I Have a Secret

A few weeks ago I posted a Spark about having a secret. It was purely coincidental with the project I was working on.

Down the Drain: basted and ready to quilt
Down the Drain: basted and ready to quilt

I needed to work on this project, but I did not want comments or to provoke the storm I know will come with this post. I wasn’t quite ready. I still am not ready. As long as I still have freedom of speech I will post this quilt. I knew about the Threads of Resistance project and I would love to be a part of that, but I don’t do well with challenges. I wish I did because I’d love to be a part of that show.

The stress started on my birthday, which was January 20, not just because it was inauguration day, but also because I was at an event where people were happy to see President Obama leave office. They didn’t like him because he was black. For them it was No-Bama Day. For me, even though I didn’t know it at the time, it was the beginning of a stressful, distressing time.

I walked around waiting for my ATM card not to work, to be made subhuman, like in the Handmaid’s Tale. I started really to fear that the better country we were making would be dismantled. You might think we don’t need the EPA or the ACA and that is your right. I do not want to create a Sh*tstorm and this is not a political blog. I feel we do need clean air and health care for everyone. My feelings coalesced when I saw Sarah Ann Smith’s quilt, Speak Up, Speak Out.

Sarah Ann Smith's Quilt Speak Up, Speak Out
Sarah Ann Smith’s Quilt Speak Up, Speak Out

When I saw her quilt, I realized that another in my political art quilt series had been brewing in my head without me really knowing. I thought “this is the quilt I wanted to make.” I said so to Sarah and she said to make my version.

I thought about it for a long time, then I drew a picture in my journal. I thought that would be the end of it, but I couldn’t get the image out of my mind. I drew it again, a little more refined and more to scale.

I drew it over an over, continually refining, adding detail. The whole process went so smoothly that I kept going into piecing and cutting and sewing and quilting.

As I write this, the piece isn’t quite finished, but it will be soon (YAY! Another finish!). What happens to it after that, I don’t know.

Author: JayeL

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

16 thoughts on “I Have a Secret”

    1. I hope so. *I* really needed to make it and am still glad I did. This is its first airing so I might change my mind if I get flack. 😉 It is already mostly made and I can’t change that.

  1. I am in awe. Such a powerful piece Jaye! I have never really been able to do art pieces that expressed how I feel. I can see how this could free your spirit, to show your heart, to explain your angst at what is going on in our country. Day after day….after day. When will it end?
    Until I read the title of your piece, I saw rips where the blue was…like our country being torn apart. When I looked at it closer, I saw the words. Well done m’dear, well done!

  2. I’m glad you made it. Let us know if you get flack – we’re standing with you.

    I’m sorry your birthday was so stressful!

    1. Thanks, Cindy. Will do. Next year’s birthday will be AWESOME even if I have to stand somewhere with my fingers in my ears saying “lalalalala” 8,000 times and it won’t be Inauguration Day.

  3. I’m so glad you wrote and shared this. I have had so many blog posts written and deleted because it just wasn’t worth the hassle.

    Maybe writing them just for me is enough, but I love that you were brave enough to put this out in the world.

  4. I’m glad that you followed through and made this quilt. It seems like it might have been somewhat cathartic which is a good thing imo. And I’m really proud of you for sharing about your motivations for making the piece even though that is a risk these days. I’m sure there will be other exhibits like Threads of Resistance that will come up and now you’ll have something ready to enter.

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