This quilt has a history. I have lots of hand-dyed indigo fabric. I learned this technique at Slow Stitching Retreat in Washington, Maine in 2017, hosted by A Gathering of Stitches, and taught by Kim Eichler-Messmer. That fall I hosted guild members at my home, and we dyed fabric. It’s nice to remember those times with those pieces. There are also a few remnants I received from Ana Conceicao, a guild member who works at UFab.
In Summer 2024, I took a hand-quilting class with Heidi Parkes, hosted by the Central Virginia Modern Quilt Guild. I used the middle section of this quilt as my workshop piece. I learned to be more observant about how I use my thimble and my hands. I finished it the week before the election. On Election Day I woke up with the idea to frame it with my indigo-dyed fabric. This was the first time I had used a completed quilt in this way.
I also wanted to manifest a “blue day” for the election. That did not happen, and blue represents sadness but also a community of people who are on the blue side of the mountain with me.
On the blue side of the mountain where the sun don’t ever shine. So deep and dark like a hurtin’ down in my heart. Maybe someday they’ll show me some kind of sign.
As Natalie May says in this piece, I found my people with this guild. I love them, and I’m amazed at how we’ve grown since our first get together ten years ago.
This is the third in my Unmentionables series. This quilt embraces tampons. I asked guild members to share their “code names” for their periods. Mine was Miss Murphy. The other names were shared by Candy Parker, Ann Prince, Maria Radecki, and Meagan Buch along with Donna Blalock’s encouragement for advocating for women’s health issues. I have tried to interject some humor into this discussion, but I recognize that periods can be unpredictable and painful.
Wanda's Life Sampler 