On My 2007 Journal Quilt
17″x22″
My Artist Statement from my 2007 Journal Quilt which is currently hanging at the International Quilt Festival this year:
A Page from My Book: Journal Quilts 2007 - Journal Quilt Project
Melissa L Devin
Bothell, Washington
USA“One Hundred and Fifty Reasons: Results Not Typical”
Creative Quilting techniques used: Beading (pg 155); Fabric Printing (pg 158); fabric/organza overlay(pg 174)
This journal quilt project was a year in the making. It doesn’t end at this point either. This quilt represents a year in my life with the one subject that is with me nearly 24hrs a day: dieting. I created a graph.
No strip piecing took place! Approx 780 rectangles make up the graph… give or take a few. 52 columns by 15 rows. Each row is equal to 10 pounds, and of course each column represents one week out of the year. The “mountain” represents my weekly weigh-in “numbers”. I like to see my progress visually, and graphs have always been the method to see this. As I work through the year, the reality is that I ended up gaining 20lbs.
So, the journal quilt evolved. I found no less than 150 diet fads and programs that mostly involved only taking supplements or pills. Some plans are admittedly better than others which many have had great success. I printed these “methods” on organza and fused it to my mountain.
The thought came to mind: I wonder how many dollars have been tossed to these companies? I purposely did not add exercise equipment, which seemed too obvious of a weight loss method, and not “fast” enough to add to my “quick fixes”.
I ended the quilt with my snail trail blocks. The reality is now that I have finally gotten into my groove of diet and exercise, I am losing weight. It will be slow going… just like the snail. But my goal is to reach a healthy weight, and not with all the diet pills and fad diets that have been plastered to my mountain over the years. If anything, those simply added the extra pounds to my thighs.
Laying out first rectangles, deciding placement. 780-ish 3/4″ x 1.5″ rectangles. Not strip pieced.
The Plan. I decided early on to make a weight loss graph. Because I love mountains, I decided to make it appear as one (since losing weight feels like moving mountains). The sections also encompass the seasons: Starting with Spring (meadow), Summer (lake), Autumn (mountain), Winter (sky). This is to also represent a year passing by. In reality, it will take longer than one year of seasons to reach my weight loss goal.
Top finished, ready for embellishing.
I uploaded a large image of the finished quilt at my flickr site if you would like an up-close look. Just click through the image, and choose All Sizes to view in different sizes.
I am glad to say that this year I have had a 15lb weight loss. I had a bigger goal in mind, but I will take 15lbs!
Welcome to my blog--it is mainly craft related, but it is a mixture of miscellaneous happenings as well. I live in the great Pacific Northwest, happily, rain and all! I am a multi-tasker by trade, enjoy quilting along with some beading, knitting, and general fiber art when I get a wild hair. I am also a homeschooling parent, but will likely not write much on that here. Enjoy! 
I love how personal this quilt is. You have taken something that can be so difficult and frustrating and created a beautiful work of art. Good luck on you weight loss. Be healthy!
Beautiful quilt. It was lovely to see how you planned it.
I love your quilt - what a brave and honest person you are to share this inspiration. Thank you for publishing your process. I am struggling with getting from inspiration to design for finished work at the moment so I am grateful for seeing your process. 15lbs is plenty - more than 1 a month. Keep up the excellent work. Thank you
Thank you for sharing your inspirational story and art. A psychologist, I work with so many struggling with food and weight issues and am appalled by the profit motive that takes advantage of this area of vulnerability.
Thank you also for the information on food/seed sources. Barbara Kingsolver is a favorite writer.
I am wondering if you would grant me permission to use the image of your quilt from your website in a book that I am writing entitled Peace Fibres: Stitching a Soulful World. In the book, I enlist fibre work as metaphor and manifestation for developing harmonious relationship to self, others, and the larger world.
Your quilt would be an inspirational piece in a chapter on resilience in which I focus on ways in which people employ fibre art in healing and recovery. I would, of course, cite you as the artist and your website as well.
May I use the image? If so, please advise of any fees involved.
Thank you for considering my request. I look forward to your response.
Respectfully,
Karen Lohn