Sacred Are The Woolgathers, The Altar Boy: Embroidered Hanging

"Sacred are the Woolgatherers" – The Altar Boy Quilt

An original textile artwork that brings playful irreverence to the solemnity of ritual.

In Molly's imagined folklore, a young altar boy's mind wanders during mass: "The altar boy is looking up at the cherubs. He would like to see how big their willies are." Here is childhood curiosity rendered in cloth - the distracted innocence of a boy whose thoughts drift from devotion to anatomy, from the sacred to the profane.

This work brings levity to the weighty symbolism of religious art, reminding us that even in the most solemn spaces, the human mind wanders, questions, and giggles. The altar boy, like the woolgatherer, is a daydreamer - his irreverent curiosity a gentle subversion of ecclesiastical grandeur.

Following medieval tradition, the work bears the inscription 'Molly me fecit' (Molly made me) - an 11th-century convention asserting the maker's hand across time.

Materials & Making
Cotton and silk, primarily recycled fabrics and offcuts from previous projects. Colours achieved through natural dyes (black beans, turmeric, madder) and select synthetic dyes for chromatic depth.

Dimensions
Approximately 54cms wide × 43cms tall

Hanging
Features a 2.5cm channel on reverse for rod suspension (rod not included—available from any DIY shop)

Care
Treat as a precious textile: avoid direct sunlight, spot clean gently if needed

One-of-a-kind.