Not your grandmother’s quilts. During the pandemic shutdown, I started climbing the walls — so I went back to something I hadn’t done since I was 12: quilting. Below are featured quilts, newest first, with notes on techniques and process.
This piece took just under 40 hours to create — a phenomenal record for me. It incorporates Dresden Plate, French Braid, and appliqué (turned edge and otherwise).
I also made the outfit in the photo: blouse and skirt in panne velour with silver-tone studs, plus Seminole patchwork piecing for the banding.
The sister quilt to “Desert Braid — Singular, with Feathers.” This one took 75 hours. Built on a French Braid construction technique with appliqué elements.
Ombre blocks are a log-cabin variation; the “stained glass” blocks are foundation paper pieced. Every black “line” in the stained glass panels is exactly 3/16" wide.
Constructed via Dresden Plate and appliqué. I noticed Maria Martinez designs blend beautifully with Art Deco, so I created my own interpretation.
Detail shots (left to right): faux rabbit fur center, turquoise stones, and white howlite stones at the compass points — affixed with fabric glue I trust.
Quilting looks deceptively simple from the outside. Many people assume it’s “just sewing,” but the reality is far more technical — and far less forgiving.
A quilt is not a flat object. It is a three-dimensional structure composed of a top, batting, and backing — each with different stretch, resistance, and behavior. Every decision made at the cutting table affects how the quilt will behave hours (or days) later at the machine.
Precision matters. Seam allowances are often ¼ inch or less, and errors compound rapidly. Being off by even a millimeter per seam can distort an entire block or force corrective trimming that changes proportions.
Quilting is also physics. Fabric bias, grain direction, stitch density, thread tension, and batting loft all interact. Quilts can warp, ripple, or “grow” in unexpected directions if those forces aren’t anticipated.
There is also a strategic component. Some techniques are chosen not because they are faster, but because they allow later corrections. Others are irreversible — once committed, you’re solving forward with no undo.
Finally, there is endurance. Large quilts are handled repeatedly under weight and resistance. Managing fatigue — physical and cognitive — is part of finishing cleanly without mistakes.
I didn’t fully appreciate these layers until I returned to quilting as an adult. What looks decorative is often structural. What looks intuitive is often the result of planning several steps ahead.