Tag: French geography

French Map Quilt Update

Dear Liza,

I have been working on the French map quilt a little bit every day. Sometimes it goes smoothly and I get lots done. Other days, I hate every stitch and snip out the day’s work.

Such is the artistic process, I am told, and I am making progress!

I have laid in all the vineyards around Bordeaux, pastureland by Brest, and am now putting in all the apple orchards in Normandy.

The apple trees were very challenging. I tried several different shapes, but they all looked wrong. Finally, I just ‘sketched’ a few with stitches, and found what I was looking for.

I like that each tree has three colors! (….Now maybe I need to go back and add more texture to my other icons?)

Moving forward, I have about half the country to go, and look forward to the next set of conundrums.

Love,

Grandma Judy

French Map Progress

Dear Liza,

I have been working on my French map quilt steadily for a few weeks now, and I’m pretty happy with it so far.

The rivers are embroidered, the city dots are ironed and sewn into place, the mountains and highlands edged, and the coastlines nice and swooshy.

Of course, it isn’t done yet. There is all that land between the main features that looks like it wants some detail.

Rolling hills and grape vines, rocky crags and swampy spots, fields of wheat and rows of lavender, all need to add texture and interest.

So I will get started on the next step. I have chosen my color palette, looked at the symbols used in paper maps. I have come to terms with the fact that this will not, and cannot be, an accurate depiction. It will be, like all maps, an interpretation.

And I’m okay with that.

Lovr,

Grandma Judy