Thursday, December 04, 2014

ethereal

someone recently used the word ethereal to describe my work
in the bedroom window 
What does ethereal mean?  I had to look it up.
Google definition:
extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world
in living room picture window 
dainty
elegant
graceful
fragile
where I stitch every day 
airy
fine
subtle
unearthly
I finished grand-daughter Aili's quilt top last week.  A hand pieced log cabin shown here.
Aili is an Irish girl's name, also common in Finland and Estonia.
Aili means 'light'.

12 comments:

Mo Crow said...

this is truly 'something fine' Judy, to the tune of that old Jackson Browne song

Nifty Quilts said...

Truly beautiful! And hand-pieced! Every stitch is a labor of love.

Judy Martin said...

Thank you v much.

I have been struggling with how to make a beautiful back for this top that would be able to express the idea that 'aili means light'
I was going to do a reverse applique sun or something like it -

It wasn't until i put the photos up for this post, and the words that define ethereal that i realized that I've already made a quilt that means light.

LIGHT
xx

apiecefullife said...

That is a beautiful quilt.
I am in love with log cabin at the moment: big and small, repetition, lots of hand quilting or simply tied.

Grace Martin said...

What a stunning and moving piece and post

jude said...

ethereal. i might pick another word. can't find it right now. it needs to contain repetition. maybe rhythmic. close, musical maybe?

Judy Martin said...

Interesting. Another person a few years back said that my work was musical.

For this particular piece, ethereal might fit because the fabric and the construction method is so light and airy...the colours too are quite subtle.

But other work that I make I would definitely say was earthy, rather than un-earthy.

Anyway - I finished the top, and I am now moving on to the back, which will be just as fine.
xx

Dana said...

This point in the quilt-making process is indeed ethereal as the light shines through the fabric. In a way its too bad it needs to be backed at all. I guess this is what they mean when we are urged to enjoy the process as well as the end. What a beautiful gift it is going to be.

Suzanna said...

Very very beautiful...

Heather said...

Reminds me of Yoshiko Jinzenji's work. Ethereal indeed.

Liz A said...

This is beautiful beyond words.
What if you were to back it with two layers of harem cloth and then quilt the three layers together? That would enable light to still come through and would also give it a softness perfect for a child.
As for sturdiness, I have a linen kitchen towel quilted at 1" intervals that has been going through the washing machine once or twice a week for the past six months ... it's holding up beautifully.

mansuetude said...

I want to touch it. So lovely. By any name it IS....