Project Update: The Safe Motherhood Quilt

I have been working on the quilting of one panel of the Safe Motherhood Quilt Project for several weeks now, and am honored and proud to have hung it in the atrium of our public library this morning, along with two others mailed to me by Ina May Gaskin in preparation for her visit and presentation of the project.

For the backing, I pieced a graph of the rise in maternal mortality rates from 1982-2007, during which time the rates doubled and are now almost five times higher than the U.S. Healthy People 2010 goal. Inside the binding is tucked a length of the red yarn that has bound the New Moon Sisters for so long, welcoming these mothers into the sacred space we created, and offering them peace and reverence. The two other panels (on either side of the blue one) were professionally quilted and are absolutely gorgeous. Papa, The Visionary and I hung the panels carefully. When we stepped downstairs to examine our work, we were amazed that each panel was perfectly on center and even color-coordinated with the space below. This was not intentional. I am looking forward to meeting Ina May Gaskin so much. Her body of work and her vision for this project are so profound. I am beyond honored to be a part of this, and hope that a glimpse of these squares will touch a few hearts, as they have deeply touched mine, so that we might all move toward healthier maternity care and a healthier community of families.Thank you to Rose and The Girl, who just so beautifully happened to be at the library this morning, for entertaining little b while we hung these quilts!