And so...

...has it taken me so long to getting around to this because I am putting off showing it to you?
Maybe, though that would be silly as hundreds and hundreds of people saw it at Festival of Quilts.
It actually has more to do with the fact that after the show a whole lot of stuff was deposited away up in the attic and I have been too busy (couldn't be bothered ) to get up there to fetch it and take some decent pics. I did take one of it while it was in the booth, but was not going to cut it so hence the wait.

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Dreaming of Borneo

So why have I shared all of this with you?
Firstly because I started to blog about it and felt compelled to finish this.
I had also made a commitment to my both buddy to create a Borneo piece.
Mainly though I hope it will force me into a better practice in the future.

I know that my better work is produced when I fill the sketchbook and fully explore where to go. I know that some quilts are serendipitous but when given a "theme" it pays to work out all the options.

The usual chestnut of allowing enough time and not leaving things to the last minute also applies...obviously.
There are parts of this that I like but I have enough self knowledge to know that the whole design of the piece is not good.
I could do what one person suggested (you know who you are if you are reading this :D) and cut it up into smaller sections but then that would mean losing the tree and I don't want to do that.
I do have one thought up my sleeve that I might attempt.We shall see.


For all that I have said this is a deeply personal piece, even if it looks a bit as if I have been dreaming whilst under the influence of something. It represents what was a very important and pivotal time in my life, not least because Borneo is where I met and married my husband.

The three motifs represent some of my best loved memories.

The Dragon Boat which is based on wood carvings represents the yacht that we bought and lived on for a while and which was called Dragon Lady.

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The wonder of nature in that part of the world can not be underestimated. The turtles are a reminder of a trip to nature reserve situated on an island. I got to watch baby turtles hatch and make their way to the sea. It was magical.

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The orangutangs, or the hairy man of Borneo will forever have a place in my heart. If I had to make a top ten list of best moments, the one where I got to watch a whole group of them swinging their way through the trees towards a feeding station (a step towards their complete rehabilitation into the wild) would probably be at the top.

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An unusually wordy blog post for me. If you have made it this far, thank you for reading.
Onwards and upwards!
Be back to share some new bits and pieces soon.

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Comments

  1. Thanks for showing it, I didn't get to the quilt show and it nice to see. It has such a rich use of could that create depth and layers to it. There are such detailed patterns and intricate work.

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  2. I love it and thank you for sharing some of its story. I'm not sure why you are not pleased with it overall, but maybe give it a long while to just be as it is before you change it.

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  3. I love your piece and the story behind it.

    Debbie

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  4. It's so creative. With all the meaning involved i wouldn't change a thing...it's perfect the way it is :)

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