QUILTS & FABRIC: PAST & PRESENT


Thursday, September 6, 2012

Sunbonnet Sues: Anatomy Lessons




The trouble with including human figures in patchwork is so much can go wrong.

We have very high standards for anatomy.


So a badly drawn plant might be viewed as "folky" and amusing

A  badly drawn human is rather alarming.


 
 

There are unwritten rules for Sunbonnet Sue.
One arm better than two.
The example above makes pretty good use of the second arm, which is rare. Of course the feet have been forgotten in the enthusiasm for arms.

Another Rule: One foot better than two

Too many feet clutter up the composition.

Feet and arms and hands can be problematic.


The figures above seem to be part tank/part Sue.
And I guess their hands are in their pockets.

Green may be a bad choice if she is going to have lizard like appendages.


Her hat is on upside down in every block in this one, which makes you wonder what is falling from the sky, Chickenlittle?
The upside down hat problem is more common than I thought.
 

See more Sues gone wrong at this post:
http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/2010/12/sunbonnet-sue-wrecks.html

30 comments:

  1. Omg. I laughed myself right outta bed with this. So funny & excellent analysis!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Absolutely loved it, thanks for the laugh today.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Some days I feel like my head is upside down or that my feet are going a different direction than my body. Poor Sue:)

    ReplyDelete
  4. My favorite if always be the demise of Sunbonnet Sue.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you for a good laugh. I've made my own version that's known in the family as the 'Anorexic Sue', since in an effort to avoid the 'tank look' my Sues ended up very very skinny

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for the laugh! Has anyone found a Sunbonnet Sue with parts facing totally the wrong way yet? That would really be the top of Sue gone wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a FUN post! Thanks for the chuckle. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Loved seeing all the mistakes, makes them more fun. I always find myself trying to be perfect and nothing comes out that way, which is what I love about folk art;)

    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  9. I tried not to be offended by your very funny pix today.....but I have always enjoyed Sue and equally enjoyed making BAD SUE blocks. It is all in perspective. Recently did a SunBonnet Sue on TV quilt with friends....my favorite: Sue and Overall Bill on Dancing with the Stars. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I tried not to be offended by your very funny pix today.....but I have always enjoyed Sue and equally enjoyed making BAD SUE blocks. It is all in perspective. Recently did a SunBonnet Sue on TV quilt with friends....my favorite: Sue and Overall Bill on Dancing with the Stars. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Too funny! I just never thought about it before thinking there's a standard in that area...ha..we quilters reserve the right to individuality!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh too funny,the upside down hats especially, how did she not see that

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love it! I guess even Sue has a bad day sometimes! Poor Sue!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello: I never really liked Sunbonnet Sue. She seems awkward to me, and I really hate not being able to see any part of her face. It bothers me somehow....So I designed my "answer" to it. (I had the wrong link in previous post.) Here's the correct link:
    http://www.etsy.com/listing/79056311/pattern-quilt-hailstorm-creek-press-how

    I like this better...it solves the problem for me....

    ReplyDelete
  16. Your Sunbonnet Sue posts are such a riot (man what a fat neck in that first photo lol)!! It is really perplexing how the poor Sue pattern seemed to attract the poor misguided (or simply old?) artless quilters who could not see that the arms were flying off the motif, that the bonnet is so often upside-down or flipped, that the foot pattern was being used for the hat, on and on. But I do dearly love the nicely-done ones, especially with the embroidery details.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hysterical look at some unfortunate quilting. I love Sue and these faux pas just make me love her more. Thanks for making my day.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh, this is a great laugh for the day. Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. l enjoyed checking out the different sized Sun Bonnet Sue 's

    thanks for the laugh

    ReplyDelete
  20. Loved it. It made my morning, I almost spit coffee on the lap top.
    You are so right, these are better than the too sweet SS we always see.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks for the laugh. Who knew so many things could be wrong about Sunbonnet Sue? Or that it could be so entertaining! I don't think I will look at Sunbonnet Sue the same way again.
    Linda Kay
    lksmith47@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I loved this bunch of Sues. I think those girls are looking up to Heaven to see angels come down. Unfortunately, I fear that means they'll stumble over the rocks on the ground!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Oh Barbara!!!!!!!
    As quilt historians don't we come across some of the funniest things!!!
    All I can say about these quiltmakers is "Bless her heart!"""
    At least she tried!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Things can go wrong but I just Love Sunbonnet Sue!
    Carol O

    ReplyDelete
  25. Thanks for the belly laugh! This was hilarious!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Barbara, I do enjoy your blog so very much, but this has to be one of your best. I laughed out loud! Reminds me of a sunbonnet sue quilt I saw at a quilt show...sue in the chain gang with black/white stripes...she handled the quilts without her white gloves ;-) thanks for the laugh!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Oh My I'm just dying laughing over here. Such a funny post! I'm not a big Sun Bonnet Sue fan, and these certainly didn't help. LOL!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I really enjoyed this blog hop.
    these poor Sues I know now why i dont make these

    ReplyDelete
  29. ROTFL - so funny! Thanks. I'm saving this for when I need a good laugh.

    ReplyDelete