Unraveling the Stories: Quilts as a Reflection of Our Lives (review)

At first glance, a folklorist might dismiss this video title as yet another collection of pretty quilts. That would be too bad, because Unraveling the Stories comes closer than any film I have seen to identifying and communicating the narrative properties of quilts. This idea is not new; most of us have seen quilts that were designed to depict the elements and/or sequence of narrative events. We are beginning to attend to the words of quiltmakers, not just as a means of imparting information but as important narratives in their own right. The power of this video rests in its ability to explore both of these narrative devices within a format that is simultaneously generous in its range of interpretation yet tightly focused in its presentation.

The purpose of the video, as stated by the producers, is to explore quilts by "peering beyond the beauty to see the people and messages behind them." The producers interviewed a number of researchers, quiltmakers, curators, and artists, among them folklorist Tim Lloyd; the finished video allows not only the words and ideas but also the personalities of these people to come forward and engage the viewer as they discuss a variety of ways quilts have meaning for individuals, families, and communities.

An introductory segment demonstrates the use of quilts as "a vehicle to learn history," and the narrator explains that although there are many stories, "each story begins with a single life in a single place." In this case, the stories all begin in Ohio. This geographic focus might seem to limit the program's applicability and use in other locations, and yet the topics, quilt styles, and individual experiences depicted here will not strike viewers elsewhere as particularly provincial.

The narratives are presented under four headings: "Cultures in Cloth," "Personal Connections," "Ohio as a Crossroads," and "Contemporary Messages." Of these, the first is the least successful. "Cultures in Cloth" includes two interviews intended to demonstrate how past traditions influence and shape the work of living quilt artists. In the case of Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, a prominent African American quiltmaker, the connection works well enough. However, perhaps in an attempt to include something Native American, the producers placed in here a segment featuring a metalsmith who uses images from early indigenous artifacts to make quilts, a practice that, she claims, connects her spiritually with the cultures of both the past and the future. While I respect the interest of this artist in these unspecified "ancient cultures" as inspirations for her work, the image of the artist standing in front of an ancient "Indian mound" suggests more New Age spirituality than a demonstrable cultural connection. This interview would have worked better situated among the other "Contemporary Messages."

"Personal Connections" begins with the public presentation of the NAMES Project quilt in Washington, D.C., then moves to other examples of quilts made by groups to mourn or commemorate the deaths of loved ones. The juxtaposition of a quilt made in 1851 to mark the death of 14-year-old Laura Mahan with quilts made by a chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers demonstrates the way the video moves easily between contemporary and historical quilts.

Another interview in this section allows quiltmaker Barbara Payne to discuss the quilts made in her own family. She shows one she made from her father's and uncle's worn-out overalls, while noting that her Southern African American family never threw away any fabric. A quilt of pictorial blocks for her daughter recalls stories of that collaboration.

The primary thrust of the "Crossroads" segment is the focus on traditions of the various Germanic sectarian populations in Ohio, including the largest concentration of Amish people anywhere. Tucked into coverage of the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale is a brief gem of an interview with the sale's Quilt Co Chair, Eli Hochstetler, who describes the quiltmaking activity of his 83-year-old mother. He...