Ironing Dad’s Hankies
2024 | 24"x 36"
For nostalgic reasons I kept my childhood ironing board, a 40 pound steel monster. When it was time to replace the worn teflon pad I discovered five older pads on top of each other, each with its own history of aging, fraying, rusty, water-spotted beauty. They reminded me of my mom teaching me my first childhood chore; ironing my dad’s hankies. After much practice I became very good at handling a hot iron and those cotton squares. My pride diminished once I became fully aware of the chores my mom had in store for her daughters but that’s another potential quilt…
Most chores, when practiced enough, eventually do become skills. Quiltmaking could be considered a chore, but it’s also a good skill to have. When you use meaningful fabrics that can evoke fond memories, it’s worth all the practice.
(Old teflon ironing board covers and vintage coffee-stained hankies. Machine pieced and quilted with perle cotton thread.)
