Silhouettes

Today's quilt makes us think about shape as an element of design. Mary Vaughan began with Kaffe Fassett's adaptation* of a coverlet from the 19th century.  However, Mary has taken the design to a whole new level by choosing a brilliant white-on-red color scheme, and by filling the quilt with shapes of all kinds.

Red-and-white appliqué quilt, by Mary Vaughan, at Fun With Barb and Mary

The quilt has been personalized with shapes that include cats, birds, squirrels, spools, dresses, pears, skeleton keys, wine glasses, fleur-de-lys, angels with trumpets, a moon and stars, forks and spoons, and the initials, 'm' and 'V'. Some of the pieces can be seen in the work-in-progress photo below.

Mary explains that the three members of her group each did their interpretation of the quilt. Mary chose to do hers in red and white without a border; her quilt received honorable mention at the 2009 NJ State Quilt Show.  Barb's quilt, called Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, won best appliqué at the NJ State Show the year it was finished.  Susan's quilt is yet to be unveiled.

Image credits and additional links:  The images are shown with the generous permission of Mary Vaughan.  At her original blog, called MissMaryMadeIt, you can read her 2009 posts about her quilting and thread decisions,  ultimate quilting design,  and quilt show award.
*The Kaffe Fassett Folk Art Quilt was published in Kaffe Fassett's Museum Quilts by Taunton Press.

Basket Quilts Part 2

In our Baskets Part I article ( from July 10 below),  we featured basket quilts made from pieced patchwork. This time, we are spotlighting basket quilts made by applique. If you love romantic, graceful patterns that evoke the elegance of yesteryear, then you'll love applique patterns featuring baskets as their focal point.

Virginia Bouquet,  by Pearl Pereira

Pearl Pereira was a guest artist and teacher at the esteemed Elly Sienkiewicz Applique Academy in February 2010, near Williamsburg, Virginia. She has fashioned a tall basket with curved handles that reflect the curves of the stems of the delicate dogwood blossoms, bluebells, and berries.  The fruit-laden vines that drape languorously from each side provide a lovely symmetry to this work, while the proud cardinal and inquisitive bumblebee add a joyful touch. Pearl has used delicate pinks, reds, and blues to create a basket of botanical wonders. For more goodies from Pearl, including her excellent DVD,  Applique Techniques With Pearl P. Pereira,  please see her website, p3designs.

In addition, we're thrilled to announce that Pearl Pereira will introduce her gorgeous Virginia Bouquet pattern for sale this autumn, at  the Houston TX International Quilt Market .

Quilt Jamboree, by Judy Severson

Judy Severson is another renowned guest artist at the Elly Sienkiewicz Applique Academy. With its hushed burgundies and golds,  "Quilt Jamboree" is reminiscent of an enchanting Victorian rose garden. We also love the captivating sampler blocks carefully placed around the sophisticated border. One of Judy's many specialties is the centuries-old tradition of Broderie Perse, whereby flowers printed on fabric are carefully "fussy cut" ffrom that fabric and appliqued onto a wholecloth quilt to make an exquisite bouquet, as shown above. Judy writes, "When creating a floral motif (Broderie Perse) quilt, I start with the layout of the flowers in the fabtric and study how they are grouped with other flowers.  I let it suggest if it would make a medallion center, or whether it would be better used in a border, or both. Studying and seeing quilts from the past, as well as the quilts made to day, gives me inspiration."

For more information, take a look at Judy's highly rated, fascinating book, Flowers In Applique: Fast and Simple Quilting With Printed Motif Fabrics.

Botanical Artisan Basketry  by  Janice Vaine

In Botanical Artisan Basketry, Janice Vaine has created a breathtaking block by combining traditional applique with stunning embroidery.  Using embroidery with silk floss, wool, and ribbons, she has embellished the tulips, rose buds, lilies, and gerbera daisies joyfully arranged in the basket, to create a dazzling dimensional effect. The little robin on the rose branch lends a lighthearted touch to this floral feast.

A well-known expert in the applique field, Janice was the guest designer of the ancillary projects for Elly Sienkiewicz's noted book, Baltimore Elegance. Also, check out Janice's website, the Graham Cracker Collection, an awe-inspiring offering of patterns for needleart fans, which includes minature punch needle embroidered quilts along with full size quilts. Best of all, Jan writes that this block  above will be part of a quilt top of blocks that she has taught as a guest artist at the Elly Sienkiewicz Applique Academy ; and she will be introducing her new book on applique and embellishing at the Houston TX International Quilt Market 2010 this autumn.

Flower Basket Medallion, 84 x 84, by Kim McLean

Kim McLean has created a marvelous, richly detailed quilt pattern with fabrics designed by Kaffe Fassett, whose bold colors explode right off the page. Brilliant orange-reds, blue-violets, and pinks create a vibrant basket bouquet medallion, surrounded by borders of absolute floral delight. You can purchase the pattern, along with a separate starter fabric pack at Glorious Color, a website that is a real feast for the eyes.

Sixteen Baskets, 38 x 38, by Kay MacKenzie

Some of the cutest, most imaginative quilts around are designed by Kay MacKenzie, and "Sixteen Baskets" is no exception. These adorable baskets are brimming with the bounty of life, including flowers, food, valentines, and best of all -- fabric ! The red, white, and blue motif provides country charm to this darling design, and the dogtooth border adds extra sparkle. All 16 of these designs and very clear instructions are included in one of  Kay's many  books,  Baskets To Applique, available at her Quilt Puppy website. Kay also has a wonderful blog, All About Applique. If you're headed to the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach,California, which starts on July 23, 2010, be sure to stop in  and say hello to Kay, who will be in booth # 922.

Ashley's Flower Basket, 18 x 18, by Sue Nickels and Pat Holly

Sue Nickels and her sister Pat Holly, both award-winning quilters, have designed an applique guaranteed to brighten up any room in your home. Sage green, tomato red, and sky blue blend together perfectly for this basket design, where cheery flowers spring up exuberantly like a jack-in-the box. The ebullient red border adds an extra pop to the background. Suitable for a confident beginner, this quilt pattern is available from Sue Nickels' website. As a bonus, the pattern is included for the sprightly feather quilting design around the border. For more wonderful ideas on creating appliqued floral displays in containers, please see Sue Nickels' and Pat Holly's recent very inspiring book, Stitched Raw Edge Applique.

Waste not, want not: Quilts from reclaimed clothing

Throughout history, quilters have incorporated recycled clothing into their quilts. The photo below is of an African American crazy quilt from the early twentieth century. In the south, such quilts were often made as memorial quilts, incorporating bits of clothing worn by a loved one who had passed away. Of course, the re-use of old clothing in quilting was not reserved for such occasions - it was often done out of economic necessity. Many examples can be seen in the scrap quilts of the 1930's. These days, the 'green' movement has inspired the use of discarded materials to make new products that are useful and beautiful. And, our economy is inspiring a new wave of thrifty quilting. A recent article in the Times Online (UK) had this headline: Waste not, want not: here comes the new austerity chic. In keeping with the Times...(pun intended)... we’ve searched the globe for contemporary quilters who have taken upcycling to a whole new level. What amazes us is the sheer beauty of the quilts that these artists have created... from used clothing?!

African American patchwork quilt, ca. 1900-1920, 78 x 81, at Silkwater Antiques

In this beautiful quilt, the plaid, striped and print fabrics create a vibrant design. The quilt reminds us of a work of abstract art when viewed from a distance. Although this quilt is 100 years old, it is in excellent condition. Visit Silkwater Antiques for more information, and for other outstanding antiques of all kinds, including a 19th century silk cigar band quilt.

Eva in the Garden, 50 x 42, by Lori Mason, Lori Mason Design

Lori Mason is a textile designer and creator of fabulous contemporary quilts… but that’s not the whole story. Her memorial quilts are made of reclaimed clothing that was once worn by the person whose life is celebrated. Lori works individually with family members to fashion these one-of-a-kind pieces. Eva’s Garden, above, was made in memory of Lori’s own grandmother: it incorporates Eva’s jeans, Oxford shirts, and her favorite pair of gardening shorts. We love the bold graphic design of this quilt and the lively contrasts between the light and dark plaids, stripes and solids... and we love the whole idea of a contemporary memorial quilt, providing solace and beauty for many years to come. Also don't miss the splendid quilt called Eva in New York, which was made from Eva's colorful couture clothing. For more inspiration,  visit the galleries at Lori Mason Design. (By the way, take a peek at Lori's brilliant fabric line, which is carried by RJR Fabrics: the Shasta Collection.)

Missing the Point, by Richard Killeaney, at Ocheltree Design

When we came across Ocheltree Design we were immediately struck by the sophisticated contemporary quilts, with their clean lines. Witness the elegant “Missing the Point” quilt, above. Believe it or not, the quilt is made entirely of recycled dress shirts! The backing is a sumptuous organic cotton sateen. Although Richard Killeaney has an MFA in textiles, we learned that his quilts are designed to be used - not just to be displayed on the wall as works of art. Oh yes: we can easily imagine ‘missing the point’ in a seaside cottage, with whitewashed walls and a view of the ocean (sigh). “Missing the Point” also comes in an ultra-stylish red colorway. Also don’t miss Richard’s exquisite Full Grid and Golden State quilts.  For more quilts, and gorgeous pillows made from recycled shirts, sweaters, and tweeds, visit the Ocheltree Design website.

The Shirt Off My Back , 71 x 81, quilted by Betty Leppin, at Silks and Quilts

Beautiful blue plaids, stripes and dotted fabrics were artfully arranged to create this fabulous three-dimensional tumbling blocks quilt. It's one of our favorite optical illusion quilts. We were surprised and delighted to learn that this quilt was constructed with men's 100% shirting fabrics. The name of the quilt, "The Shirt Off My Back", should have been a clue! The quilt top was discovered by artist Betty Leppin at an estate sale; she finished and quilted it. Betty creates magnificent hand painted silks, and original art quilts, in her studio near the Chesapeake Bay. Betty's love of color, composition, and technical details are apparent in her fabric creations, which can all be seen at Silks and Quilts.

Shirt Quilts, by Judy Peterson, aka 'WhiteStone'

While perusing the World Wide Quilting Pages (WWQP) we 'discovered' Judy Peterson, aka "JudyPete", aka "WhiteStone". Judy creates magnificent quilts from gently-used shirts and blouses, which she has collected from yard sales, thrift stores and family members. We're showing two beauties: "Manly Quilt" and "Fred's Double Four Patch". The Manly Quilt was made from four neutral-color men's dress shirts as the solids, plus numerous fat quarters from the quilt shop (click on the image to see the details). You can read about it on the WWQP (scroll down the page to see that post, and you will also find links to her other Shirt Quilt posts).  But wait, there's more: you can learn about Judy's shirt selection methods, and ogle her elegant Lady of the Lake and four patch variation quilts,  here.  Her own blog is called Wanna Walk Along?

Shirt Stripe Boxes, by Kaffe Fassett

The classy Shirt Stripe Boxes quilt was featured in Kaffe Fassett's Passionate Patchwork: Over 20 Original Quilt Designs, with Liza Prior Lucy, which is just one of Kaffe's bestselling books.   The book also has a pattern for "Baby's Corrugated", below.

"Shirt Stripe Boxes", with its mitered corners and myriad scrap options, instantly captured the attention of modern quilters and helped to inspire a Reclaimed Clothing Quilt-Along, which now has 67 members! For more information and a link to the quilt-along, visit the Bloomin' Workshop. One of the prettiest quilts so far  is Brandon's Quilt by jewelry designer Stella Maris, aka polyesterstella. (See her photostream on Flickr, and her website at Etsy). For all of Kaffe Fassett's books and designs, visit the Kaffe Fassett Studio.


Bargello in Plaid, and Shirt Tails, by Bonnie K. Hunter, at Quiltville

When it comes to quilts made from shirts and scraps, Bonnie Hunter wrote the book (literally). Her "Shirt Tails" and "Bargello in Plaid" quilts, above, are just two of the wonderful quilts in her Scraps and Shirttails book (to date, every reviewer on Amazon has given the book five stars... that says it all!) If you visit Quiltville you can see a preview of all the quilts in the book (thanks, Bonnie!) Many more quilts can be found on the extensive Quiltville website. Bonnie's love of quilting and "making do" with scraps really comes through in her entertaining tutorials. Also check out her clever Adventures with Leaders and Enders. We like ordering books directly from the artist, whenever possible; Bonnie's books are available at Quiltville.

Do you think I'll have crazy dreams... by Stefanie Japel

Stefanie Japel heads up her eponymous design studio, a knitter's paradise that offers original patterns, books, and workshops. Her Glampyre Knits blog is loaded with knitting tips... with an occasional foray into quilting. After hand-dyeing some yarn one day, Stefanie tossed some fabric scraps into her dye pans, and used the over-dyed fabrics to construct this fantastic log cabin quilt! We love the turquoise-and-persimmon color scheme with its sepia tones. We know about hand-dyeing fabrics for quilting, of course, but usually it is done by starting with new white fabric as a base. Stefanie's ingenious approach/solution has us envisioning a whole new trend in ODSQ (over-dyed scrap quilts; we made up the acronym). To read about the quilt and the dyeing process, visit this Glampyre blog post.

Housetop, 55 1/2 x 55 1/2, by Deb Rowden

Deb Rowden's dazzling Housetop quilt, above, was made with recycled shirts and purchased plaids and stripes.  Her site, Deb Rowden's Thrift Shop Quilts, proclaims:  "It's not trash, it's found".  Just yesterday she showed a lovely Springtime quilt made from scraps of pretty florals. We also covet her blue plaid quilt (and so many others on her site).   Deb is not only a quilt artist and thrift-shop-quilt guru, but also a publisher and an author. Her newest book is called  Making Memories:  Simple Quilts from Cherished Clothing.  The book shows examples of antique and contemporary memory quilts, and explains how to create one-of-a-kind quilts from clothing (bring your memories out of storage, and back to life!)  For more inspiration, read one of Deb's real-life stories about memory quilts. 


Attic windows in plaid, by Jean Dyer Goulden

This is one of our all-time favorite attic windows quilts. Just imagine the possibilities for the re-use of cottons and flannels, and madras plaids (remember madras shorts? If you're lucky, you'll find some at the thrift store). The warm and cool color contrasts of the mitered window 'frames', which are done in prints, create a fantastic pattern. Note the arrangement of contrasting values; the lightest fabrics are used on the tops of the attic windows, so that the light source appears to be coming from  the bottom of the quilt. To see this quilt and many others, visit Jean Dyer Goulden's photo gallery. For tips on attic windows quilts, see the tutorials by Susan Druding on equilters.com.


Antique Rug, 52 x 65, by Pamela Goecke Dinndorf, at Aardvark Quilts

Aardvark Quilts has a fantastic selection of patterns that are perfect for stripes and plaids, including "Antique Rug", above. We love the quilt as shown, with its masculine red, brown and black colorway... wouldn't it also be pretty in red, white and blue shirting fabrics? For another great pattern, consider the delightful Squares Squared, which is shown below. Aardvark Quilt patterns are carried in many shops; for one online source, see Gruber's Quilt Shop.

Shabby chic quilts

Rag quilts are one of the fastest ways of making quilts from used clothing, and keeping said clothing out of landfills. The quilt above was featured in How to Use Used Clothes in a Variety of Ways. For a  basic tutorial on rag quilting, click here.  A "ragged squares" quilt tutorial (like the quilt shown above) can be found at Crazy Mom Quilts.  But can rag quilts be über stylish? You decide... see the shabby chic quilt patterns at A Vision To Remember and the adorable rag quilt patterns for kids at Sweet and Shabby Designs.   Quilt Country has many great rag quilt patterns by Sandy Brawner. Another rag-and-scrap quilting diva is Evelyn Sloppy, the author of  Frayed Edge Fun (her website is Little Miss Sloppy).   In addition, here's an article with some advice about rag quilts (to save your hands, use spring-loaded scissors!)

More reclaimed clothing quilts:  Barbara Brackman, of Material Culture fame, has some outstanding articles and examples of reclaimed clothing quilts... they'll knock your socks off!  See this post and  this one.  Sonja Shogren has a quilt called String Beans that is perfect for recycled men's shirts. Ionne McCauley's classic Blue Plaid Shirt quilt, "In Memory of Raymond",  is in her book, Color For The Terrified Quilter.   Lisa Boyer, who writes a blog called That Dorky Homemade Look, used thrift shop clothing to make a totally non-dorky quilt called "Half Price Day at the Salvation Army"; you can see it here.  You might be interested in the Thrifty Quilter, which has a complete tutorial on making a quilt with seven shirts (Seven Shirts + Seven Steps = One Thrifty Quilt). And finally, a request: if any of you know of a reclaimed clothing quilt or blog, would you kindly share the link in the Comments below? We'd love to see them and/or post them (and thanks in advance!)

Note added on June 10, 2010:  Please don't miss the wonderful Fisher Foresi Quilt by Erin Wilson.  It was made with 42 pairs of boxers, several pants and button down shirts, and was made in memory of the young man who wore the clothes. 

Image credits:  Images are displayed with the generous permission of the artists.

Look to the rainbow

Why are rainbows so appealing? For one thing, the colors of the rainbow create visual harmony when placed together (a "six tone chord" in color theory). And then there's the symbolism of the rainbow, denoting hope and prosperity, and inspiring many songs and movies (including Over The Rainbow, Finian's Rainbow, and Rainbow Connection, among others). If you like rainbows and quilts, as we do, then we think you'll like today's post. We've curated an inspiring collection of quilts in rainbow shades, in a wide range of styles and designs. At the end of the post we're also revealing some of our favorite fabrics, color wheels, and some fantastic color matching tools (and we'd love to hear about your favorites, too...)

Pinwheels, 47 x 47, by Martha Tsihlas, Del Sol Quilts



Martha Tsihlas is a quilter and fiber artist in Austin, Texas, whose outstanding work has been featured in galleries and in juried exhibits, including Textile Twists in 2010. Her Big as Texas quilt graced the cover of the fiber arts exhibit at the Texas State History Museum. We love "Pinwheels", an original Martha Tsihlas design, which features interlocking pinwheels in all colors of the rainbow. Each hue is represented in several different shades and textures, adding further interest to this beautiful quilt. For more information on Martha Tsihlas and her artwork, visit her blog, here.

Batik Wheel Dance, 45 x 56, by Carol C. Britt, as seen at Sew What Fabrics & Batiks, Etc.



In the beautiful Batik Wheel Dance, above, the colors of the rainbow are arranged in diagonal bands, and each color subtly blends into the next. The overlapping circles look like Cathedral Windows, but are made on the machine! The totally ingenious pattern, called Circular Patchwork, was designed by Carol C. Britt, who is the owner of Sew What Fabrics & Batiks, Etc. Also see the Island Batik Color Wheel Collection, later in this post.

Northern Lights, by Joen Wolfrom, at JWD Publishing



When it comes to color, Joen Wolfrom wrote the books (literally). Here we're showing "Northern Lights", which is one of Joen's classic designs. The lustrous effect is created by subtle value changes—using light to dark hues in each block, creating a wonderful sense of depth. We've seen this pattern done in black and white, too, with stunning results. Also note the beautiful sun-shaped quilting design, which is visible at the top of the quilt. To read about the pattern, visit JWD Publishing.

Flying Around the World, 48 x 60, by Liz Schwartz & Stephen Seifert, at eQuiltPatterns



We love the fact that this design team has created patterns inspired by the simple elegance of Amish designs. Amish quilts are known for their pure color play, in which simple shapes in solid colors are arranged against a dark background. "Flying Around the World", above, is reminiscent of a traditional Trip Around the World quilt, but with the visual effect of an op-art painting. The pattern can be obtained here; to see more designs, visit eQuiltPatterns. (For a contemporary rainbow quilt, also see "Cool Rainbow Weave", at Quilts With Style).

Skewed Nine Patch, 53.25 x 52.5, by Janes Wilson, at Jane's Quilts



Jane Wilson (Brisbane, Australia), has come up with a sensational "Skewed Nine Patch" quilt in a rainbow of colors. There are 100 different nine patch blocks, and each block is constructed of three different fabrics; the blocks are surrounded by a grid of navy blue sashing. The skewed lines of the blocks create vertical and horizontal movement and a lively pattern. We also love the back of the quilt, shown below, which has one enormous skewed nine patch block (it's a work of art, in and of itself!) For more details, and to see the quilt at her online store, visit Jane's Quilts. (Note added 2-5-2011: this website is no longer active)



Shazam, 27 X 37, by Linda Everhart, Quilting Among Friends



Linda Everhart is a designer and nationally-known teacher. Her dynamic rainbow quilt, above, has circles and ovals that zoom out from the background; a flock of flying geese that travel from corner to corner; and a border of rainbow squares, reminiscent of a film-strip. To facilitate the construction of quilts like "Shazam", Linda has developed a neat technique called FUSIQUE®: a raw-edge reverse fusing method that enables speedy assembly. For the pattern, visit Quilting Among Friends. (Note: although the quilt may or may not be inspired by the ancient wizard of the same name, we like the story of 'Shazam': S stands for the wisdom of Solomon...)

Pizzazz, by Joen Wolfrom, JWD Publishing



"Pizzazz", above, is a dazzling half-rainbow quilt that reflects a brilliant design by Joen Wolfrom. Of course there is color: the radiant colors move subtly from yellow to violet in diagonal bands. And then there is movement: the bands of color create undulating waves. And then there is the construction: this quilt’s block is constructed with four shapes and only three straight seams. The "waves" are an optical illusion created by straight piecing lines that intersect at wide angles, resulting in a gentle zig-zag pattern that ripples across the quilt. Finally, there is another illusion: the arrangement of dark and light values of the triangles within each block creates a three-dimensional appearance, similar to a pyramid. For more information, visit the Pizzazz webpage; to see all Joen Wolfrom Designs, click here.

Garden Rainbow Quilt, 82 x 76, by Roberta Horton for Kaffe Fassett, as seen at Tennessee Quilts



"Garden Rainbow", by Roberta Horton, is one of the lovely quilts featured in Kaffe Fassett's Country Garden Quilts book. Although the pattern is straightforward, there is genius in simplicity: the horizontal stripes are comprised of floral prints in a muted rainbow of colors, while the vertical stripes are comprised of matching florals, solids and stripes laid in an alternating dark/light brick pattern, giving the appearance of a complex geometric design. Tennessee Quilts has the complete quilt kit, as well as the kits for dozens of other Kaffe Fassett quilts and, of course, Fassett's fabrics.

Color Wheel Quilt, 56 x 56, by Joelle Hoverson, at Purl



This clever quilt has become a design sensation ever since it appeared on the Purl Bee. The project is from the book "Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts" by Joelle Hoverson, the co-owner of Purl Soho. The colorful bundles of fabrics, below, contain 52 different cotton prints to assemble the color wheel (or use them in another colorful project!) See the original description of the quilt at The Purl Bee and the updated version of the fabric bundles here. The book can be found here.



Color tools and other fantastic finds

In honor of color wheels, rainbow quilts - and quilters everywhere - here are a few of the color matching tools and products we love:

3-in-1 color tool, by Joen Wolfrom

In 2002 Joen Wolfrom developed the 3-in-1 Color Tool for selecting colors and fabrics; you can just take it along to the fabric store to find fabrics that work together. It's been called "indispensable", which pretty much sums it up. For details and product reviews, visit C&T Publishing, here.

Island Batik Color Wheel Collection, as seen at Batiks Etc. & Sew What Fabrics



These beautiful cotton batiks are available in handy fat quarter bundles: 25 fat quarters in cool colors and 24 fat quarters in warm colors.

Hoffman Bali Color Fan, as seen at Batiks Plus



This is impressive: a color fan with a tiny swatch of all the Hoffman Bali batiks; there are over 300 colors. The color fan is available at Batiks Plus.

Fabricmatcher, at Moda Fabrics

Moda Fabricmatcher is an extremely clever online tool for finding fabrics in particular colors: and it is easy and fun to use. Just two clicks and you're there - there's no program to learn! Fabricmatcher will either match fabrics to a color you pick from a large palette (see color matcher), or it will identify key colors from a photo, then allow you to search for fabrics based on the key colors (see upload an image.) We selected a photo of red begonias from our photo album, and here's what we got (click on the screenshot image, below, to see a larger view):



Not bad! Keep in mind that the tool detects an average for each color. The green leaves in the photo - which were partly in the shadow - showed up as a very dark green, but the orange-red flowers are well matched. The next step would be to select one of the five colors, a theme, designer and collection, and Moda will show all of the fabrics that match. To try it yourself, click here (and let us know what you think!)

Image credits: All images are used with permission of the artists.

Voices in Cloth 2010 Show

Over the weekend, we attended the Voices In Cloth 2010 Quilt Show by the East Bay Heritage Quilters in Oakland, CA. What a group of talented artists ! Join us as we show you some of the fabulous quilts displayed at the show.


Homage To In the Beginning, by Joan Sextro




We're enchanted by the beautifully appliqued dancing flowers which give this quilt such a lively personality. The curves of the flowers in the center appliqued medallion are repeated in the quilt fabric. Joan notes that whenever she visited friends and family in Seattle, WA, she would stop at the In the Beginning quilt shop, where she loved their designs, as typified by the outer printed border.


All My Stars, 96 x 96, by Nancy Ritter




All My Stars, detail view



Nancy was inspired by American Jane patterns to make this intricately pieced quilt. For the diamond 8 point stars, she cut into some of the treasured fabric that she brought back from Provence, France. Nancy writes, "Using 132 sawtooth stars from a block exchange, I was already halfway done. A fun quilt to make." A closeup of the construction of the stars, above, shows the excellent piecing.


Say It With Flowers and Stripes, 65 x 78, by Mary Mashuta





This lovely quilt was designed for Kaffe Fassett's Quilt Romance book, as Mary's yearly assignment from him. She revamped a two-template depression era quilt, whose blocks consist of one striped fabric and one floral. The continuity of this quilt is enhanced by the diagonal striped binding, which provides a stately frame. The contemporary stripes and the vibrantly colored florals coordinate together for a sophisticated effect. For more information on Mary's beautiful designs, books and workshops, visit her website here.


Come Sail Away With Me, 79 x 92, by Sondra Von Burg




Sondra writes, "My friend Linda Hanafee is always making these free form sailboat blocks, and since I quilt them for her, I finally decided that I needed one of my own. I added lighthouses, a couple of docks, and bait shacks. The turquoise sky is the only fabric that did not come out of the scrap box. Self-quilted by the artist.

Come Sail Away With Me, detail view




Sondra has indeed made wonderful use of the scrap box, as you can see in the adorable lighthouse with the whimsical cat's face near the top.


Japanese Sampler, 87 x 84, by Margo Weeks




Margo notes, "I was given some Japanese fabric samples many years ago. Last year, with the help of Rebecca Rohrkaste, I put this quilt together. The hand quilting of water and the small dots helped bring this piece together." Self-quilted by the artist.

Japanese Sampler, detail view



The snowy white accents of the flowers against the navy background provide a very refreshing and crisp look to this quilt.


Batiks In Motion, 50 x 58, by Karen Springsteen




Karen says, " This quilt is adapted from a class taught by Christie Batterman at The Cotton Patch in Lafayette, CA. I splurged on batiks, learned to piece curves, and worked with lots of color." Karen has made beautiful use of color-rich batiks in this wonderful, eye-catching quilt. Quilted by Jenna Bailey at The Quilting Co. of Walnut Creek, CA.


Pineapple Journey by Arleen Kukua

Arleen writes, "Over one hundred years ago, my Japanese ancestors migrated to Hawaii to harvest pineapple and sugar. This quilt is dedicated to their hard labor. No paper piecing, no foundation." We'd say that Arleen is no stranger herself to the hard work of quiltmaking, judging from how beautifully this quilt turned out, with its vibrant rainbow colors and exquisite patchwork.


Black and White and Turquoise, 59 x 77, by Patricia Bagdon





For this highly innovative quilt, Patt drew her inspiration from the quilts of Gee's Bend, a small town southwest of Selma, Alabama. The quilters of Gee's Bend, descended from sharecroppers, have become famous for their strikingly attractive quilts with large, brilliant colorways. Patt's quilt perfectly captures the style, bold artistry, and contemporary feel of these internationally acclaimed quilts.


Full Circle, 72 x 72, by Rebecca Rohrkaste

Full Circle, below, was included in the Quilt National 2001 exhibit and book, and won the Viewer's Choice award that year.

Rebecca tells us: "I was spurred to undertake an immersion in red through a friend's commission for a quilt. Even though it is non-objective and abstract, it is full of personal history, symbolism, and emotional experience." This stunning and dynamic quilt is owned by East Bay Heritage Quilter, Mabry Benson.


Image credits and links: All images are shown with permission of the artists and the East Bay Heritage Quilters of Northern California. Other credits mentioned by the artists: The Cotton Patch, Lafayette, California; The Quilting Co., Walnut Creek, California; In The Beginning, Seattle, Washington; American Jane. The fabrics for "Say it with Flowers and Stripes" can be obtained at Glorious Color.