Some time ago I posted my enthusiasm for the Gees Bend quilts and their makers. Working with their families’ old work clothes, and influenced by their faith and surroundings, the Gees Bend quilters created astonishingly beautiful designs that rival the New York School artists celebrated in our art history books.

Now comes 21st century quilting, where technology meets sewing! I should have seen this coming: electronic quilts made from e-textiles. E-textiles are conductive, meaning they can carry an electrical current. When configured with “soft circuitry“, the textiles can respond to environmental changes—such as the presence of people—as well as to changes in light, temperature and wind. Textile artist Mouna Andreos has combined traditional sewing/quilting techniques with a contemporary design sensibility to create electronic quilts that represent and interact with Canada’s chilly climate:

Using the latest in e-textiles and soft circuits, the quilts sense the presence of people [and] environmental conditions and react to these through a multitude of small gestures and transformations. But they are first and foremost quilts: assembled one piece of fabric after the other and providing natural warmth and comfort when needed.

Andreos’ art making extends the meaning of “home” to include our planet, its weather and environment. She turns notions of private comfort into a publicly shared experience. These quilts are flags to the melding of tradition with new mediums of expression. I salute them!

You can check out Andreos’ e-quilt project at missmoun.com. Image courtesy from missmoun.com.