Quilting with symbols

 Here we go, with the aim to complete posts for this quilt as I seek to complete the 'topography' of the quilt. I have already ditch-quilted the strips to hold the three layers together before adding the final binding. Yep. I know - the wrong way round. But questions remain: how best to embed the symbols I’ve chosen – machine quilted, or hand-stitched? All layers have already been ditch stitched to hold the three layers together, so there is no quilting visible. Whether to use fine threads, or embroidery thread? I’m inclined to do both, as a mirroring process; but will too much special quilting detract from the overall impact? Practical thought comes to mind: machine stitching is so much faster (and other designs are on the back burner).

Everyone knows about the pictorial ideograms of the ancients: the cuneiform developed in the times of Sumerian Empire, and the hieroglyphics of the Egyptian Empires by making marks in stone and clay tablets to record and direct behaviour. They were initially attributed to the goddesses and were less abstract than the way they developed over time to represent the sounds of a word, eventually coming to us as phonemes in lineal scripts, with limited characters. Allegories that explain these early symbols undeniably derive from the human relationship to their place, to communicate and record. 

Runes are another familiar set of ‘alphabet’ symbols originating long before lineal script, in the areas in northern European continent of Germanic and Viking peoples, who associated them with their god Odin. By expressing human qualities and characteristic emotions, they were used largely for divination – or as some say, the powers of cosmological principles. The word 'rune' acknowledges the ‘mystery’, the secret that is deeply embedded in the human psyche imparted from a relationship to the wider cosmos, as well as physical attributes related to fertility, continuity and abundance.

As symbolic sources of spiritual energies I have used Runes over the years as a form of guidance in recognising and then directing my own energies. Why not now, in the process of quilting the current creation? I haven’t pulled them out of their bag, as I used to do but have looked at them by deliberately choosing the most appropriate to represent the stage of my journey in the here and now. These symbols are perfect for straight-line quilting, being formed by various angles. The human attributes embedded in and held by the quilt in its creation are: joy, strength, warrior, opening, breakthrough, harvest, wholeness of coming to the Self. And there are other indigenous symbols, for water and 

Even older symbols are those from prehistory: the Neolithic of Old Europe gleaned by archaeologist scholar Marija Gimbutas. Her assessment is that they reveal ancient reverence for woman as Goddess, honouring the powers of woman’s body to regenerate human life. The dominant form is triangular; either inverted to form the shape of a pubic triangle (often with a short slit line to indicate labia), or as triangles joined horizontally to form diamond shaped lozenges, also symbol of the vulva. The vesica piscis symbol is formed by two overlapping circles of the same size, shown as an almond shape, or mandorla in Latin. 

Ancient symbols have carried over into other cultural institutions. The hexagram is the six-pointed star, formed by two interlocking equilateral triangles, one pointing up the other downwards. Used in many cultures and religious beliefs, it can be representing male and female in perfect harmony; as above, so below – the human position between earth and the cosmos; and the interconnection between opposites, dark and light. Overlapping hexagrams (as fractals) result in numerous intersecting points that resonate higher energy frequencies, thereby forming downward pointing several diamond shapes of the sacred vulva of rebirth.

The hexagram builds on itself, extending outwards in every direction, thus representing infinity. Hence its use in religious Judaism to represent ‘ha shem’ (God). It can also be depicted inside a circle, with the points touching the diameter. It’s a symbol of unity, union – and infinity. Known historically as the star of David, a familiar use was during the Holocaust to distinguish Jews. Today it is on the Israeli flag, though it had been used over thousands of years previously by many different peoples, groups and nations. 

Another form of star that has evolved with significant meaning in different contexts is the five pointed star.  For example, as the Eastern Star of five points in Masonic symbolism expresses the importance of knowledge that is a guide to spiritual fulfillment and self knowledge. Called a pentacle in pagan earth-centred spiritual traditions depictions and rituals over millennia, it is often contained by a circle (reminding me of the DaVinci man), each point touches the diameter. It is also the way that I like to sign the first letter of my name 'A', which is easily struck in five strokes of the pen.

There are other maybe less familiar symbols used to quilt the quilt layers, from those used by the guild of stonemasons who built the magnificent cathedrals of the middle ages that are still standing today, using set square and compass. They are evidence of the geometric shapes that have deep metaphysical meaning behind them, used to explain the mathematics of the Universe. Besides being beautiful structures, they often have interesting mathematical properties and loads of history and symbolism. These geometric designs have been used by humans since ancient times in art, decor, and in religious and spiritual contexts that can be shared across artificial boundaries. They symbolically hold the values as they are expressed by the experiences and esoteric life-styles of individuals, while identifying and creating the universal patterns and energies that underlie and unify us all in Nature, and align consciousness to the infinite and eternal. 

I'm finding it difficult to bring the quilting to an end, but I want to hang it and get on with the next - well, the others as yet unfinished - and I can always add more as the spirit moves. Throughout the process of creation, I contemplated many different names that related to the daily cycle of dawn and dusk, sunrise and sunset, following on from the original inspiration of the magnificent colours at all times of day. The moon and sun are both present, and considering their daily romantic dance of attraction to each other, I have decided on Together apart. 

Internet is opting out for now, so will post final images tomorrow.