I will go ahead and post the Mini Art Quilt that I made since fabricfriend is very sick. Feel better fabricfriend!
I used 2 of her themes: India and Religion
When I think of India I always think of beautiful elephants draped with carpets and tassels!
I machine appliqued a decorated elephant. I satin stitched all the appliques! The back ground with the stars is meant to be the night sky. The light circle is like the moon and the elephant is dancing and prancing happily across in front of the moon. The quilting lines radiate out from the moon. It is quilted with gold metallic thread. I used alot of bright, rich colors and purples and golds which are royalty colors.
This is a Buddist celtic endless knot. It symbolizes the endless cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth and how all things are connected and related to each other. The circle is also symbolic. The Endless Knot is one of the most favored symbols in Tibetan Buddhism. It is composed of right-angled, intertwined lines that signifies the dramatic interplay and interaction of the opposing forces in the dualistic world of manifestation, leading to their union, and ultimately to harmony in the universe. This fact is reflected in the symmetrical and regular form of the endless knot.
The intertwining of lines remind us how all phenomena are conjoined and yoked together as a closed cycle of cause and effect. The whole composition is a pattern that is closed on in itself with no gaps, leading to a form of great simplicity and fully balanced harmony.
Since all phenomena are interrelated, the placing of The Endless Knot on a gift or greeting card is understood to establish an auspicious connection between the giver and the recipient. At the same time, the recipient is led to righteous karma, being reminded that future positive effects have their roots in the causes of the present. This is because the knot represents a connection, a link with our fates, binding us to our karmic destiny. Since the knot has no beginning or end it also symbolizes the infinite wisdom of the Buddha.
The Circle of Life is a symbolic representation of saṃsāra in the form of a circle , used primarily in Tibetan Buddhism. Saṃsāra is the continuous cycle of birth, life, and death from which one liberates oneself through enlightenment into which a being is continually reborn until they attain nirvana.
Close up of elephant, I made the 2 tassles myself! I drew the eye with fabric markers!
I machine embroidered positive words around the circle, The top says "Believe", then the left says "Hope"
The right side says "Trust"
The bottom of the circle says "Faith"
I also hand sewed lots of little seed beads around the circle!
There is alot of thought and symbolism in the little 20" x 22" mini quilt!
I had alot of fun making this mini quilt!
Thanks for organizing the MAQ swaps MareMare!
