Archives: Quilts

Life-Size California Condor

2014

This very large quilt was inspired by Jody Rusconi.  She and her husband, Lee, visited Ventana Wildlife Preserve at Big Sur, CA.  She mentioned the awesome sights they saw at a luncheon of the group.  Everyone was so excited by the idea of these very large birds flying free, we decided to make a quilt. (That’s what we do.)  Jody requested that if we make one, it be donated to the Ventana Preserve when we finished showing it at quilt shows.  So that’s the plan.

We decided to make the slices each person designed independant panels, to represent the condor flying free.

We’re happy to have it completed and will enjoy watching it as we display it over the country.

in order of panels:

Maggie Stimson, Jody Rusconi, Gerry Smeltzer, Rosalinda Brainerd, Donna Parker, Diane May, Edith Harmer, Pat Durbin

Quiet Moment

Walking in the forest you might see wildlife if you are quiet enough.  The peace that you feel is something that reminds you of the Creater of the beautiful world that surrounds us.

This quilt was made for a special purpose.  It will be touring for 2 years with an exhibit to benifit the National Quilt Museum.  The first stop will be the Quilter’s Hall of Fame.  The exhibit has been arranged by Meridith Shroeder, the Hall of Fame inductee for 2013.

Techniques: Mosaic picture piecing, machine thread embroidery, machine quilting.

Among Giants

A redwood scene was a natural subject for me, having lived in the redwoods most of my life.  We attended a wedding in Richardson’s Grove, it was a beautiful day and Gary took many pictures.  As I searched for just the right one to do a quilt, this shot jumped to my attention.  I decided to make it tall and narrow, just like the trees to enhance the feeling.

Techniques: The ground and leafy sections are “Mosaic Picture Pieced”; the trees are done with strips of many brown and gray fabrics.  I experimented with threadwork for the baby tree in the front and the whole thing is heavily quilted.

All wall quilts have a “sleeve” attached at the top back for easy hanging using a dowel, or curtain rod.

Lift Your Eyes to the Hills

This quilt was inspired by a photo taken by my husband, Gary.  It’s a view of McDonald Lake in Glacier National Park.

Techniques: Painting, applique, thread embroidery.  Heavily quilted. (see detail below)

All wall quilts have a “sleeve” attached at the top back for easy hanging using a dowel, or curtain rod.

name inspired by the Bible Verse

Psalm 121: 1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”

Grandmother’s Resurrected Flower Garden Traditional

This quilt is made from vintage patchwork “Flowers” which are set in contemporary white muslin with reproduction prints in rows.  I quilted it by machine, but with traditional quilting style in mind.  It’s one of my favorites.

Honey, I Can’t Find My Earrings!

2012

Our group: Fiber Art Friends has completed another fun project.

The Story:  One day we met (8 of us) for a dye day.  We colored lots of fabric and each one brought jewelry from our collections.  Some of it is left over from our Moms.  So pictures were taken and a pattern drawn up.  The pattern was divided into 7 panels since one person could not participate this time.  Anyhow…here it is all sewn together and ready to be shown to the world.

Pet Store

This quilt was inspired by a photo of my grand-nieces. I decided to place them in a doorway of a victorian building I found in Ferndale Ca.  Their little dog Timmy is also featured.

I enjoyed the challenge of the many techniques I used to create this quilt. It is mostly turned edge applique, some free form piecing, with just a touch of paint for shadows.  The animals have heavy thread embroidery.

Machine quilted on my home machine.

All wall quilts have a “sleeve” attached at the top back for easy hanging using a dowel, or curtain rod.

Mommy, Mommy

A finished quilt is always a happy occasion. I thought I’d share the process with you.

It will take a couple of posts to get the stages in. This is a photo I took of my Granddaughter, as she comforted her little guy.

Lights Along the Way

Gary and I took a trip to Washington and as we traveled back down the coast we stopped to photograph many lighthouses.  What fun.  I knew that I’d be wanting to make a quilt of them.  It took awhile (smile).

Each lighthouse “circle” was built of various fabrics and machine appliqued.  There is a piping applied around the edge of the scenes

The whole quilt is made of cotton fabrics and machine quilted.