We were about mid-point in our drive from the Salt Lake City area to our home in Southern California, when we turned into the Kolob Canyon parking lot, in the upper section of Zion National Park. Ever since I sewed the binding on my newest quilt, Double Star, on the drive up to see a grandson get married, we’d been trying to find a place for a photograph. Kolob Canyon, with its red rock and green foliage, called to us.
We have a hymn in our church, If You Could Hie To Kolob, which is a fancy way to say “If you could get to Heaven.” The rest of the first verse sort of opens up the possibility of seeing where It All Began, and indeed, as we began the drive up the road to the Taylor’s Creek trailhead it does feel like you are in different space. There weren’t too many people, perhaps because of the threatening storm, or the advent of the Fourth of July weekend. But whatever the reason, it was bliss. We began to sing the hymn, then wondered how many other visitors were singing that same hymn, too, on their way up the canyon? And how many more of them were looking for a quilt photo?
A willing, helping visitor provided answers to both those questions: we were the only ones looking for a quilt photograph, but yes, he (on the right) and his wife did sing the first verse to that hymn as they drove up the canyon. The music is based on an old English tune, Kingfold, which figures because many of the early pioneers in this state hailed from England (including mine and my husband’s ancestors).
We struggled in the canyon’s wind, chatted with them, and wanted to go farther into the canyon, but the upper road had been closed because of winter damage.
The label notes the quilter, Jen Boyer, and that it is from my newest pattern, Double Star. This was a quick one for me, given my languid pace of the last six months, but to be fair, that doesn’t include the two years the bag sat sitting under my ironing board full of black and cream fabrics, collected bit by bit.
I love the curvy quilting pattern, but hate the name of the e2e pattern (Target Practice).
It was quiet up in the canyon with the road closed, with only a handful of visitors to these beautiful finger canyons. I hummed the tune, and was reminded that the last verses talk about how “Improvement and progression / Have one eternal round.” That is a good thing, given that I am always striving to be better, not only in quilting, but also in kindness, grace, and all those other perfectly wonderful attributes that the author Phelps wrote about in the 1850s. Revisiting some of those ideals helps ground me, and encourages me to live well in today’s world, where Phelps might have scratched his head about all the challenges that we face.
Back home, trying to finish up the writing of a pattern, I realized that while we’d had a grand time out in nature, none of those photos would work for the pattern front. So we headed to the California Air Resources Building, which was close by and that we knew had a dramatic entry, shielded from the windy day.
I promise my Quilt-Holding Husband is behind there, but it does look like the quilt is floating.
So now it is finished. You probably recognize that smaller bonus quilt from another post of mine. I included two versions of the smaller quilt in the pattern — one with the border, and one without the black/white triangle border (but it’s not hard to make). The whole pattern is pretty straightforward in the making so it earned at Beginner Plus label.
You can get the pattern in my PayHip shop, and if you act before July 17th, you can get 20% off with the code in the speech bubble, spoken by some rando with a black-and-cream quilt in red rock country. Glorious red rock country.
UPDATE: On JULY 20, 2023, the coupon will expire. I added a couple of extra days.
I guess I was just kind of taken with the place, and always have been since I married my husband when I was 34, bringing four kids to the marriage, and like the saint that he is, he brought us all on a trip when we’d been married about a couple of months, and that’s where I first saw Zion National Park, and Kolob’s finger canyons.
Maybe I was taken with the place because on this beautiful day in windy Kolob canyon, we’d just been to my grandson’s wedding the day before; he holding his bride’s hand, both their faces glowing as they said their vows. These two have an easiness about them, and it was lovely to be the grandmother and not have to worry about the arrangements, or the dress, or the tuxes, or the refreshments, but to just be able to sit and enjoy the radiant happiness of this young couple.
I take much hope in the hymn’s words written well over 150 years ago, their ideals firmly rooted in another time; however, they are still good for us.
Other Posts about this Quilt
Time Let Me Play
Flashback
Link to the pattern on PayHip
Write up about the canyon, and how it got its name.
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square sings the hymn.
If You Could Hie to Kolob
Text William W. Phelps
Tune: Kingfold, arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams
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Lovely post of southern Utah, quilt, and newlyweds. Made me smile this morning.
As always, thoughtful post and a fabulous quilt hanger. Yeah, I don’t know how he did that so consistently. Also, I kinda like pics of quilts in the wind. Not sure why.
Such lovely thoughts in both your post and the lyrics of the hymn. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your recent post about the Double Star quilt and Kolob Canyon. This red rock country does get into your blood, I know…. since I was raised under the rim of the beautiful Bryce Canyon – and now live just an hour from Zion Canyon. It’s amazing country – and the world knows it now ! The quilt is equally as beautiful. WW Phelps was a master at creating beautiful poetry – much of which we sing in church on Sundays. Thanks for sharing. Bonnie Miles
Congratulations on the release of a new pattern, and I love all the photographs in Kolob Canyon, but the photo from the air resources building makes a beautiful cover photograph. How wonderful to have an additional helping hand with the quilt in the wind in the canyon, and it sounds like a wonderful trip and wedding.
Congrats on another pattern. You captured a lot of really good photos including the ones close to home. It’s a lovely design. And big congrats to the newlyweds. So much joy in their faces. I wish them a long and happy marriage.
Blessings on the beautiful young couple. They are truly as lovely as your quilt!
What a beautiful quilt pattern, scenery and newlyweds photos! Sounds like a great trip 🥰
What a nice way to begin my day. Since I haven’t made it to Utah to experience the beautiful canyons and National parks you have given me a piece of that from a quilters view making it all the more lovely. Beautiful photos. Blessings on you and yours from one quilter to another.
Another lovely quilt! And what fun to get to photograph it in the canyon. Thanks for the link to the hymn. Unitarians have appropriated hymns from many other denominations, but I wasn’t familiar with that one.
What lovely photos! That canyon is beautiful! Though I have never heard that hymn, it’s so nice that it holds such meaning for you. And encountering another couple that also knows it.? Well, that’s something! Your quilt design is really nice, and I wish you much success with it. Certainly you have gorgeous photos of it, and of the precious bride and groom. Such a special occasion that I’m glad you were able to celebrate.
Combining the Ohio Star with the nine-patches gives these traditional patterns a fresh
look, especially made with solids. You can’t be old enough to have a grandson getting married surely? Congratulations to the happy couple.
What a delight to open your post with my first sip of coffee this morning and see photos of a favorite place! I’ve managed to get to Zion twice – not easy from northern New England – and it is truly spectacular! Your quilt looks great against any backdrop – a classic with great appeal. And thanks for the reminder about the virtues of basic values like kindness- we all could use it these days.
Kolob Canyon looks beautiful. And of course, your quilt photographs are stellar, even the windswept ones. How fun to have a stranger help with photography. It reminds me of the time we photographed my Prayer quilt in front of a local chapel, and enlisted the help of a guy there for a Bible study. The interesting part of the story is that he let us know (not sure why…) that he was carrying a gun. Weird.
Beautiful quilt! And the quilting is beautiful too! I loved how it floated in the photos.
I am from Cedar City. Utah, which as you may know, is only 15 minutes north of Kolob Canyons. My great grandparents helped settle the Zion and Southern Utah area. I currently reside in San Antonio, TX because of military related relocations, but I miss home very much. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos of my stomping grounds, and reminiscing about a favorite hymn of mine.
I love quilting, and I adore the quilt you designed and pieced. I bought the download and look forward to making one of my own. Thanks again!
Your two quilt holders in their white shirts and black pants could not have been better matched to the quilt.