Story Threads: Notes on “Mauve’s Quilt”

Quilts are functional art. In addition to providing comfort and warmth, they can tell stories. Even in the most abstract level, there’s a narrative unfolding.

Homages to cultural traditions  are echoed in the various patterns found in Amish quilts. 

The AIDS Memorial Quilts are tributes to loved ones, which incorporate photos and clothing onto the squares of fabric.

African American quilts were supposedly used to convey messages to the Underground Railroad network*.

The third story in my collection, “Mauve’s Quilt” is a kind of quilted narrative, weaving two story strands together. The quilt titular also serves as functional art: an (abstract) expression of an interior landscape and a sanctuary.

*Whether or not this is true is debated.
Filed under: Book Reviews Tagged: gee's bend, quilts, skin deep magic, story notes