ONE

My quilt represents the repetitive continuous journey of Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD. In 2005 my son, Freddie, was diagnosed with this disease. I hand embroidered the numbers one and sixty-eight. This signifies the fact that one of every sixty-eight children are diagnosed with ASD in the United States. My son’s absence of communication causes anxiety, tempers, and self-mutilation. I chain stitched fabric to the quilt to represent Freddie’s chew. He uses the chew to bite on and stabilize his emotions. He will run in dangerous situations. He will make awkward noises and draw unwanted attention. Freddie’s physical appearance verses his emotional ability and stability are disjointed and fragmented. My son can be overwhelming to people who have not been exposed to this type of behavior. This quilt was overwhelming for me to make. It is busy and complicated like the diverse encompassing journey of Autism.