The phrase, crossing the divide, has haunted me for a while now, ever since my husband Dave and I crossed the Continental Divide twice on our April road trip.
While I was driving, and saw this sign, and knew it was coming, we did not take a photo of the actual moment we crossed. And this is like some recent experiences: somehow I crossed a dividing line and found myself in new country, and was not entirely sure how to behave or act.
Crossing the Divide • Quilt # 294
I long had wanted to make this quilt, using some positively ethereal, painterly fabrics from Shell Rummel, William Reue, and snippets from Deborah Edwards & Melanie Samar. I had to modify the pattern, because it called for an older panel which was now out of print. I sewed it all up. I picked apart every seam and re-sewed it (like Crossing the Divide…again). I got stuck on how to quilt it, and Dave talked it over with me: follow what’s in the fabric. I think that’s kind of like going with the flow, an attitude I am always working on/struggling with.
This quilt has a divide in it, with the soft pastel interrupting the more rock-like, stream-like bars of fabric in the top and bottom.
(see detail at end about fabrics)
Back.
Crossing the Divide waiting to cross.
Crossings are everywhere. Some I’ve recently noticed:
- We honored my mother’s death this week, a two-year anniversary.
- My father’s one-year anniversary of his death is coming up.
- There are no baby grandchildren.
- I wake up every day with something aching.
- A milestone birthday was celebrated earlier this year, and the further I get from it, the more I realize I have no idea how to behave in this new place. I get many more condescending comments from people who don’t wake up with something aching. Which is annoying.
- I no longer worry about flossing my teeth or cholesterol — it’s a different mindset, but it’s hard to explain. That doesn’t mean I’m not aware of those things, but I just don’t freak out about them.
- I do freak out about other, more trivial things (you can ask my husband).
- I also freak out about the time left to me in this world to do what I want before I cross over permanently, but this post isn’t about that.
- There are divides in this life. While I cross over most of them without being aware, other demarkations come blaring at me like a train rumbling through the night, and I scramble across the tracks as best as I can.
It’s also about seeing the line that keeps divided from each other. Sometimes that line is physical distance. Sometimes it is an age difference, or a political distance, or an emotional distance. It’s also about time-as-a-line: there is much more behind me than in front of me, by any calculation. And all this started with a color and texture division in my quilt.
Here’s to making your way across the divide, in all ways–
Other posts about this quilt:
This and That • October 2024
Instagram October 22, 2024
Sad news: small-size Space Molly was sold out, so I posed by this one instead. (She stayed there.)
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I think you chose a wonderful pattern to showcase those lovely fabrics, Elizabeth. I love the story it tells and your interpretation. The squiggly teal borders fabric is a favourite of mine. (I only ever had it in the coral tones and used it primarily in Eli’s baby quilt.) And such a great name. I know very little about the Continental Divide…..
I just recently passed a major milestone birthday and I too have noticed a shift over the last year or two on how I think about many things. Also much much more nostalgia and thoughts about the past. Life is very interesting. Crossing the Divide is great and so is your beautiful smile!
i love your quilt and all of your crossings pictures. I would like to know about the fabric in the long vertical columns. It’s perfect there.
Elizabeth, I love when you put a name to the feelings I’ve been experiencing lately. The divide feels wider some days more than others and I find myself reaching back to the beginning….too funny the other day while getting a cortisone shot in my arm post carpal tunnel surgery my orthopedist was talking about limited numbers of injections he recommends and I said “Numbers, Yorkshire 7-7749….my phone number when we lived in Mt View, President Eisenhower’s inauguration 1953, I was 7 years old.” He smiled, laughed a little and I said I’ve been reaching back a lot lately. Of course that young physician wasn’t even born then! He said you have a great memory and I laughed and said I remember 1953 but don’t ask me what I had for dinner last night!! Love your quilt and your message….yes, we are all somewhere on the divide. Special memories for the anniversary of parents. Blessings, Dawn
I love the photography as much as the quilt and commentary.
Right now the divide feels like an awfully big chasm. I keep thinking about how I know, deep down, that we have more in common with each other than any political or news organization wants us to believe. But also, in my own heart, I feel pretty confused about where things stand and worried that any attempt I make to cross the divide with any sort of olive branch will result in things that are harmful and hurtful to my person and the people I hold close to my heart. What brings me constant comfort right now is knowing how many people to varying degrees are wrestling with this conundrum with me. As for the quilt, it looks like a therapeutic way to process and think through some of these thoughts in the way that only really good art can do. I appreciate all the symbolism in the various quilt photographs, and hopefully your aches aren’t too bad today.
I love the fabric in that quilt! I can see the challenge of how to quilt it, but it turned out beautifully. You’re so good at coming up with names for your projects. I’m always at a loss in that field.
Love your quilt and your thoughts!
Wow – those fabrics are incredible and your design shows them off beautifully! Your post has given me plenty to think about today – at 75, I’ve already crossed through a few personal divides and a few more are already in view. How to handle those transitions wisely is the challenge 🙂. As for political divides – just trying to “shine a light” in my own little circle of influence for now 🤞.
What a lovely quilt! It seems soothing… the colors, the softness of the prints. It’s really nice. I’m smiling especially over your photos. So many styled photos! It’s apparent you have a quilt holder helper. I’m doing well to get one outdoor photo, using my iphone on a tripod, and my Apple watch camera timer to take pictures of myself holding my quilt. Ha! I guess it works. Anyway, I appreciate your thoughts, particularly about more time behind than in front. That is one reason I’m being diligent about using fabric. My objective is “no fabric left behind” when I reach my next “big 0” birthday. It’s good to have goals, even in one’s senior years.
I really love your quilt, which I called watercolor by mistake when I meant painterly. Those fabrics are beautiful and the way you have quilted is just right. I hadn’t realised the continental divide was actually called and signposted ‘Continental Divide’ (I’m from such a little country!) but I enjoyed all your ponderings on crossing divides. Much to reflect upon. Thank you 🙂