Ruth McDowell quilt posted on Blog 05-27-12

It always interests me to look at an artist's work over a span of years, so I am very happy to have purchased this early Ruth McDowell quilt from a private collector.  She had loaned this piece to the 2008 exhibit of Ruth's quilts at Back Porch Fabrics in Pacific Grove, CA. When I heard that she and her husband had downsized to a much smaller home, I asked her if she would consider selling the quilt to me and she said she would think about it.  This year when I was at Empty Spools she said she was ready to part with it and I wrote her a check! 



"At Crocker Grove"  Ruth B. McDowell 1990 36"W x 47"L 
Machine pieced. Hand appliqued. Hand quilted. Commercial cotton and raw silk fabrics, cotton thread.
www.ruthbmcdowell.com
  When she began making quilts Ruth hand quilted everything, but gradually taught herself to machine quilt which has helped her to create over 500 quilts over the years.  I believe this is one of the last of her hand quilted works, so I am extra pleased to have it in TCQC.

  
She hand appliqued the thin horizontal branches,but before too many more quilts she had refined her piecing techniques and rarely hand appliques anything now. 

 
Ruth has never been hesitant to use whatever print fabric will give the look she desires.  This background drapery fabric gives the look of branches and grasses behind the trees.  

 
Ruth's hand stitched signature appears on the front at the lower left.