Who says Florida doesn’t have seasons? We have hurricane season, don’t we? One year ago, Hurricane Irma had just skirted Florida on its way northward. Due to the power of the storm and the projected path, the governor of Florida issued an order for mandatory coastal evacuations, and urged people in many other areas to evacuate voluntarily.
As a result, a mass exodus ensued with around SIX MILLION Floridians hurrying to safer ground. This resulted in more problems: huge traffic jams, fuel shortages, and packed hotels all the way to North Carolina. A few days later, the entire migration happened again in reverse.
All this popped into my head when I read about an exhibit called “Forced to Flee.” Plus, I had played around with this little number about a year earlier.
I wasn’t trying to make a hurricane motif, but was simply having fun sewing down raw-edged strips. But, in the right context I thought it could surely look like a hurricane as seen on a weather forecast. And so, my ideas for a hurricane quilt began to evolve.
But, how to depict the mass exodus of cars? Well, it just so happens that my husband and I had been caught in a 6 hour traffic jam in the Florida keys and I had taken a few photos of the traffic at a standstill. (Because it’s not every day that the guy in the camper in front of you gets out with his fishing pole and casts over the side of the road/bridge.)
Maybe I can merge these two images somehow. Off to do some sketching.
And to those of you in the path of Florence, stay safe!
Ellen Lindner
Here just east of Houston, we have rain and more rain. It was just about a year ago we had Harvey come and stay around for about 2 weeks–I began to feel like Noah’s wife. We have evacuated several times due to hurricanes, and contraflow is something I never wish to see again–people stopped by the side of the road, no restrooms, no food anywhere–all the fast food places soon sold out, no lettuce or tomatoes or fresh vegetables in the grocery stores—the interstate closed—
While I wish the Carolinas and north Florida and Georgia no harm, those of us in Texas are more than a bit relieved Florence was not coming to visit us–many people are still in campers and tents after Harvey. And there is a tropical depression brewing in the Gulf–heading for somewhere in Texas.
I’m fueling up my vehicle, stocking up on non-perishables, and maybe some extra water. Having enough for three days is inadequate–it needs to be for a week or ten days.
Sylvia, you sound very experienced in dealing with hurricanes. Some of the things you’ve described are definitely worse than I’ve seen. (And that was bad enough.) As harmful as these big storms can be, I’m thankful that modern weather forecasting helps to keep people safe.
Like you, we’re always stocked for a week without power at this time of year. And I have checklists!
Oh Ellen. This has the makings of a high energy ……high impact Quilt. 👩🏼🎨
Annette Boncek
Uh, “high impact” Annette? Was that meant to be a pun? It’s a good one.
You’re right, though, about the energy of this piece. Anything I do will have to compete with the 3D colorful hurricane spiral.
Yes Ellen. It was a pun. I just couldn’t resist 🤓. So glad you got it😎
You
Stay
Safe!
Will be thinking about you.
Back atcha. It looks like you’ll get some weather in your area.
Just 30 miles from Virginia Beach, we are preparing for the worst. Because of what is predicted,a large band of stalled flooding rain may affect the entire states of Virginia and North Carolina with power outages from falling trees, etc. So it appears, ironically, a safe place this week may be Florida!
Fortunately, we are not in a flood prone area of Newport News, we have a whole house generator now (a week without power after hurricane Isobel was enough), our needs are simple and our fabric stash will see us through. We are praying for divine intervention!
Yes, Mary Frances, it does look like you’re going to get a wallop. Power outages and flooding can be SO significant! You’re fortunate to have such a great generator. Be careful and stay safe!
A 6 hour traffic jam – oh my! I drove to Key West once – in 1979. It was beautiful driving out over the ocean on that bridge.
An idea popped into my head for using the image on your quilt – don’t know whether it’s what you had in mind – but – you could print the image on a sheer fabric and overlay it on the quilt. Just an idea. I like what you have so far! And I think it can stand alone as is.
Yes, we were ON that bridge when the traffic came to a complete stop due to an accident (in the fog.) We had to all turn around and wait 6 hours for the road to be cleared.
I like your idea. I’ve been puzzling about how to merge the two images/ideas. Stay tuned.
🙂
You taught at our guild this past year, Quilter’s Crossing in Palm Harbor. I made a hurricane quilt for our challenge in January. Where can I submit it? Would you like to see it?
Hi Cathy,
OF COURSE I’d like to see your hurricane quilt! You can email it to me. (See the link at the bottom of every web and blog page.)
I’m preparing this quilt for an exhibit called “Forced to Flee,” sponsored by SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates.) It’s a juried show and the selected pieces will tour for several years. If you’re a SAQA member you can find all the details on the SAQA.com website.
Thank you. I’ll look into SAQA.
It’s a wonderful organization, Cathy. saqa.com
Ellen, you are such a creative inspiration — I am not an advvanced quilter but an advanced sewer & have a question about IRMA—are all the narrow strips left ragged edged on the quilt?How do you keep them in order as you attached them one by one? pins? Manjy thanks, Gail
Hi Gail,
I’ve been wracking my brain trying to remember how I managed those raw-edged strips, but it’s not coming to me. I’m guessing that I used pins to start the center area, but needed fewer and fewer as I went. I do recall going back and adding shorter pieces on top where some variation was needed. I used black thread and let it all be rather messy.