When we got the prompt “Heritage” I immediately thought about my Grandmother’s farm in Germany. This is where I grew up, in the Rhineland, a few kilometres from the border with the Netherlands. I have a lot of vivid memories about this place, about the farm as a building and as a place where I would play with my cousins, cook with Oma, have sleepovers and also work. I remember working getting the straw bales in the barn, hoeing sugar beets, planting and harvesting potatoes (with machines, of course) and being involved with the everyday life of farming in general. The big farmhouse was a gathering place for our extended family, especially around Christmas, or important birthdays. This building to me is like an anchor, a safe place for my childhood memories. The farm was just next door, and for me, it was always Oma’s farm, grandmother’s farm, as I never got to know my granddad.
I decided to concentrate on the house as my main design focus. I stencilled the brick fabric for the house using three different paint colours and was very happy with the outcome as it is so close to the real look.
The tree next to the house stands for a large walnut tree that has been part of the farm for a long time and is also a constant in my memories. Gathering the nuts every fall was part of our yearly routine, and I remember setting up a tent underneath it in the summer. The fabric for the plants is cyanotype printed fabric I made this summer. The fabric for the roof shingles I found in my stash – you never know what you might need one day!
You may have noticed that this is just a top at the moment, not quilted and finished. The reason I’m late this time is that we had hurricane Fiona barreling through our region last weekend, and it hit us pretty hard. Thankfully, we had no damage to our property, but no power for three days, and no internet for five days, and life, in general, has been very much disrupted as many people here are still struggling with the aftermath. I will post the finished quilt with better photos within the next weeks.
Title: Oma’s Farm
Regina Marzlin
Dimensions: h 40″ x w 36″
Material: hand dyed/painted and commercial fabrics, acrylic paint
Technique: stencilling, cyanotype printing, piecing, raw edge applique
LOVE this story, Regina and your beautiful work, celebrating your Oma’s Farm and the love of the time you shared with her and the family there. A beautiful salute to precious days and many memories… treasure, and enjoy your lifetime of loving this home!
What wonderful memories, Regina. My grandparents ranch was always Grandma’s place to me, too.
Regina, that is a beautiful story with many childhood memories. I can imagine that you are sacrificing this one. Glad you weren’t damaged by the hurricane. Good luck finishing the quilt. But that will be alright. A sweet greeting from Holland.