"Tree House" from 2006 Del Thomas 02-05-11

This quilt was created for the Alliance for American Quilts when they celebrated their move from Louisville, KY, to Asheville, NC.  Artists from around the USA and from three foreign countries created 74 quilts that traveled to different venues for a year and then were auctioned online.  I was pleased that this quilt sold at auction for the 2nd to the highest price, but I don't remember what that was!  Pamela Allen's gorgeous quilt earn the most money for the Alliance.  All of the quilts were made in this house shape and all were to be the same size.  The two triangles on either side of the roof line are the design wall behind the quilt.

 
"Tree House"  Del Thomas 2006  15"W x 19.5"L
Commercial cotton fabrics, cotton thread, cotton batting.
Raw edge machine applique, machine quilting.
The background fabric is from Marimekko.
Sometimes an idea just works - from the first tickle in my mind to sewing the label on, this quilt went together more smoothly than any quilt I have ever made.  The quilting could have been better, but I did my very best.

 
I thought I would put in a pair of birds, but once I laid them on the quilt I realized it was too much, so I just put one lone bird, which I think of as a male summer tanager, a bird that is found in North Carolina.