Darn Darn Darn (I'm Being Polite)

May 15, 2009 32 Replies

So I'm making a baby quilt, using a pattern I'd used before and left over fabric. As I put the first block together, I had two of the pieces reversed. No big deal, methinks. Same size, just different.



After making 8 or so blocks, I look down at them nicely arranged on the floor to see eight little swastikas looking back at me.



No way am I giving anyone a baby quilt with little swastikas twirling around. I don't care if there is pre-WWII significance.



Tonight will be spent frogging. Lesson learned, hopefully.



joan


So sorry! Hope it won't take long to take the blocks apart. Barbara in SC

Our Christmas tree skirt has a swastika in it. I discovered it much too late to remove it. Easy enough to set a little gift on that block. =) Polly

It would have to be a pretty big baby to cover up 8 of them on a baby quilt! :-)

probly a secondary design, rearrange the blocks. j.

"KJ" wrote... It would have to be a pretty big baby to cover up 8 of them on a baby quilt! :-)

Oh Joan, I'm so sorry. Boy I can see how something like that could happen though. Yikes!

Michelle in NV

This website (cut n paste)

formatting link

says it was a Native American sign...hmmmm

rusty

Blocks taken apart. Ready to sew together properly in the morning. I just can't leave something like that to face the next day. Have to at least have it taken apart.

On a lighter note, I bought myself a new ironing board today. My Mother and Grandmother are probably spinning in their graves because I spent $40 on an ironing board! But it's bigger than usual, sets up taller, had a place for the iron to sit at the end and a place to hang strips that are waiting to be ironed. Plus, it won't take the skin off my toes like the old one did every time I walked into it! I deserve a new ironing board, right?

Look, girlfriend, you spend quality time with that ironing board. It is so easy for us to put up with something that doesn't work too well, because it does, well, work. Having a good ironing board is definitely worth it, and yes, you deserve quality stuff (good size, height etc is all quality, not luxury here).

Hanne in CPH

I think it's horrible when legitimate and honorable symbols and words are transformed into something hateful, and what we know as the swastika is the one that always comes to mind first. (It was formerly a stylized Christian cross common in the Eastern European areas and parts of Russia.) However, since the awastika has become a symbol of hate, you obviously must change the quilt, and I'm glad you're willing to do so.

Several years ago there was an absolutely elegant quilt for sale on consignment in a quilt shop in Illinois, and it was designed around a centered Orthodox cross and containing numerous Orthodox Christian symbols -- beautiful colors, exquisite work. Unfortunately, between rows of sashing going around the entire quilt was a row of small swastikas! And the quilt, obviously, did not sell, even after several price reductions taking the price down to cost of materials. The lady then tried to donate it to a church for raffle, and they wouldn't take it. It took FAR too long for her to do it, but she finally removed all of the swastikas -- and then the quilt sold very quickly. I was actually surprised that the shop owners first even allowed it in their shop, but the quilter was a relative of some sort, so they had to take it to preserve peace in the family, but they did put it in the most out-of-the-way place they could find. Had I known enough about re- working quilts at the time I might have purchased it and re-worked it when it was at its lowest price.

This happened to me the first time I tried to make a quilt for a gift. I just about tossed my cookies. I betcha anything this is just about the most common quilter's remorse story. Hope the frogging went well and all is back to goodness and light. :)

Sunny

Done! Well, the top is done.

formatting link
ECLIPSE is the name of the pattern from Blue Underground. The fabric is scraps left from an Easy Breezy made from Momo's Wonderland (Moda).

joan

i like it. baby will love it. well done. j.

"joan8904" wrote... Done! Well, the top is done.

formatting link
ECLIPSE is the name of the pattern from Blue Underground. The fabric is scraps left from an Easy Breezy made from Momo's Wonderland (Moda).

joan

Such a bright and cheerful quilt, Joan! Terrific use of those scraps. :-)

Best regards, Michelle in NV

Wow, Mary! I'm surprised because I see them so frequently in quilts. I

*know* they're not intentional, or even noticed, so I try my best to ignore them. It's just so easy for them to show up by inadvertent color placement. Kind of like that drawing of the beautiful woman/ugly hag. Once you see one, it's seems harder to see the other!

--Heidi

formatting link

Ah, you done good, girl... Now go enjoy that new ironing board!

--Heidi

formatting link

Well, these were absolutely intentional! A neat little strip of black swastikas -- about 2" -- on white background going all the way around the quilt between two strips of 1" sashing not far from the edge. One of the quilt shop employees said the woman had known they are symbols of hate these days but put them in anyway due to their older history in the Orthodox church, apparently figuring that in context they were not going to offend anybody. She was certainly wrong about that!

Yikes. That's kind of sad for both sides. But it sort of reminds me of when the Atlanta Braves were playing the Minnesota Twins in the World Series. Native Americans found the "Tomahawk Chop" offensive, but Atlanta insisted that because they didn't mean anything bad by it, they weren't going to stop doing it. I know there's got to be a limit to political correctness, but I'd rather err on the side of caution (and consideration!).

--Heidi

formatting link

w, Mary! I'm surprised because I see them so frequently in quilts. I

I wish I had seen this Friday. I have a new seam ripper. It's the best thing I've ever used. It's an eyebrow groomer. Looks like a little tiny comb, except it a blade. It won't cut the fabric, but it slices up the seam thread.

Words cannot describe how well it works.

Cindy

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required