THE PINK HOUSE WEST QUILT
Mary Good
Karen Joffe is a lover of art, crafts, gastronomy and sewing. She has been involved in activism for several decades, with a special focus on women’s rights. We have worked, lived and shared together. For me she is a mother and a reference. She loves plotting and exchanging discovering flavors, foods. Sometimes she brings them, other times me. We always try to update ourselves on the policies of the US and Spain, our respective countries of residence.
From Piedmont, California, the place where she lives, I received the following notification from her with her consequent instructions, and so my mother Ángeles and I got to work, since we often work together creating. The photographs show the result of this project.
(At the end of this text I add the original sent by Karen herself, in English).
“You are invited to contribute a piece of fabric intervened to make the Quilt linked to Women’s Health.
Said quilt will be a gift to the Women’s Health Organization of the municipality of Las Cruces, on the border with El Paso, in the state of Texas, formerly called the Jackson Women’s Health Organization, because it is located in this city of Mississippi and offered reproductive health services for women. It was the only abortion clinic in the state of Mississippi. They were known as The Pink House West.
On June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court decided in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health that the right to decide individually and privately, guaranteed in the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, does not apply to women who wish to terminate their pregnancy voluntarily. Thus, after the implementation of the Law, The Pink House West closed its doors and relocated to New Mexico, where state law still allows women to access abortion services. On August 5, six weeks after closing its Mississippi clinic, The Pink House West began providing reproductive health services in Las Cruces, across the border from El Paso, Texas.
From this law arose the idea of creating a quilt to honor the professionals and patients of the abortion clinics. For me, making this quilt is a tribute to the long tradition of American women quilters, as an art form to tell their stories and offer hope.
The quilt will be a tapestry composed of the piece of fabric that you intervene (there will be two different prints), bordered with a cotton fabric printed in African wax, as well as a Central American fabric that bears a dedication to all the women of Pink House West. A second quilt will be made so that it can be used by women waiting for clinic services.
Feel free to intervene your piece of fabric. Said intervention can be pictorial or a written positive message. You can embroider, apply a design or write a message (with a wash-resistant marker). Your name, age and place of residence will be inscribed on the edge of the duvet. This will let the women of Pink House West know that many women from different places and ages offer their love and support.
You are also invited to a sewing meeting to help make the quilt on Saturday, December 10. Drop by anytime from 10 am to 2 pm. I welcome you, you just have to let me know that you will come. I serve coffee, tea, sandwiches, and Christmas cookies.”
Original text (in English):
You are invited to contribute a quilt square for a Women’s Health Quilt.
The quilt will be a gift to the Las Cruces Women’s Health Organization formerly the Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which offered women’s reproductive health services. It was the only abortion clinic in the state of Mississippi. They were known as The Pink House. On June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court decided in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health that the right to privacy guaranteed in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution did not apply to women seeking a pre-viability abortion. Following the Dobbs decision, the Pink House closed its doors and relocated in New Mexico, where state law still allows women access to abortion care. On August 5th, six weeks after closing their clinic in Mississippi, The Pink House West began providing reproductive health services in Las Cruces, across the border from El Paso, TX.
Following Dobbs, I was inspired to create a quilt to honor abortion clinic caregivers and clients. To me it is an homage to the long tradition of American women quilting as an art form to tell their stories and raise their spirits.
The quilt will be a wall hanging composed of your squares (in two different prints), bordered with an African wax print cotton, a Central American woven sash and an inscription dedicating the quilt to the women of the Pink House West. A second “comfort” quilt will be made for women awaiting services.
Feel free to decorate your square with your own expression of support. Your creation can be pictorial or an affirming written message. You can embroider or appliqué a design or write a message (with an indelible laundry pen). Your first name, age, and where you live will be printed on the quilt border. It will let the women of the Pink House West know that women from many places and of many ages are offering their love and support.
You are also invited to a Quilting Bee to help with the joining of the squares on Saturday, December 10th. Drop in anytime from 10am to 2 pm. I welcome your input. Just let me know you’ll be coming over. I’ll put on coffee and tea and serve tea sandwiches and holiday cookies.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Keep your design within an 8-inch square, with one inch of seam allowance all around the square.
2. The cotton has been washed and shrunk. If you appliqué with cotton, please do the same.
3. Include a note with your first name, age, and where you live for the border inscription (I will not use your last name).
4. If you are so inspired, I will send you another square./ 5.Mail your square back to me no later than December 3rd.