Thursday, August 22, 2013

Nine Patch of Quakers

A tongue in cheek look at a nine patch with some very historically important Quakers. Although nothing similar to the traditional nine patch, it is nine different patches of nine different Quakers. The static square in a square contrasts to the movement in the background. The photos are printed on cotton fabric with durabrite ink which is guaranteed for at least 200 years if kept out of direct light. All photos are public domain.
 
Nine Patch of Quakers
17.75" square
 
Starting in the upper left, going clockwise, the Quakers are: Mildred Norman, known best as Peace Pilgrim who gave up all her belongings to walk and talk about the need for peace; Joan Baez who uses her music to campaign for Peace; Emily Greene Balch, who in 1946, shared the Noble Peace Prize [with John Mott] for her work with the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom; Lucretia Mott who was an abolitionist, women's rights activist and social reformer; Mary Anne Rawson who was an abolitionist; Elizabeth Cady Stanton who was a social activist, abolitionist,women's suffragist, and leading early figure in the women's rights movement; Susan B. Anthony who was an abolitionist, suffragist, and pioneer of feminism and civil rights; Laura Smith Haviland who was an abolitionist and social reformer; Jeannette Rankin was the first woman to serve in the United States Congress, helped pass the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote and a committed pacifist.
 

Nine Patch of Quakers detail
 
The women were first stitched with one layer of batting.  The faces/figures were cut out on the edges.  Then they were stitched to another layer of batting; double stitched around the figures.  Then they were attached to the background.  The black strips in between are heavily stitched to provide more lift to the individual women.
 
A REALLY BIG THANK YOU to all who responded to my blog post,
 
 
The responses gave me a lot to consider and re-think my background.  Hard to believe it has taken me this long to almost finish it.  I say almost because I am having more hand problems and can not sew on a hanging sleeve.

Still, it is now something which I am able to take pride in creating.  I used old linens, softer colors, commercial fabric [some over  painted with gold, some over painted with gray], my fringed selvages, and velvet.  I absolutely HATE trying to bind with velvet.  However, I absolutely LOVE the rich look.  I know, conflict of interest here.  One more thing to work out.
 
 
This is seventy number 64.
 
For more information on "seventy", please see the post below.
 

3 comments:

Marilyn Wall said...

I used to read a book to my kids titled Perseverance Wins. You won Ann.

Heather Pregger said...

I really like this -- I'm glad you finished it.

Margaret said...

Interesting. I had heard of many of those people, but didn't realize they all expressed their faith as Quakers. Powerful piece, with the movement of the fabric in the background juxtaposed by the static nine patch. Well done!