Turning 3 common building blocks into Chaos

 

Chaos

 mini quilt  9" x 10"  February 9, 2025 

For Project Quilting 16.3: 3 Common Blocks 

For this week's challenge, we were encouraged to work with 3 common quilt blocks, the foundation of our craft. For example a 9-patch, or an Ohio Star, or Log Cabin, any 3 blocks. However, my mind is full of the chaos in the 3 branches of the US Government in the 3 years weeks since the inauguration of #47.    

I knew about a common block called Courthouse Steps, a log cabin variant, that could represent the judicial system.  Then I did a search for blocks that could represent the executive and legislative branches of government.  Using the very useful treasure that is the Quilter's Cache online source for quilt blocks, I used the alphabetical list to find Road to the Whitehouse and Rotunda.  

I drafted each one so they would be about the same size, and use the same size strips.

 

Then I made the 3 blocks in analogous colors of blue, teal and green:

I thought I would use the method for disappearing 9-patch, which cuts a 9-patch into quarters and creates a new block by rotating the pieces and sewing back together, but after cutting the Rotunda block this way, my possible cuts on the White House block was looking much too controlled.  So I made random diagonal cuts on the White House and Courthouse blocks.  Then randomly sewed them together to get the mini quilt in the top photo. 

Finally, I cut a long 1/2" strip of red, and trimmed the end to look like the tie of #47.  This long red tie is often used in editorial cartoons and other images to represent him. 

Rather than square this up, I trimmed it all at these odd angles, further representing the 'not business as usual' moment we are in.  

What a mess. I'm exhausted by the pace of the disruption in all branches of government, which is the point.  And we haven't seen the worst of it I'm afraid.  Luckily there is some small pushback by some legislators and some judges, but I'm not sure it will hold.  I hope it does. 

Take care of yourself and your family.  Watch out for your vulnerable neighbors. We are going to need each other. 

Peace, 

Paula 

Greetings from the White House

 

"Greetings from the White House"  Fabric Postcard  6" x 4.2",  Hand embroidery,  fusible applique, machine quilted.   Created for Project Quilting Season 12 challenge "Fussy Cut"  

The challenge this week is "Fussy Cut",  which in quilting means to carefully cut fabric so that a particular motif is centered in part of a block.    Here is a traditional sample:

Another version of fussy cut is to carefully cut around an image to applique it onto another piece of fabric, a technique called "broderie perse".  

I started this challenge on January 17th, just 3 days before the inauguration of  Joe Biden as our 46th president, I knew that I wanted to CUT the current occupant OUT of the White House. 

So I started with an embroidery of the White House: 

(and yes, for those who know me well, there are 2 shades of gray floss because I started with a small bit of gray and ran out!) 

Next I found a clip art image of a man falling, and redrew it to look like 45,  cut him out as a black silouette then placed him on his signature ridiculous hair. 

I placed him at the base of the White House, as if he was falling or being kicked out.  

I used Steam-a-Seam II fusible, which is slightly sticky before it is ironed down, allowing for rearranging these elements during design phase. 

Since I plan to make a series of these "Greetings from..." postcards, I printed the words in various fonts using Spoonflower services. 

The dark blue shapes are there to provide value contrast for the letters "The White House".

I've also fussy cut a US Flag from this piece of fabric. 
The flag is a little too large, but its what I had on hand. 

When selecting that dark blue, I found this piece of fabric, and realized it looked like the fireworks, that exploded over the capital the night of the inauguration, January 20th.  So I prepared a small piece, then fussy cut fireworks to place above the White House. 

I used a grunge white fabric for the letters, to look like white marble.

Here is the layout before quilting. 

I quilted through this piece and the Timtex so its stiff like a postcard.   Then added cardstock to the back before finishing the edge with a zigzag. 

When photographing I realized the top of the letters HOU were lost against the white banner, so I simply drew in a blue border with a pen. I wouldn't do this on a quilt that was going to be washed, but this is a postcard!

- - - 

After the election in November 2020, with the drumbeat of the conspiracy theorists, stoked by #45, there was some concern that he would not actually leave on January 20th.  The insurrection on January 6th made it clear that there were enough people following this line of un-reasoning that the peaceful transition of power was not guaranteed.   In the end, he left with a grudge by not attending the inauguration of the next administration.  Good riddance! 

The people of the United States, using the peaceful power of the vote, cut a wannabe tyrant out of our government.  I worry about all his followers. I hope that we can somehow regain a shared understanding of facts.  But I don't see that path today. 

More than ever, peace, 

Paula