International Quilt Exhibition 2018 (2)

Quilt art, sometimes referred to as “soft paintings,” has more in common with fine art than it does with traditional quilting. The Brigham City Museum (Utah) is presenting the 46th International Quilt Invitational Exhibit from June 16 through September 1, 2018. The exhibit features universally prized quilts by artists from Europe, Australia and North America.  In today's post we're featuring U.S. artists. We hope you enjoy this selection of outstanding quilts!

Note: For great deals on quilt patterns, fabric, and vintage jewelry, visit us on E-Bay - we're Top Rated Sellers ! And for continuous listings of free quilt patterns, please check us out on Twitter !

Fiesta by Cuauhtemoc K. Kish (California)

This is one of Cuauhtemoc's quilts from his "Celebration" series. He says he wanted to express the simple joy of everyday life in it. Fiesta incorporates the applique process with cottons on a burlap backing using some traditional fabric from Central America. The woman pictured here is wearing a traditional Bolivian costume.

Quilting lines that flow outward towards the edge of this piece give the viewer the impression that they are moving gently as the woman moves.Quilted with a domestic machine, these lines bring a sense of energy and motion to Cuauhtemoc's very eye-catching work.

Natalia's Russia by Melissa Sobotka (Texas)

Melissa made this quilt for daughter Natalie, who traveled to Moscow to study Russian. Melissa says that Natalie was enchanted by Russian history, art, and culture; and saw a beautiful Russia through her eyes and her camera's lens. This quilt was inspired by one of Natalie's photographs.

Melissa has incorporated excellent detail in her work by using stitching lines to depict the elaborate architectural details of each building.

Fall Ginkgos by Franki Kohler (Oregon)

Franki comments that she has been enthralled with the fan-shaped ginkgo leaf for many years; and every time she uses this simple leaf as a design element in her art, she falls more deeply in love with it. Her quilt features a spray of ginkgos in their fall finery.

Lovely thread painting here displays the slightly mysterious, ethereal quality of the ginkgo leaves, an ancient plant. Ginkgos have been found in fossils dating back 270 million years. 

Red Wheelbarrow by Laura Wasilowski (Illinois)

Laura's colorful work is based upon the William Carlos Williams poem of the same name:
so much depends
upon
a red wheel 
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
Williams was closely associated with the modernist movement in literature. 

Close-up, Red Wheelbarrow

Laura's quilt was constructed with hand-dyed and printed fabrics, as well as fused applique. It is machine quilted. Her very artistic use of the dark background provides the contrast needed to display the burgeoning plants in the rich brown soil.

Lemon Tree in Tuscany by Sandra Bruce (California)

Sandra utilized a technique known as "Material Matrix" to interpret a gridded photograph, using her eye to reproduce the image with fabrics and piecing. It is based on a photo taken in Italy, which is a fond reminder of her trip. 

Because it is impossible to create perfect circles with this technique, the entire quilt was made (quilted, blocked, and bound) before Sandra added the lemons and some of the leaves. These were attached by hand, using applique.She free-motion quilted it on her long-arm machine. All the materials on this intriguing and beautifully-constructed work are commercial cottons and hand-dyed fabrics.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.

Modern Quilt Month: Contemporary Art Quilts

In our eyes, the most fascinating modern quilts are art quilts. Much as traditional artists use paint and canvas, contemporary quilt artists choose to express themselves with original works in cloth and thread.  These pieces are meant to be displayed on walls.  As described in The Art Quilt by Robert Shaw, the art quilt movement began in the 1960s, and it has continued to evolve, expand and flourish in the present.  Here are some brilliant works of art from recent shows.

The Power of Yellow, 24 x 60", by Yvonne Porcella (Modesto, California)

Yvonne Porcella is a pioneer of the art quilt movement.  Her works are in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution, the M.H. de Young Museum of Art, and other leading institutions. The Power of Yellow is a reflection on Vincent van Gogh and France. We loved the saturated colors, freehand forms, and the jaunty stance of the figure in this piece.  Yvonne explains: "I’ve been to France numerous times and am always thrilled when I see an older man with a hat, walking, remembering... In Arles we saw the yellow house [and] stood on sidewalk tiles witnessing what Vincent had painted. Suddenly the park was filled with townspeople in full costume, women dressed in yellow, men positioning their horses... What an exquisite moment!"

close up, The Power of Yellow by Yvonne Porcella

 

Yvonne Porcella founded the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) in 1989.  You can see Yvonne talk about the history of the art quilt movement at the 25th anniversary SAQA conference at YouTube.  To celebrate the silver anniversary, she will have a solo exhibit called Yvonne Porcella, Once and Again, at the 2014 Houston International Quilt Festival.  Last but not least, her newest book, a memoir, will be published in Fall, 2014.

The Forest, 85 x 81", by Misik Kim (Seoul, Korea)

The Forest by Misik Kim is a stunning hand-stitched piece that was published in Martha Sielman’s book Masters Art Quilts Vol. 2: Major Works by Leading Artists. The piece consists of overlapping reverse-appliqued circles within squares, done in autumn colors that complement the blues and grays.  The appliqued elements fade to white against the beautiful hand-dyed background. Misik explains, "Mt. Keryong is famous in Korea for the beautiful scenery and the colors of its forest. Misik has lived near this mountain for several years and this work reflects a mountaintop in autumn from a bird’s eye view."

close up, The Forest by Misik Kim

We saw The Forest in person at the SAQA exhibit within the 2014 AQS Quilt Week.  Misik Kim has been working as a professional fiber artist since the mid-1980's. She has exhibited internationally in invitational and juried exhibitions.  For more information on her work, see Viewpoints 9 : An International Collective of Fiber Artists. The Forest is currently available for purchase at the SAQA store.

Cheers by Pat Kroth (Verona, Wisconsin)

The title of this quilt, Cheers, perfectly describes the feeling conveyed by the many squiggles and confetti-like squares that cover the hand-dyed fabric. Pat Kroth explains her inspiration: "Growing up in a family of four children, we had our share of “spilled milk” at the dinner table...  Now when the drinks overturn, it’s become a family tradition to laugh, stand up and toast “Cheers!"

Cheers by Pat Kroth

As an artist, Pat Kroth has worked in a variety of media: painting, printmaking and photography.  Her innovative fiber art pieces have been included in many group and solo exhibitions.  For more information see Pat Kroth Fiber Art and SAQA.

Indian Summer, 34 x 40", by Karlee Porter (Clinton, Utah)

Indian Summer was inspired by the traditional Indian henna tattoos that often adorn an Indian bride on her wedding day.   We loved the elaborate quilting designs on this contemporary whole cloth quilt, which was made with Karlee Porter's own hand-dyed fabric.  The machine quilting was done using black thread, which stands out against the pastel hues of the background.

Indian Summer by Karlee Porter

Additional quilting was done in yellow and orange threads, such as in the lotus blossom shapes in the lower left of the close up photo.   Karlee specializes in creative, original computerized quilting designs and modern digitally-designed fabrics.  Indian Summer was exhibited at the 2014 AQS Quilt Week.  For more information visit Karlee's website at Karlee Porter.com.

Autumn Canopy, 39 x 48", by Tim Harding (Stillwater, Minnesota)

Autumn Canopy is a piece from Tim Harding’s "Crushed Grid" series, done in his signature reverse applique technique, which creates a three-dimensional surface.  We were fascinated by the texture and painterly quality of this piece.  He uses saturated, iridiscent silk colors to create a rich, lit-from-within quality. As in Autumn Canopy, Tim's abstract art compositions subtly reference the landscape, reminding us of an impressionist painting.

close up, Autumn Canopy by Tim Harding

The brilliant blues of the silks peek through several layers of folded/crushed squares in autumn hues of gold, russet and green.  Autumn Canopy was published in Martha Sielman’s book Masters Art Quilts Vol. 2: Major Works by Leading Artists; it is being exhibited in the SAQA Masters II exhibit within AQS 2014. As of this post, this piece is available for purchase at the SAQA store.

ArtFabrik, 51 x 51", by Laura Wasilowski (Elgin, Illinois)

ArtFabrik is not only the name of this outstanding, colorful piece but also of Laura Wasilowski's website. We loved the composition, which depicts a huge paintbrush creating a swath of color.  The description of ArtFabrik reads: "Laura is a dyer. Color is both her work and her pleasure. Her work is to change plain, white fabric into something colorful. Her pleasure is to make the cloth colorful art."

close up, ArtFabrik by Laura Wasilowski

Laura's beautiful fabrics and quilting can be seen in this close-up photo. ArtFabrik was published in Masters Art Quilts Vol. 2, and shown in the SAQA Masters II exhibit at the 2014 AQS shows.   Laura Wasilowski has inspired many other quilters with her hand-dyed fabrics and threads, art quilt patterns and workshops; for more information see ArtFabrik. ArtFabrik (the quilt) is presently available for purchase at Laura's website.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration. The Power of Yellow by Yvonne Porcella was shown in the 2013 Dinner At Eight Artist's exhibit in Houston.  Cheers by Pat Kroth also was photographed at the 2013 Houston IQF.  For more art quilt inspiration, see our Contemporary Quilts board at Pinterest.

All sewn up: Fruit and Vegetable quilts

We think that a quilt, wall hanging or table topper would be a great way to celebrate the beauty and variety of fruits and vegetables. For the last two weeks we've featured quilts that honor the summer harvest, with colorful, ripe plums, peaches, tomatoes, carrots and more.   We're also showcasing some luscious apples from a previous post.  There's a style here for every taste, from traditional to modern, pieced or appliqued !

Above, Row 1:  Simply Delicious by Rebecca Goldsmith at Piece O' Cake Designs.  Row 2: Pearl's Garden by Pearl P. Pereira at P3 Designs.  Row 3: Pieced Vegetables by Linda L. Frost at 13th Street Studio.  Row 4:  Pears, pineapple and apple by Laura Wasilowski at ArtFabrik.  For links to our original posts, see the footnote*.

Above, Row 1:  Vegetable quilts by Lonni Rossi.  Row 2: Cornucopia by Elly Sienkiewicz, stitched by Karen Pessia; Apple still life by Ellen Lindner, Adventure Quilter.  Row 3: Apple of my eye by Debi Hubbs at Art Blooms; Cider Mill Road by Nancy Halvorsen at Art to Heart. For links to our original posts, see the footnote*.

*Image credits:  Images are shown with the generous permission of the artists.  Patterns  and/or books are available for many of these quilts.  For our original posts discussing these quilts and artists, please visit the following links: Simply Delicious; Pearl's Garden;  Pieced Vegetables;  Art Quilts by Laura Wasilowski; The Broccoli Quilt by Lonni Rossi; and Harvest Quilts - Part 2.

Art Quilts by Laura Wasilowski

Multi-talented artist Laura Wasilowski lives in Elgin, Illinois, where she displays her gorgeous work on her Artfabrik website. Laura teaches workshops and seminars, produces luminous hand-dyed fabrics and threads, writes books, designs kits and patterns, and creates beautiful quilts using a number of fusible applique methods that she developed.   Here are some of Laura's vibrant quilts with a fruit theme that really caught our eyes.

Folk Art Pineapple, 15 x 18, by Laura Wasilowski
 

These pure colors of nature remind us so much of Hawaii, with lush green pineapple fields surrounded by the blues of the ocean and the sky. You can purchase the pattern separately, or Laura also offers both the pattern and the fabric kit together on her patterns page at Artfabrik.  Based on the eye-catching design, this is definitely a pineapple with personality.

Color Chip Collage by Laura Wasilowski

Lively pears spill right out of the woven basket, just waiting to be picked up as a snack. Notice how the curved white stitching against the dark blue background gives a great sense of energy to this work. Laura teaches this collage as a one day workshop in using simple fusing techniques to create a pictorial or abstract small quilt. No sewing machine is needed ; and for a small kit fee, Laura provides a hand-out and her stunning hand-dyed fabric. We think that this workshop would be so fun and inspirational !

Prelude to Pie, 46 x 46", by Laura Wasilowski 
 

Laura writes, "Inspired by family, friends, and home, I create stories in cloth. My narrative quilts begin with unique, hand-dyed fabrics. These become whimsical wall pieces that reflect a joyful and colorful life." Her original "Prelude to Pie" quilt features a big bowl of apples sitting on a virtual tablecloth, surrounded by more apples that float in space. The blue sky backdrop gives this scene a surreal quality which we love.  This quilt is for sale on Laura's Artfabrik portfolio page.

Fanciful Stitches, Colorful Quilts by Laura Wasilowski

Laura's book, Fanciful Stitches, Colorful Quilts has easy-to-follow directions and patterns for making 11 fused applique and embroidered projects, including this adorable cozy cottage, a houseboat, lighthouse, and windmill.  There's a chapter on how to select stitches and do hand embroidery for fused art projects,  as well as a chapter on how to do a time-saving smooth finish wrapped binding. This intriguing book is a wonderful way to practice your fusing and embroidery skills together, while making some really pretty small quilts.

Note : In addition to Laura's Artfabrik website, please check out her fun blog. She details her adventures as a guest instructor on a European cruise, along with many helpful tips about quilt making.

Image credits: Images shown are with the generous permission of the artist.

Quilt Inspiration Classics: In Full Bloom

~ "I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers." ~ Claude Monet

Are the flowers blooming where you are ?  In much of the Northern Hemisphere, the spring flowers are in full bloom. This post first appeared in the spring of 2010. The designers featured here have used their fabrics as palettes, creating vivid floral tableaux. 

Geraniums, 20 x 22, by Edyta Sitar, at Laundry Basket Quilts



Primitive rose, 25 x 30, by Edyta Sitar, at Laundry Basket Quilts



Edyta Sitar was born in Poland and raised in Germany before coming to the U.S. Her love of nature and of quilting inspired her to create her beautiful floral designs, including Geraniums and Primitive Rose, above. All of the Laundry Basket Quilt patterns, including raw edge, patchwork, and traditional applique designs (including Midnight Blooms) are available on the website, here.

Flowers are love's truest language. ~ Park Benjamin

Rose in a vase, 18 x 22, by Shelley J. Greener, at SJ Greener Quilts



Red roses, by Shelley J. Greener, at SJ Greener Quilts



Shelley J. Greener is an award-winner quilter and designer, who has won accolades for her quilts and for her innovative construction techniques. Her original floral and still life designs, including her Rose in a Vase (shown above), Apple Basket, and Flores Brillantes are wonderfully realistic. Also don't miss seeing the floral applique in Shelley Greener's stunning Blue Lace quilt, which was designed for the 2007 Dutchess Heritage raffle. "Blue Lace" has gorgeous applique blocks in three styles, in vivid shades of blue and violet (a pattern book is available!) To view more original works, see her gallery and quilts for sale pages.

Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sunflower, 18 x 18, by Melinda Bula, at Melinda Bula Designs



Summer rose, 25 x 25, by Melinda Bula, at Melinda Bula Designs



Melinda Bula is a renowned artist and designer, who first became known for her original hand silk screened wallpapers and fabrics. Since 1996, Melinda has focused on quilts (her first love). Her best-selling book, Cutting Garden Quilts, contains patterns for a rose, pansies, clematis, coneflower, and apples... and a wealth of visual inspiration. Her truly Fabulous Fusible Flower patterns include Sunflower and Summer Rose (shown above) and many more.

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck. ~ Emma Goldman

Garden Flowers, 14 x 18, by Laura Wasilowski, at ArtFabrik



Trio of tulips, 10 x 13, by Laura Wasilowski, at ArtFabrik



 Laura Wasilowski is a contemporary quilt maker, author, teacher, and creator of luminous hand-dyed fabric and thread. Her quilts have been featured in museum collections, exhibits, and books. Garden Flowers and Trio of Tulips (above), as well as Wild Rose and Blue Cosmos are just a few of her patterns.

My first memory is of the brightness of light ... light all around. I was sitting among pillows on a quilt on the ground... ~ Georgia O'Keefe

Georgetown Poppies, 20 x 30, by Carol Morrissey, at O Carol Designs



Poppy, 36 x 48, by Carol Morrissey, at O Carol Designs


Carol Morrissey designs quilts and patterns, teaches classes and workshops, and hand-dyes fabrics. Her love of quilting, gardening, photography are all reflected in her fantastic flowers and other quilt designs. In addition to her perfect Poppies, shown above, her floral designs - which are made for fusible applique - include exquisite iris, pansies, and bluebonnets.

I decided that if I could paint that flower in a huge scale, you could not ignore its beauty. ~ Georgia O'Keefe

Passion Flower, 42 x 44, by Cleo Mounday, at Cleo's Designs



Roses, 41 x 59, by Cleo Mounday, at Cleo's Designs


Cleo Mounday draws on her background of photography and interior decorating, and her love of gardening, to inspire people to find colors they love around them and to include them in their lives through clothing and quilts. Her realistic, colorful flowers are larger than life: in Roses (above), which measures 41 x 59, the largest rose is 16" x 14" and is made of 18 pieces of fabric. To browse a complete gallery of Cleo's Designs, visit her pattern page here.

To plant a garden is ... to believe in summer, to have faith in tomorrow, to have hope in the future. ~ Anonymous

Iris, 14 x 23, by Brenda Yirsa, for Bigfork Bay Cotton Company



Plumeria, 19.5" x 24", by Brenda Yirsa, for Bigfork Bay Cotton Company



Brenda Yirsa is a pastel artist and oil painter whose work depicts landscapes, portraiture, and abstracts. She has designed quilt patterns for Bigfork Bay Cotton Company based on her original paintings. Her designs create a sense of depth through shading and layering of the fabrics, making us feel as if we can reach out and touch the flowers. Her glorious iris (above), tulips, and rose are among her newest patterns.  For a complete list of her patterns, visit the online store. For more information on Brenda Yirsa's original artwork, visit her gallery.

A beautiful garden is a work of heart. ~ Anonymous

A beautiful quilt is a work of heart. ~ Quilt Inspiration

Image Credits : All images are shown with permission of the artists.

Quilt Inspiration 2010: Flowers

In 2010 we had the privilege and pleasure of showing some glorious flower quilts, starting with a post called In Full Bloom. While many northern cities are now snowed in, these quilts remind us of spring. You can see each artist's distinctive style in the quilts with patterns (upper panel) as well as the original works of art (lower panel).

 

Row 1, L-R: Red Roses and Rose in a Vase, by Shelley J. Greener; Geraniums and Primitive Rose, by Edyta Sitar.  Row 2: Sunflower and Summer Rose, by Melinda Bula; Passion Flower and Roses, by Cleo Mounday. Row 3. Garden Flowers and Trio of Tulips, by Laura Wasilowski; Virginia Bouquet, by Pearl Pereira; Autumn Mums, by Frieda Anderson. Row 4: Poppy and Georgetown Poppies, by Carol Morrissey; Ashley's Flower Basket, by Sue Nickels and Pat Holly. Row 5: Botanical Artisan Basketry, by Janice Vaine; Plumeria and Iris, by Brenda Yirsa; Flower Basket Medallion, by Kim McLean. For more information, see In Full Bloom and Basket Quilts Part 2.

Original Art Quilts

Row 1: Spring Greetings, by Frieda Anderson; Tipsy Tabletop and Pair of Paphiodilum, by Dianne Vottero Dockery.  Row 2: Along Shaded Trails - Fuschias and Flowers Entwined - the Tulip and the Daisy, by Marilyn Stewart Stothers; and Peacock Flower, by Barbara Olson.

Image credits: Images are shown with the generous permission of the artists.

In full bloom

"I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers." ~Claude Monet

We went looking for quilt ideas for Mother’s Day, and came up with a virtual garden of inspiration. The outstanding artists featured here have used their fabrics as palettes, creating vivid floral tableaux. You’ll find tulips and iris, passion flowers and poppies, sunflowers and roses and more, in distinct artistic styles. Moreover, these works of art are accessible to quilters everywhere, thanks to easy-to-follow patterns. We fell in love with every one of these quilts, and hope you do too!

Geraniums, 20 x 22, by Edyta Sitar, at Laundry Basket Quilts



Primitive rose, 25 x 30, by Edyta Sitar, at Laundry Basket Quilts



Laundry Basket Quilts: Edyta Sitar was born in Poland and raised in Germany before coming to the U.S. Her love of nature and of quilting inspired her to create her beautiful floral designs, including Geraniums and Primitive Rose, above. Her marvelous raw edge applique designs also include Daffodils, Chrysanthemums, Tiger Lilies, Tulips, and many others. All of the Laundry Basket Quilt patterns, including raw edge, patchwork, and traditional applique designs (including Midnight Blooms) are available on the website, here. (And by the way, Laundry Basket Quilts designs fabrics for Moda... see the collections here).


Flowers are love's truest language.
~ Park Benjamin


Rose in a vase, 18 x 22, by Shelley J. Greener, at SJ Greener Quilts



Red roses, by Shelley J. Greener, at SJ Greener Quilts



SJ Greener Quilts: Shelley J. Greener is an award-winner quilter and designer, who has won accolades for her quilts and for her innovative construction techniques. Her original floral and still life designs, including her Rose in a Vase (shown above), Apple Basket, and Flores Brillantes are wonderfully realistic. Also don't miss seeing the floral applique in Shelley Greener's stunning Blue Lace quilt, which was designed for the 2007 Dutchess Heritage raffle. "Blue Lace" has gorgeous applique blocks in three styles, in vivid shades of blue and violet (a pattern book is available!) To view more original works, see her gallery and quilts for sale pages.


Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson


Sunflower, 18 x 18, by Melinda Bula, at Melinda Bula Designs



Summer rose, 25 x 25, by Melinda Bula, at Melinda Bula Designs



Melinda Bula Designs: Melinda Bula is a renowned artist and designer, who first became known for her original hand silk screened wallpapers and fabrics. Since 1996, Melinda has focused on quilts (her first love). Her best-selling book, Cutting Garden Quilts, contains patterns for a rose, pansies, clematis, coneflower, and apples... and a wealth of visual inspiration. Her truly Fabulous Fusible Flower patterns include Sunflower and Summer Rose (shown above), Geranium and Yellow Daisy, and others. Melinda Bula's book and patterns, including the (also fabulous) Tea for Tulips, can be obtained here.


I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.
~Emma Goldman


Garden Flowers, 14 x 18, by Laura Wasilowski, at ArtFabrik



Trio of tulips, 10 x 13, by Laura Wasilowski, at ArtFabrik



ArtFabrik: Laura Wasilowski is a contemporary quilt maker, author, teacher, and creator of luminous hand-dyed fabric and thread. Her quilts have been featured in museum collections, exhibits, and books. Garden Flowers and Trio of Tulips (above), as well as Wild Rose and Blue Cosmos are just a few of her newest patterns. Also see her delightful Cat and Flower (to mention just one of our favorites; click here to see all of her patterns). Laura also provides fusing tips and books for fun, fast, and fearless fusing. Be sure to peruse Laura's extraordinary hand-dyed fabrics here (her fabrics are used by many leading textile artists). For even more inspiration, view the ArtFabrik galleries.


My first memory is of the brightness of light ... light all around. I was sitting among pillows on a quilt on the ground... ~ Georgia O'Keefe


Georgetown Poppies, 20 x 30, by Carol Morrissey, at O Carol Designs



Poppy, 36 x 48, by Carol Morrissey, at O Carol Designs



O Carol Designs: Carol Morrissey designs quilts and patterns, teaches classes and workshops, and hand-dyes fabrics. Her love of quilting, gardening, photography are all reflected in her fantastic flowers and other quilt designs. In addition to her perfect Poppies, shown above, her floral designs - which are made for fusible applique - include exquisite iris, pansies, and bluebonnets. Entire gardens of blooms are represented in her April and July patterns. Also we can't help but mention two more of our favorites: Grand Gerber, which measures 57.5" square, and Sue's cactus, a beautiful cactus flower. Carol's complete list of patterns can be viewed here.


I decided that if I could paint that flower in a huge scale, you could not ignore its beauty. ~ Georgia O'Keefe

Passion Flower, 42 x 44, by Cleo Mounday, at Cleo's Designs



Roses, 41 x 59, by Cleo Mounday, at Cleo's Designs



Cleo's Designs: Cleo Mounday draws on her background of photography and interior decorating, and her love of gardening, to inspire people to find colors they love around them and to include them in their lives through clothing and quilts. Her realistic, colorful flowers are larger than life: in Roses (above), which measures 41 x 59, the largest rose is 16" x 14" and is made of 18 pieces of fabric. Cleo's other elegant designs include hollyhocks and hydrangeas, fuchsias (which come with a little hummingbird!), her wonderful water lilies and koi, and many other favorite flowers...to browse a complete gallery of Cleo's Designs, visit her pattern page, here.

To plant a garden is ... to believe in summer, to have faith in tomorrow, to have hope in the future. ~ Anonymous

Iris, 14 x 23, by Brenda Yirsa, for Bigfork Bay Cotton Company



Plumeria, 19.5" x 24", by Brenda Yirsa, for Bigfork Bay Cotton Company



Brenda Yirsa is a pastel artist and oil painter whose work depicts landscapes, portraiture, and abstracts. She has designed quilt patterns for Bigfork Bay Cotton Company based on her original paintings. Her designs create a sense of depth through shading and layering of the fabrics, making us feel as if we can reach out and touch the flowers. Her glorious iris (above), tulips, and rose are among her newest patterns. On the tropical front, we are particularly partial to her brilliant plumeria (above), hibiscus , and bird of paradise. For a complete list of her patterns, visit the online store. For more information on Brenda Yirsa's original artwork, visit her gallery.


A beautiful garden is a work of heart. ~ Anonymous

A beautiful quilt is a work of heart. ~ Quilt Inspiration


Image Credits : All images are used with permission of the artists.