This is a topographical map (sort of) of the place where I live. That is the Willamette River flowing through the city of Portland. I live on the east side of the river, the southeast region of Portland. The ocean is, of course, out there on the west side. When I moved here, I had a terrible time knowing where I was. Unlike Terry's migratory bird, I have no internal system that immediately says that is east, that is west, etc. I have always lived where I had visual cues. In California, I knew the brown mountains/hills were on the east side and the green mountains were on the west side and could navigate that way. I like visual cues.
I was going to do a more detailed and fun quilt with visual imagery or with the Mapquest app blue dot taking me from place to place. However, I have been very busy with left brain work for two weeks and so I could only do a more left brain piece.
I enlarged a map that I found on line and cropped it to 12 inches wide and then cut pattern pieces. You can read more about how I executed this on my blog (later today). I have more left brain work to do this morning!! My one nod to being a bit tongue in cheek was to put a big red you are here arrow on my map so that I can remember just where I am. In case you are wondering, Terry is over there on the left side, maybe off my map.
Here is a detail shot.
11 comments:
You Are Here is my favorite bit of this map! It's hard to use a map without some sort of reference point like that. If you were ever to work on this more or do another version, I'd love to see the arrow have even more prominence (by virtue of size, or angle, or even dimensionality?!). I like tongue in cheek.
I'm the same way Gerrie, don't know which way is which, but mostly when I'm in a new place/location.
Kristin - The arrow was an after thought. If I had thought of it earlier, I would have changed the crop on the map and made it much larger. I just feel lucky that I got something done.
It was interesting to read your blog about the development of this quilt. Your fabric choices are spot on - I especially like the grid-pattern in the brown batik.
I think of all the challenges that we have done, this is the one where we have the most overlap of results and ideas! I love that you and I are both here, Gerrie!
And I agree with Brenda; your fabric choices are terrific.
At first glance I thought those grid lines might actually be real streets--if only streets were that straight and easy to follow. I also have to use the mountains to know east/west. I would be totally lost on the Great Plains.
I would love to go in and add actual streets to this map, just so I can understand why it takes me so darn long to drive to your house from mine! Yes, I am definitely off your map, but I know this landscape well. The rivers make such a beautiful upward moving chevron in this piece. Fitting, I think, since the rivers are such a prominent feature of our city.
Gerrie, the grid pattern is great, it really gives you a sense of a city, and your arrow is perfect!
Yes, a wonderful piece with great visual texture and I too love that You Are Here arrow!
Hey... it's a return to the BrownSageBlue color theme! I love the way you explored using an actual real life map!
If, I might be a litte critiquey ( as opposed to critical I hope) i think the swirlyness of the green fabric makes the see very interesting and I imagine lots of foam If I was to actually zoom down to the sea. But I do t hink you are right that it would work better if cropped or maybe if yoiu shifted the whole piece southsouth east because the arrow at the moment serves to higlight the empty centre. But I like to know where I will find you whenever I get over to Portland!
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