This forth quilt for Linda was a challenge. I think partly because I kept trying to make it less symmetrical than it wanted to be. But it won out in the end.
It started when I was doing yoga in my studio and I say the dragonfly fabric and the red and yellow fabric art on my shelf. I immediately saw something special, something different in the way they looked together.
Last week I wrote that I couldn’t remember the origin of the red and yellow fabric art. Then I got an email from Lynn, who sent them to me, with a link to an exhibit of textile art made by the Kuna Indians, who live on tropical islands off Panama.
The fabric art is called molas and are hand sewn reverse appliques. Thanks to Lynn, you can see photos of more molas and read about them here.
The yellow and purple fabric is actually a hand painted banner that someone sent me. I think it was the name of a sports team. I loved the way the purple letters,when cut, became organic shapes as well as the yellow spaces between them. They’re the perfect juxtaposition to the all the straight lines and geometric patterns.
I find it interesting how I kept trying to push this quilt in a certain direction and it kept pushing back. For a week I would go to sleep thinking about it. In the night I would come up with an idea then try it the next morning. Sometimes it worked, mostly it didn’t. It was a slow process.
I think it was my being away from it for the four days over the Thanksgiving weekend, that allowed me to let go of what I thought it should be and be able to see what it really needed to be.
Barbara on left a comment on my facebook page saying it looked tribal to her. I’d have to agree. It has a feeling of ceremony about it.
