Turning 3 common building blocks into Chaos

 

Chaos

 mini quilt  9" x 10"  February 9, 2025 

For Project Quilting 16.3: 3 Common Blocks 

For this week's challenge, we were encouraged to work with 3 common quilt blocks, the foundation of our craft. For example a 9-patch, or an Ohio Star, or Log Cabin, any 3 blocks. However, my mind is full of the chaos in the 3 branches of the US Government in the 3 years weeks since the inauguration of #47.    

I knew about a common block called Courthouse Steps, a log cabin variant, that could represent the judicial system.  Then I did a search for blocks that could represent the executive and legislative branches of government.  Using the very useful treasure that is the Quilter's Cache online source for quilt blocks, I used the alphabetical list to find Road to the Whitehouse and Rotunda.  

I drafted each one so they would be about the same size, and use the same size strips.

 

Then I made the 3 blocks in analogous colors of blue, teal and green:

I thought I would use the method for disappearing 9-patch, which cuts a 9-patch into quarters and creates a new block by rotating the pieces and sewing back together, but after cutting the Rotunda block this way, my possible cuts on the White House block was looking much too controlled.  So I made random diagonal cuts on the White House and Courthouse blocks.  Then randomly sewed them together to get the mini quilt in the top photo. 

Finally, I cut a long 1/2" strip of red, and trimmed the end to look like the tie of #47.  This long red tie is often used in editorial cartoons and other images to represent him. 

Rather than square this up, I trimmed it all at these odd angles, further representing the 'not business as usual' moment we are in.  

What a mess. I'm exhausted by the pace of the disruption in all branches of government, which is the point.  And we haven't seen the worst of it I'm afraid.  Luckily there is some small pushback by some legislators and some judges, but I'm not sure it will hold.  I hope it does. 

Take care of yourself and your family.  Watch out for your vulnerable neighbors. We are going to need each other. 

Peace, 

Paula 

The Girls of Revolution Street

 Remembering Mahsa Amini and The Girls of Revolution Street

8" x 9" March 5, 2023

Fusible applique, machine quilting, faced

in response to Project Quilting 14.5: Not a Square

I machine quilted this small portrait with a few wisps of hair escaping the hijab; showing the sort of small infraction committed by women which can result in charges and even death. 

In September 2022 Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman was detained by the morality police in Tehran for not wearing her hijab properly.  She was beaten and died in custody.  She is one in a decade's long history of women of Revolution Street (Not a Square ;) protesting the requirement to wear hijab in Iran and other countries. 

"All over the world and throughout history, a woman's body has been the playground of various ideologies and identity politics, and a strict dress code for women has always been a strategy to uphold these political identities.

-Alma Fazeli"

To read the entire essay, click HERE. 

Women and men all around the world protest laws that use religious 'values' to deny women bodily autonomy.  This is a problem everywhere, not just in Muslim countries.  Women (or men, or any gender!) who CHOSE to wear hijab or any other dress style should have the right, autonomy, privilege of doing so.     

Peace, 

Paula 

  

Heartless

"Heartless" - manipulated fabric, hand embroidery, machine quilted.  8"x8" .  Completed on February 9, 2020  for Project Quilting "Put a Heart on It" challenge. 

I first imagined this as a whole body, with the heart ripped out, and then every drawing just cropped closer and closer to this chest piece.  

I drew a heart on this heavy cotton fabric, cut it out and basted in 4 layers of red fabric behind it.    After clipping the red fabric, I pulled back one layer slice at a time, securing it with embroidery floss.  I wanted to give it a look like the heart was ripped out (or just exploded out.) 

I machine quilted some of the cruel statements by this president:  "knock the crap out of him", "blood coming from her everywhere", "close the border",  "people are stupid",  "I like people who weren't captured".  We won't soon forget these statements because of all the art being made to capture it and preserve it for the future. 

I created a shirt collar and then this out of proportion long red tie which I tacked in place. 

The cruelty is the point with the monster in the White House, and frankly all those who stand by and say nothing.  The GOP is complicit in this evil and at this point all we can do is vote them ALL out in November.  I'm so sorry for all who will be harmed in the intervening months.  

I am an unapologetic liberal Democrat.  

Peace, 
Paula 

Nyet

Hand embroidered, raw edge block applique, metal findings,  mounted on a canvas frame.  Iconic image of Stalin, with Trump hair, and an American flag in distress.

Completed September 30, 2017 
Size 12" x 12"


This piece was created for an exhibit with the Textile Study Group of New York, RED  (at the Noho M55 Gallery in December 2017) 

After embroidering the basic outline and adding the ridiculous Trump hair,

I shopped for ribbons that looked 'military style', and some metal findings I could use as 'awards' and other decorations on the jacket. 

The awards represent some of his hateful policies and characteristics:  From left to right:  The elephant for GOP support, the butterfly for climate change denial, the baby for his tweet tantrums, the skull and cross bones for his elimination of EPA protections and poisoning of the environment, and a bra for his misogynistic treatment of women.   

The epaulets of his jacket are decorated with little hands

Finally, the background is quilted with an upside down American flag, indicating the distress of our nation.  So much so, that stars are actually falling off the flag  (representing states making policy to directly contradict policies of this administration)  

I hope this nightmare ends soon.  In the meantime, I will continue to make protest art. 

Peace, 

Paula