I have a new finish - Tony Ray.
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| A new finish!!! |
The purpose was to utilize 4-patch blocks and make a
Mercyful Quilt.
The inspiration is
Anthony Ray Hinton.
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| Fabric Pull |
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| Star Legs |
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| The framework |
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| One by One |
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| Building up |
Anthony Ray Hinton spent almost 30 years of his life on death row for a crime that he did not commit. After his release, he was asked in an
interview - "I don't sense any bitterness. Why is that?" Anthony Ray Hinton replied, "Bitterness kills the soul. They took away my thirties, my forties and my fifties but they cannot take away my joy."
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| And so it comes together... |
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| Finished Flimsy |
The bright interlocking stars are a nod to Anthony Ray Hinton's joy that his thirty gray years behind bars could not diminish. I chose the name Tony Ray to signify the indomitable spirit of a man who was condemned but who refused to be bitter.
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| Basting |
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| Finished 64" by 80" |
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| Pieced Backing |
Bryan Stevenson is the lawyer whose relentless efforts over several years led to Anthony Ray Hinton's exoneration. Bryan Stevenson's book "Just Mercy - A Story of Justice and Redemption" won the 2015 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction and the 2015 Dayton Literary Peace Prize for Nonfiction. The book was adapted into a movie starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx.
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| Starry Star |
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| Blue & Yellow |
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| One Gray - Many Blues |
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| Contrast is Everything |
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| Labelled |
Tony Ray is headed west to
Bernie as a
Mercyful Quilt. The quilt measures about 64" by 80".
Although the Supreme Court unanimously overturned Hinton's conviction in 2015, the state of Alabama has yet to honor his claim of compensation. The fact that the US justice system failed Anthony Ray Hinton and continues to do so is a stark reminder that much work needs to be done for racial justice in America.
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| Finished!!! |
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| Red Hot Binding |
Bryan Stevenson is dedicated to fighting racial injustice through his
Equal Justice Initiative.
Sharing
Anthony Ray Hinton's story and dedicating a Mercyful Quilt in his name is my way of supporting their work.
The picture below shows the Reston Town Center. This used to be crowded pre-Covid and now it is the perfect spot for quilt photshoots. So I took a few more pictures of Tony Ray, the quilt.
The popsicle cutouts hanging from above matched perfectly with the blues and yellows in the quilt.
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| Covid Times |
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| So Inviting |
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| Add a book and a drink for bliss |
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| A perfect spot |
Paul: That blue chair is the perfect place to drape that quilt...
Me: I am thrilled that I did not have to jostle with a 100 people to take pictures.
Paul: The upside of Covid, I guess.
Me: Will you be my quilt model?
Paul: Sure
Me: I just need one vertical picture of the quilt.
Paul: Where do you want me to stand?
Me: In the middle of the road
Paul: With my back to the traffic???
Me: Just for a minute.
You may think I am obsessed with matching the colors of the quilt with the surrounding objects. Dunno. I try. Sometimes I get lucky :-)
It is just coincidence that the gray background of the quilt is echoed in the asphalt of the road and the red fire hydrant stands ready to douse the red hot binding.
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| Cloudy Skies - Fiery Binding |
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| And one last look...as I say goodbye |
The
gray fabric (which I absolutely love) came from
Connecting Threads. I used it as a backing for
Eric's Quilt. The remainder was used in Tony Ray. Don't worry, I have already replenished my stash. I had to.
If you wish to make this quilt, please use the
Neel Quilt Tutorial.
I am linking with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.
As usual I look forward to your thoughts.
______________________________________________________________________
Angela announced the
RSC color for August - Purple.
Here are my fabric picks for Picket Star Quilt Blocks.
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| Purples for August 2020 |
Be safe and stay cool.
