As autumn descends upon us like falling leaves in a blaze of glorious color, most of us find ourselves settling back into routines. We return to a brisk pace to match the cooler temperatures. Thanksgiving is celebrated, trick-or-treaters come calling, and preparations begin for Christmas festivities. Summer closes and life ramps up again.
The autumn months are represented in my quilt about time by their birth flowers and birthstones. If you missed any of the posts for the fall months, here is a quick recap. You can also click on the month to go back and read the original post.
October
Birth flowers: marigolds and cosmos
Birthstone: tourmaline
November
Birth flower: chrysanthemum
Birthstone: topaz
December
Birth flowers: holly and pointsettias
Birthstone: zircon
Autumn is represented in the top left corner of the quilt surrounding the central medallion. As with the other three corners – winter, spring and summer – it is portrayed by the color of the leaves, this time a swirl of ocher, reddish-brown and moss.
In many ways, autumn is a season of beginning. But for each new beginning, there must be an ending. And so, as I give thanks for all the blessings of the past year, I also celebrate the completion of a significant phase in my quilt about time. After 57 months, over the course of 11 seasons, the appliqué is done. This ending ushers in a new – and somewhat daunting – phase: quilting!
As summer closes and I gear up for another season of teaching and workshops, schedules and of course colder weather, I wonder if I will have time to complete this quilt about time before the year is up. How many more months and seasons will pass before this journey ends? Time will tell!
While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.
kay durham says
Oh please let there be a pattern for this quilt!