Dear Timothy,
I am making progress quilting the backside of your cloth where my story continues to develop. 

First of all, you probably won't recognize that I am adding the pieces of Grand Pa's shirt backs in a traditional Log Cabin patchwork design. When I planned this, it did not occur to me how symbolic the  log cabin would be. In this case, GP's shirts representing home is so meaningful in a way only you might understand. 

I knew when this shirt came out of the dye bath it would take center stage. I saw the figure. I knew the flowers were about me. But the heart shape face had me perplexed; therefore, I left that area unstitched until last week when I finally understood the simple fact that this is the backside of the cloth and of course is the backside of the figure.

Today, as I look at this square I realize how much this looks like a Rorschach inkblot. My mind is tumbling with that thought and what my interpretation of it means about me. 

Tim, just know that sometimes we have to wait for inspiration. And I think you should also remember that everything we do says something about us. 

Dear Timothy,
I've known for a long time that I would use GP's old shirts for the back side of your cloth. But first I needed to over dye them in a green bath to bring them together in a color-way.  I ripped the backs from the shirts to start with, holding in reserve the fronts and arms. 

Tim, always know that GP's "got your back".  

I had no idea until I placed the first shirt back onto the center of the backside how attached I was to the stitches showing there. I frequently flipped it over to admire my handiwork. Aside from being beautiful in my eyes, to see all those stitches was some way of measuring my progress. Whenever I share your cloth with anyone, I always flip it for their response to the gazillion stitches. 

The stitches are becoming on the inside as I cover them with new stitches and GP's shirt backs.

Tim, sometimes we have to let go and just keep the beauty an inside memory. 

Sometimes, I can't leave well-enough alone. I really thought I wanted to add color. I rolled and wrapped with twine this shirt-back before dropping it into the green dye bath. And I was getting excited about the image that emerged. I was thinking about how a story was coming forth on the backside of your cloth. And how this story was about me, the maker of Tim's Cloth.  And you know all of my stories are in color. But now, I wish I had resisted the color and just kept stitching. 

Tim, I'm going to remember that sometimes I should resist my first impulses. And maybe you should too. But most of all, I'm going to remember that "there is always two sides to every story". 

Dear Timothy, 

I know what they are now. The circling birds are Jungle Blue Bills. You can see why I'm sure. I've been stitching and today, I'm feeling like just sitting in the chair and stitching. It was so nice to see you and all the family yesterday. I gave thanks for that. 

Dear Timothy,

It is true. I haven't stitched for 5 months. There were so many things going on during the summer and the fact is I have too many excuses to tell. 

The winter jungle was ready to make the connection to the story line and Green Moon Forest and that is what I did yesterday. 

After making the connection, I finished weaving the first Jungle corner.

And would you believe, there are jungle birds circling in the corner. 

Tim, I'm sure you know that sometimes birds circling means something below has died.  But that is not true in this case. 

Oh Dear Timothy.....I just needed to stitch and stitch and stitch. And so I did. In the jungle for the Winter side of the Green Moon Forest.  

Dear Timothy,

December a year ago when I stitched that crazy blue circle on this component, I never  thought it was a bird. 

Then, recently while stitching the circle that is not a moon it occurred to me that this section of your cloth is "The Jungle". Now, I don't really know what the difference in a forest and a jungle is but in my mind, I think the jungle is so full of growth that birds and beasts are not as visible and maybe even more abstract. Anyway, that is how they will be in your jungle.


Timothy, what I want you to remember is, things today may be something totally different a year and a half down the road.  

Dear Timothy,
I did make the connection with the early components that was planned in the beginning. I thought I would be able to make great progress if I would just quilt stitch these added components. I told myself that nothing else need be added. But I became bored with just straight stitching. So your cloth has been just waiting for me.


Timothy, don't be confused that the added circle is another moon. It is not. 

Dear Timothy,
This is a favorite little section of the Autumn side of the moon. I have been stitching like a crazy fool. Mostly because stitching allows me to escape into my own brain and leave "stuff" outside. However, I have also been on a mission to finish the stitching of The Green Moon Forest square.

Which I have done and for the record, it is now 47 inches square and ready to receive the next part of the story.

The black connecting border is in place and I have been auditioning some of the early components that I thought would come next.  The problem is I may have changed my mind and so I will stop for a while and just be in the "thinking" mode about that. 


You know Tim, sometimes making connections can be hard.  All I can tell you about that is, when in doubt, give it a lot of thought. 

Dear Timothy,
Maybe you think I haven't been stitching. I have. I have been focusing on finishing all the stitching in the big center Green Moon Forest square. I am anxious to make the next connection using some of the first components that started this story.

I didn't realize until I laid the pieces together that the forest needed a ground.  So, I'm adding a border around the piece before conjoining the components.

I'm always amazed how doing one little thing inspires the next thing. Makes me think that all the options are  written down in order somewhere just waiting for my discovery. But I have to discover them in a certain order. It's like walking down a path.  The path splits into two paths. A fork in the road as they say. It depends on which path you take as to what you will find.  You should remember that. 

I am excited about the black border. It is going to look really cool but more than that, I think it will become the story line.  That is the inspiration that was waiting for my discovery. 


Tim, you always need to know how thing are put together and what makes them work.  Well, just so you know, this is how I'm going to make the connection.

Autumn Moon

 Dear Timothy,
This is the lost moon. But this is not the lost cloud.  When I went looking for a different cloud, do you believe I found this perfectly mythological flying bird?  I found his head first. It was just as plain as day. Then I found the body. Then the glorious tail. I really don't think the person who designed this bit of fabric knew there was such wonderful beast and birds on it.  I guess the thing I want to tell you is, keep your eyes and heart open. And give your imagination a place to go. 

As you can see, I had to remove one of the trees. And then I sat and stitched. And stitched. I was so excited to see him.


And one more thing.  Do you remember that I told you nothing every happens before it is time?  Well, this lost moon is surely evidence of that. Otherwise, I would have never found this bird.  

Summer Moon

Dear Timothy, 

You've heard about The Man in the Moon, an imaginary human face that some can see in the moon.  Well, the Summer moon in the Green Moons Forest is most certainly not a man.  I think this two headed beast will need a name.  And I'm giving that some thought. 

Spring Moon

I finished stitching on the Spring Moon and clouds.  Oh, and guess what Timothy?  I found the missing moon.  I guess at the moment that I hid it from myself, it was a good place to put it. But I did accidentally find it the other day when starting a new project.  The lost moon will become the Autumn Moon and the cloud was still attached to it.  But guess what Tim, the cloud looks a whole lot like the beast breath in the Summer Moon. I'm puzzled about that.   

Dragoneosorus Breath

Two headed Dragoneosorus on the moon

Dear Timothy,
Last Wednesday, I took a day off and met up with Aunt Paula, Aunt Sue, and cousin Diane.  Sue and Paula are Granny's girls and she taught them to quilt too. Sue is Diane's Mother.  Paula lives in Oklahoma and was down for a visit.  Diane is learning to quilt so Paula is giving her a lesson on "The Texas Star" quilt.  Sue is holding a section that she has started. 


They are into what I call a contemporary method of traditional quilting.  

 I'm not sure that they "get" my kind  of cloth making.  But they do really like this one that I'm making for you.  While I was there I started adding the spots to The Beast. 

I guess you could say now, The Beast is no longer a burden to me.  I like him now and with a few more stitches, he will be done.

Do you think I got carried away with his spots?  

 Dear Timothy,
I am making progress on this green moon and cloud.  Almost done. I have found that stitching relaxes me and helps to clear the chatter in my head.  And while that is going on, I do wonder if my Granny and Big Mama, your great, great grandmothers, found quilting and stitching relaxing. Or did they do it totally out of necessity?  I wonder.

Your beast is getting spots and I'm getting very close to finishing the big moon.  
♥

 Dear Timothy, 
I lost a green moon.  It had a cloud pinned to it and I have been searching for days.  It is one of those things that happens. I kept seeing the green moon floating around in my world, as moons do, and then suddenly one day I thought,  "I need to put that moon in a safe place so I will have it when I'm ready for it."  Yes yes, I'm sure it is safely waiting and I'm sure I will eventually find it.... when I really need it. 

In the meantime, I have cut another green moon and I did find more clouds. Now, I'm wondering if I had the wrong clouds.  These are different from the lost ones.  Of course the moon will go behind the tree and I'm thinking I will be stitching that today.