As a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, it pains me to say this, but Congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals on winning the World Series. Although the cardinal on my quilt looks a bit like the ones on the St. Louis uniforms, it was inspired by the cardinals that visit the bird feeder outside our kitchen window.
I made Winter Cardinal (9 inches by 12 inches) as a donation to the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative. Both of my parents suffered from Alzheimer’s, so supporting the search for a cure is very important to me.
The cardinal is made with thread painting on a background of hand dyed cotton and a piece of rust dyed cotton-silk for the branch.
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This quilt is my entry for the 2011 Fall Blogger’s Quilt Festival. 
My mother was also a Cubs fan as a child. Here are some excerpts from her journals and letters:
Monday, June 25, 1934–The Cubs didn’t go play baseball yesterday. But St. Louis did and lost and now the Cubs and St. Louis are tied for second place. The Cubs have still got a good chance to win the pennant.
Sunday, June 23, 1935—The Cubs lost today. I don’t know whether the Sox won or lost. I imagine they lost. They usually do!
Monday, June 24, 1935—The Cubs won today 10-9 in 10 innings. They scored 4 runs in the ninth and 1 in the tenth. The Sox won too. (Just by accident.)
Tuesday, August 10, 1937–The Cubs are way ahead of the Giants now and it’s almost impossible to lose the pennant now. I hope they lick the spots off the Yankees on the World’s Series. (Note: unfortunately, the Cubs finished the season 3 games behind the Giants and did not play in the World Series.)
Thursday, September 9, 1937–Daddy, momma and I went to the Cubs Ball Game at Wrigley Field. The Cubs played the Cards and lost 7-2. But we got some ball player’s autographs. We got “Rip” Collins, Bill Lee, Clyde Flaw, and Charlie Root!
October 10, 1945
Dear Daddy, Mom, and Esther,
Sure is cold here now. This morning there was ice in front of the Navy Dept. We just heard
over the radio that the Cubs lost the World Series. Too bad! Maybe next year.
People ask me a lot about the values I got from playing for the Cubs for so many years. The value I got out of it was patience. A lot of people these days are not very patient.
Ernie Banks
The Cubs are due in sixty-two.
Ernie Banks
The Cubs are gonna shine in sixty-nine.
Ernie Banks
Ronald Reagan has held the two most demeaning jobs in the country; President of the United States and radio broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs.
George F. Will
Color On Cloth 
Very nice work thanks for the quilt for division.
wonderful story~
Margaret
http://www.quiltsoflove.blogspot.com
Love the Cardinal!! I have also done quilts for the AAQI…you have inspired me to do more!!!
Love the birdie – I’ve never seen a Cardinal, we don’t get them here in Australia. Love the background stitching too.
Also loved the excerpts of your mums = gorgeous!
The cardinal grabbed my eye because this bird has special meaning to my family. My dad always said he wated to come back as a cardinal. Now I don’t believe in reincarnation but everytime I see a cardinal I say, “Hi Dad”!
The cardinal is stunning. What great thread work.
So sorry that your parents both suffer from the disease.
Great bird, fantastic story. Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful….love cardinals and put one on every quilt I do. They are my symbol of hope. Great job.
Beautiful. :o)
You’ve done such lovely work here. Very special.
Beautiful cardinal – your thread work and quilting is superb.
It’s a beautiful quilt and I just love the excerpts from your mom! How special!
Beautiful Cardinal! A favorite bird, though I’ve only seen photos of them!
What beautiful thread work. Thank you for sharing the poignant stories.
Beautiful story, thread painting, and quilting!
I landed here from the Bloggers Quilt Festival.
The Cardinal caught my eye as Cardinals are special for me, not the team (I am die hard Cubs), the quilted bird.
The fact that you created the quilt based on inspiration from your mother’s journal touched my heart. I just can’t tell you how much.
The thumbnail on the link caught my eye – I thought it was a beautiful photo (we don’t get cardinals over here so I wanted to know what the bird was called) and then I learnt that it was a stunning quilt! Wow, that’s some talent you have there!! Even though all of the football (baseball? See, I don’t even know what sport the teams play!) references went completely over my head I loved reading your mam’s diary entries – thanks for sharing such an important part of your memories!
Thanks for your nice comments. After I wrote my post for the Blogger’s Quilt Fest, I realized some people would have no idea what the Chicago Cubs are. They’re famous in the US as being hapless losers — they haven’t won the baseball championship (aka the World Series) since 1908, and they last played in the championship in 1945 (the year of my mother’s letter).
I love the colors and quilting in your quilt., and “Going in Circles” is such a fun quilt.
Jean
Lovely quilt – thanks for sharing!
Jean,
Wonderful story!!!
I grew up in Chicago but never attended a Cubs game.