\nand, yes !!
\na quilt can<\/strong> very much ‘turn over’ with the same significance . . of a tarot card !!
\nyou better – believe it.
\nthere’s some, deep dark magic . . in them there \/ old quilts.<\/p>\n
so of course, while working on it . . I started to research – its history and pattern.<\/p>\n LO, and behold !! so . . .![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.artloversnewyork.com\/zine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/FDR-Grand-terrace.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nafter our landlord bought us out, from the storefront on Rivington St. & the Bowery, in 1996 we moved to help ‘warehouse’ a one bedroom \/ penthouse apt on the top of a 20 story building on Grand & FDR – in the Lower East Side. it even had this really nice, but tiny narrow terrace – that opened up to the outdoors.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nand, yes. that’s my<\/strong> watercolor !! <\/p>\n<\/a>
\nthe place had a great view of the East River, and the railing was perfect – for hanging out my vintage quilts in the sun, as I worked on them, to repair them \/ restore, and make them alive<\/strong> again.
\nthis was 20+ years ago, btw. <\/p>\n<\/a>
\nfacing due south, you could even see . . . <\/p>\n<\/a>
\n. . . the World Trade Center, towers.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nbut. because the terrace was so narrow, you had to really contort your body to get a decent view of a quilt \/ against the Twin Towers, so I only did it once.
\nin the Spring of 1999. this is NO . . photo-shop.
\nthis is a 35mm photo & I have the negatives to prove it.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nhere, it is in full view \/ it was a ‘barn’ quilt, an old, raggedy quilt that had finally been relegated to the last step \/ to cover old machinery in a barn.
\nyou can note the holes and worn areas, especially on the borders, and these are what I repair.
\nas well, in this case I fully re-quilted this old faded beauty, with all repairs done by hand.
\nI only hand-stitch, I don’t<\/strong> even know – how to operate a sewing machine.
\nI couldn’t use one – even if my life depended on it.
\nand of course, working by hand, gets your very up-close & personal with the history of each quilt, and, each quilt maker.<\/p>\n
\nturns out, it’s an old American frontier \/ pioneer . . . pattern called: “Lightning Strikes”.
\nit was a reminder <\/strong>to be super careful especially around the wooden barns, regarding fire, and in the wooden homes, whose only warmth came from burning hearth fires \/ and especially on the prairies, to be vigilant also re: wild fires.
\nand, in being a reminder: it was a warning, to be conscious \/ to stay aware, and being aware – you will feel safe, and you are wished comfort, warmth, and safety by the quilt maker \/ who is probably your mother, wife, or sister . . . as you lay asleep, and dream your dreams.<\/p>\n
\nwhat 800 number are you going to call, when your<\/strong> quilt project divines: danger, a threat of fire, a deadly . . . lightning strike ? <\/p>\n<\/a>
\nso yeah, less than 16 months later, I watched this tragedy unfold from the same birds-eye-view of my 20th floor terrace. I came running out upon hearing the terrible first impact, and I actually even watched as the 2nd plane come north up the East River, and then made a sharp u-turn, and at full speed flew directly – into the second tower.
\nso, while the clueless TV anchors were proclaiming, that a small airplane, or helicopter, had ‘accidentally’ collided with the World Trade Center, I was calling my kid’s middle school, and telling the principal, not to let the kids out for recess – because . . . “we are under attack”.
\nat first, she thought I was just plain dang crazy, but not<\/strong> for long, like maybe 5 – 10 minutes at the most, later \/ and, the whole city was in . . lock-down.
\nand shock. it was unbelievable.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nI hadn’t even had – my morning coffee yet. I felt so ill, and so aware of: history.
\nI do <\/strong>still remember so vividly, thinking . . how did it even<\/strong> come to pass, that I – as a Canadian, who grew up in Montreal, had came to be here<\/strong>, to witness this ?
\nthat all this time \/ quite unknowingly, I had been stitching, & putting hands to – a real warning. <\/p>\n