05.20.08
Red
As a quilter, what do you think of most often when you hear the color name, “red?” I think of red berries, red tulips, red roses, and most especially, red and green quilts, my favorite. The colors red, green, and white are most appealing! Since the early nineteenth century, quilters have agreed with that idea, and have put together the most intricate, flower laden quilts imaginable. Some of the designs have been rather abstract; others, more straightforward.
Red is a color used to symbolize danger. Stop lights are red. Fines are levied for “running a stop light,” and with good reason. Someone could be injured.
Red is the color of the cloth that is waved in front of a bull during a bull fight. Supposedly, it infuriates the bull to see red. For all we know, bulls may be color blind! I wonder if anyone has tested that idea yet? Maybe the bull is angry that the matador would wave any cloth in front of him. Red symbolizes the inevitable loss of blood and loss of life for the powerful animal.
Red is the color of blood and therefore, symbolizes sacrifice. In so saying, the troops of the battlefield are remembered. On a smaller scale, a little kid may fall down, and upon seeing “red,” Mother places a small bandage, perhaps on a wounded knee, and adds “a kiss to make it all better.” In more serious situations, “red” (blood) can mean the difference between life and death, and transfusions are necessary to the continuance of life.
Red sometimes indicates anger as demonstrated by what I call the “suicide quilt.” A woman threatened that when her all-red quilt was completed, she would kill herself, and she did! Viewing so many pieces of red cloth together was a rather startling experience.
On the other hand, red, green, and white quilts represent a leap of joy, a representation of abundance, and a celebration of LIFE, most fitting and heartily apropos to the Christmas season. However, life has two sides, the other side of joy being anger and violence.
The color red does not care how it is used. He’s a versatile guy. You’re apt to find red anywhere, and in the least expected places. My favorite place to see red and green quilts is in books. One booklet in my collection is called “Quilts in RED and GREEN: The Flowering of Folk Design in 19th Century America.” The out of print, museum publication features interior pages that are printed in black and white, probably due to high costs for color printing. Nonetheless, design elements of those extraordinary quilts of the past can be seen and enjoyed. We just have to use our imaginations a little more!
Enjoy the day!
Patricia Cummings
