Our Canine Companions

Our canine companions bring us joy, energy, and unconditional love. It's no wonder so many talented quilters have chosen to honor their companions with a quilt. Here are four quilted tributes from the U.S., Canada and Brazil, using a variety of styles and techniques.

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Boundless Spirit by Alessandra Volker (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).  

Boundless Spirit was hand painted and finished with machine quilting and thread painting.  It was based on a photo by Annette Shaff, which Alessandra Volker bought at Shutterstock. This artwork captures the zest for life emboided by a dog in its most exuberant state. Its expressive face, wide eyes, and playful tongue convey pure joy and boundless energy.  The vibrant colors radiating behind it mirror the dog's dynamic spirit. 

Tinker Bell by Karmen Brister (Texas)

Karmen Brister says that she started with a photo of her son's bulldog, Tinker Bell, while she was snoozing.  "I knew I had to paint this picture and bring it to life. As ink flowed, painting her sleepy folds was irresistible; then, thread painting detailed each crease meticulously, mimicking her skin's texture."  The red and white rug is a wonderful backdrop for Tinker Bell!

Hercules by Margery Hedges (Texas) 

 Margery Hedges says, "Hercules is one of the many granddogs we've had over the years.  We were lucky to have him stay with us for about 6 months when he was about a year old.  This image is a perfect example of how fun and enjoyable he was.  He will always be remembered as one of our favorites." Hercules was created with hand painting, machine applique and quilting. 

Blue by Amber Mitchener (Saint John, NB, Canada)  

Amber Mitchener honors Blue, a calm and sweet dog with a distinctive white mark in one eye. The background has various blue blocks, symbolizing his serene and loyal nature. "His friendly personality and love for food are subtly reflected in the design, capturing the warmth and joy Blue brings to all who know him... This artistic piece is a beautiful tribute to his gentle spirit and unwavering companionship."

Image credits: Photos of Boundless Spirit, Hercules, Tinker Bell, and Blue were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival.

Birds on quilts: painted, printed, appliqued and stitched

Here's a quilted tribute to the seemingly endless variety of birds that exist in the world of nature.  Today, we're bringing you some outstanding quilts with very life-like representations of birds.

The White Raven, 40 x 32", by Virginia Greaves (Georgia, USA)

 Virginia states, "Legend holds that black ravens were kept at the Tower of London to protect the monarchy. My piece presents a rare white raven to the Tower and ask the question of what that would mean for the monarchy and the Tower."  Inspired by a photo  by Mike Yip of the white ravens on Vancouver Island, Virginia used machine applique and machine quilting  to create this striking piece. We really admire the intricate details in the bird's feathers and especially in the creation of the Tower in the background.

Botswana's Beautiful Bird, 31 x 32", by Barbara McKie (Connecticut, USA)

Barbara writes, "While in Botswana, Africa, on safari in the spring, I photographed a colorful bird, and it inspired this quilt." The bird, a Lilac Breasted Roller, is highlighted against the pale blue dye-painted background.  Barbara has done a wonderful job of conveying the stunning colors of this exotic bird with her combination of digital imagery and quilting. 

Close- up, Botswana's Beautiful Bird by Barbara McKie

Barbara notes that her techniques include photo transfer, dye-painted silk, machine applique, and quilting. Each section of the bird was finely stitched in a different color to match the underlying image.

Eagle Eyes by Margery Hedges (Texas, USA)

Margery notes of her original art quilt,  "I enjoy doing close-up views of animal faces, and this look of intense concentration makes you feel as if you are really face-to-face with this awesome eagle."  Margery's techniques include hand painting with jacquard textile acrylic paint,  machine thread painting, and quilting on cotton fabric. We are impressed with the fierce, compelling look Margery has captured on the eagle's noble countenance.

Did You Wash Your Beak?  by David Taylor, Colorado, USA..

David Taylor's applique quilt was inspired by a photo by Steve Byland.  David notes, "Bird have always been my favorite subject matter to turn into quilts. I hope I captured the attitude of the mother bird, as she looks appalled at her baby's manners. I spent weeks debating with myself over the background color, and ultimate stayed true to Steve Byland's photo."

Close up, Did You Wash Your Beak?  by David Taylor

Winner of a Judges' Choice Award by Carolie Hensley at the 2013 Houston International Quilt Festival, David's materials include commercial cotton prints and purchased, hand-dyed, painted fabrics.  In addition to the details on the birds, we admired the leafy textures in the background of this quilt.  David will be teaching his techniques at the March 2015 Empty Spools seminar.

Wild Goslings, 24 x 32", by Cherrie Hampton,  Oklahoma, USA

Second place winner in the Wall Quilt category at the 2013 Pacific International Quilt Festival, Cherrie states, " "I took a jump into art quilting when I began learning about paint and other product to apply color to fabric. Without patterns to follow, I feel the freedom to create fiber art which, although built on a traditional quilting background, expands that framework to personally expressive art using my fiber fixation."

Close up, Wild Goslings by Cherrie Hampton

We love the realistic look of these darling babies as they sit in repose amongst a beautiful background reminiscent of a Claude Monet impressionist painting.  Cherrie expertly created her original piece using ink painting, machine applique and free-motion quilting. Angelina, net and other embellishments were added.

Cock of the Walk, 39 x 58", by David Taylor (Colorado,USA)

Third place winner for Pictorial Art Quilts at the 2013 Houston International Quilt Festival,  David notes, "This is my second rooster quilt, and this one has a whole lot more attitude. Finding the perfect hand-marbled fabrics was the key to the feathers......that, and amassing enough different red "textured" prints for his wattle."

Close up, Cock of the Walk by David Taylor

David's original design was inspired by a photo by Robert Churchill. It was created with commercial cottons, purchased hand-dyed, painted fabrics, and variegated cotton thread.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.