The Short Story: How it Began
The Tales of the Boomerang Gang originated during the last days of February, 1996 when a QuiltArt member from one of the colder climes casually mentioned that the sun was shining and that she was going out in the snow to hang her sheets on the line to dry. The chance remark led to a discussion that explored memories transcending location and age. It was an exchange that gave us a common ground and strengthened the sense of community that many of us already shared because of our love of quilts. Many memories that surfaced repeatedly were reminiscent of a bit of doggerel that described a woman's week: "Wash on Monday, Iron on Tuesday, Clean on Wednesday, Shop on Thursday, Bake on Friday, Mend on Saturday, Rest on Sunday."
Just as bell bottoms, big bands and boomerangs always seem to return, our experiences reappear as memories. Using the "wash on Monday" doggerel as a starting point, the Tales of the Boomerang Gang quilts speak of memories both past and future. These are ubiquitous memories, for the artists come from Canada, California, Connecticut, Delaware, France, Israel, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.