Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Denim Quilts and a Chinese Door





Every now and then I will see a photo of a quilt that so reminds me of something filed away in my mind's eye that it will drive me nuts until I finally tease out the memory. Here is a recent example.

I feel we all have an unconscious affinity for good design. We may not always have the words to express it....or may think we lack the "correct" vocabulary to articulate it. But every now and then something really clicks and we give ourselves permission to respond.

I love the subtlety of faded pieces of old denim jeans when cut up and pieced back together into quilts. Above and below are two quilts owned by an on-line acquaintance, Marjorie  Childress. The photos of these two quilts are what I referred to at the beginning of this post. They joggled a sense of familiarity. They reminded me of something I knew I had filed away in deep memory somewhere. Finally the synapses connected. Turns out the object was a door that I had taken a photograph of while in China in 1996.  See what you think.







This above two denim quilt with khaki came from a country estate sale in north East Texas. The owner, Marjorie Childress, wrote me: They are classic farm quilts made with denim work clothes.



Meanwhile, the market place bustles about me as shoppers stop to eye possible dinner.











China was awesome everywhere I turned!

To read more about my visit to China in 1996 and to see more Chinese textiles, click here.





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