Oftentimes it is good to step back, reflect and ask yourself why. As a child, I was always encouraged to ask questions/seek answers and it is still part of my nature to do both. Curiosity is important! When you’re committed to a time-intensive craft such as quilting, it is my practice to have frequent self-check ups. I continually ask myself why quilts and the answer is always the same: quilts equal comfort. The end result of my effort is the actual blanket (or wall hanging) which provides care and warmth. The whole process of making quilts fills my proverbial bucket with joy. So there is this feedback loop of care that forms here in quilting; you have the love of the craft and the quilt that spreads love and comfort.
Comfort is an important part of my life mantra and my foundation, not just in a sweatpants and mac-n-cheese kind of way. Although I do adore both, comfort is so much more than elastic waistbands and cozy food. Comfort is all about taking extra good care of myself and others. It is eating and sleeping well. It is yoga and breathing techniques. It is about blankets, clothes that fit my body and shoes that don’t give blisters. It is about having a home that is both calming and rejuvenating. It is having a library of music and books that make me feel good. Comfort is also about surrounding myself with nature and good people. My version of comfort involves mindfulness and an appreciation for the simple pleasures in life. I never underestimate the profound power of comfort, especially as it relates to my health. Being a person with health challenges and an autoimmune disease, the ability to comfort myself has benefited me more than any other intervention. On my tougher days, knowing how I can feel comforted, even in a modest way, is a superpower. And quilts play an outsize role in my comfort.
This quilt will be gifted to a friend who has a favorite beach on the Oregon Coast that provides her with comfort. For those familiar with the dramatic scenery of the Oregon Coast, this particular beach is more dunes than cliffs. To begin, I wanted a color palette specific to that place using fabrics available at home. I’ve written before about how when I “limit” my fabric decisions to what I already own, I expand creatively. Although these fabrics pair well together, I don’t imagine that I would have selected them together at a shop. With the design, I desired something a bit traditional and originally this was intended to be a double nine patch pattern. However, there was too much negative space in the design for my tastes. Instead I smooshed (that’s my technical term!) the blocks together, stepped back from design wall and felt that instant dopamine hit when a pattern works out well. I really love how calm the colors are (especially the lighter one that evokes a sunrise/sunset) and the whole time I worked on this quilt, I could feel the ocean, hear the seagulls, and smell the salty air. I may have started craving clam chowder too. This quilt makes me feel like I’m standing on that exact beach.
Many of you know that I have eclectic taste in music. There is so much awesome stuff out there! One of my personal entertainments is hitting shuffle on my digital library and seeing what comes up. I liken listening to songs versus an album the difference between reading a magazine and a book. While piecing this quilt, two different Brandi Carlile songs popped up and reminded me of how I was introduced to her music – through her autobiography. Yes folks, I had never heard a Brandi Carlile song before I read her 336 page memoir Broken Horses. (In my defense, the rock under which is live is quite cozy.) In 2021, I read a glowing review of her book and thought, “I’d like to read that”. I wound up reading the entire book over a weekend camping trip that was more indoors than originally planned. I tore through the book, laughed out loud countless times, read passages to my beloved, shed a few tears and was just like, okay, now I gotta listen to her music. Her book details her grit and her incredible sense of humor, especially the story about her two favorite childhood things: tomatoes and Rainbow Bright. By the end of the book, I wanted to hang out with Brandi and family around a campfire and swap tales. It was a very interesting way to learn about an artist.
I am also sentimental about this particular camping trip because it was a favorite area where we found comfort, and cooler weather, in the summer. A spot where we hugged massive old growth cedars, foraged for huckleberries and chanterelle mushrooms, trekked to vistas of Mount Rainier, Adams and St. Helens and submerged our feet in cold, clear rivers. The last time we passed by the road was still closed due to extensive damage from a massive fire in 2022. Sigh. Reading Brandi’s book, especially her love of the Pacific Northwest where she was raised and still lives, in that spot was perfect. There are some things in life that are timed just right and this book happens to be one of those moments.
After reading her book, I got a couple of albums and yeah, I totally understand why she is so popular. The albums are not on regular rotation at home, but every time I listen to them I am reminded of her talent. Her songwriting is beautiful, especially the love songs to her family and wife. And damn, that woman can hit some notes! I think it is fantastic that her talent is recognized and she deserves all of her commercial success. My favorite song off the two albums in my library is Every Time I Hear That Song. The lyrics are about memories and forgiveness and it is, in my opinion, profound. It is so relatable because we all have songs that trigger specific feelings and time travel to the past. (The song is also a smidge on the sad side, so while this post is named after the song, the quilt is named after the beach.)
Since comfort is probably my top priority in life, I am fortunate that my craft can spread comfort to others. I view comfort as essential and something to strive for. It is less glamorous than the pursuit of happiness, but no less important. I believe that if we provide comfort and care to ourselves, those close to us and to strangers, we can make positive progress in the world.
Albums referenced: Brandi Carlile The Firewatcher’s Daughter and By the Way, I Forgive You.
Quiltunes 