You Are My Sunshine

A very simplistic definition of quiltmaking is cutting fabrics into different shapes and stitching layers of material together. Of course the reality of making a quilt is much more complex. Often the maker has a vision of the final product when they begin — whether following a pattern or creating improvisationally, there is an idea of what the quilt will become. Achieving the design involves several important steps beginning with fabric selection that, regardless of method (i.e. purchasing specific fabric for a quilt vs. using scraps/repurposed pieces), always involves deliberate decisions. Next up, the selected fabrics are cut into pieces that are then sewn into blocks or segments. These pieces are all stitched together and transformed into a whole quilt top. I should also mention that there is constant ironing occurring throughout all of the previous steps. Once the quilt top is complete, it is placed atop a layer of batting and backing and then basted together, essentially all layers are tacked together and arguably not the most fun step. This fabric sandwich is then stitched together through the actual act of quilting, either by hand or machine. Lastly, the quilt is finished with a binding that encases the raw edges of the blanket. And now you can exhale because finally this quilt is ready to go out there and live its best quilty life. Not so simple, eh?

Will you believe me when I say that my latest quilt skipped some of the above steps? Let me share how I unintentionally streamlined the standard process. First and foremost, this quilt is made entirely out of a bag of batik scraps leftover from previous large scale (i.e. twin to full size) projects eliminating the need to choose fabrics. Next, I made the deliberate choice to let the scraps shine; instead of making the scrap pieces into a design, I let the scraps be the design. This means that each piece you see in this quilt is the original size and shape of the scrap. Huzzah, bye bye cutting!

The construction of this quilt was similar to a log cabin design where you start with one central piece and build out from the center. From the original center piece, I worked clockwise adding fabric to the top and around in a circular manner throughout. And I might add, sewing the rows while creating the top. My design choices were based upon what scraps fit into the next space. I did not fret over the upcoming row; I worked on what was in front of me at that moment with the scraps available to me. There was no fussing or rearranging, no picture texts to quilting friends for validation. Whatever scrap fit, that is where it landed in the composition. See ya, strategic quilt planning and rumination on layout steps!

For the quilters here, although the process was streamlined, all of the other crucial steps followed the standard procedure. The quilt was ironed a million times, especially given all of the seams. It was basted with safety pins, which although I grumble about, is my preferred method of basting. When it came to the actual quilting, I decided that a simple finish was best given the bevy of dynamic fabrics here. I happened upon a solid color fabric in the exact size needed for the back (kismet!), and the machine quilting echoes the shapes of the blocks on the front. Feeling slightly more skilled at machine quilting, I decided to be brave and used a lighter color thread for the stitches so the design stands out against the blue. When it came to binding, I found a leftover from a previous quilt and would you believe that, once again, I had the exact amount needed. Incredible!

While constructing this quilt, I was completely absorbed and totally present. There was no music filling the air, no worries about what type or amount of precipitation was falling outside of the window. Working on this quilt allowed me to shut off the regular concerns that course through my noggin. It is not uncommon to hear makers say that their craft is therapeutic, and no doubt I’ve said the same countless times. This time what I needed was the ability to be still for awhile and let the quilt progress in an organic way. So, thank you quilt for turning off the old hamster wheel of thoughts. Also an interesting lesson emerged here and that is just how amazing it is when things simply work themselves out. Everything in this quilt is a leftover and I was pleasantly shocked that there was literally exactly enough of what I needed to create this beauty. Hmmm, I’m sensing this has some other implications in my life… An alternative name for this quilt is “Let it Be”.

By now you may be puzzling over the sentence in the prior paragraph where I divulge that no music was listened to during this project. Um, isn’t the whole point of this blog that quilts are made to music? Great attention to detail, dear readers! The thing is that even if I listened to a million songs, there could only be one name for this quilt. This quilt was made for my beloved friend Julie and “You are my Sunshine” is OUR song. Life tip: find yourself friends who still call you back even after you sing terrible renditions of songs on their voicemail. I don’t remember how, or why, we started to sing this song’s chorus to one another, but it happened early in our friendship and remains almost 20 years later. Oh yeah, we even duetted this song in public at a very memorable karaoke. The song “You are my Sunshine” was originally written and performed in 1940 by Jimmie Davis and is one of the official Louisiana state songs because Mr. Davis was also a two-term governor. This song has been covered hundreds of time, including our singular karaoke performance.

It seems like there are two definitive camps on cover songs — you either love ’em or hate ’em. I am pro-cover and a complete mush for an excellent song, so long as the artists put their own spin on the original. I want to hear the musician’s take on the song, not an identical version, please and thank you. Off the top of my head, here’s a smattering of cover songs I love: Gillian Welch covering Radiohead’s “Blackstar”, Andrew Duhon covering Gillian Welch’s “Look at Miss Ohio”, Bonerama playing Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android”, Jon Cleary singing The Meters “Just Kissed my Baby”, Sturgill Simpson’s version of Nirvana’s “In Bloom”, Chris Cornell singing John Lennon’s “Imagine” and Kermit Ruffins’s rendition of The Meters “They All Asked for You.” Oh and this amazing cover of Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” with a musical saw (!) I seek for my music collection. (Should anyone know where I can find this gem, please share and win forever gratitude points.) Johnny Cash played some amazing and unforgettable covers, including an excellent version of “You are my Sunshine”. The calliope on the riverboat Natchez in New Orleans also does an excellent rendition of this tune. However, thanks to the good old internet, my new favorite cover of this song is by Morgen and Chris Stapleton and it is simply gorgeous.

Every quilt I make is a story with a full plot. This blog is about each quilt: the who, what, when, where, why and how. The more quilts I make, the more I realize that the storyline of each quilt is important and, like all good series, it varies from project to project. For this quilt, I inadvertently eliminated steps of the quiltmaking process based on what was available and how I utilized the design process. Even though there are, let’s say plot twists with every quilt, the why is always the same. The why I make is because quilts are awesome and provide unconditional love.

Ode to Julie

I am so fortunate to have met you in the cubicle farm,
Under the hideous fluorescent lights that cause eyeball harm.
From the minute we met, I knew we would be pals, 
Twenty years later, here we are -- best gals. 
Oops, I think OUR song is actually a sad tune,
Nah folks, it is only the chorus that we croon.
Being in your orbit is such a treat, 
You really are the most sweet.
You make me happy when skies are gray,
And also under the sun's rays.
Now you have a quilt to keep you cozy,
Until your cheeks turn nice and rosy.