It is April, and I am joining many others in celebrating National Poetry Month by reading, writing, sharing, and celebrating poetry each day this month. Many years ago I was a quilter. After I began teaching, I had to put my needles and frames away because I just did not have the time. This year I am going back to my quilting roots and will be playing with patchwork-themed poems from memories of my own quilting years to the history of quilts and to quilt patterns. Pull up a needle and thread and let's stitch awhile.
I have a small collection of antique quilt blocks that I have picked up in antique stores and a set that belonged to my My Great-Aunt Helen. One is a set of about 80 four patch blocks, all hand-stitched. Many beginners start with the four patch pattern because of its simplicity. I felt a lune would be a perfect accompaniment to this set of blocks.
stitched by hand
my beginner's charm
The Poetry Round-Up is being hosted by Tabatha today. Stop by and check out the poetry fun!
This week also marks the beginning of the Kidlit Progressive Poem, which is being organized by Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche. A different poet adds a line each day for the month of April. Last year was my first year participating, and since I lived to tell about it, I will participate again this year! You can find the poem's trail below.
April 1 Kat Apel at Kat Whiskers
2 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
3 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading
4 Donna Smith at Mainly Write
5 Irene Latham at Live your Poem
6 Jan Godown Annino at BookseedStudio
7 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
8 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
9 Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
10 Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone
11 Buffy Silverman
12 Janet Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
13 Jone Rush MacCulloch
14 Susan Bruck at Soul Blossom Living
15 Wendy Taleo at Tales in eLearning
16 Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe
17 Tricia Stohr Hunt at The Miss Rumphius Effect
18 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
19 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
20 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
21 Leigh Anne Eck at A Day in the Life
22 Ruth Hersey at There is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town
23 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
24 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
25 Shari Daniels at Islands of my Soul
26 Tim Gels at Yet There is Method
27 Rebecca Newman
28 Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
29 Christie Wyman at Wondering and Wondering
30 Michelle Kogan at More Art 4 All
I love seeing the gathering of all those blocks, Leigh Anne. It's a wonderful collection. And I love "my beginner's charm"!
ReplyDeleteOh, "beginner's charm." You have me thinking about learning to quilt. I sat beside my grandmother for years as she quilted. I contemplated starting by making a couple of small quilts when my daughters had their first babies, but I just was unable to commit. Now with so many using sewing machines - that adds an additional challenge in my world. Maybe I just need to find a different hobby - or maybe four block is the answer. Hmmmm....
ReplyDeleteMy mom loved quilts, and I have inherited both some quilts and her love. I wish she could have read your poems! I currently have a Grandmother's Garden quilt on our bed. One of my #retirementgoals is to try some quilting. I'll take your advice and start small with a four block.
ReplyDeleteOh, how fabulous! Finding old blocks that are looking to be made into something. You get to feel the work of all those previous quilters in your fingertips. There's oodles of charm in this project.
ReplyDeleteOoh, wonderful. My mom was a quilter, and she did start with four-patch quilts. We have a couple of them still...I love your poem--I'm off to look up a lune.
ReplyDeleteThe four-patch block. The four pieces together is greater than them separately, which is inspiring, a "charm."
ReplyDelete