Our guild challenge comes
from the game Clue. We each got an envelope with three items: the victim, the
room and the weapon. My cards were Mr. Green, the Library and the Knife. Our
quilt was to have each of the cards named in the title of our quilt. My victim
fought back! I took more liberties with the basic format....
I looked at my cards and
considered what might inspire me to spend 100 hours making a quilt. I’ve been
rereading Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring. Carson is a personal
heroine for me. She wrote this amazing book about the dangers of dominating
nature and other books about the joys of connecting with nature. She did
original research and definitely spent hours in multiple libraries. Her book
has changed the world. And, she wrote it as she was dying from breast cancer!
My title became “Ms. Green,
aka Rachel Carson, used information from the library to knife the lie that DDT
does not kill people and wildlife”.
The lower diagonal of the
quilt contains her book cover, and quotes I penned from the book or about the
book. The pale background portrays a spring of subdued energy. The upper half
has birds, nests, insects and lush growth that she envisioned returning.
The knife deletes the use of
DDT. As a child growing up in Miami Springs. Florida, I remember the trucks
driving through our neighborhood on the edge of the Everglades spraying DDT for
mosquito control. I have wondered if my own breast cancer was linked to those
early exposures. The powerful chemical was banned in the US in 1972 for any
widespread agricultural use.
Pieced on my vintage
Featherweight and soon-to-be-quilted on my 1981 Bernina 930.
Size 40" x 40". Challenges help us
“spread our wings” and have fun doing it!
Wonderful interpretation of your message! I'm sorry to hear about your own breast cancer. I hope you are doing well. Your quilt reminds us of an important issue, especially when there are thoughts about mosquitos and the Zikka virus.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed my tribute to Rachel Carson. Yes, some are advocating for use of DDT again using the excuse of the Zeka virus to expose all of us to this deadly pesticicde.
DeleteI am doing well. I am very active kayaking for fun on area lakes and tending a big garden as well as doing lots of quilt projects. See some at my blog: www.paulamariedaughter.com
ReplyDeleteThank you for introducing Rachel Carson, never heard of her in France. What a meaningful quilt!
I am personnally involved in ecological issues too. Still so much to do.
I'm sure her books are still available--hope you learn more about this brave woman. And thank you for letting me know of your ecological work--women can change this world!
ReplyDeletePaula what a fabulous tribute to the visionary Rachel Carson. You dida great job condensing her philosophy into one quilt. Glad you are enjoying life and thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could see this in person, so I could see the quotes you used. Even seeing here, I like it! Even before zeka, there were those wanting the return of mass spraying for mosquitoes here :-( DDT *may* have its uses under highly controlled circumstances, but mass spraying by amateurs is not one of them.
ReplyDeleteGail, one of my favorite Rachel Carson quotes used on my quilt is "It is the public that is being asked to assume the risks...the public must decide whether it wishes to continue on the present road and it can only do so when in full possession of the facts."
ReplyDeleteOur job is to obtain the facts, which is not always easy and to apply critical thinking to complicated subjects--again not an easy task. Thanks for the supportive comment.