Linda Warschoff
46” x 33”
When the theme of this year’s show was announced, I cringed. I had no interest in making a patriotic quilt. A few weeks later, one of my favorite quotes popped into my head: “The world is my country; to do good is my religion.” I first saw this quote on an Ethical Society bumper sticker. It excited me and summed up my sentiments and aspirations. I changed my mind and decided to enter the show. As I started planning the quilt, I realized I needed to know more about the origins of the quote. I was surprised to learn that it is the words of Thomas Paine, who was a true patriot. He is credited with many other remarkable quotes that are eerily relevant today.
My secondary goal was to make a visually exciting quilt, not a utilitarian rendition of the words. I chose a color palette as far from red, white and blue as possible. There are many differently textured fabrics including Manchester embroidered cotton, shot cottons and an upcycled man’s shirt. All the quilting is by hand with embroidery floss, Wonderfil Spaghetti thread and perle cotton.
I didn’t have the word “maker” in my vocabulary until a few years ago. In hindsight I realize that the gift of making was transmitted to me by mother who taught me to sew and make all kinds of things when I was a young child. In my 30s, after a moving and painful experience, the idea popped in my head to put this experience into a quilt. I had no idea how to construct a quilt and took a studio class with Smithsonian Associates where I learned the basics of patchwork and applique. Since then I’ve been making quilts with some multi-year breaks along the way. Although I have made quilts with traditional blocks and patterns, I am mostly an improvisational quilter. All that is involved in the composition of a design is very important to me. I usually modify, expand, take detours and allow serendipity to happen as I work on a quilt or wall hanging. In recent years I have embraced “textile artist” as my identity. Working in my studio is what makes my heart sing and is a daily practice.