A gallery had a call for a show called “Penny in Your Pocket” about lucky objects and superstitions. I don’t usually make an entire piece of art for a call, but I had a fun idea for this one and I went for it. Here’s the quilt:
“All the Luck I Can Get Quilt” by Elaine Luther, Copyright, 2024
I finished this back in September but didn’t post it because I was waiting to hear if it got into the show. It did not, so now I’m free to share it here.
Here’s a peak at the back:
Backing fabric for “All the Luck I Can Get Quilt” by Elaine Luther 2024
As if I hadn’t taken this idea far enough, by making cyanotypes of lucky objects, and using all fabrics with images of lucky or protective objects, I sewed more onto the bottom edge, in the form of charms!
Lucky ducks, four leaf clovers and ladybugs add charm to the bottom edge of this quilt.
Here’s a photo of the printing of the cyanotypes:
Printing cyanotypes in the backyard with Elaine Luther. Making of the All the Luck I Can Get Quilt.
Since this one didn’t get into the show, I get to hang it up in my house! It makes me smile when I see it, so that’s a good thing, and my family likes it too. It was fun to make, so I don’t regret making it.
All of the fabric for this quilt, except the backing, is from Spoonflower. The edges are “faced” instead of bound. Even though it’s small, there were some delays in making it, as the first bits of fabric that I ordered from Spoonflower didn’t quite work together with my cyanotypes and I had to order more.
When I submitted this piece for the show, I had to submit a description, here’s what I wrote:
When I read this call for art, my thought was to make an over-the-top quilt that would include as many symbols of good luck as possible. I made a list of all the ones I could think of, researched more and hunted down fabric that would showcase these symbols. I often use cyanotypes or light reactive dye in my artwork, and I have included three cyanotypes in this piece: a lucky sock, 4-leaf clovers, and horseshoes, placed upside down, since everyone knows that’s the lucky position. I made sure to use only an elephant with its trunk up, that’s the lucky elephant. The eyes are of course, the evil eye, which wards off evil spirts. Clovers are represented in the cyanotype, the fabrics, the clover charms, and the the backing fabric is glitter clover fabric. Ladybugs and lucky ducks complete the row of charms along the bottom.
Much of my art is research based, starts with the material, and deals with important societal issues. In this piece, I had a lot of fun, while also trying to make the luckiest quilt of all time.
❤️ Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me! That's amazing! I hope you get to experience…
Hello Elaine, a while ago I was having a blah day when suddenly your healing quilts popped into my mind.…
Thank you so much Lauree! I appreciate that!