Sunday, February 19, 2006


Unforgettable
30" x 30"

This work is my response to a guild challenge. The theme was Memories and the size was restricted to a minimum of 30" x 30". I collect perfume bottles (among other things) and love to imagine the stories that each whiff of scent might recall. Olfactory sense and memory reside in the same part of our brains. I remember my Grandmother when I smell Lily of the Valley, I remember my Dad when I smell English Leather cologne, I remember feeling beautiful one night when I smell Halston perfume. The background of this quilt is a collage of fabrics that reminded me of the "notes" of scent - florals, wild animals, spices. The border is a piece of rayon jacquard that I found in the remnant bin at the local big chain fabric store. (I just love remnant bins - they are the first place I head to when I'm shopping.) I also used the rayon for the bias line drawing of the woman's face (what was I thinking? I won't be in a hurry to do that again, controlling the fray was brutal). The floral organdy ribbons spiralling up from the trapunto perfume bottles are quilted in place with the names of perfumes; Red Door, Chanel No. 5, Halston, and so on. Unfortunately, when I had the piece finished and bound, it measured 29" x 29". After a bit of contemplation, I added the 1" ruffle to two sides and solved that problem!

Sunday, February 12, 2006


It's All About Control
24.5" x 28" each panel

Each panel is pieced identically. I manipulated the stripe direction and color shading to explore movement. Machine quilted with areas of sashiko and threadpainting. I enjoy working with Kaffe Fasset's fabrics; the colors are superb and the hand of the fabric is wonderful. This diptych is my first foray into more abstract work. Usually my work is more representational. Or about something. This time, I just enjoyed the colorplay.