The Quilt on the 9 of Swords

KariRoad

I've always considered the Quilt as significant as the Swords, or even the distressed insomniac. I tried (quite a while just now) to find a good reference to how quilts were often created specifically as a means of protection, to ward off evil. Think of sailor's sweaters. But I couldn't quite get what I wanted on-line. I did find this though, and I hope it helps here, and in future considerations of the very intriguing 9 of Swords.

from Wedding Superstitions by Dawn Aiello of Victorian Lace

Quilting : During the Victorian Era it was considered to be very bad luck to begin a quilting project but not complete it. If you began such a project it must always have been completed or it was believed that marriage would never come to you.

Arch Of Swords : To ensure the couple's safe passage into their new life together, they would symbolically walk through an arch of swords following the ceremony.

The Month : June was considered the luckiest month in which to be married, and for many reasons. Other months were considered equally unlucky, especially the month of May. (think here of the Zodiac signs on the quilt.)

The Day : Choosing the day was as important as choosing the month. The popular rhyme which helped Victorian ladies remember the rule went like this:

1 Monday for wealth,
2 Tuesday for health,
3 Wednesday, the best day of all.
4 Thursday for losses,
5 Friday for crosses,
6 Saturday for no luck at all.

(and, 7 Sunday ~ not a "wedding day")

*

Note now, the 7th Sword touches the person sitting up, perhaps "Sunday" ~no wedding at all?
http://livingconstellation.com/wp-content/gallery/swords/9swords.jpg
 

ana luisa

Wonderful insight, thank you !!! :thumbsup: It made me think about something else: while sewing a quilt, you worry about the little squares and find it impossible to see the overall project hence, worrying about the small and dismissing the bigger picture.
 

Apollonia

If I recall correctly (read it a long, long time ago, so I'm not certain), the book How to Make an American Quilt by Whitney Otto had some of this type of information. I seem to recall the women discussing how you don't want to have a "Drunkard's Path" quilt on your marital bed, because if you do, chances are your man won't stay home at night, and a "Wedding Ring" pattern will assure a happy married life, etc.

I know I'm very careful about what quilt I have on my bed after reading that book!
 

starrystarrynight

I notice that every other square has a zodiac sign seemingly stitched into it. I wonder what that could mean?
 

Rosanne

Very observant and interesting insights KariRoad!

The Victorian era officially is counted from 1837-1914
During this time there arrived on the quilting scene a type of Quilt called 'The Charm Quilt'. This came from an old idea of stringing buttons; you collected 999 buttons and the man whose button was the 1000th was who you were going to marry. This carried over to the Charm quilt- you made 999 different pieces fit together- no two pieces the same and the last magic Charm piece was from the shirt of your husband.
There is little Christian symbolism in the number nine- mostly three's and seven's
but every other square on the quilt is a rose which has a dual nature in symbols.
It signifies both earthly passion and heavenly perfection, fertility and virginity, life and death etc. So your idea of 'no Love' or 'lost love' seems very apt.
I am not much into 'what card means not pregnant?' type of inquiries- but this cards seems to shriek 'not pregnant'.
~Rosanne
 

chrissydogz

after taking a little closer look at this card i see the zodiac symbols in the quilt!0.0 i always knew there were roses there however. to me this could also symbolize agonizing over all those lost loves.. "couldnt make it with any capicorns,no aquarius,no aries....." roseanne's "not pregnant' idea is a good interpretation of this card too. i now see this card in a whole new light now! :) thanks kariroad for posting this thread.
 

KariRoad

Tears as raindrops?

The woman in the 9 of Swords, and I do believe it is a woman, is very possibly crying, about to cry, or has been crying. I have often "read" this card as signifying COMPASSION because this is definitely someone who cares deeply about others (safe in her own bed, she agonises for someone else).

Try as I might, I can't find much direct information as to Charms used in quilting, though Rosanne did contribute excellent points on this.

Here's a little something about HEX signs, which at least suggest a similar theme: "A well known geometric hex design is Sun, Rain and Fertility, featuring a large, eight-pointed star with a stylized "sun" center. The sun warms mother earth and lights our lives. Rain drops, shown in an endless circle, provide the unending moisture critical to life on earth. Together they provide all God’s people with a bountiful harvest and renewed life. Overall, this design offers abundance in field, barn and home." ~from Amish Country News

(Click on the Link below to view.)
http://www.amishnews.com/images/hexsignspring.jpg

Thank you everyone for your generous comments :)