With the importance of Peace to MCC's story, MCC asked for a Peace Quilt. To incorporate the vision of peace, we asked individuals around the world to make a "Peace Block". There were no requirements on size or color, as we wanted the creator's interpretation.
Peace Quilt Blocks from donors from around the world were received and have been logged separately in the blog.
A Fiber Artist and friend, Diane Swallen, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, heard about my challenge of creating a "Peace" Quilt from a variety of artists was a challenge she wanted to talk and work through with me. I had started the center panel with the three blocks on point. With receiving two stained glass window doves in opposite directions, they needed to be in the center. Working with the stained glass theme, additional sashings around the blocks with hand died Cherrywood Fabrics allowed the bright blue and yellow block to placed between the two peace doves to form a panel of three blocks on point. To add to the global participation, the administrative staff person at the MCC office in Calcutta, India, provided the tatted objects which are in opposite directions and are appliqued to the open areas near the top. Viewing the quilt close, the Peace Blocks are surrounded by blue nautical fabric with oceans and directions listed on the fabric.
At this point in the making of the quilt center panel, the quilt's purpose was already in use. The Peace Panel was requested and hung at Judson Church in Minneapolis, MN, in celebration of Peace Sunday.
From there, Diane, focused on the block above the doves with the Peace symbol of various colored hands and we surrounded them with the gold and patchwork. Placing of the various types of Peace blocks brought the theme of Peace to us as we tried to place and balance the blocks and surround them with 3 different shades of golds or the nautical blue fabric.
The Peace Quilt has been quilted by the MCC Quilt Room at the Materials Resource Center in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, under the directly of Connie Lapp. While North American Relief Sale meetings in Pennsylvania, Connie had the quilt placed on the quilt frame for Relief Sale volunteers to participate in the process of having the quilt made ready for the Amish ladies to come and quilt. The pictures do not include ladies quilting out of respect for the Amish faith. Earlier that day, the room had been filed with ladies quilting.
The quilt has been bound in the gold fabric and is available by requesting from MCC office in Goshen, IN.
Blessings,
Marlys Wiens
No comments:
Post a Comment