Stay in Touch

I began this quilt in the early days of the Covid-19 quarantine. The design illustrates how we stay in touch with others, across time and distance. The central column depicts travel across land, sea and sky. The diagonal bands on either side suggest the evolving technology that we use to communicate when we are no longer in physical contact: writing letters, using script and fountain pens; newspapers, using type; vintage telephones, using power lines; computers, using USB cables and keyboards; flip phones; television; and smart phones. Spools of thread are also included, because I feel that I remain forever connected to anyone to whom I have given a quilt. The border includes references to destinations around the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the United States.

The Coronavirus Pandemic forced a new type of separation. The act of touching has taken on new significance. We need to be in touch, but without touching.