Story Quilts

I am having fun working on a new technique that I call Story quilting. This year has lead to some very strong feelings about what is going on in the world and what better way to channel it than into my art. I needed a large quilt for my bed so I made a Trailing Star Quilt (patter found here) but I added wide 15 inch borders. Initially, I was going to quilt large feathers on the border but as I was loading the quilt I was really missing my family after their Christmas visit. Instead of feathers I decided to quilt my life around the quilt. I broke the design up into the seasons and went to from there. I drew out the little pictures with Water erasable pens and then just quilted the pictures and let the story come to life. I quilted my three children, husband and pets as well as various creatures. I included an Angel because we all need angels to protect us and even a dragon. This was so much fun to make and took forever. Much longer than just doing feathers, but it opened a whole new world of possibilities.

I loved this technique so much I decided to add pictures to my latest Berry Jam quilt (named Wild Berry Jam). I first quilted an all over swirl across the whole quilt then went back with black thread to add my pictures. Again I drew out the designs with a water erasable pen then quilted over the designs. What do you think? I entered this quilt into the Kaw Valley Quilt show and it won a viewers choice ribbon. That was a thrill for sure.

I also decided to add some story quilting to a jacket I made (I used the Tamarak pattern by Grainline studio). I quilted the quilt on my longarm, then cut out the pattern pieces and just used my little Bernina to quilt the pictures onto the quilt in various spots. I think it is the best jacket I have made so far. A woman even wanted to buy it off me at the airport when I was flying home from QuiltCon. It was cold, so I didn’t sell it, but maybe I should have?

Last but not lease I did some Story quilting on my West Bottoms Daisy quilt. I am finishing up that pattern right now. So look for it soon. I quilted my family on the top and bottom border and medieval dragons spitting feathers instead of flames to represent the war in Iran. I am a bit obsessed with Medieval Marginalia at the moment so I worked with that style of dragons as well as battle hares riding cats into combat. Definitely quirky.

That is it for now. I need to go advance a quilt an make some binding. Thanks for being here!