America’s heartland, observed from aloft, resembles nothing more than a patchwork quilt: quadrangles of green, brownish contours and gold-tinged squares. Warm and reassuring, much as our early settlers viewed their coveted fancywork.
Patchwork quilting is an original American art form that originated in the quest of colonial matriarchs to provide color to otherwise drab homes, while taking pains to keep their families warm and comfortable. Quilting, by definition, involves the stitching together of two separate sets of materials through a downy filler that is sandwiched between them.
This technique had been known to the Egyptians in 10,000 B.C. and, even earlier, to the Chinese whose clothing was quilted with silk floss filler for added warmth. Crusaders eventually introduced the practice to Northern Europe.
Here in balmy Florida the extra weight of padded fabric is seldom necessary for warmth, but the beauty of quilting lends dramatic and colorful impact for fashionable bedspreads, coverlets and throws, as well as drapery cornices and wall hangings.
Such intricate artistry is a time-consuming passion for virtuosos like Flo Moss, an award-winning, Miami Beach-based quilt maker who employs intricate hand stitches to connect select remnants of contrasting fabrics. Inspired by “all things Americana” during this nation’s bicentennial celebration, Flo took a class in quilting in 1977, intending only to make a quilt for her own king-sized bed. Two years later she won a national quilting contest and became the first artist to grace the cover of Quilter’s Newsletter.
Flo uses as many as a dozen or so different fabrics or colors in her collectible creations, which might be modern and monochromatic or, alternatively, feature some variegated antique pattern. All, however, are made of 100 percent cotton and are machine-washable. The traditional “log cabin” pattern is a personal preference, she says, due to “unlimited design and graphic possibilities created by the placement of light and dark colors.”
Quilting, necessarily a time-consuming pursuit, is her passion. “I don’t need instant gratification,” she explains, noting that she also enjoys baking bread and cookies. “Nothing 1-2-3. I’m willing to wait.”
An ongoing solo exhibition of Flo’s pieced, or patchwork, quilts featuring the appreciably versatile “log cabin” pattern can currently be seen at the Welcome Center of Temple Beth Sholom, 4144 Chase Ave., Miami Beach, along with a prototype of a series of collages she has also created. All exhibited artwork is available for sale with a portion of the proceeds benefiting TBS.For information, call (305) 538-7231. A special reception, open to the public is set for Tuesday, October 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. with complimentary wine and hors d’oeurvres.
