Sea of Dreams by Susan Brittingham

This quilt was begun in response to a guild challenge, to create a quilt based on one's birthday. My astrological sign, Pisces, suggested the imagery, and a fondness for classical architecture dictated the inclusion of the columns.

Although I have used columns in my work previously, my goal here was to maximize the illusion of roundness and depth. This quilt was constructed using a combination of techniques including both piecing and appliqué as well as a little trapunto.

This quilt was featured in the October 2001 issue of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine.

Sea of Dreams represents the story of a journey and a metaphor for the journey of the soul. The traveler resides in a place of beauty and wonder and is at peace with her world. But the day comes, as it must, when the wonder pales and beauty becomes commonplace. The quiet life, dwelling in an environment of her own making weighs heavy on her thoughts as she dreams of adventure.

The traveler feels the irresistible pull of distant shores and becomes restless. Ultimately, the allure of foreign places and the excitement of new experiences overwhelms her. She sets sail upon the sea of dreams; seeking an intangible pleasure she may never discover and leaving behind a true treasure, which she may never find again.

On the reverse side of the quilt, I placed some labels that described the astrological sign of Pisces, and relevant quotes and birthstone and flower information for the month of February. Here are some of them:

Birthstone for February: Amethyst
Flower: Violet

Pisces, the 12th sign of the Zodiac, is ruled by Neptune, its Element is Water

Imaginative and sensitive
Compassionate and Kind
Selfless and unworldly
Intuitive and sympathetic
Mystical

On the Dark Side,

Escapist and idealistic
Secretive and Vague
Weak willed and easily led

Neptune, the Brother of Jupiter, was given dominion over the seas and earthquakes. The Planet Neptune, which rules over Pisces, relates to our higher intuitive nature, our imagination and artistic side. A dreamy world of fog and mist, it can also be the source of inspiration or illusion/delusion in reality as well as the basis for the aesthetics of art, music, and spirituality.

Pisces Likes	Pisces Dislikes
Solitude in which to Dream Mystery in all its guises Anything discarded to stay discarded Far away places with strange sounding names	the obvious being criticized discipline confinement to routine know-it-alls pedantry

Into the depths of winter, just when you thought there was no sign of a flower in the garden, nor a vestige of spring, a mass of mauve and purple glows, jewel-bright in the sunshine. The appearance of violets lifts the spirits.

This page was designed by Susan Brittingham
All photos and images are copyrighted 1999-2001 by Susan Brittingham
and may not be reproduced without her written permission
Created on : 03/07/00
Last Updated : 02/15/07