Tuesday, March 5, 2024

The Value of Birds

 

The Value of Birds
a coinpurse shaped like a bird, with velcro closure, approx 4" across

For this week's challenge, we were meant to create something 'wearable', and apparently bags and pouches qualify!  I found a little pattern for this bird wallet to be made by lacing leather together, but I adjusted it for my supplies.  I used fabric and a very stiff fusible interfacing.  There is a button eye and a bit of velcro holding the wing flap down. 

Its lined, and fully functionally as a coin purse:


Birds are a valuable member of our ecosystems all over the world in their capacity as insect eaters, and seed spreaders.  They also provide food for other creatures. Let's take care that our feathered friends don't become further endangered. 

Peace, 
Paula  


Friday, February 23, 2024

Running out of Time

                                        Running out of Time

11.5" x 15",  Quilting cotton, Machine applique, Machine quilted,
Hand embroidered

Completed Feb 26, 2024 for Project Quilting 15.4: Hourglass challenge

Continuing my personal theme of "birds" for this season of Project Quilting, I've done some research on the number of endangered bird species due to climate change and human destruction of bird habitat.  According to the IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) 

"There are over 10,000 species of birds on the planet, from the largest hawks and vultures to the smallest finches and hummingbirds. Unfortunately, many of them are on the brink of extinction. As climate change and human activity impacts wildlife around the world, it is important that we work to mitigate threats like deforestation and climate change and protect these endangered birds."

For this project, I created small colorful birds and also black birds representing those species we have already lost.  The birds are fused into the hourglass shape, then embroidered to add details.   I quilted the background before adding the hourglass, which is machine raw-edge appliqued. 



Friday, January 12, 2024

Protecting bluebirds

 

Houses on the lake

9”x6”. Paper pieced, hand embroidered, machine quilted.  Hand dyed cottons

Completed for Project Quilting 15.1 challenge: birdhouse 


On a recent walk around the Orange Reservoir we saw a row of birdhouses facing East, built in the lake  like this:



    A bit of research revealed that local bluebirds are endangered by more aggressive species like swallows and sparrows.  To protect bluebird nests the conservancy built these specifically for bluebirds.  Here is a picture a neighbor compiled showing baby birds in residence.   



After paper piecing these tiny houses (2”).  I added the posts and then quilted it to look like water.  

Finally i embroidered small bluebirds on this small piece  


Peace 

Paula 



Friday, March 17, 2023

Yikes! Swimsuits

 

 Swimsuits! 

6" x 7"   March 17, 2023
paper piecing, couched cord, machine quilting
in response to Project Quilting 14.6:  Conquer a Fear



This is a tongue-in-cheek response to my, and most women's, fear of trying on swimsuits in preparation for warm weather.  

I found an online pieced swimsuit pattern, on the list of free patterns from Moda.  It was traditional piecing, which I translated to foundation piecing because I prefer it.  I also have a challenge from my Stitch Lab at Gotham Quilts to create something using couching, so I made it look like these swimsuits were hanging on a clothesline. 

Thanks to Kim and Trish at Project Quilting for a fun season of challenges! 

Sunday, March 5, 2023

The Girls of Revolution Street


 Remembering Mahsa Amini and The Girls of Revolution Street

8" x 9" March 5, 2023
Fusible applique, machine quilting, faced
in response to Project Quilting 14.5: Not a Square


I machine quilted this small portrait with a few wisps of hair escaping the hijab; showing the sort of small infraction committed by women which can result in charges and even death. 













In September 2022 Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman was detained by the morality police in Tehran for not wearing her hijab properly.  She was beaten and died in custody.  She is one in a decade's long history of women of Revolution Street (Not a Square ;) protesting the requirement to wear hijab in Iran and other countries. 

"All over the world and throughout history, a woman's body has been the playground of various ideologies and identity politics, and a strict dress code for women has always been a strategy to uphold these political identities.
-Alma Fazeli"
To read the entire essay, click HERE


Women and men all around the world protest laws that use religious 'values' to deny women bodily autonomy.  This is a problem everywhere, not just in Muslim countries.  Women (or men, or any gender!) who CHOSE to wear hijab or any other dress style should have the right, autonomy, privilege of doing so.     

Peace, 
Paula 
  

Sunday, February 5, 2023

I am a curvy woman

 


Fighting 36-24-36
9" x 9"  February 5, 2023, for Project Quilting: "54-40 or fight" challenge 14.3
hand embroidered, machine quilted


This week's challenge is to interpret this traditional block as explained in this post by Trish Frankland and Kim Lapacek   This is a basic 54-40 or fight block:
I was inspired by the concept of fighting against numbers and know that I've been fighting against the ideal female hourglass form for many years. Even when I was younger I didn't think I had the 'right' shape, and lament now, looking back at photos from those years, that I didn't have good body image.  (oy, what was I thinking?)

So here I am, well past 'middle aged', a woman with an AARP card, and recently struggled with dating again after a long marriage.  My youthful body spent. 

So I'm taking up arms, figuratively, against the tyranny of numbers that we cannot achieve.  I'll never be those measurements again, I'll never weigh those numbers again, I'll never be that age again.  I. am. a. curvy. woman. 

peace, 
Paula 

ps - I'm happy to report I've found a partner who embraces, literally, ALL my curves. 







Saturday, January 21, 2023

Pink Tax

Pink Tax
8" x 5", January 21, 2023, for Project Quilting: "Pink Tint" challenge 14.2
machine stitched 'shirt fronts, hand embroidered price tags, tiny buttons, machine quilted


This is my response to the Project Quilting prompt: Pink:  The Pink Tax - "an adorable name for an insidious practice" - is the concept that some items are more expensive when they are gendered for women, such as shampoo, clothing, laundry services, toys. 

I created the front placket for the two halves, then stitched down the 3 pastel tiny buttons in pink and blue.

I found prices for a man's pink shirt and also a woman's pink shirt on a department store website, then embroidered the different prices on tags, and attached them to the tiny buttons, such as you might find on a real shirt. 
The machine quilting says:  "why is this shirt less than this shirt?  Pink Tax" - done with a variegated pink thread. 


The Pink Tax does not speak to all the items of toiletries and clothing which women purchase and men don't 'need' - that's a whole other problem.  This is a quantitative comparison of like to like products, which are more expensive when female gendered.  There are many shampoos and soaps that are packaged for women, and more expensive.  Blue jeans are more expensive in women's sizes.  But perhaps the most obvious is a dry cleaning or laundry service that charges more for women's shirts over men's shirts.  

Here are a few articles on the Pink Tax for further reasearch: 




I don't need pink calculators or disposable razors.  You'll find neutral colored items in my shopping cart. 

Peace
Paula