JQ time again

In case the quilt-y readers of this blog have felt a little under-served for the past while, what with all the booky stuff (though I sometimes wonder, "is it a book?"), here's some fabric at last!

It's time to put the next batch of journal quilts into the CQ yahoogroup photo files. The first batch this year was to be 75% (approx) red; the second batch is yellow, and the final lot will be blue.

Because the black circles looked like rising suns on planets with strange atmospheres - if suns could be dark matter - I started to think along the lines of astrophysics and constellations when it came to naming the quilts. The names are chosen at random - or because I liked what the words meant.

Stellar Sunrise: Grus

Grus is latin for crane, and the constellation name was introduced in the late 16th century. It's in the southern sky.

Stellar Sunrise: Ursa Minor

Ursa Minor is the little bear - or the little dipper. It's one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy in the 2nd century. The north star - Polaris - is at the end of the ladle of the dipper in the sky, but in my quiltlet it's the big central dot. Or rather, that's how I see it after the fact ... maybe next time I'll plan it out first.

Stellar Sunrise: Dorado

 Dorado, dolphinfish or swordfish, is also in the southern sky; the name first appeared on a celestial globe in 1597, and this is one of the 88 modern constellations.

Stellar Sunrise: Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia, another of Ptolemy's 48, is named after a Greek queen who boasted about her unrivalled beauty. (This brought on the wrath of the gods and she came to a sticky end.) 

This bit of research into the constellations opens up a fascinating field of science and legend and history. The names on the list for the blue set of JQs are

Pavo, the peacock

Eridanus, the river

Cygnus, the swan

Cetus, sea monster

I hope to use the black dots to represent the look of the constellations this time. And to do the research beforehand "to inform the making", rather than as a retrofit. And to put them into the files month by month, rather than wait till almost the last minute!