top of page
Search

Follow the creation of this piece, Navigating a Broken World, featured at the Textile Museum in Washington D.C. for the exhibition, "Stories of Migration" in 2016.


Shea Wilkinson- Dymaxion Map
Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion Map

I began by plotting out the triangles and hand stitching them. Then I continued by hand-embroidering all of the continents and their features. The brown spots are like little stars and the red spots are knots.

Shea Wilkinson Navigating a New World dymaxion map

After embroidering all the land masses, I painstakingly machine quilted all of the oceans using my sewing machine. I rigged a special hanger from the ceiling using a hook and bungy cord. This helped support the massive weight, making it much easier to fluently move the quilt without too much strain.

Shea Wilkinson Navigating a New World dymaxion map

Here it is flat, all quilting completed.

Shea Wilkinson Navigating a New World dymaxion map

Now the piece is quilted, but before cutting it out of the surrounding material, I wanted to test that it would actually work out. Therefore I pinned along the lines to see the quilt begin to take shape.

Shea Wilkinson Navigating a New World dymaxion map

Once cut out, I created further support by sewing together a thick felt object with the same dimensions. Then I hand-stitched the piece to this felt.

Shea Wilkinson Navigating a New World dymaxion map

I still wasn't sure ultimately what form I wanted, circular or opened up and spread out. Here I've tested it as a globe.


Shea Wilkinson Navigating a New World dymaxion map