Despite late spring snow here in the Pacific Northwest, a wonderful group of women completed the Learn to Quilt class last week at the Pine Needle. I am so pleased and proud to show some photos of their work!
Diane chose a bright green paisley print for her feature fabric. The "quilt bug" totally snared Diane: she came to class 3 (of 5) with her quilt top nearly finished ... then in class 4, Diane brought 6 pillowcases she made to go with her quilt that will go on a day bed in her home. I especially enjoy the way the 4-patch fabrics dance happily across the quilt top along with the cheerful fabrics she chose for her borders.
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| Diane's Quilt Top |
Lynn chose an Asian dragonfly print for her feature fabric. The rich gold background fabric shows off the blue dragonfly fabric while the bright pink squares add excitement! I understand that a visitor fell in love with Lynn's quilt and is the lucky recipient of her quilt. Meanwhile, I am hoping for a photo ... with borders ... so I can share with all of you.
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| Lynn's Quilt ... work in progress |
Due to the snow, schools opened on a delayed schedule so Kathy wasn't able to come to class 5. Here are her quilt blocks as she was sewing the rows of blocks together. Isn't it fascinating how different the same pattern looks interpreted with different fabrics? The background fabric she chose is a small scale cream and beige floral ... a perfect complement for her feature fabric ... along with the soft gold and red she chose for her 4-patch blocks.
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| Kathy's Quilt ... work in progress |
Nancy chose teal, cream and brown batiks for her quilt. As we auditioned borders, there wasn't enough distinction between the outer and middle borders so Nancy added a narrow border of brown ... which sets off her quilt beautifully ... especially lovely with the softer teal inner border.
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| Nancy's Quilt - Front |
And check out the backing for her quilt
... Nancy used leftover scraps to make the bands of vertical strips,
bordered with the soft teal she used in the front. Yea Nancy!
Stephanie chose a black, white and red color scheme for her quilt. As she auditioned her middle and outer borders, she decided the flying geese in the corners looked too traditional for the clean, crisp feeling of her contemporary quilt. She decided to leave off the flying geese but added a narrow red border to bring out the red in her quilt top ... a perfect accent! Stephanie had enough scraps to make a second, smaller quilt which she brought to class 5. She designed it herself using 4-patch, plain and improvisationally pieced blocks. Go Stephanie go!
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| Nancy's Quilt - Back |
Stephanie chose a black, white and red color scheme for her quilt. As she auditioned her middle and outer borders, she decided the flying geese in the corners looked too traditional for the clean, crisp feeling of her contemporary quilt. She decided to leave off the flying geese but added a narrow red border to bring out the red in her quilt top ... a perfect accent! Stephanie had enough scraps to make a second, smaller quilt which she brought to class 5. She designed it herself using 4-patch, plain and improvisationally pieced blocks. Go Stephanie go!
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| Stephanie's Quilt |
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| Stephanie's Second Quilt |
Coincidentally, Elizabeth and Kathy chose the same feature fabric for their quilts. Elizabeth's choices of coordinating fabrics really bring out the blue colors in the feature fabric illustrating that even when the same feature fabrics are used, you can make the quilt your own with the colors you want to emphasize or subdue. The narrow blue border Elizabeth added clearly defines the middle and outer borders as well as emphasizes the blues in her star and 4-patch blocks. Beautiful!
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| Elizabeth's Quilt |
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| Sandi's Quilt |
Sue chose Fabric Freedom's recent stained glass print of blue poppies and iris. Wow ... stunning fabrics! The medium and dark blue fabrics she used in the 4-patch blocks complement the poppy fabric beautifully. Sue also added a narrow, dark blue border between the middle and outer borders to sharply delineate those. Otherwise, the two busy prints would blend visually. The bright green she used in the inner border, along with the cream background, gives the quilt light and excitement.
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| Sue's Quilt |
Somehow, I missed getting a photo of Val's work but hope to get a photo to share as Val finishes up her quilt. I am very proud of these women and their work! I believe that a pattern, like a recipe, is a starting place so I absolutely love it when students are willing to really look at their quilts and, when called for, go beyond the pattern's instructions.
As a teacher, there are many moments to savor and enjoy throughout a "beginning" class ... I get to see:
- quilts emerge from initial uncertainty and occasional confusion
- confidence grow
- very special moments when a new quilter gets utterly hooked!
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