“Off Center” All Done

The last thing I do with my quilts before packing them up and putting them in the mail is lay them out on the guest bed, go over them with a lint brush and cut any loose threads. I fold the quilt as I go, inspecting both front and back.

 A few years ago Kathleen from my Bellydancing class came in with an unfinished sweater that someone had given her.  She was unraveling the parts of it and offered a sleeve to anyone who wanted it.  I love the indigo wool and have kept that sleeve in my studio waiting for the perfect quilt to use it on.

“Off Center” is that quilt.

When I was in art school I made a lot of art by unraveling crocheted blankets and doilies.  Sometimes I’d use the yarn to crochet over something else.  But I was also intrigued at how the fiber held the memory of being crocheted.  I found that back-and-forth squiggle such a curious and aesthetically pleasing line.

And as I now cut apart old quilts, and rearrange them, then I undoing what someone else had created and making it my art.

Usually, when I tack a quilt with yarn, it hangs or sticks out straight.  But not with the unraveled wool.  Each tie creates a unique little design.

I loved working with the indigo wool on the back of the quilt.  The colors went so well together. I’m thinking of using something like them in my next quilt.

I title, initial, and date all of my quilts.