I come from a family where the women have been making quilts for as long as they have lived in the Appalachian foothills. In my family, quilting has always been both practical and personal. Some quilts were made to mark a milestone, and others were made simply because nothing should be wasted, especially fabric.
For this series, I carefully photographed quilts that have been in my family for many years. I then printed the photographs and returned to them with needle and thread, stitching directly onto the surface of the image. In doing so, the photograph becomes something more than a record; it becomes another quilt. Using my own sewing skills, I quilted the photograph itself.
As I stitched, I began to see the quilts differently. The process slowed me down, each stitch pulling my attention to small details in the fabric, the wear, the hand of the person who made it. I could see more clearly the character of the quilt and the woman behind it. In a time when tradition often gives way to convenience and style, these quilts hold something more personal. They carry patience, resourcefulness, and the quiet presence of the women who made them.
Nell
Donna
Dagenhart
The Work in Progress
A glimpse into my process and what other pieces are still to come
