The prompt ‘Connections’ brought me back to Christchurch, New Zealand. It is the last prompt for this round of Cloth in Common on which I have based the entire 12 quilts on my country New Zealand. The first quilt in this series was about the new city being built post earthquake that was full of alleyways, box architecture and colour. It seems appropriate that my last quilt in this round should connect back to the first one.

Here I am embracing the new truth in Christchurch in that post earthquake (2010 through 2011) the building code has been strengthened to ensure that buildings are safe for people and safe enough for the building to stay standing during a massive earthquake to allow people to get out and stay safe.

As a result many of the buildings have been reinforced with strong structural cross beams to keep the buildings safe. When I see these in a building (And a lot of them are there to be seen) I feel safe when I enter. I look at their strength and am reassured that its okay to be there.

Is it overkill? No. I live in a country on the Pacific Rim fault and every year we have thousands of small earthquakes with most of them not felt. However we have the Alpine Faultline that runs through the South Island and up through parts of the North Island. Will there be another major earthquake? Well the Alpine Faultine is overdue but I am hoping our 2010-2011 quakes have settled this down for a while and that there won’t be another one in my life time but if there is I believe Christchurch will be one of the safest places to be.

40in High x 17in wide. Machine appliqued and quilted. My own hand dyed and painted fabrics