Sunbonnet Sue visits the Great Wall of China!

Sunbonnet Sue is having a real adventure in the Far East (pattern from International Sunbonnet Sue), but luckily she’s taken along her red Chinese lantern to light her way!   This is the first time that I’ve tried to use filament thread, and what a bother it is — but the results are way cool!    It really fancied up a Sunbonnet Sue that might have been a little plain and boring otherwise.   This Sunbonnet Sue’s outfit might have come from the Mao Tse-Tung era (the mid- to late 1930’s), just as Mao was consolidating the power of the Communist Party of China.   But China’s history involves a long list of dynasties, including the Han, Ming, and Tang Dynasties, and that’s only the tip of China’s cultural and historical depth. 

Here’s a picture of the Great Wall taken on my trip to China a few years ago.   Not the best photo of course, but I think it depicts well the aura of moody mystery that surrounds the Great Wall.   The gondola ride was a little scary, the Great Wall is a long (long, long!) hike, and the views are unbelievable.  It’s one of the Great Wonders of the world, and when you see it, you’ll have no doubt why!   It was terrific visit — for quilters, there are silks and other luscious fabrics galore.  Beijing is a fabulous city — I’m not sure what I was expecting, but the area where we stayed was sleek and modern, but with unexpected twists — like Snack Street, where we watched tourists chomp on scorpions, snakes, crickets, grasshoppers, and other tasty “snacks” that I can’t name.  We joined in, of course, but with the tamer snack of roasted corn on a stick!  One of our most memorable meals was Peking Duck, served with great pomp and circumstance, in a restaurant filled with Peking ducks and Peking duck eaters.  Perhaps cliched, but absolutely delicious!

I’m going to leave you with this wonderful photo I took in China of some kind of flowers (I never know WHAT kind exactly).   They are just gorgeous — they look like little bits of floral velvet to me.   I hope today’s post inspires you to quilt, to applique, to take a trip to China or anywhere, or maybe to climb over that Great Wall in your life and see what’s on the other side!  Get inspired!