Challenge 76: Auspicious Numbers

Host: Susan Slesinger

Due Date:  Jan. 5, 2013

This month’s challenge will focus on auspicious numbers.  We survived December 21 2012 which was the “end” of the Mayan calendar and a number of people engaged in special activities to mark 12-12-12.  As we finish 2012, and enter 2013, it seems like the perfect time to play with auspicious numbers. 

In Renaissance art compositions were often arranged to create a triangle representing the number 3, the holy trinity.

http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=14902;type=101 (http://tinyurl.com/FFFC76-1)

http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=image;hex=M81_24.jpg (http://tinyurl.com/FFFC76-2)

In the Chinese tradition certain numbers such as five are considered auspicious, while others such as four are considered unlucky.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/pdf/Chinese_symbols_1109.pdf (http://tinyurl.com/FFFC76)  (see page 5)

In Judaism there is a practice of numerology called gematria.  In Hebrew, numbers are written with combinations of letters, similar to Roman numerals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gematria 

The best-known auspicious value is 18 which is equivalent to the value of the letters chet and yud which spells the word “Chai” which stands for life.  Jewish people often make donations in multiples of 18.                                      

http://judaiquilt.com/Chuppah.html (Invocation chuppah) (72 is four times 18)

http://www.paulanadelstern.com/quilt-gallery/chai.html  Paula’s Kaleidoscope XVIII

The Quilt Group 12 by 12 used the number 12 as the basis for one of their challenges.

http://twelveby12.blogspot.com/search/label/Twelve

http://twelveby12.org/twelve/index.html

In Japanese culture 1,000 cranes is considered auspicious.  Here are several examples of quilts based on the 1,000 crane theme

http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/stories.php/stories_id/15

http://www.flickr.com/photos/amorimur/6198617856/

http://www.911memorial.org/response-art-stories  (Scroll down to see 1000 crane quilt)

http://beforeschoolstartsiquilt.com/?p=3204

This quilter incorporated her lucky number 7 in a more subtle way.

http://yayasquilts.com/quilt18.php

If you want to take the concept of numerology further why not try the idea of using the primary and secondary colors which go with your auspicious number.

http://www.soulfulliving.com/yournumberforaugust.htm

In addition to incorporating a number which is auspicious or lucky for you in your quilt, why not add to the challenge by incorporating some form of written text (alphabetic or numeric) into your quilt preferably using a method you have wanted to experiment with for a long time.

One last note: Have fun with this!