Beyond Quilted Matzoh!
Passover is a holiday so rich with stuff (stoves, horseradish, Maneschewitz, silver polish, splitting seas, splitting headaches, political arguments, eggs, oranges, and --- above al l-- -those darned plagues)---not to mention the lessons, messages, morals, and anecdotes -- -that even after making dozens of Passover-related textiles, I've barely scratched the surface. Below is more of what I've felt compelled to make
Above, an all-batik matzoh cover. Jane Sassaman's book The Quilted Garden gave me courage to make my own matzo from scratch! (or rather, from brown and gold batiks; the lines were cut with pinking shears). The lettering was printed from my computer printer onto pink fabric treated with Bubble Jet Set.
The Midwives
Made for the traveling exhibit, 'Women of Biblical Proportions,' 2004, curated by Ruth Harris and Chantelle Cory. More information about this exhibit is at http://www.wobp-mobp.org/.
I was honored to be invited to participate in this exhibit. Coincidentally, the same week I began brainstorming this quilt, I received from my husband's oldest brother a large box of family photos. Many were of unknown people.
I collaged the pictures of the males for the panel at the right. Infants, boys, teenagers, men, from formal portraits taken in Russia in the early part of the 20th century, to casual snapshots from New Jersey, circa 2001.
The central photo, of the women representing Puah and Shiphrah--- the midwives who defied Pharoahs' order to kill the Hebrew boys---came from the same box. I felt that their faces convey determination, a deep bond, the kindness to blow bubbles for babies (a tale from midrash), and the chutzpah to lie to a Pharoah .
Photo quilts --especially photos from the lost world of prewar Europe--have a deep resonance with Jewish quilter. This preoccupation comes up many times in the quilts sent to me by other quilters, in the Gallery pages.
Photos and text were printed to fabric using Bubble Jet Set .
I was honored to be invited to participate in this exhibit. Coincidentally, the same week I began brainstorming this quilt, I received from my husband's oldest brother a large box of family photos. Many were of unknown people.
I collaged the pictures of the males for the panel at the right. Infants, boys, teenagers, men, from formal portraits taken in Russia in the early part of the 20th century, to casual snapshots from New Jersey, circa 2001.
The central photo, of the women representing Puah and Shiphrah--- the midwives who defied Pharoahs' order to kill the Hebrew boys---came from the same box. I felt that their faces convey determination, a deep bond, the kindness to blow bubbles for babies (a tale from midrash), and the chutzpah to lie to a Pharoah .
Photo quilts --especially photos from the lost world of prewar Europe--have a deep resonance with Jewish quilter. This preoccupation comes up many times in the quilts sent to me by other quilters, in the Gallery pages.
Photos and text were printed to fabric using Bubble Jet Set .