Poems, Quilts and Wool

Something Golden and Slow
“Something Golden and Slow”

When I went into my studio this morning, I noticed how warm and cozy it felt, but I was surprised that it sounded different too. It was quieter, softer.

The first thing I did was sit on the new rug with a cup of tea and Mary Kellogg’s new poems.  I put them in the order that I thought they should go in the book a few days ago.  Now I was reading them all to see if it worked.  I didn’t think about it too much when I was choosing which poem went where.  I picked the first poem and the last then mixed the other up according to subject, feeling and what they looked like on the page.  Some seemed to want to go next to each other and I tried to keep the flow of the book moving.  Next Jon will read it over then Mary.  Once we get a photo for the cover we can send it for typesetting then to the printer.

After that,  I backed and tacked my quilt Something Golden and Slow.  I used the last piece of flannel sunflower fabric I had.   It felt warm and summery for this dark time of year.  It’s already sold, so I’ll get it ready for the mail tomorrow.

The back of "Something Golden and Slow."
The back of “Something Golden and Slow.”

And as comfortable as I was in my studio, when I went outside around 3pm to feed the animals, I was delighted at how warm it was, even though it was overcast and gray.  So for the next couple of hours, I started skirting the wool from the sheep.(this means picking out the big pieces of plant matter that gets stuck in the wool while the sheep graze)  I started with Deb’s, which was a mess.  It was dirty and filled with burdock seeds.   I quickly learned to pull the wool from the seeds instead of trying to pull the seeds from the wool.  (If you’re unfamiliar with burdock seeds they’re like little balls of velcro.  They stick to anything and everything, ugh!)  I was thrilled when I pulled our Suzy’s wool next and it had much less burdock in it.  I thought about how Ma always has all kinds of stuff stuck in her wool and realized that Deb must take after her.  Pumpkin’s wool was cleaner too, but I still vowed  that I’d go around next year cutting down all the burdock in the pasture.

I would have done more, but it was dark by 4:45 so I quit for the day. If it were the summer, I’d still be out there working.  But this time of year when it gets  dark and cold so early, I want to end my days early too. It takes me  while to get used to the shorter days, and just when I do, they thankfully start to get longer again.

8 thoughts on “Poems, Quilts and Wool

  1. I knew you could do something with that little yellow centerpiece. I didn’t have the heart to throw it out. That’s why I have such a collection of odds and ends. It is a lovely quilt Maria.

    1. I’m so glad you didn’t throw it out Uta. I was sitting there on the top of everything else in the box. It didn’t have to ask twice to be used. Thank you!!

  2. Hi Maria, first time commenting. Interesting tidbit that Velcro was developed from someone observing a plant (was it burdock? idk)
    Nice circularity to hear the plant described as velcro.
    Have a lovely day. Marilyn

  3. I find burdock on the edges of my yard and cut it, dig it up, and if all else fails I use Round-up (I know it’s bad). So I can feel your pain pulling sheep’s wool out of it. With Tess’ gorgeous long tail feathers, burdock is anathema to us. And the other one with the little green sticky things that comes out in the spring. Velcro indeed! One more interesting tidbit ~ in the Yorkshire Dales it is the heather that has to be cleaned out of the wool. When you walk on the moors, you can see sheep wool caught in heather all over the place!

    1. They’re all used up not Tess. they made wonderful backings for four quilts. So warm and sunny. and I thought of you each time I used one and the visit when you gave them to me. so me and four other people thank you.

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