Saturday, January 19, 2008

Turkish Delight

This was in a Queen Victoria Market cafe. What particularly drew me was the 'home-made-ness' of it. It's just not possible that it was spawned from a factory - look at the various sizes, the variation in colour.

I've been cutting out a quilt today, and I know, however many quilts I make, my skills won't match the astonishing women who spend years and execute their work with determination and precision. I have my own standards, but I'm OK with the fudging/accommodation that's part of things made one at a time. It makes them more human.

This Turkish Delight, you imagine that each mouthful would have a particular quality, depending maybe on whether it was a crustier edge or a softer one, how the flavours have come together in that particular piece. Sometimes it's good to remember that to be human isn't to be perfect. Quilts don't need to be perfect, or cupcakes, or anything else we make. It's the journey, too, and the destination doesn't have to fit anyone else's standards but our own.

I thought this looked beautiful, on its blue plate.

(Dear Scatterdaisies: I'm on a Scatterday break for January).

3 comments:

Quilty Cat said...

Ruth, I enjoyed this entry in your blog ( as well as the pic!) Your analogy to the Turkish Delight was an interesting one. Gives the reader hope and encouragement and we ALL need to have that in our lives! BTW, glad to read that you enjoyed your little visit to the Grand Old Lady of Melbourne! Pity I was up in the subtropics of Brisbane at the time. C

Candy Schultz said...

Ha I just purchased some Turkish Delight last night. I was going to save it but now you have me salivating.

I am also okay with fudging and having mistakes in quilts. I don't have enough time to redo things unless they are way out of kilter.

Anonymous said...

Well said!!

My machine quilting stitches will never have the regular quality of machine regulated stitching - but my wonky stitches are my voice, and no one else can replicate that. I think that as more things are done by clever computer driven machines, the handmade will become more valued. I hope so, anyway.