My name is Charlotte, sometimes known as Ms Lottie, occasionally as The Slightly Mad Quilt Lady. This is my blog, where you'll find me writing a lot about my quilting and textile arts and a little about my family's life in a small seaside town in New Zealand. Haere mai!

Saturday, April 14, 2018

Name That Quilt!

Every step in making a quilt is a little step closer to a finish.  But there is 'finished' and then there is 'finished, finished'.  Too often in the past I'd breath a satisfied sigh when I'd taken the last stitch in the binding, then I'd put the quilt down and never get the other little finishing tasks done.   I now consider a quilt to be finished when it is named, labelled, has a hanging mechanism, and is documented and photographed.


When I talk to other quilters and artists, each has a least favourite part of the process of making their work.  For some it's the cutting out, others hate binding.  Some claim they don't dislike ANY part - but I'm sure they're telling fibs!  I bet there is one thing they they always put off, even if just for five minutes...


My least favourite bit varies.  Quite often it's the photography.  I'm getting better at it, and I've got lights now, which make the whole process easier.  But it's just so much faffing around!  I'd much rather sew, or dye, or audition fabrics, or anything else really.  I can't say that sewing labels or hanging sleeves has ever made my heart sing, but I actually quite enjoy hand stitching binding on, when I know it makes many people groan!

Anyway, this last week, my least favourite bit has been the naming of quilts.  I'm trying to come up with a name for my lastest finish.

Untitled as yet by Charlotte Scott 36cm x 55cm
This quilt is relatively small and was started with offcuts from the larger quilt that I'm working on.  

(In case you were wondering about my 'restart my making mojo' process that I was going through - well, it was a success!  I've been working away steadily, and now it's just the usual challenges, like time managment etc)

Here's the larger quilt still in progress:


This one will need a name at some point too, but at present its working name is The Heron Maiden quilt (the HM quilt).  Have you ever read any of the classic Japanese folk stories about cranes turning into women to return the favour of being rescued from a trap?   I've been telling myself those stories as I've been making the quilt, but twisting them into tales about a New Zealand white-faced heron turning into a maiden, then turning back into a heron after she loses her love, or perhaps after she tires of him, depending on how I feel on the day.

 

Can you see how the nameless quilt has connections to the HM quilt?  The branch in the nameless quilt is the cut-away background of the branch in the bottom right of the HM quilt, and the heron is a third, brighter, version of the two herons behind the girl.  The overlay of silk organza on nameless is the same piece of fabric that is used in the sky of the HM quilt.  So they are nicely related.

But here is where you come in, dear reader!  I'm at a total loss for a name for the untitled quilt and I'm hoping you'll help.  Hit me with your ideas and help spark my naming mojo!  Just as a little incentive, I'll do a random draw from all the people who leave me a suggestion in the comments section below and I'll send the winner a bundle of my hand-dyed fat quarters (and I'll send it anywhere in the world too).  You'll need to be a reply-enabled commentor or add your email address to your comment so I can get in touch if you're the lucky drawee.  I'll give you a week, so will be drawing on Saturday 21 April 9pm NZ time.

Please help me out, and join in the fun!  Names can be as silly or as deep and meaningful as you like, but I'd love to hear from you.

COMMENTS NOW CLOSED.  Thanks for all your help!!

18 comments:

  1. How about "Herondipity" its like serendipity but for herons....

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  2. Heron Bae, like Heron Bay but with more Beyonce as your heron took charge of her life and left the foolish man.

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  3. Your fabrics have such a beautiful luminescence. Both quilts, and their inspiration made me think of my dear departed sister in law, Lumiko. I love Japanese insired art so much. I even married into a Japanese family. I've always been obsessed with the culture. I'm not great with naming quilts. Mine usually end up with strange names that have little to do with the quilt. I have one named The Axe Man of New Orleans, ha!
    It's amazing how art can mean one thing to a person, and something else entirely to another. This just says Lumiko to me. Thanks for the memory. <3

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  4. Hi Charlotte,
    How does "Maiden Flight" sound.
    I enjoy reading about your journey. Thank you for sharing. (Pauline in Canada)

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  5. To me the piece looks like 'Taking flight' - I don't even know if that's proper grammar lol (sorry, logged in on my other Gmail account) :) Monika

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  6. I'm not sure how you would use it in a name but the White Heron's Maori name is Kotuku ( Classified as Egretta Alba from Family Ardeidae ). Breeds only at Okarito in Westland South Island. Its seen in other areas.

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  7. Magical. My suggestion he(r)evolution.

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  8. I think that one of my favourite music tracks of all time by Lynyrd Skynyrd will be perfect: "Free Bird"

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  9. Beautiful art -Serenity is my suggestion

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  10. Are you familiar with the whakatauki 'He Kotuku Rerenga Tahi' which means a white heron's flight is seen but once. It is used to apply to a distinguished visitor, who only visits once

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  11. Goodness Charlotte, I find this beautiful piece so very moving!! I see this white heron heading off at dusk towards home, the light is fading and gives birds and plants an ethereal quality.
    "Homeward Bound"

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  13. Fly high,fly free! Love the colours and the story behind the quilt!

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  14. Having sat and looked at your quilt for some time I have " Ethereal Spirit Arise " in my mind. I like the other suggestions too and as you say, Daisy's is very moving.

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