Simple shapes in quilting

Last week we featured top designers whose easy-to-piece quilts feature simple shapes: squares, rectangles and/or triangles. The results are simply beautiful ! The original articles are: Simple dimensional shapes:  Joen Wolfrom Designs; Simple modern shapes: Esch House Quilts; Simple shapes, jelly rolls and i Candy; Simple shapes by Diana and Laura; Simple shapes in fabulous fabrics; and Simple shapes: jelly roll quilts and other confections.  Links to the designers' sites are below the photos.

Row 1: Joen Wolfrom, at JWD Publishing.  Row 2: Debbie Grifka, at Esch House Quilts.  Row 3:  Stephanie Sheffield, Amy Walsh and Janine Burke, at Blue Underground Studios. Row 4: Laura Nownes and Diana McClun, at Laura Nownes. Row 5: Pamela Goecke Dinndorf, at Aardvark Quilts.  Row 6: Lori Allison, at Allison Quilt Designs.

Simple shapes: jelly roll quilts and other confections

We have to confess that we aren't always interested in making complex quilts.  Sometimes we yearn for simple shapes - and simple piecing. Of course we want to have our cake and eat it too:  we still want our "quick" quilts to look fabulous. Lori Allison of Minnesota starts with patterns that often use traditional blocks – like the trip around the world block – but she makes it bigger, and applies modern cutting and piecing techniques to make it fast and easy.

Blooming patchwork (queen size), by Lori Allison, at Allison Quilt Designs

 

This one is new !  "Blooming patchwork" is a strip pieced, queen-sized quilt.  Thanks to a few fussy-cut blocks, applique is not required !

Funky Stripes, 3 sizes, by Lori Allison, at Allison Quilt Designs

This is a great way to show off large prints like these from Kaffe Fassett.  Also check out a mod chartreuse-and-teal version, which was made by Susie Smidt at Dakota County Star Quilters (at their 2010 quilt show page you can also see  "Color my World", pieced by Jackie Grinde.)

Cinnamon and Ginger, 57 x 71" or 71 x 86", by Lori Allison, at Allison Quilt Designs

Lori says, "Who knew this would be a top pattern seller? I certainly didn't because after I designed it, I let it sit in my computer for six months. Finally, two weeks before fall market, I didn't have anything so I looked through my files to see if there was anything at all worth resurrecting." (!) The fussy cut centers create an interesting geometric effect. The fully illustrated color instructions and easy assembly are typical of Allison Quilt Designs.

For a few more bestselling patterns designed for precuts - like jelly rolls and layer cakes -  check out Lori's "Jelly Roll World", "Fruit Cake" and "Candy Queen" patterns.

Image credits:  Images are shown with the generous permission of Lori Allison.  You can view her patterns at Allison Quilt Designs, quilt shops (see links) and the Quilters Warehouse.

Janet Cook, Textile Artist

~"I like to break the rules and see what happens."  ~ Janet Cook

We recently met Janet Cook (in cyberspace) and we are thrilled to have a chance to show her work here. Thrilled, and slightly awed, in light of the fact that Janet Cook is a member of the prestigious Society of Designer Craftsmen in the UK. This organization dates back to 1887 and the Arts and Crafts Movement, founded by William Morris and his contemporaries.  Janet Cook's work will be shown in the 2011 major exhibition, which opens this weekend in London*.  Janet has created an amazing range of textile art that includes pieces inspired by landscapes, archaeology, and history. In each area of her interest she has pushed the boundaries of fabric art and craft, exploring new subjects, techniques and visual effects. Her magnificent "Opus Sectile II" is a collage of designs based on one of the greatest treasures of Westminster Abbey: the 700-year-old Great Pavement.

Opus Sectile II, by Janet Cook

'Opus sectile' refers to an art technique popularized in the ancient and medieval Roman world where materials were cut and inlaid into walls and floors to make a picture or pattern. The Cosmati were a Roman family who specialized in decorative geometric mosaics for church floors. For "Opus Sectile II", Janet Cook matched her colors to the beautifully colored stones chosen by the original Cosmati artists. With characteristic modesty, Janet confides that this stunning quilt was her first "experiment" with paper foundation piecing (!)

~Artists such as Paul Klee have had a great influence on my work, as have the Roman mosaicists in Morocco, Tunisia, Italy and here in England. I put quilts together in ways similar to their floors, building images then joining them to make a whole statement. ~ Janet Cook

Consuo, 2007, by Janet Cook

"Consuo" means "I stitch together" in Latin, and the outstanding Consuo, shown above, was made to celebrate 20 years of quilting. This quilt shows the artist's progression into mosaic forms, using a mosaic technique to create the scene.  Thousands of hand-cut pieces were bonded onto a background, then layered with chiffon before quilting. The 7 pointed star is Janet's logo, and it neatly coincides with the 7 colors of the rainbow. In the distance you can glimpse the bridge that is the subject of her distinctive Bridge Series (see below). The distinctive black-and-white border is an original block called "Crest of the Wave".  The bridges, flower fabrics, and sewing machine are her photos printed on fabric, as is the picture of Janet in the center.  You can see many intriguing mosaic quilts in her Mosaic Series Gallery. 

Before the Storm, 40 x 30, by Janet Cook - in the Bridge Series

"Before the storm" is one of a series of quilts that depict a bridge before, during and after a summer storm.  "Before the storm" evokes the energy, movement, dark clouds and restless waters that accompany a pending storm. The quilting lines remind us of sleeting rain, coming from the side at an angle, while gusts of wind create conflicting patterns and whorls. Do you want to see just how different - and tranquil - the bridge scene looks after the storm?  Visit Janet Cook's bridge series gallery.

~I believe that unless we fully explore the potentials of fabric, stitch, paint and dye we will not be carrying on the traditions of our grandmothers, who in their turn explored the potentials of the materials available to them. ~ Janet Cook

L'Or D'Automne, and Squirls,  by Janet Cook

In "Consuo" you saw a distinctive black-and-white border, which is Janet's original "Crest of the Wave" design. Like a log cabin quilt block, the spirals can be laid out in a variety of ways. Take a peek at the brilliant diagonal Crest of the Wave and the spirals-within-a-spiral in Rock-a-Doodle Doo. Below you can see L'Or D'Automne (left), and Squirls (right), which are two more examples of this clever block. Several patterns are available for purchase on Janet Cook's patterns page.

~The Romans loved this spiral design because it was so adaptable, and so do I. ~ Janet Cook

Celtic Hares, 15 x 15, by Janet Cook

The symbolism of the moon and the hare is deeply entrenched in Celtic lore and history. The circular motif of three hares chasing each other appears in sacred sites from the Middle and Far East to Europe, and it occurs with the greatest frequency on the churches of the West Country of England. The marbled fabric used for the hares reminds us of the original stone carvings.

In "Celtic Hares", Janet has placed the hares against the moon "to bring you good luck". The pattern is available on Janet Cook's patterns page.  If you love this delightful quilt, you should check out her gorgeous Moon Hare art quilt which was shown in 2008 at the premier quilting event in Europe - the Festival of Quilts.

~Inspiration comes also from the English countryside - its colours, moods, textures, history, myths and folklore. ~ Janet Cook

Moon over the Valley, 2004, by Janet Cook

Finally, did we mention how we first 'met' Janet Cook in cyberspace? We discovered her site while we were researching a quilt block called "Moon over the Mountain".  During our quest, we came across the stunning art quilt - and free pattern - which Janet calls "Moon over the Valley." 

~This is my adaptation of the traditional block "Moon over the Mountain". As I cannot see mountains from my home, just a gentle valley, I devised this block to enable me to make a quilt based on my village. ~ Janet Cook

Closing thoughts: By now you can probably tell that Janet Cook inspires us with her life and work as a textile artist, designer, and teacher. In discussing her prize-winning quilts, Janet explains her approach with a dose of humor:

"I am very lucky to have won any prizes at all, because I don't set out to meet a judge's criteria for piecing and quilting. I respond to a stimulus and make my quilts in the way that seems best to suit that stimulus... you can see the problems I present to judges !"  ~ Janet Cook

*SHOW OPENING:  Designer Crafts at the Mall 2011 will be presented by the Society of Designer Craftsmen in January 2011 at The Mall Galleries, The Mall , London SW1 (near Admiralty Arch off Trafalgar Square). Opening January 8, through January 16.  It will be a chance to view and buy works from some of the UK’s most innovative and creative designer makers.

An evergreen bias

It's the 10th day of our "12 days of Christmas trees", and it just keeps getting better! What we love about Quilt Inspiration is that it can strike unexpectedly. Like the day we stumbled upon Esch House Quilts, the home of modern designer (and rising star) Debbie Grifka.  Her clever "evergreen bias"  defines the essence of a winter tree that is decorated for the season. 

An Evergreen Bias, 24 x 30, by Debbie Grifka, at Esch House Quilts

This little tree uses a graduated bias technique that Debbie Grifka developed to make the tree go from wider at the bottom to smaller at the top. It is also a perfect example of her approach to modern quilting:  "For me, modern quilting often has a somewhat minimalist approach to design. The designs are graphic and bold. They often look simple to make, but are not necessarily so. In addition, many modern quilters use negative space in a way that neither traditional or art quilters usually do."

Visit Esch House Quilts to see all of Debbie Grifka's modern quilt patterns.  Also check out her Project Modern entry:  Ephemeral Elegance.  (It'll knock your socks off !)

Image credits and links:  The image of "An Evergreen Bias" is shown with the generous permission of Debbie Grifka. 

Japanese quilts

Recently we visited a quilt shop in the San Francisco Bay area which had a wonderful selection of Japanese fabrics.  We saw bolt after bolt of fine cottons displaying fans, geisha, kimono, and other quintessential Asian motifs. That "field trip" got us thinking about how we might incorporate the dramatic, large-scale Japanese fabrics into quilts. We wanted to show you some gorgeous quilts by leading designers that truly inspire us.

O-Neesan, 30 x 18, by Susan Briscoe, at Susan Briscoe Designs

Susan Briscoe is a UK-based textile artist, quilter, teacher and a world expert in Japanese quilting.  She is author of many acclaimed books, including Japanese Quilt Blocks to Mix and Match and The Ultimate Sashiko Sourcebook, among others. Susan also offers a wonderful selection of quilt patterns for some of her most popular designs, including the award-winning "O-neesan" (elder sister) shown above.

The top and bottom borders of O-neesan were cut from a single Kona Bay fabric panel featuring a serene Japanese landscape, with a pagoda in the upper section and a koi pond below. The patchwork section is made by overlapping one traditional "Sister’s Choice" block with another to produce an interesting pattern of 2 inch squares. The patchwork enlivens the design and complements the large motifs in the fabric panel, as the eye tends to look for a continuation of the large motifs in the patchwork section.  You can read about the design and quilting of O-neesan at this blog post.

At Susan Briscoe Designs and her blog you can learn about patchwork, quilting and sashiko. Also, on her quilt patterns web page, be sure to check out "99 Treasures" and "Japanese Fans".  On the website you can even find Sashiko kits, and a sewing pattern for a Yukata kimono !  Also, scroll down to the bottom of this post for links to Japanese quilting books by Susan Briscoe.

Yukata By Numbers, 48 x 52, by Diane Weber at Diane Weber Sew Biz

Diane Weber is an artist, photographer and quilter who loves Japanese imagery and fabric. From her home base in the San Francisco Bay Area, Diane has developed a wonderful line of contemporary patterns, including many that are specifically designed to showcase Japanese fabrics. "Yukata by Numbers" is one of Diane Weber's newest patterns.

The name Yukata comes from the word "yu" (bath) and "katabira" (under clothing) and refers to not only the traditional Yukata kimono but also to the lightweight dyed cotton fabric from which the kimono are made.  "Yukata By Numbers" can be seen at Diane Weber's Sew Biz and at Quilt Woman.

Haiku, 42 x 42, by Diane Weber, at Diane Weber Sew Biz

Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry, and the name of this quilt, which demonstrates that "less is more". We love the zen-like black-and-white color scheme, with just a touch of color.  For more information, and to obtain the Haiku pattern, visit Quilt Woman.  Also be sure to check out the beautiful Yukata Cut It and Hanafubuki patterns at Quilt Woman, and visit Diane Weber's Artsy Craftsy blog, which is chock full of fun ideas for quilts, artist trading cards and photography.


Full Moon over Mt. Fuji, by Cary Flanagan, at Something Sew Fine

Cary Flanagan discovered quilting in the late 1980's, and launched her design firm - Something Sew Fine  - in the spring of 2004. The magnificent quilt shown above graces the cover of Cary Flanagan's first book, Moon Dance - a Quilter's Creative Journey.  For the book, Cary collaborated with a group of twelve outstanding quilters to provide samples of each of the unique patterns.  One example from the book is the lovely "Moon Glow", shown below, which was pieced and machine quilted by Trudi Costa.

For a further description of the moon quilts in the Moon Dance book, see the Moon Dance page at Quilt Woman.  The many "Moon Dance" variations remind us of a series of vintage Japanese prints known as One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki  Hyakushi). The Tsuki Hyakushi prints have diverse subjects, but share one common theme - the moon - which is visible on each of the 100 designs. 

Cary Flanagan's designs are also featured in the Asian Fabric Magazine by Kona Bay fabrics. She says: "My first design was published in the January 2010 issue and I have a second design coming in the November 2010 issue (should be out in the next couple of weeks). I will have a third published in February 2011 and hope to keep providing them with new designs every couple of months."

Bamboo, 36-1/2" x 52-1/2“, by Cheryl Wittmayer, at Sew Be It

Japan’s repertoire of symbolism is large and diverse, but several themes are seen frequently in Japanese art. Among the most well known themes are the cherry blossoms, maple leaves, peony, crane, and bamboo. "Bamboo - Blue" , by famed quilt designer Cheryl Wittmayer, displays graceful yellow bamboo stalks on a pieced and quilted blue background.

Cheryl Wittmayer played "what if" with this design, creating four different colorways.  The blue version shown above also reminds us of traditional Japanese indigo dyed fabric*, which would be so effective in this quilt pattern.

In "Main Feature-Asian", below, also by Cheryl Wittmayer, the fabric is definitely the main feature.  The luscious red, orange and yellow panels display classic Asian motifs such as fans, flowers, butterflies, dragons, Kanji, and Baiwen (Asian stamps).

The Main Feature- Asian pattern  makes a 40" x 49" quilt.  You can also see Main Feature - African and Main Feature - Amy Butler Fabrics.

Butterfly Dance, by Susan Briscoe, at Susan Briscoe Designs

Susan Briscoe's spectacular Kona Bay 2009 challenge winner, "Butterfly Dance", is a Japanese art quilt that amazes and intrigues us.  Butterfly Dance is essentially a fabric collage in the shape of a life-size kimono robe (uchikake). The richly detailed fabrics seem to flow across the surface of the quilt, and the arrangement of light and dark fabrics is perfectly choreographed to give the impression of depth (click on the image to see the detail). You can read about the fabric selection, quilting and finishing of Butterfly Dance at Susan Briscoe's blog.  This work of art is currently enroute to Japan,  where it is going into a quilt exhibition in Yamagata Prefecture.

Memoirs of a Geisha, by Pat Masterson, at Coastal Quilters Guild, Inc.

We first saw the award-winning "Memoirs of a Geisha" at a 2008 show held by the Coastal Quilters Guild in Santa Barbara, California. The quilt was inspired by a trip to Japan and the textiles used in vintage clothing. The hand, face and hair were hand painted with Tsukineko ink. The clothing was hand appliquéd using scraps of antique kimono silk fabric purchased at flea markets in Kyoto. The border was made from an antique obi with machine quilting accentuating the design. The appli-bond technique creates a three dimensional effect in the cherry blossoms and decorative hair piece. The quilt won first place in the Small Pictorial Mixed Category at the show.

Japanese Sampler, 87 x 84, by Margo Weeks, at the East Bay Heritage Quilters

"Japanese sampler" by Margo Weeks was one of the quilts we loved at the 2010 "Voices in Cloth" show.  This quilt demonstrates that with careful selection and arrangement of beautiful fabrics, even a simple sampler can be visually stunning. We love the hand-quilted concentric circles, which mimic the ripples in a pond (click on the image to see the detail).  Margo Weeks noted:  "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."  For perspective on the large size of this quilt, you can see a photo of Margo standing next to the quilt at the EBHQ show-and-tell site.

Quilt shops and fabrics:  The quilt shop mentioned in the first paragraph is Stonemountain and Daughter in Berkeley, California.  For information on Kona Bay fabrics, which were used in several of the quilts shown here, visit the Kona Bay website.  *For a selection of indigo fabrics, also see Shibori Dragon and Clothaholics.

Books by Susan Briscoe

Japanese Quilt Blocks to Mix and Match;  The Ultimate Sashiko Sourcebook - Patterns, Projects and Inspirations; Japanese Taupe Quilts - 125 Blocks in Calm and Neutral Colors; Japanese Sashiko Inspirations

Pacific International Quilt Festival -- Santa Clara, California

A true feast for the eyes,  the Pacific International Quilt Festival was held from October 14-17, 2010. Nearly one thousand displays of quilts, wearable art, and vendors' items captured the imagination of the large crowd that attended.  The theme of this year's festival was "Escape", and the quilters did a fabulous job of translating that theme into fabric and thread. We've selected some photos of quilts which we thought were especially eye-catching, even if they were not all top prize winners.

Dancing Calla Lilies,  62 x 62, by Sylvia Gegaregian


Sylvia Gegaregian finds her "escape" in beautiful flowers, which she buys often to dress up her home. Sylvia writes, "This is my effort to extend that life and beauty onto fabric. Dressing up my calla lilies for their quilt portrait allowed me to enter the realm of 'what-if'. This freedom probed to be an extraordinary experience of discovery and learning. "

Close Up of "Dancing Calla Lilies"

Sylvia's "Dancing Calla Lilies" won this year's blue ribbon for Best Machine Workmanship. Above, you can see the lovely and intricate quilting that went into this work. Sylvia is a back-to-back award winner, as Pacific International Quilt Festival also awarded her quilt "In Full Bloom" the 2009 prize for Best Use of Embellishment. That quilt is now the cover for the upcoming 2011 Calendar of the American Quilters Society.

Devil's Island, 34 x 93, by Ingrid Cattaneo

Ingrid Cattaneo made this quilt in remembrance of the movie "Papillon", which depicted the attempted escapes of a wrongly-convicted prisoner from a penal colony in French Guiana. The inspiration for the quilt came from a photo that Ingrid took of a tropical beach while on vacation. She turned the photo into a strikingly coloful landscape quilt, in which the pieces are raw-edge fused appliqued, then machine embroidered.  A member of the Pine Tree Quilt Guild near Grass Valley, CA,  Ingrid has won previous quilt show awards for her detailed workmanship.

Rose of Sharon,  63 x 63, by Sharon Pederson and Elizabeth Phillips

The Rose of Sharon quilt was started as a quilt block challenge to raise money and awareness for the Alzheimer's Quilt Initiative.  Over 850 blocks were submitted by quilters around the world  as part of this competition. Island Batik  generously provided the beautiful Bali fabric for this challenge. Patterns and directions for creating these blocks have been published in The Rose of Sharon Block Book.

Close- up of Rose of Sharon

Amazingly, only three simple shapes were permitted to be used in the block designs: a blossom, a leaf, and a circle. We were amazed at the artistry and symmetry of the winning blocks. Truly, this quilt is a tribute to the skill and elegance demonstrated through the medium of applique.

What's Your Dream?  66 x 102, by Penny S. Hanson

Winner of this year's blue ribbon for "Best Interpretation of Theme",  Penny Hanson writes,  "Art is my personal escape. This art work began as a 4 value graphite self-portrait. Then the day dreaming began. I felt like  a quiet spring day far removed from the responsibility of my normal life. While considering the setting and the landscape, the art quilt began to take form, leading me from my life into the realm of the extraordinary world of creative imagination. " 

Close-Up of "What's Your Dream?"

The applique and machine piecing on this work are so detailed and precise that even the smallest elements have charm and clarity. We were delighted to see the tiny quilt carefully draped over the miniature lawn chair and the little deer quietly peeking out from the trees. 

Pandora,  46 x 67, by Vicki David and Terry Breazeale

According to Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman on earth, who opened a box given to her by Zeus, king of the gods, thus allowing all the troubles of the world to escape. Here, Pandora is depicted in a richly patterned dress reminiscent of Elizabethan times, complete with an adorning neck ruffle. The flowing lines of her dress help to give this work both movement and symmetry.

Close- up of Pandora

In this close-up you can see the beautiful piecing of Pandora's neck ruffle, along with the background of shimmering, iridescent fabric which helps to highlight Pandora's face.

Crown Jewel,  88 x 88, by Claudia Clark Myers and Marilyn Badger

These two quilters provide a wonderful narrative of how this fascinating, intricately pieced, "Best of Show" winner came to life.  Claudia writes: "It all started with an antique Japanese obi that Marilyn purchased at a quilt show and challenged me to do something with it. Then I copied, embroidered, and appliqued the flower motifs from the obi onto the quilt and designed an elongated paper-pieced block that looked sort of like a jewel, using it for a border. Marilyn elaborated on many of the obi motifs for her elegant quilting designs. She used 10,000 yards of thread to bring them to life. "

Sol y Sombra: Doing What Lizards Do, 35 x 65, by Betty Hahn

If you attended this show in person, then you know that the photos don't really do justice to the lovely dimensional piece, below, in which sparkling leaf shapes gently float and flutter on top of the quilt. From Sun City, Arizona, Betty has captured the clear, pure colors of the desert in her quilt, which is overlaid with sparkling, delicate gold-flecked organza. She has used reverse applique to bring the lighter hues of the quilt to the surface.

Betty writes: "Escape into the realm of two lizards chasing each other in the leaves under a tree.  Background pieces and loose leaves gives the impression of a swirling wind. Lizards on top of the quilt are composed of piecing identical to the surface underneath, so they seem to disappear. This piece includes cotton and organza which is appliqued, reverse appliqued, pieced, stuffed, glued, and machine quilted on a stationary machine. "

Close-Up of  "Doing What Lizards Do"

Can you spot the creature on the quilt ? If you look carefully at this close-up, you can see how Betty has created a lizard in organza which is loosely sewn onto the top of the quilt to enhance the three dimensional effect. He is well camouflaged, with large paws like a cartoon gecko might have. We've put an arrow pointing at his head to help you discern his shape. Also you can click on the photo to enlarge the lizard and see the blanket-stitched applique. For more quilts by Betty Hahn, see her online gallery at the Arizona Quilters Hall of Fame.


Tropical Sundowner, 53 x 44.5,  by Elsa Paulazzo Feldman

Elsa says,  "Sitting on the beach of the Big Island of  Hawaii is my favorite escape. In this quilt, I've attempted to capture the aura and colors of the sun setting over that beautiful area."  Elsa's quilt is hand appliqued, machine piece, and machine quilted. The striped border emphasizes the light and clarity of the contemporary circles of color.

Close-up of Tropical Sundowner

We loved the perfect piecing and color selection in these circular motifs.  The myriad shades of restful blues and greens are so reminiscent of the ever-changing colors of the ocean.

i Candy 3.0,  app. 60 x 60, by Robbi Joy Eklow

From Third Lake, IL, Robbi Joy Eklow has created concentric circles of violet and its complementary color yellow, plus a soft green and French blue background. This truly is "eye candy" ; and it reminds us of the giant lollipops decorated with swirls of color that were sold at the carnivals and circuses of our childhood.

No stranger to prestigious quilt shows,  i Candy 3.0 also won 2nd Place for Art Abstract Quilts at the International Quilters Association 2009 Quilts: A World of Beauty show in Houston, Texas. You can also read about this quilt at Robbie Joy Eklow's website (aka The Goddess of the Last Moment).

Kaleidoscope, 65 x 65, by Mary Mix

From Danville, CA, Mary writes that her quilt was inspired by an Italian mosaic floor from the series Bella Bella Quilts by Norah McMeeking. Tiled floor patterns and quilt patterns are often interchangeable and complementary, because both are meant to adorn fairly large, flat surfaces. Mary Mix has achieved a fabulous three dimensional effect of space and depth with this circular, "attic windows" - style pattern. Beautifully precise foundation-piecing gives this quilt a radiant geometric, orderly, and mystical quality that is very pleasing.


Jet Trails, 64 x 46, by Marcia De Camp

From Palmyra, New York, Marcia DeCamp writes, ''This piece was inspired by the jet condensation trails that cross the skies outside my studio windows. It represents our ability to fly away from our day to day routines and speed away to almost any spot on the globe." Machine pieced and machine quilted, this quilt beautiful juxtaposes aqua blue and burnt orange in such a way that all the colors really pop with vibrancy and movement.

Southwest of Michigan, 72 x 59, by Cory Allender

Cory writes, "Southwest of Michigan" took me from the green of the Midwest to the glory of the desert in St. George, Utah."   We loved this magnificent, contemporary, geometric tribute to the southwestern United States' colors and designs.

Cory has taken strands of gold fluted beads and coiled them into elegant spirals, which are then affiixed to the center of the blocks. The quilting is composed of perfect parallel  rows of very fine shiny gold thread, which really dresses up this work and enhances the contemporary triangles and diamonds.

Straight piecing patterns that appear curved: Snail's Trail and Kaleidoscope

When it comes to quilt design, we are drawn to dimensionality (such as attic windows and tumbling blocks), color, and movement.  In design, movement is often created by curves, or the illusion of curves.  Today we're discussing two tessellating patterns that display the illusion of curves but are made with straight-seam piecing (the best of both worlds !) We've chosen two stunning modern quilts to illustrate the design principles.

Reel Starz, 74 x 91, by Gail Hansen, at Textures - Fiber Artists

We first saw the dazzling "Reel Starz" at the Road to California in January, 2010 and we fell in love with the quilt. Gail Hansen used hundreds of luscious fabrics to create a color wash, which moves from purple and magenta to indigo, blue, aqua, and green.  The white, ivory and cream stars appear to hover above the darker background, creating a three-dimensional effect. "Reel Starz" won the honorable mention award in the traditional, large, pieced category at Road to California; it was also juried into the 2010 Pacific International Quilt Festival. In the photo shown below you also can see the quilting, which was done by Judy Woodworth (Gering, NE).  She used beautiful variegated thread in the colored parts of the quilt and then added interest in the white/cream areas with circles or bubbles somewhat randomly placed.

Gail Hansen began working on "Reel Starz" at a family quilt retreat in 2008, and the quilt was completed in 2009. The family quilt retreat has become a tradition in which Gail, her mother, and 2 sisters meet in Nebraska to work on a predetermined project - each on her own - for 3 - 5 days. In her artist's statement, Gail says: "Reel Starz exemplifies my love of color and family."  Her family celebrated their 13th annual "Quiltathon" this past summer ! 

The core snail's trail block in "Reel Starz" is highlighted below.

With respect to naming:  Gail Hansen's "Reel Starz" was based on Shakespeare in the Park by Judy Martin, which combines Virginia Reel with Rising Star and Evening Star blocks.  Most of us would recognize the block shown above as Snail's Trail, but it is also known in The Quilt Index as Virginia Reel, and occasionally as Monkey Wrench. Note that a similar pattern with a small 4-patch in the middle is known by the same names. To add to the complex nomenclature, the names Monkey Wrench and Virginia Reel have been used to describe several other, totally different blocks* !

You may also want to see a gorgeous art quilt by Gail Hansen that was featured in an article called CALIFORNIAN: Evolution of Quilting Displayed in 'Textures'.  The article showcases the Textures Fiber Arts exhibit that is on now in Temecula, California. For exhibit details, see the SAQA SoCal site, and for photos of the exhibit opening visit Textures - Fiber Artists.


Organic Kaleidoscope, by Jennifer Tucker, at A Few Choice Words

Jennifer Tucker has created a spectacular modern quilt based on a kaleidoscope quilt block. "Kaleidoscope" uses straight piecing, but it creates the illusion of curves and overlapping circles.  Jen selected the beautiful, pure colors to represent the tropical flowers of Costa Rica, where she lives. In Jen's design, the colors cross the block boundaries, so the blocks are simply a means of construction rather than the focus of the design.  We also love the diagonal movement of dark to light values across the quilt. Here is a wonderful photo of the quilt in progress on Jen's design wall:

The individual kaleidoscope blocks are based on a grid of alternating dark and light triangles that form a continuous pattern when the blocks are set together. The image below is from Jen's initial design on EQ, and you can clearly see the secondary circular design that appears when the blocks are tiled together: 

We loved reading Jen's descriptions of her design process at jentucker.blogspot.com.  Here are her individual posts about Organic Kaleidoscope:  initial design on EQ; selecting fabrics; cutting triangles; laying out on the design wall; discussing (in comments) how many seams it takes to make a quilt out of 756 triangles; debating (again in comments) which orientation the quilt should have; final tweaks to the layout; constructing the top; and quilting.

Finally, have you ever thought about taking a quilt retreat and seeing Costa Rica at the same time ?  You can read about the retreats, which are hosted by Jennifer Tucker and Rita Ulloa, at The Costa Rica Quilt Retreat (now that sounds like fun !)

Image credits and additional resources: Images are shown with the generous permission of the artists.  
Snail's Trail/Virginia Reel:   *For block nomenclature, see Jinny Beyer, The Quilter's Album of Patchwork Patterns: 4050 Pieced Blocks for Quilters, p. 342.   
Kaleidoscope: A variety of different kaleidoscope blocks can be found in Jinny Beyer's book. Quilts based on the classic block shown in "Organic Kaleidoscope" can also be found in Kaleidoscope ABCs: 14 Step-by-Step Patterns.  In recent years, the term "kaleidoscope quilt" has been applied to quilts that mimic the appearance of repeating patterns as seen through a kaleidoscope. Such "kaleidoscopic" designs require a set of identical pieces cut from a print fabric to make hexagons, octagons, or more complex polygons.  In the latter case, the design focus is on the repeating fabric pattern, rather than on the circular designs formed by the tiled blocks. See for example Kaleidoscopes and Quilts by Paula Nadelstern, Magic Stack-n-Whack Quilts by Bethany Reynolds, and One-Block Wonders: One Fabric, One Shape, One-of-a-Kind Quilts by Maxine Rosenthal.