pools of colour

For months I've had little piles of fabric squares on my desk ready to be sewn together to make my Swimming Pool quilt. Now, at last, the fragments of water and reflected and refracted light (as I see them) have come together to make a swirling mass of blues and aquas and greens.

An all-time favourite book is Waterlog by Roger Deakin, a passionate outoor swimmer whose descriptions of swimming in the moat of his ancient Suffolk house are wonderfully vivid. I love the way he writes about swimming with wildlife and through underwater plants, parting and clearing the debris on the surface of the water. So when I was choosing fabrics for this quilt, I was happy to include leaves and foliage which suggest the variety of plants that appear or fall on the surface of ponds and natural swimming pools.

One of the best moments of quilt-making for me is choosing the backing fabric. I rarely buy it in advance, because I am never quite sure how the top will turn out. I like to wait and see, and then pick something to complement or surprise or contrast, or just something to make a statement. I'm prepared to keep an open mind until I see what's on offer, and then I usually know when I see the fabric.

So yesterday, when I pulled out the bolt of the gorgeously, exuberantly, rococo Brocade Flowers by Kaffe Fassett and saw the wonderful waves and curves of colour and light which match the aqua tones and suggestions of scattered sunlight, I could see it would work perfectly for what I had in mind. Putting the whole thing together will be like diving into a soft, warm, dappled pool.

I'm adding a dark, dramatic border to mark the edge of the pool so that people don't fall in, but can stand at the edge and look into the depths.

Comments

[Gina]

oh I love it!

[Laura]

Love Love Love that quilt! You are so inspiring!

[donna]

Wow! I think this will be my favourite so far, such fantastic colours. Thanks for brightening up this gloomy Friday afternoon.

[Gill]

I couldn't believe it when I opened your blog and at last saw that you are finishing the Swimming Pool quilt! I loved it originally when I first saw the materials, and have been waiting and waiting with bated breath to see how it turned out! I'm so thrilled Jane that you are once more quilting, after all your frenetic activity with the book, knitting, etc.! And now you have once more inspired me; so upstairs I go, to try and finish my rather neglected quilt, which I haven't done anything to for weeks now! Thanks Jane ... more photos please as it progresses!

[Lesley]

Totally gorgeous! The colours and fabrics are just stunning. Great to see some of your quilting again too xx

[sheila]

What a co-incidence, I am reading and enjoying 'Waterlog' at the moment. Have just read the chapter about Cambridge and the swimming by Grantchester meadows...aah the romance of it. I'm no swimmer myself though, haven't been for years and struggle to complete a length in a pool. You have a lovely mixture of fabric designs and colour in your quilt.

[Sarah]

I love the idea of the edge! I have never made a quilt, but yours is lovely. Jane, I have my colinette point 5 in sea breeze and super chunky 15mm needles and I am taking it to my cottage this weekend (www.yourhideaway.co.uk) and am going to knit by the fire, what could be nicerer than that! haven't knitted since I was a girl but I am going to give it a whirl.

Love S x

[Rachel in Tx]

Love your quilt, love Kaffe's fabrics! I just did
one in all his bright royal blues and lime greens.
I was thinking of Phoebe last night. Ran across "Wacky Cakes & Kooky Cookies" by Gerhard Jenne and Jonathan Lovekin photos. Are you familiar with it? Since they are both from London, you probebly are but I just love his imagination.

[Patti]

Wow. What a wonderful quilt. The colours are wonderful. I too love "Waterlog". I may just dig it out for a little read this weekend.

I haven't made patchwork since I was a teenager - 1 pincushion and 3 cushions was as far as I got.

Thank you for sharing your quilt.

[Heather]

Great idea. Wonderful presentation. Love the way it looks. Well done!

[nycstitcher]

I've been waiting for the squares to come alive too after seeing them in your book. (I hope those are the same ones.) When Kaffe Fassett came on the scene, I knew I could try quilting, because the fabrics would do all the work. Of course, they need imagination--which you have supplied in abundance! Brava!

[Kathe Kramer]

This quilt takes my breath away! I can't catch up. I don't even know where to look for the yarn like in your sea glass and fire scarves. My hands, which usually paint and cook want to knit. Thank you for all the lovely inspiration.

[lazylol]

Gorgeous!

[Amber]

Hop-ah-la!

I love the watery-ness, but I also instantly thought of afternoons in Gladys' garden. It brings back vivid memories of my great-aunt Gladys and my grandmother's cousin Doris sitting in Gladys' backyard in Salem, Oregon. Also blue-green and full of interesting plants and overgrowth and blue. They were so calm and relaxed together, at that age when having a relaxing sit in the garden was not a break stolen between other responsibilities, but just part of a civilized day, and a lovely location to enjoy each other's company.

[Donna]

Absolutely gorgeous! You have inspired me to sign up for a quilting course at Purl, which starts next week. I am so excited to see and touch all those beautiful fabrics . . .Thank you for, once again, grounding me in the midst of a hectic day . . .

[Kathleen]

Eloquent as always. I think this might be my favorite quilt. Sounds like a wonderful book also.

[ruth singer]

That's one of my all-time favourite books too!

[Bee]

I love those colours Jane, absolutely beautiful.
I keep meaning to read Waterlog I must order it from my library.
My Colinette arrived..Popsicle, it's very bright and will be just the thing to wear on a dark winter's day.

[mathea]

Love, love, love the quilt! It's in myf avourite colours too, so I'll be waiting eagerly to see the finished thing. My favourite photo from your book is the one of you with your family in the sofa with all those gorgeous quilts - this will no doubt fit right into the collection!

[Jennifer]

I spent a pleasant evening yesterday, spent listening to Kaffe Fasset discuss color and inspiration at F.I.T. I think he'd love your quilt! It's beautiful--and I love that you're giving it a border to keep one from "falling in". That makes me smile.

[Margaret Powling]

Just to say, "Gorgeous colours!" I can't swim ... well, I can manage in shallow water for a few yards, but can't 'tread' water so when I stop swimming I need to have my feet on the bottom. So a book on swimming sounds not quite me, but from the enthusiasm you (and others) have for this book, I will put it on my List. Yes, my favourite photo from the book is also the one of the whole family sitting with quilts, reading. The second favourite is the Persephone books and the grey hot water bottle cover and third favourite is the Ipswich Bus (which, as many will know, is on the cover of the Persephone Biannually.) I also love the very kitsch Art Deco pink and yello cake stand! I would just love that (not to mention the cakes!)

[kim]

Absolutely beautiful colours and mix of fabrics, what a treat to look at. Thanks

[Jan]

Lovely, lovely and photographed so beautifully.
(As we're househunting, 'good, natural light, as Jane has' is at the top of my list!)

[Angie]

Beautiful! And your poetic way of describing your swimming pool makes me want to dive right into the soft waves and swills!

[liz elayne]

the way you write about this quilt just makes me smile. i love the fabrics and the images of the pool colors and texture.

beautiful.