Little Bird
42" x 68.5"
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| Little Bird |
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It all started from
shopping one afternoon after we had lunch together. We got inspired by some upholstery fabrics, which I don't think I had ever considered putting into a quilt before. However, the fabrics were so lush and beautiful and textural, and sophisticated and modern. We simply could not resist. And so, we started building a new stash based on one pattern. After one day, we probably accumulated over 30 different fabrics from a number of different stores. Here is a photo after we made the quilt and took it back to the source of our inspiration.
The next week, we got together, sliced it all up, and put it on the design all. The creative juices were humming, sparks flying, a special synergy created by the four of us, in the same room, all collaborating to decide where the pieces would go.
Sherri was the wizard of the rotary cutter. Barb and Connie were the masters of design. The trick was not to over think it. We did make a few decisions along the way. The most exciting part was how each member contributed to the eventual design of the overall quilt. We have never worked improvisationally like this before. It was SEW fun! And it was quick and satisfying.
Pieces were trimmed on the wall, in situ, and quickly pieced together. If it didn't fit, we trimmed it, or added another piece to make it longer. Somehow it all worked together. Then I took the leftovers and made a back for the quilt which was also quite fun! The next week we took turns machine quilting it, adding binding, hanging tube and the label. It was a completely collaborative process, start to finish, yet one of the most cohesive quilts we have made.
Here are a few detail shots for you!
Look for it in Houston this year. It was selected as a finalist in the World of Beauty at the International Quilt Festival. Also, look for another piece that we created in the same way for the auction for IQA. You can bid on the mini-quilt called Little Bird Too (16.5" x 22").
