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Gallery: Older Work
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Katja's Owlz
2005 32" x 45 1/2"
"Katja's Owlz" is based on a drawing of an owl family by my four-year old daughter. It is also the first completely fused quilt I have made. The top is all silk fabrics, some of which I painted and marbled myself, some are hand dyed by Melody Johnson and Sigrid Pöschle. It is machine quilted and hand embellished with a variety of silk, rayon and cotton threads. The eyes are abalone buttons. The batting and backing are 100% cotton. Collection of the artist.
Juried into AQS Nashville show 2006.
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Seaweed?
2005 26 1/2 x 26 1/2”
Recently I have been dabbling at marbling fabrics. I think this appeals to me because of my background as a graphic designer and my affinity for books. To me, marbling and bookbinding go hand in hand. One particular piece of fabric spoke to me and called out for embellishment in the form of something organic like a nymph’s eye view of low woodland plants or a magical bed of seaweed. I stuffed areas of the fabric that looked like knotholes in wood and then encrusted them with embroidery in pearl cotton, floss, metallic ribbon and wool. I also couched wool and eyelash fibers to emphasize the flow of the pattern. To take it over the top (for me at least), I added a variety of beads. This is my first quilt that just IS. It is almost purely abstract and has no pretenses of ever laying on a bed or lap. It is also my first quilt with no binding. I have to thank Melody Johnson and her informative blog for introducing me to her “escape hatch finish.” I think it was perfect for my intentionally wavy border. The quilt is made of commercial and hand dyed and marbled cottons. The batting is polyester. It is machine pieced and hand quilted, not to mention plenty of hand embroidery and beading. Private Collection.
Juried into 2006 Road to California, and 2006 Quilts for Change Shows
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Katja's Fish Tank
2005 12” x 17”
This little quilt was a test to see how silk looked when used for fusible appliqué.
My daughter Katja provided a drawing which I used as my pattern, down to the shape of the completed wall hanging, and helped shop for the fabrics. The background is hand dyed cotton and the solid fish are dupioni or raw silk. The striped fish is a taffeta dress fabric of some sort. Batting is polyester. Techniques used are fusible appliqué, couching and machine quilting.
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Abby
2005 49 1/4” x 37 1/2”
Abby was my in-laws’ wonderful Great Pyrenees. Not long after my father-in-law died from Alzheimer’s disease, Abby died as well. I made this quilted portrait to memorialize both of them, and presented it to my sister-in-law Betsy on her birthday as Abby held a special place in her heart. The fabrics are mostly commercial cottons, with a little organza to unify the dog’s body, and lush velvet for her nose. The batting is 100% cotton. The collage technique was inspired by Susan Carlson’s “Freestyle Piecing” book. The quilt is machine quilted. Private Collection.
“Abby” won third place in the 27th annual Marin Quilt and Needle Arts Show in the small, realistic, art quilts category (2005).
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Movin' On
2005 19 3/4” x 19 3/4”
I made this quilted wall hanging in response to a call for entries of any artistic medium from Frauennotruf Heidelberg, a hotline for abused women. In order to raise awareness and funds, they hung artwork (approximately 1,000 pieces) on a wash line down Heidelberg’s “main street” in October 2005. I used the “June Bugs” paper piecing pattern from the June 2005 issue of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine as my starting point, adjusted the size, and made 15 near matching ladybugs, plus one who is different. Having never been abused and not knowing how it truly must feel, I leave it up to the viewer to decide if this lady is being excluded from the group, or if she’s now stronger and more independent. She’s definitely emerging into the light from the darker portion of the quilt and her beaded embellishment helps her stand out. The rest is up to individual interpretation. The quilt is made of commercial and hand dyed cottons. The batting is polyester. It is machine pieced and machine quilted, and embellished with quite a few beads.
Displayed at the Waschelein to support Frauennotruf Heidelberg, 2005 and donated to Frauennotruf Heidelberg.
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Mondschein Gruppe
2005 22" x 44"
I made this quilt as a door hanging for my son’s Kindergarten classroom. The title means "moonlight group" in German. The fabric collage technique was inspired by Susan Carlson’s book, “Freestyle Quilts,” and was a chance for me to experiment a bit before making “Abby.” The quilt is made of commercial cottons, glittery tulle and velvet. I also used metallic threads to add shine. The batting is 100% cotton. It is machine pieced, appliquéd and quilted. Collection of Kindergarten St. Georg, Leimen, Germany.
"Mondschein Gruppe" has won First Place in the Accomplished Fibers category of the Department of the Army Arts and Crafts Competition.
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2005 56” x 73”
When I made this, I was inspired by several quilts with cute houses arranged around a city park. I wanted a European version though, and along the way it transformed quite a bit. I also saw the potential for others who have traveled Europe to want to make their own quilt, and so I have self-published the patterns for all the blocks. For more information, go to the patterns link. The quilt is made from commercial and hand dyed cottons and 100% cotton batting. It is machine pieced using a paper foundation, and is machine quilted. Private Collection
"Travel Europe" won Honorable Mention in the Accomplished Fibers category in the Department of the Army Arts & Crafts Contest 2005.
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Florence
2005 24” x 30”
This is an alternate block representing Italy in my “Travel Europe” block of the month quilt. I designed it at the request of a friend, Glenda Finley, who was enamored of the Dom in Florence rather than the canals of Venice. It is made from commercial and hand dyed cottons and 100% cotton batting. It is machine pieced using a paper foundation, and is machine quilted.
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Explore
2004 42 1/2” x 44 1/2”
I made this quilt in response to the "Lonni Rossi Typospheres challenge" by Andover fabrics. The graphic designer in me couldn’t pass up a challenge using typographically inspired cloth! I chose to create the word EXPLORE as the fabric collection was inspired by the exploration of the Galileo spacecraft; and because every artistic endeavor is an exploration. Creating a quilt is naturally an exploration of fabrics, color, texture, composition and surface design. My composition was inspired by 1920s travel posters with large, angled type and graphic landscapes. The brown colors symbolize earth and land and the pointed shape in the lower left could even be a pyramid or mountain representing travel here on earth. The blue fabrics, of course, stand for sky and space and the circular shapes and beaded embellishments are the sun and planets. The flying geese at the bottom of the quilt can be seen as both water and the forward movement of exploration. To further the theme of exploration via travel, I have used fabrics and beads from around the world. The quilt is made from 100% cotton quilting fabrics and cotton batting. It is machine pieced and hand appliquéd, beaded and quilted.
The quilt won Honorable Mention in the competion, and more importantly, free fabric!
"Explore" won Honorable Mention in the Accomplished Fibers category of the Department of the Army Arts and Crafts Contest 2004.
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Shades of C.R. Mackintosh
2002 56 1/2” x 58”
The appliquéd blocks are a design by Susan DuLaney, called “Tuscan Tiles.” However, they said California Poppy to me, and were thus perfect for a quilt for my mother. I changed the suggested colors to match my mother’s newly redecorated bedroom. And. as my mother and stepfather (and I) love the style of Scottish designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh, I created my own setting with lots of small squares in the Mackintosh style. The quilt is made of commercial cottons. The batting is 100% cotton. It is machine pieced, hand appliquéd and hand quilted. Private Collection.
Juried into 2006 Quilts for Change Show. Displayed at 2004 Petaluma Quilt Show.
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From Martha's Oven
2000 27 3/4” x 35”
I conceived this quilt while baking “bull’s eye” cookies from Martha Stewart Living one Christmas. I thought the concentric circles of the cookies laid out on the baking sheet looked so wonderfully graphic. The fabrics are mostly cotton and cotton velvet, plus silver lame for the binding and ties. The batting is cotton/polyester. The border is machine pieced, but the cookies are hand appliqued and reverse appliqued. Some cookies are embellished with rows or beaded “sugar.” The quilt is hand quilted. It also has a small companion book documenting the creation of the quilt.
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