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Friday, April 22, 2011

Of Book Signings, Gettysburg and New Quilts

I've been home from my book signing trip in VA for several weeks now.  Since the drive was so long, my husband and I took the time to take a mini vacation while we were there.

The Friday book signing was not as busy as I had hoped, but we had a really good time and met some nice folks. So, I'm glad I went.

The next day we drove to Gettysburg for a tour of the area. The first afternoon we toured Eisenhower's home; then went to check out the offerings at the museum and welcome center of the Battleground area. I was disturbed by the cyclotron program which was filled with the graphic horrors and physical violence of the Civil War. It is a huge painting, housed in-the-round; accompanied by a light and sound show. I found it very troubling.

Day 2 at Gettysburg we took a personal guided tour of the battlefield with Ed. This was the highlight of our trip. We learned how the battle progressed, the strategy of the generals, and how each location was important to the end result. Ed made our 2 hour tour amazing. He explained everything, answered all our questions and was filled with tales of the 3 day battle.

When we got home, Ken Burns' Civil War was beginning on PBS.  I was Civil Warred out!  When I woke up in the morning I was still thinking Civil War.

A small landscape quilt is what I'd like to make. Since the arrival of my new book, I have been totally distracted by working on the marketing and promotion for it, and I haven't sat at my sewing machine for weeks. The subject of war and violence is repugnant to me, a subject that will be difficult to work on. If it is small it won't take too much time.

Unfinished detail of one of the farms in the battlefield area
The Gettysburg area is hilly farm country. Beautiful, quiet, restful, a place one could go to relax and enjoy nature. There were interesting rock walls and wood fences to mark the property lines. I liked the contrast in textures that they provided. The 24" x 24" quilt top is now designed and most of the pieces fused in position.

How could it be that approximately 60,000 men were killed here in just 3 days? Such horror and violence.Why is it that as human beings try to solve our difficulties with war?
Cannon fused into position
 The top is ready for embroidery followed by the quilting.

My husband Bob has been fascinated while watching this quilt evolve, and has commented on every change or addition I make. This is a good thing.  All these years together, and hundreds of quilts through my sewing machine, this is the one that fascinates him! It must be the cannon.

You'll have to wait to see the finished piece.

Ann

3 comments:

Quiltmuse said...

I wondered what you would be making next. Quite a change from the flowers and Oreo! One of my great-grandfathers was in the battle of Gettysburg so I will be interested in your interpretation.

jq

Maggie Szafranski said...

It is very hard to imagine that all that horror occured in that beautiful area. And that men would go to war to retain the "right" to own another man. Mind boggling.

Rachel said...

What a change of quilt subject for you! Cannon has great dimension. Window fabric on the farmhouse is perfect. Looking forward to the finished piece.