In my caregiving roles I am shopping, washing, peeling, cutting, juicing, making meals for my family. Plastic mesh produce mesh bags represent both care and waste. I collected my own bags for about one year and then asked my family, friends and neighbours to collect these bags for me. Exploring my grandma’s quilting books I found the 8-point star an appealing shape and started making square quilt blocks out of the produce mesh.
This work helps me to consider environmental destruction, plastic waste production, care and our common future. What are we going to do with all this plastic waste? How did we let these destructive objects become so ubiquitous; to invade our home and kitchen? How do we care for each other? Quilts, often in the realm of “women’s work”, represent care, making cozy covers for our loved ones’ beds. This quilt is not cozy.
