it's incredible. I would hang that in my entry way of my home if I received something like that...it is so special, and I love the way you personalized and intricately quilted all the different pieces of it.
Your husband is a surgeon? Get him on board with quilting...or maybe he can just be your binding sewer ;-)

Live a Colorful Life said...

Cheryl. This is an amazing quilt and story. Thanks for the background and all the wonderful picture!

CitricSugar said...

Simply stunning! As a Saskatchewan girl, this one really touches me. You've captured so much more than a huge part of your family history.

Thanks for sharing! It turned out beautifully.

elle said...

Amazingly Ukranian! I could see it in your story and I can feel it in your quilt. Great job!

BJ said...

Fabulous creation, and so very meaningful. I love the quilting you did on it. You are obviously a very proficient quilt teacher and a creative artist. Thanks so much for sharing. (I'm from Calgary but live in Alaska now, so it is fun to see a wonderful, artistic quilt from AB.)

Jenny said...

Wow, wow. So incredibly beautiful.

Angie Padilla said...

What an amazingly beautiful quilt and touching story. This is truly one of a kind.

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

Cheryl, wow. To you and the Entire Family who made this most gorgeous heirloom: may each occasion to use the precious quilt be filled with even more love. A creation for the ages....

janet said...

What a wonderful story and a wonderful quilt.

Sew Fresh Fabrics said...

Stunning on so many levels. A true treasure. Bravo to all!

Corinnea said...

Well, crap, you made me cry. Like I said before one of the most amazing things I've seen.

Marie said...

I'm speechless, Congratulations

Kriza said...

this is the best quilt and best story I have read so far in this year's BQF - stunning! congratulations!
Kristina

Frogdancer said...

That's an awesome effort. In every sense of the word.

RosaMaría said...

that is amazing! i love the story!

dolores said...

Ah...I have been waiting for the end of this tale and it was well worth waiting for....what a wonderful tale and a wonderful family and heirloom.
~Peace

O'Quilts said...

This is the best kind of quilt. I am very impressed.

A Garden of Threads said...

What a wonderful gift for your Dad, I am sure he loves it. Stunning!

Aimée said...

Um, wow, Cheryl. I didn't even know *they* made quilts like this.
You are talented, lady.

Every detail is so personal and beautiful. I would have to say I am partial to the dill & onions, being a foodie and all!

It's an amazing tribute to you (our!) history, culture and country.

I hope you're very proud.

Vicki said...

I love this quilt! Thanks so much for sharing all the stories about it. It's beautiful.

Roving Lemon said...

What an amazing, beautiful, thoughtful piece of work. I loved reading the stories and seeing all the intricate details. Truly something to be proud of (you) and to cherish (your dad).

Angie said...

This is just so great. Wonderful gift.

Shawn said...

Love your quilt and story, so creative and beautiful!

Esch House Quilts said...

What a lovely gift! You and your family have created a true family treasure!

Victoria said...

Wow, Cheryl, this brings tears to my eyes... I have never come close to making such a meaningful work of art. What a labor of love, and what a tribute to your wonderful family. Beautiful. xo

Jennifer said...

This is what quilting is all about! The work, the love, the extra helping hands... what a treasure!

Jennifer :)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!! You should be very proud.

ilovebabyquilts said...

Love the dill and onions!

XUE said...

Beautiful quilt & wonderful post. Made me emotional reading this. Thank you for sharing all the little stories here.

Elizabeth Cranmer said...

GORGEOUS!!!! Amazing! this is simply beautiful and genius!

You are such a talent!!!

Oh you've inspired me to start a long time scene quilt that I've always wanted to do for my parents. THANKYOU!!!!

Tong said...

Amazing quilt, and such a sweet post too! The house and all the veggies are adorable!!

Kris said...

Oh Cheryl, it came out beautifully! You must be so happy!

dillpickle said...

What an amazing quilt! Thank you for sharing with us the process of making it, and thanks for sharing how much more it is to your family than just another quilt.

Marit said...

What a fantastic, storytelling quilt. I am sure this must warm your dad's hart and soul! Thank you for sharing your unique creation

Unknown said...

LOVE it Cheryl~ you are amazingly talented.

Anonymous said...

What a literal treasure. I love the flower garden!

Susan Michele said...

Oh my gosh! This is so awesome! I love, love, love it!

Amanda Jean said...

holy moly, woman. you had a vision and ran with it! the attention to detail is amazing. so impressive. i loved reading your write up on it, too. no wonder your machine is acting up after all that quilting! (sorry, i shouldn't poke fun at such a serious matter.)

erin lebeau said...

my first thought when i saw the pic was ooo! garden quilt--i wanna make one! but then reading the story i see its so much more than that --really touching story & truly unbelievable quilt!! http://shonastudio.blogspot.com/

SewCalGal said...

What a wonderful home you build, with every stitch. Lovely quilt, lovely store. Inspirational. A story that needs to be shared!

SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

Quilter In Paradise said...

oh my, your story of the background of the quilt and how you and your family all pitched in to make it brought tears to my eyes.
It is just an amazing quilt!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Beth in Dallas

Anonymous said...

I don't think I ever commented on this, which is totally remiss of me! You've done such and incredible job on this and it's lovely to hear about the team effort behind it! I hope it keeps your Dad warm for many years to come!

Michelle said...

What an awesome story to go with such an impressive quilt. So wonderful that all of your family worked on the quilt. The details you put into the quilt to tell the story of your roots are just delightful.

Miri said...

A truly wonderful quilt and a wonderful tribute to your Dad and all your family. Love that everyone chipped in to help. The quilting is delightful! Terrific Spring to Finish finish!

Samantha said...

Oh, Cheryl, this is the most amazing project ever. EVER.

sulu-design said...

Cheryl, I love ever single thing about this quilt: the image, the fabric, the quilting, the family involvement, the whole story behind it. It is truly a treasure.

nanann said...

Awesome quilt. Such a story in every stitch. And so awesome that it came from all.

Laurel H. said...

This is just an amazing quilt; beautifully executed, and with an incredible story behind it. Thanks for sharing!

Anne at Film and Thread said...

What a great story to go with a fabulous quilt. I love how your family was all involved. The label is so fantastic, too.

Amy said...

Very nice,what a family project.I am sure it will be treasured.Thanks for sharing,Amy

savvy stitch said...

What an INCREDIBLE quilt! I love that the whole family worked together to complete it--very cool.