Project Quilting

I have been doing a lot of reading lately (because I have a lot of time) and came across a really fun blog, Kim's Crafty Apple. On her blog she does a fun friendly competition called Project Quilting.  I have decided to join in.  This week is Challenge 2 - Making Music.  You have to pick a song and use that as your inspiration for your quilt.  It can be any size or shape.  Well as I read this the first songs that popped into my head were Caroline and Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show.  I decided to go with Caroline.  


...Oh Caroline
(Round) Caroline
Heartbroken hard times, they never got us down
Walkin' the same line through every single southern town
Hand in hand your arm 'round mine
Oh Caroline

Oh Caroline
(Round) Caroline
I seen it all change, watch it change some more
Seen hard times standin' right outside your door
Tell me gal what's on your mind
Oh Caroline


... You'l do just fine, Caroline


So this song has special meaning... it is a song that always takes me to the river when I hear it.  Every time we paddle we play this song at the put it so clearly my quilt would be based on the river in some fashion.  And the phrase in the chorus "heartbroken hard times... never got us down" really has a strong meaning right now since I am currently unable to paddle.  (a knee injury and then surgery has taken a toll on me and has kept me off the water since September).

I dug through my stash and came across some amazing batiks. Perfect colors for my modern abstract mini quilt.  

I am calling this quilt Caroline.  It is an abstract of the river, the mountain and the sky (setting sun).  To get more specific, that "mountain" is dimple rock on the Lower Yough which I have had a love/hate relationship with for the last few years.  

The back is just the purple batik that I used for the "mountain" and it is bound with the same material.  Lots of quilting.

Each section is pieced with sections of the batik.  It really shows off all the different colors that are in the fabrics.  

The river section really shows all of the colors.  I love the water color effect in the fabric.  I zig-zaged over all of the edges of the pieces.  

I love the join of the sky, mountain, and river.  This mini quilt takes me to the river and to where I really wish I was as I am typing this.  

I really hope that sometime in the next couple months I can get back onto the river.  

And I thank a close friend, Jared, for playing this song EVERY time we boat.  I actually love it... even it it makes everyone we boat with call me Caroline. :)