Quilt Show
Gallery of Quilts
Click on topic to learn more about the quilt.
Road to Yokadouma
Yokadouma Cameroon. Imagine a red clay road almost two lanes wide – if you count the drainage ditches on each side – winding through dense jungle. Where the ditch ends, the jungle begins. Trees and green plants are so tightly interwoven the jungle lives up to the hype: You can’t see into the foreest more than a couple of feet, and if you can get in that far and ge turned around, it might be difficult to find your way out.
Travelling in June, at end of the rainy season, our goal was to view animals in Lobeke Park, a Cameroon National Park. We expected a few showers and some mud along the way and felt well prepared with a 4 wheel drive car an experienced driver to negotiate our way and an interpreter to explain our travel adventure through the mud and dried out ruts. With no air conditioning, we drove with the windows down, scarves covering our hair. At the end of a long day’s drive, our hair was the only part of us that did not match that red clay road… (missing other paragraphs)
African Rain
Few places in the world have so much rain that an entire season is named for it. But in Africa, it is well earned. Nothing stops for a little rain, but, just about everything comes to a stand-still during a downpour that can last for a couple of hours. Keeping rain outside the living are is managed with a large car or truck windshield wiper attached to the end of a broom handle. Running it back and forth across the porch keeps water out of the house and causes the jagged line seen in this pattern.
The African Rain quilt is well suited to large scale prints. Start by viewing the fabric from a distance appreciating all of the patterns in the fabric. Use fabric framing pieces to try out potential starting triangles. Audition several sizes and shapes before making a final choice.
Next, isolate smaller patterns in the fabric to use in the zig-zag rain patterns. Then add two or three solids and complementary print fabrics that will bring out the best in your African print. Print fabrics should be smaller in scale and solids (or prints that appear as solids) should have enough contrast so they accent each other, as well as the African fabrics… (missing other paragraphs)
The Kribi Door
This Kirbi Gate is huge – standing about 15 feet high and 10 feet wide. It is part of a walled family compound facing a courtyard across from the Nzameyo Presbyterian Church.
The first time I saw the gate, I was on my way to this church. We were dropped off by car at the side of the paved road where a one lane red dirt road began. A ten minute walk followed this path well known by locals as it grew narrower and became a single file trail between homes, through back yards, dodging chickens, dogs and children and opening up to this area where the church members mingled before and after the service.
The church, constructed of cement blocks and painted white (inside and out), it is located on high ground to take advantage of every possible breeze. Large windows have shutters to keep out the rain, or on that day, let in the sun. Seating capacity is about 200. Electricity was not necessary. Drums, whistles and wooden sticks are used by old and young to become the dancing beat of music and accompanied the choir. Music filled air and wafted across the neighborhood. It marked the first time in my life I ever sat through a four hour long church service in languages I did not understand and left sorry that it was over.
I was drawn to the huge metal gate on my first visit, and again on each subsequent visits. It was a huge accomplishment by the metal artists. Each “block” was about 18” x 24” and the surface was smooth.
