School Supplies

​Virginia ‘Ginny’ Robinson is not only a talented quiltmaker but also a dedicated middle school English teacher. In a remarkable achievement, she was awarded QuiltCon’s prestigious “Best in Show” accolade in February 2024 for her thought-provoking quilt titled “What We Will Use as Weapons: A List of School Supplies.”

​This two-sided quilt, designed to match the dimensions of a standard classroom door, serves as both a work of art and a poignant commentary on contemporary issues surrounding gun violence in schools. The front of the quilt features silhouettes of various school supplies—such as staplers, books, and shoes—set against a bright yellow backdrop. This imagery evokes a sense of normalcy and the everyday tools of education. Conversely, the back of the quilt starkly contrasts this innocence, depicting a red-shaped AR-15 alongside a replica of a paper shooting target.
 

​Robinson’s quilt embodies a powerful statement about the alarming realities of gun violence and school shootings. The concept of bringing a stapler to a gunfight serves as a vivid metaphor, highlighting the absurdity of the situation. While it is important to clarify that Robinson does not advocate for teachers to carry weapons in their classrooms, her experiences as an educator over the past 23 years have profoundly shaped her perspective. Robinson has participated in numerous Active Shooter drills and has listened to administrators advise students to throw their laptops at intruders—an unsettling reality that many educators and students face today.
 

Through her art, Robinson invites viewers to reflect on the complexities of safety in educational environments, urging society to reconsider the tools we equip our schools with, both literally and figuratively. This quilt is not merely a piece of fabric; it is a call to action, compelling us to confront the urgent issue of gun violence and its impact on the educational landscape.
 

​*QuiltCon is the world’s largest modern quilting event, attracting thousands of quilters.
 
Learn more about this quilt from: https://www.internationalquiltmuseum.org/about/quilt-month/what-we-will-use-weapons-list-school-supplies