Two months ago when our sewing circle was preparing to display our mission quilts, we discovered two folded quilts stacked on a rear church pew. Two quilts of vibrant beauty, both works of art by a skilled designer and stitcher. I was mesmerized and fascinated.
No one knew who made them or how they ended up in the church sanctuary. After asking a dozen individuals, I finally uncovered one clue--our custodian said she recalled seeing a man come in holding them. She remembered asking him who made the quilts and he replied that he did. She didn't know him and couldn't provide much more information than that.
Rarely, have I been so captivated by a quilt; the last time was when I first saw the quilts made by the women of Gee's Bend. These quilts spoke to me through the fabrics selected, the way the pieces were cut and arranged, the colors, and the manner of assembly. The artistry of them both was riveting. I kept asking around, ticking off a mental list of people in the church who quilted. No one admitted to their making.
Last week when downtown on a mission to buy a tea set for Rosie, I walked by the Senior Center, housed in the heart of our little burg. Prominently displayed in the window was a holiday quilt for auction. I recognized the artistry immediately…our mystery quilter appeared again. I had to find out and I did. The elusive (and apparently reclusive) quilter does the same thing he did for us for the benefit of the Senior Center, quietly donating his art to help others. Here is the story I uncovered, along with the quilt I bought (at a bargain price, I must say).
The artist who makes these glorious fabric tapestries is a retired professor of theater. His specialty, of course, costume design. When he retired, he was caring for an aging and ill mother who herself was once a quilter. Together they cut squares, patches, and strips of fabric to assemble their common quilts. Apparently, he pieced and she tied. When his mother died, he abandoned quilting only to discover that he missed it.
So he returned to his craft and his art, cutting up her clothes to incorporate into his quilts. He continues today, using discarded clothing. It is easy to see what was clearly shirt fabric of all ilk included--prints, oxford stripes, wild Hawaiians, as well as a multitude of sparkly, shiny, and plush pieces. He even includes the button holes! Putting things together I would never think to do, it all works and works so majestically.
Relatively new to this craft, I am still coming to uncover who I am as a quilter. I have taken classes and followed patterns to create some quilts. I have appliquéd and hand quilted. But perhaps the practice that resonates most with me is the work we do in sewing circle, creating quilts out of donated fabrics and thrifted sheets. I never tire of looking at these beautiful quilts made in the same manner of reusing, repurposing and rearranging. His work inspires me--this is exactly the kind of quilter I aspire to be…even just a little.
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