My grandmother grew up in a time and a place when women’s education was not valued. While her two brothers went on to become headmasters, she didn’t get to finish her education. When she got married, my grandfather provided her all the books she wanted to read to quench her insatiable thirst for knowledge. She learned the value of equality and humanity from those books. In a culture steeped in segregation, she opened her home to everyone.
Unlike my grandmother, I am lucky to live in a country where I can receive education, express my opinion freely, read banned books and write without fear of censorship. I dearly love my country for all that and more. My FREADOM quilt is made to honor the books that continue to free my mind and in red, white and blue for a country that makes it possible.
I asked my wonderful friend Susie from Susie’s Sunroom if she would be willing to make a mini for this blog post. She was so enthusiastic about it that I had photos of her finished mini in my mailbox within a couple of days. Susie has impeccable colour choices, so I knew I would love the colours she would use. I really fell in love with the photo of her beautiful mini amidst her books. It was very hard to pick just one photo for this post. Make sure to visit her blog to see more.
The FREADOM bookshelf quilt pattern makes a 10″ x 16″ quilt block. Both striped and non-striped versions of the R-E-A-D letters are included in the pattern. It is also a very scrap-happy block. Other than the background fabric, I used scraps for every bit of this mini. The pattern is now in my shop.
As a thank you for reading my blog, I am giving away two sets of these Fourth of July fabrics. Make sure that you are subscribed to my blog and leave a comment. I will announce the two winners on July 16th.
I will leave you with my next set of index card drawings for the icad project –
Solitude in rain, breathing in the smell and quietness
Windmill sentinel against the sunset sky
Always have had a weakness for vintage Porsches
California Poppies – lovely flowers of my state
Corn Lilies – I always stop at the site of corn lilies on hiking trails
The colours started taking their own forms
A grey dapple foal, free and beautiful like moonlight
There you have it! They are taking up every last scrap of my time, but I am letting myself get lost in these mini index card paintings.
Have a fabulous weekend!
-Soma
44 thoughts on “FREADOM”
Lorna McMahon July 12, 2017 at 06:48
Bravo!!! The FREADOM mini is so clever and very cute in any fabric combination. I love it!
Susan Spiers July 6, 2017 at 16:28
The play on words in your mini quilt is just so right-your postcards are amazing! Thank you, Susan
Jennifer @ Inquiring Quilter March 2, 2016 at 09:03
The mini is so cute! No wonder it holds a special place in your heart. Visiting from Sew Cute Tuesday.
M-R @ Quilt Matters July 10, 2015 at 17:31
Love, love,love your mini, Soma! And your postcards, just wow! So glad you linked up to TGIFF!
Janine July 10, 2015 at 15:59
I love your Freadom quilt and the story behind it. It’s good to acknowledge our freedoms and remember how hard won they are :)
I love your index cards too. You really are an artist :)
krislovesfabric July 10, 2015 at 13:28
Make sure you leave me out of the draw my friend as I have won one before…Evan did anyway, lol!! Your design is wonderful, great way to honor your heritage and love of reading and the freedoms we take for granted. I forget sometimes how lucky we are to have the freedoms we do, you are good to remind us.
Katy M July 9, 2015 at 12:20
As a library assistant I really love this mini! I think people take for granted how lucky we all are to have free and uncensored access to books and knowledge :) I follow you with bloglovin x
Deb Taylor July 9, 2015 at 04:11
Oh my goodness you certainly have been blessed with such artistic talent. Love, love, love the FREADOM quilt, and the story behind it. We are so blessed in this country with the freedoms that we have, unfortunately, I see so many slipping away!!
Your index card drawings are just beautiful, and each tell a story of their own.
I look forward to seeing your next designs and reading your stories!!
God Bless,
Deb
Ruth July 9, 2015 at 02:23
Very cool, really enjoyed reading about mini and the inspiration behind it. Really like the girl in the rain and Tardis swirling in the vortex too!
Ruth July 9, 2015 at 02:22
Very cool! I really enjoyed reading about your quilt and inspiration behind it. Love your girl in the rain and the Tardis swirling in the vortex!
Jennie @ Jennie's Threads July 9, 2015 at 01:12
I love your quilt and the story behind it! And your index card paintings are very impressive.
Chris July 8, 2015 at 23:58
There is a lot of thought and creativity in this quilt. I love it. Yes let it Ring!
Super Mom - No Cape! July 8, 2015 at 18:04
I’m stopping by from the Let’s Bee Social Link Party. I love your FREADOM mini quilt and the one your sweet friend made as well! I’m a new follower on Bloglovin. Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win!
Anne Beier July 8, 2015 at 11:30
Love your Freadom. So important. And your index card drawings are wonderful. Thanks for sharing. I love the yellow flower.
Johnny July 8, 2015 at 10:52
I love your work!
carolyn montgomery July 8, 2015 at 08:14
love your fREADdom quilt. my husband says, “money spent on books doesn’t count”.
Bonnie in VA July 8, 2015 at 07:29
I LOVE your Freedom quilt. You should see if the ALA (American Library Association) might want to purchase the rights to make a poster out of it. Thanks for sharing this one. Love the old books with your friend’s version.
Paulette July 8, 2015 at 06:45
A woman after my own heart: Dr Who, horses, vintage Porsche, windmill in the sunset, rain and most of all freedom. Thank-you for you beautiful art.
Liz July 7, 2015 at 23:45
Reading was certainly the source of freedom for me as a child, and I hope I passed that on by reading and reading to my own children. Love your mini – it captures that feeling, well done
Lara B. July 7, 2015 at 09:21
As an avid bookworm, I LOVE your quilt and what it symbolizes for you Soma! I’m not at all surprised by Susie’s enthusiasm and she really did a wonderful job with her sewing and her photo staging!
My on my, are your index cards fun! You are doing beautiful work! The format must make you think differently to create such small pictures. I loved what you wrote “Solitude in rain, breathing in the smell and quietness” I feel like that in the rain too.
rosa July 7, 2015 at 05:54
Love the FREADOM and the story about it,thanks for sharing!
Susan July 6, 2015 at 18:09
I love your pattern. I’m a retired teacher and a reader since I was 3. I can’t imagine my life without reading and without the freedom to become who I wanted to be.
Rebecca Grace July 6, 2015 at 12:03
I love your FREADOM pieces and the story behind them. Also your drawings are fantastic! Especially love the composition of the windmill and the TARDIS.
Kaja July 6, 2015 at 11:17
Oh Soma. what a great little quilt and how cool that you have made up the pattern for it. I like Susie’s version a lot too. I read your blog regularly anyway but have now subscribed. :-)
Denise July 4, 2015 at 17:52
I love this wall hanging. I just got the pattern on Craftsy, and I’ll be making one for my local book club to display! Thank you for such a wonderfully creative design.
Nancy M July 4, 2015 at 16:17
I liked reading your post. The mini quilt is so insightful. Thank you for the chance at the giveaway.
Marly July 4, 2015 at 08:22
A lovely mini quilt and a lovely blog post. We often forget how fortunate we are to be free, and free to read. It’s hard to imagine what the world would be like if we were unable to communicate freely. Thank you for the reminder.
Kim Sharman July 4, 2015 at 00:36
I cannot imagine what it would be like not to have the freedom to read any book I like. We are very fortunate we live in a society where we can enjoy books anytime we so choose. The mini quilt is gorgeous. I love the colours. I love your mini cards, Soma, especially the Solitude in rain one. I’m with you, I wouldn’t say no to a Porsche!
Cindy Dahlgren July 3, 2015 at 16:21
I love this! So many people forget that the freedom to read whatever you want isn’t the norm. Many countries restrict what it’s citizens can read. CDahlgren at live dot com
Marjorie Nath July 3, 2015 at 03:49
Reading has always been very important to me. In fact when we retired to Mexico from Seattle the only things I insisted that had to come with me where my books, sewing machine and material.
Jeneta@PlumJam July 2, 2015 at 22:22
I also feel blessed to live in a country and era where education is available to everyone. We have taught our children to value and respect books. They are so precious and powerful. I love both minis! And your ‘Solitude in Rain’.
Maria July 2, 2015 at 17:27
Have a wonderful 4th of July! Love the minis and the story behind…my Nan, born at the end of the 19th century was also denied a longer formal education…she was brilliant at maths but that wasn’t very feminine in those times! Love, love your drawings! In a few weeks I will be in your state…is there are chance I might see some if those corn lilies? They are beautiful.
barbara woods July 2, 2015 at 15:44
I have always read, now I quilt to
Mary July 2, 2015 at 13:50
That is absolutely brilliant! I love Your Freadom and Susie’s version is every bit as clever in her colors.
Your cards are incredible as well. You are so talented in so many fields. My sister had an old old bathtub porsche at one time. I also traveled to the hospital when I was in labor with our first child in a friend’s bathtub porsche….except the door wouldn’t open. ;-) Imagine a 9 month pregnant woman crawling through the window!!!
Caryn July 2, 2015 at 12:20
I have always loved to read. Thank goodness for libraries, since I would go broke trying to buy all the books I’ve read. I love your story and your Freadom quilt. It’s clever and cute.
DebV July 2, 2015 at 12:19
I love your fREADom mini. A friend of mine works in the library. I will have to get the pattern and make one for the children’s room where they are always free to read.
Amy DeCesare July 2, 2015 at 11:56
I love the fREADom design, as another lifelong book lover. When my sons learned to read, it was one of the top 10 greatest moments in motherhood for me. Your pattern is so cool, and I love the version that Susie – my real-life sister – made. I saw it in person, and it’s amazing!
Kathleen July 2, 2015 at 11:49
Love the FREADOM mini! And your drawings. All of them.
Alida July 2, 2015 at 11:08
Very creative and inspiring mini! Thanks for sharing your talent both with quilting and amazing drawing!
Cheryl July 2, 2015 at 11:05
Your mini is excellent It is a beautiful remembrance for all of us that we not take the liberties and opportunities we have nowadays for granted.
Marion July 2, 2015 at 11:02
Soma I really love all of your posts and this one is really extra special. I really hated reading as a child until I received a big box from my grandmother. Inside were all of the books my mother loved as a child. Anne of Green Gables, the Hardy Boys adventures, Tom Sawyer, and on and on. I was lost in these adventures for the rest of the summer and haven’t stopped yet. All four of my children love to read and they have passed this love on to their children. One of my daughters has taken her children to the local library from the time they were tiny babies. Story time at the library was a regular event and all of her children read constantly. Thanks for showing us the impact reading and education has on all of us.
silvana July 2, 2015 at 10:42
OH my! This mini is clever, cool and stunning! and your designs in cards are adorable! You are a such talented artist!
I feel touched with your Grandmother’s story because my Mom, when was a child, coudn’t go to school, she even learned to write her name. Her father used to say that women didn’t need to know to write! So, when my mother grown up, she learned to sew, and when I was a little child my mom went to an adult spelling school and learned a little bit! Then she learned to write her name, to read simple sentences, and today, when she is 80’s she write, send and receive email because she went to a computer school to learn how to use a computer, bought one and are using it! My Mom is soooo cute and clever! Thank you so much, Soma, for sharing your Grandmother story!
Reguna July 2, 2015 at 09:42
Very nice quilt. I love the different angle on freedom. In the USA so many things are viewed as common when in other places they are longed for. Happy 4th!
susie July 2, 2015 at 08:46
It was an honor to make your fREADom mini, Soma! Your pattern is exceptional, and really fun to make!
I grew up reading… and actually fell in love with reading with the actual books in my picture .( They were my mother’s books.) I soon learned that reading allowed me to “escape to any place in the world” through words.
We are so lucky to live in a country where we are free to read whatever we want to!
Your postcards are beautiful!! My favorite is the little girl in the rain….
Susie