Star and Flag Design Quilt c. 1941

Fred Hassebrock created this ‘Star and Flag Design Quilt’ with coloured threads that burst out from the centre of the work. The quilt is really interesting. I can imagine Fred, sitting and stitching, carefully selecting each colour, each piece of fabric, each gesture building into a vibrant image of the American flag. What was he thinking about as he layered the star and flag design into being? What a meditative experience it must have been. I wonder what the process was like. Did he have a clear plan from the start, or did it emerge bit by bit, stitch by stitch, decision by decision? The concentric circles of colour draw you in, almost like a vortex. Then there are the flags – so patriotic! These are really beautiful textures, and the way he has constructed them makes me think about the work of other quilt makers. It's like they are all in conversation, inspiring each other across time. It is not just about the end result but about the time spent making.