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DON'T MAKE WAVES Like many others, I have been shaken by the horror of the Montreal massacre, which seemed to be the culmination of abuse and violence against women. The picture of a policeman bending over his daughter's body will be seared on my mind forever. From my studies in historic costume, I came to realize that women had the odds weighted against them from time immemorial. Hampered by clothing that stressed their subservience, economics and customs which restrained their freedom, and attitudes which actively suppressed and expression of independence, women have had a long struggle up a slippery ladder. Part of my research into Victorian costumes involved reading material published specifically for women, of which there was an explosion during this period. On reason being, that most women (at least in the middle class), had become literate. One popular type of book was the "advise to young wives". However, carefully hidden, usually at the back of these volumes, was the interesting fact that the books were written by male authors! Their mission in life seemed to be the formation of "ideal women", quiet and submissive, who would become the perfect wives of far-from-ideal men. The whole genre can be condensed into "Sit down, shut up, and don't make waves!" So "Don't Makes Waves" became the starting point for a series of fibre works concerning violence and abuse against women. Poor "Sunbonnet Sue" struggles in a rising sea. She is far from shore and no help in at hand. The waves obscure her view of the horizon and she rises and falls with no sense of direction. Most women have shared her feelings at some time of their lives. SUE ANONYMOUS Everyone recognized the old quilter's pattern "Sunbonnet Sue' regardless of whether they have any interest in quilts at all. I was struck by the fact, that of the hundreds of "Sue" patterns, her face is never seen. That seemed somehow symbolic. I began to wonder what the demure little bonnet concealed - was it bruises and blood? Sue became in my symbol of "Everywoman" she is dressed in a petite chintz patterned dress with a flowered bonnet. The dainty figure stands against a violent background of purple, red, yellow and green - the colours of half-healed bruises. At the top left corner, two entwined hearts are quilted. The heart pattern continues down across the handing, but as they go, the hearts droop and sag out of shape. Gradually they enclose drops of blood and at the bottom, blood flows and drips off the edges. The use of a blood-red fabric was deliberate. Abusers often shower their victims with flowers and assurances that "it will never happen again!" As the cycle of violence continues, physical abuse becomes entangled with mental abuse the reverse side is covered with a spiderweb fabric. Sue is not only trapped, she is held by invisible bonds as thin as a web - the emotions that churn inside her. DOWN AND DOWN I think everyone has dreamed of falling endlessly into a void, that stomach-churning sensation of vertigo. The environment of mental abuse leaves no visible blemish, but the psychological scars have a life-long effect.

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