quiltersmuse.com Blog

The other day, I took a notion to go to the cemetery to plant some chrysanthemums on the graves of my parents and brother. I am always inspired, in such places, as to how different the stones are, and what kinds of plants and trees people plant there. It has been a long, hot summer, so we did not have a chance to go there since Memorial Day.

How quickly the grass takes over! Seeing the grass, choking out the flowers we’d already planted, made me think about life itself, and how easily our creative spirits can be dampened or damaged by intrusions by people or activities that zap our creative strength, leaving little to selvage.

One way to regain a happy disposition is to get in the car and go to the mountains or along the shoreline. I’m glad we took one day away from work, this week, to do just that. When I took Jim’s picture, I wanted the RED boat in the distance to show. What a beautiful day we had, with “happy” clouds looking like white cotton balls in the sky!

I enjoy riding through the countryside, and I often think how wonderful it is to see green living plants, instead of tall buildings. I’m just not cut out to be a “big city girl,” but perhaps if I were in New York, I’d be seeking out the green spots there. Sometimes, when I think of it, I take along a sketch pad and some colored pencils in the car, mainly to jot down ideas for future designs.

The wildflowers this year have been abundant in their glory. Why are the best ones located near a highway where it is too busy to stop, even to take a photo?

In our own yard, a Trumpet Vine that we’ve been nursing along for years now, decided it liked being transplanted this year. It edged its way up over a Lilac bush, and is now hanging over the back driveway, blooming to beat the band: with gorgeous, slender, orange blooms that Hummingbirds love. I guess there is a lesson there, too. Fuss over anything too long and it may start to shrivel up and die. Just let it be, and it will thrive.

Personally, I’d rather think of flowers, both garden variety and wildflowers. They are so lovely and soon their colors will be replaced with the splendor of autumn leaves. We seem to have them in abundance in New Hampshire, as green turns to orange, yellow, red, or rust colors.

Take a walk. Look around. There is some kind of inspiration, at every turn. Think about how quilts were designed in the past. They were based on nature. Many still are.

Give yourself permission to be creative.

Quilter’s Muse

Yesterday, we traveled to the Camden, Maine area. One good reason for doing so was the view of Penobscot Bay. A second reason was to dine by the sea. The third draw was to see the Lincolnville Historical Society’s SCHOOL HOUSE MUSEUM. If one were not looking for the place, it would be easy to drive past, as the building in situated a ways back from the road, on a slight hill, and between other buildings.

Above:  Jim Cummings standing in front of Penobscot Bay, Maine.

The second floor of the museum holds some definite treasures. Letters for practicing the Palmer method of penmanship are situated lengthwise, along the top of the blackboard. They reminded me of my parochial school background and how we had to practice letters and were graded for our penmanship skills.

Three different types of Civil War bullets were displayed inside a glass case, along with some photos. A nightgown that was worn on a wedding night was surprising large and had long sleeves. A corset was mystifying. What a contraption! A large display panel described how families used to take a bath, once a week, and always on Saturday!

I was privileged to see three of their quilts, although they are not on display right now. One was an all-cotton Butterfly quilt in fabrics from the late 30s/early 40s, I’d hazard to guess. The quilt has sashings, and is tied.

The two other quilts were Crazy Quilts, one more fancy than the other (fabrics of velvet or velveteen, and fancy stitches). The second quilt had quite a story to it. The quilt belonged to an elderly gentleman of poor means who lost his life when his house burnt down around him, leaving only one item:  a trunk with the Crazy Quilt inside. That quilt is slightly stained and has some torn pieces and shredded silks. The stitches were crudely rendered and could have been the work of a child. For some reason, the quilt was spared and now we can just speculate on its reason for having survived.

Among other items, the Museum has collected Native American artifacts, a canoe with hand-hewn paddles, Early Settler’s Tools, more than 5,000 Old Photos, and many pieces of ephemera including Genealogical documents, and town records including birth, death, and census logs.

We very much enjoyed visiting the Museum. It is open June to October, M-W-F and some Saturdays, 1-4 p.m. Admission is free. (207) 789-5445, e-mail:  iNFO@LINCOLNVILLEHISTORY.ORG The building was built in 1892 and used as a school until 1948. A visit there was like a step back in time.

Patricia Cummings

Yesterday afternoon, I turned on the PBS TV station to take a brief break from chores. You can count on PBS to offer fantastic programming and yesterday was no different. As part of a pledge drive, the feature was the life and music of John Denver. In the space of the 1/2 hour, that I watched, I learned all kinds of new information about him.

He gave a concert in China. His father was an officer in the Air Force, a “fly boy” as they are called (in the Air Force), and that is who first inspired him to be a pilot. John’s real name was “Dusseldorf.” He took the name of his favorite city, “Denver,” as his stage name. His wife was interviewed and is very beautiful. She mentioned John’s highs and lows and attributed that to an “artistic temperament.”

The one obvious fact about John Denver is that his words and music touched us all. “You fill up my senses, like a night in the forest.” He presents word imagery over which one can linger and try to visualize all the descriptive phrases. That is why his songs are never boring. One can’t really catch the words and their meaning with the first listen. John loved nature and donated a terrific amount of money to environmental causes.

Seeing him perform a tune with Johnny Cash, who has also passed away, reminded me of viewing photos in which all the people have now crossed to the other side. Extending that thought, I began to think of the musical “greats,” who performed in my lifetime, and who are no longer here, John Lennon at the top of the list. They left an indelible mark on our hearts and in our souls, that cannot be erased by time. You see, the way we craft words, does matter, and the more universal the theme, the more likely songs will be remembered.

John Denver spoke for many of us. For example, I never sang, “Take Me Home, Country Roads, to the Place I Belong,” more heartily than when I was missing the tranquility of a home “far away.” John Denver’s music can, indeed, be absorbed at face value, but when one perceives his words, at a deeper level, they may have a bittersweet quality, as noted on the PBS show.

An enigmatic person and an extremely gifted one, we question why he is no longer with us. It doesn’t seem fair. With the gift of technology, his music still is heard:  “Sunshine on My Shoulder Makes Me Happy.”

Here’s wishing you sunshine, “prayers, and promises,”

Patricia Cummings

My first diary was about 1″ large and had a key enclosure. It was a gift. When I found that my mother had been reading it, when I was a teenager, and left it unlocked, I believe I discarded it.

For about the last ten years or more, I have regularly written journal notes about quilting activities, inspirations, illnesses, and aggravations.  Sometimes, I’ve drawn illustrations and added color with colored pencils. It’s fun to re-read “back issues” periodically.

I suppose that is just one more thing I have in common with the person whose life I have been researching. She kept a diary and she illustrated many of her letters. Fun to see, and these types of things will be including in my upcoming CD, soon to be released.
I’m going to take some time today to read my diaries and to look at notebooks full of photos of quilts and quilted items I have made. It will be gratifying to review some accomplishments.

I also have a film of the first quilt history talk I ever gave … in 1991, I believe. I may shudder when I view it, #1: because today more is known about the subject than ever before, and #2: I know a lot more today, these 17 years later.

Your diary doesn’t have to be really fancy. I like those blank books with a hard cover. One can even buy them with quilt patterns. Whatever you do, keep it fun.

Patricia Cummings

Quilter’s Muse Publications

When one comes across something unexpected and delightful, the sudden awareness is always a joy. What better advertising for a yarn shop that to have a “sheep” standing amid the pansies. The photo below was taken in front of a brick building that houses a business called “The Yarn Basket.” Their phone number is (603) 431-9301. We found this to be a charming display.

As we were walking to the Warner House, another historic building which, unfortunately, is closed on Wednesday, we saw a most unusual site. Right along the side of the street were cemetery vaults from 1847, just three of them, I believe, with just the name of the person enterred there. These were located underneath the small cemetery plot above, rife with crosses.

Portsmouth is a walking town, as parking on the streets is limited, and a lot of the streets are one-way. Wear comfortable shoes or sneakers if you visit. The terrain is hilly. Also, print a map before you go. The streets are not laid out in a systematic fashion, and it’s easy to get lost. You will at least want to be able to find your way back to the municipal parking garage.

Sometimes we see harbor seals, romping about, but did not go to Prescott Park yesterday. The Tall Ships will be visiting this weekend, an event that draws multitudes. With antique stores and small boutiques all over the city, Portsmouth has a lot to offer.

Patricia Cummings