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These past 2 weeks, I've been enjoying a bit of imaginary time travel, as I analyze my pulpit hangings to write up the patterns. Re-visiting projects that were completed several years ago has transported me to an earlier moment in my quilting journey.
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At the time I made these little banners, I was very much making it up as I went along. I love that free-wheeling, totally spontaneous working method. It often results in beautiful designs, surpassing anything my analytical left-brain would have created. On the other hand, that sew-first-think-later approach can lead to construction processes that are, shall we say, less than optimally efficient.
Take my Easter banner. (No, actually, you may not take mine. Go make your own!) This was my first venture into liturgical designs, made as a memorial to a dear friend and all-round amazing lady, Jean Curtis. It needed to be stunningly beautiful, to do Jean justice. Taking shortcuts of any kind was not part of the plan.
Take my Easter banner. (No, actually, you may not take mine. Go make your own!) This was my first venture into liturgical designs, made as a memorial to a dear friend and all-round amazing lady, Jean Curtis. It needed to be stunningly beautiful, to do Jean justice. Taking shortcuts of any kind was not part of the plan.
Two Themes
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There are two themes in this design: Resurrection, of course, since it's Easter, and also the Trinity. Come to think of it, this same design, without the floral appliqué, would be perfect for Trinity Sunday, white being the traditional color for both Easter and Trinity Sunday.
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The theme of Resurrection is expressed by the white lilies, a time-honored symbol of Easter. They bloom before the cross, in an orb of golden light. Using two lighter values of gold in the circle creates the illusion of the cross remaining visible behind the luminous circle. Life triumphs over death.
The Trinity theme is developed throughout the hanging, starting with the three white lilies. Each lily holds three embroidered stamens, and the lilies bloom on a stalk with three sets of three leaves.
The Trinity theme is developed throughout the hanging, starting with the three white lilies. Each lily holds three embroidered stamens, and the lilies bloom on a stalk with three sets of three leaves.
The Thousand Pyramids design of the background takes the Trinity theme into the very substance of the banner. Triangular patches, cut from an assortment of white-on-white fabrics, combine to form innumerable expanding triangles. The cross, and even the circle of light, are composed of Thousand Pyramids patchwork.
Here's where I may have gone a bit overboard. Honestly, all that tricky piecing of all those tiny patches in the circle does not show up behind the bold floral elements. Plus, it makes a rather lumpy substrate for the appliqué. In writing up the pattern, I greatly simplified this part.
Other than that, I'm still totally in love with this design. Like the Advent banner, the Easter hanging is finished with a row of prairie points on the bottom edge, and a wrap-around backing with integrated hanging sleeve. This is one of my favorite, genius time-saver techniques for small wall-hanging quilts.
Here's where I may have gone a bit overboard. Honestly, all that tricky piecing of all those tiny patches in the circle does not show up behind the bold floral elements. Plus, it makes a rather lumpy substrate for the appliqué. In writing up the pattern, I greatly simplified this part.
Other than that, I'm still totally in love with this design. Like the Advent banner, the Easter hanging is finished with a row of prairie points on the bottom edge, and a wrap-around backing with integrated hanging sleeve. This is one of my favorite, genius time-saver techniques for small wall-hanging quilts.
Go Make Your Own!
With an entire month left before Easter, there's still plenty of time to stitch up this banner. You can download the pattern here.
Coming next: the Pentecost banner!
Coming next: the Pentecost banner!
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