I’m not sure when or where it was, but at some point I was lucky enough to see Ellsworth Kelly’s Colors For a Large Wall on a wall, in all it’s pristine, elemental squareness, with colors stacked boldly in perfect certainty. And I, in my complimentary simplicity, thought, that’s a great quilt.
So I gathered from my stash matching solid colors (except a purple, which I didn’t have a close-enough, so I threw in a lilac batik) for a homage to Kelly’s work. I thought it came out a little flat.
Apparently the lesson of Kelly’s architecture needed time to percolate.
Since I make quilts from old clothes, I need to cut them up before I use them. I don’t necessarily use all these cuts for whatever project is at hand. I always seem to be cutting a lot of shirts, and began to save the shirt pockets. They accumulated.
Recently I got them out, and began to play
Certain colors drive other color choices. The brilliant pumpkin orange (two buttoned shirt pockets see above — thanks Nancy!) led to the inclusion of this playful green patterned print which I had forever but hadn’t found a use for
Some pockets I included because I liked their elegant insignias, and some for their weighty, tweedy feel
Eventually I settled on an order for the rows
And since I’m never too fussy about lining up my points
The top came together quickly
Because the shirts emphasize fall colors, it seemed fitting to wrap a warm brown flannel around the block design
I finished this quilt in mid-September and brought it along to Greenflea Market where I put up my quilts on good-weather Sundays. The first week it was out on a table and passersby stopped to put their hands in the pockets. The second time I put it up on the fence.
Thanks for the inspiration, Mr. Kelly.