gathering fabric

I have never purchased fabric from a retail store, with the exception of a few remnants on sale and a couple yards of muslin. Otherwise, I’ve acquired all my textiles through thrift shops, trashpicking, and rummage sales. Or through--and this is my favorite source--donations from friends and relatives, invariably women. One friend gave me scraps from vintage clothing used as theater costumes and collected by her mother. Another donated leftovers from her stash of quilting fabrics, acquired from her mother. Another brought me some stunning fabric from Africa, which I have used in the squares for Porsha Ngumezi and Kaitlyn Joshua. I gleaned buttons and scraps from my husband’s grandmother, whose sewing machine I use. A cousin gifted me a massive stash of household linens and glorious Asian textiles collected by my great-great-aunt Annabelle. The image of Kate Cox’s story from Vol. 3, represented above, is mounted on fabric that came from Annabelle.  Kate’s story conveys her love for all her children, born and unborn. She cares deeply for her unborn child, whom she does not want to suffer. She knows that to continue to mother her two born children, she can’t risk her own life. By having an abortion, Kate makes a loving decision to preserve her family and ensure that it continues. My sister noted how Kate’s decision echoes the loving acts of women who preserve fabric and pass it on to descendants, like the piece I used to tell Kate’s story and others throughout the project. I hope my project puts me in that lineage of caring women who cherish fabric and share stories, and that these little books are passed on to future generations.