Last month, the Montreal Modern Quilt Guild had visit from Libs Elliot for a workshop. I really love her work. It is really unique. I like her approach, particularly how she uses programming to generate quilt patterns and how she introduces randomness in her quilts. It was great to meet her in person. We had such a great day. It was the first time we were so many members to sew together. And as we were all working on the same project, it was great to share our progress, throughout the day and even as we were a preparing for the workshop. We had some great discussions on fabric selection online and and in the meeting preceding the workshop.
We had chose Libs Elliot’s Weight of Love workshop. A pattern was provided and we had to cut our fabric prior to the workshop. We had to cut triangles, half-hexagons and hexagons. It was recommended to use the Hex N More ruler by Jaybird Quilts. I rarely used specialty rulers, but I really enjoyed using that one. It’s versatile and well designed. I will certainly use it in other projects.
I auditioned so much fabric to use for this quilt. I even ordered a bundle of solid blue fat quarters. In the end, I decided to go with what I had in my stash. I use some black and white combined with some light gray and pastels. It was inspired by these rugs, particularly the picture with the rug in B&W, blue and green hanging on the wall.
In the workshop, we learned how to assemble our hexagonal blocks, assemble the rows and then join them using y-seams. During that day, I had time to assemble two rows and join them. I did modify the original pattern a bit as I wanted to make it my own. And also because I didn’t want to make the appliqué of the large hexagon (a bit of laziness I guess). So, all rows are the same length. I just finished assembling all my blocks. Now, I need to assemble the remaining rows and join them (the hardest part). As I was laying down my blocks to prepare my rows, I thought it was a good time to share my progress.
On my way home from the workshop, I realized the colors of my quilt are much like the colors of nature at this time of the year. Our little town is surrounded by the country. And as I was driving I could observe the light blue sky, the fields that still had that golden yellow from fall with hints of green, and spots were the snow hadn’t melted yet. So serene. This weekend as we went to the sugar shack, the temperature was similar and I thought I should name my quilt “Le temps des sucres”. Do you know the proper way to translate this in English? I just love that time of the year!
I’m no help with the translation but I really like how you’ve made this your own and the colours and inspiration rug/s.
Thanks Vicki!
I love your work SO MUCH Josée!
For me “le temps des sucres” translates as Sugar Making, which isn’t exactly the same. But then again I go to a family sugar camp not a sugar shack…
I can’t wait to see the complete project and how you choose to quilt it.
Yes, it seems like I can find the right words to translate what le temps des sucres means to me. Thanks for all your LOVE for my work! I really appreciate it.
What an awesome name! The colours are just beautiful and I really like the modifications you made to the pattern.
I like your colours very much. I think “Sugaring Time” is the English version of “temps des sucres”.
Thanks! And thanks for the translation!
This is so gorgeous!! I love that you adapted the pattern to make it your own. The name is perfect too, I don’t know that there is a translation!
Thanks a lot Stacey!
Although “sugaring time” is the literal translation, in English you would say “sugaring off” to refer to the maple syrup harvest. The colours on your work are really nice, looking forward to seeing it sewn.
Thanks Anne for your nice words and the translation.
C’est tellement toi ces couleurs-là! Et avec le noir c’est parfait! Et laisse le nom en français. Ça dit vraiment ce que ça veut dire. Bravo!
Ça me fait rire que tu modifies le patron pendant l’atelier. J’ai fait la même chose lors de notre atelier avec Cinzia. C’est comme un peu gênant de dire au prof que tu vas adapter ces choses devant lui, et non pas dans l’anonymat lorsqu’on le fait seule à la maison. Très belles analogies pour les couleurs, mais il n’y a pas encore beaucoup de vert tendre dans mon coin.
Wow! Je le vois tellement, même si c’est très abstrait : il y a quelque chose de léger, pur, frais et “whimsical”. J’ai pensé tout de suite à des nuages, un ciel bleu ensoleillé d’hiver et des jeunes pousses qui percent la neige. Et il y a aussi plein de mouvements, comme un bouillon de vie qui s’anime.
Peut être que tu ne devrais pas chercher à traduire littéralement, mais plutôt l’essence, quelque chose comme “Spring sweetness” (mais mieux dit… “The Sweetest time” ? “Spring Harvest”? ). Ou bien des mots qui évoquent le renouveau (Awakening, rising, transition…), mais il y a un risque de sonner religieux 🙁
Merci pour les suggestions! J’aime bien Spring Sweetness.