PIQF #3 Some Pieced Quilts 10-17-09

Apologies for this late post - we had computer gremlins last night. Del

Some of my friends enjoy seeing pieced quilts, so today's post shows three pieced quilts of varying design aspects.

I have lived in SCalifornia for over fifty years, but I have not forgotten the long grey, drizzly winters outside of Portland, Oregon, so I can appreciate Mary-Margaret's desire to have a little Springtime in her quilt.

Her quilt is nicely square, but sometimes it is just not possible to stand exactly in front of a quilt to take a picture that shows off all its fine points. Mary-Margaret does very nice work.

I took two detail shots, one with flash and this one without. The flash completely wiped out the detail of the feather stitching, so I show you this photo which is not correct in color, but shows the free motion feathers.

Rebecca Rohrkaste's quilts are always a little bit different and usually bright colors. I appreciate her whimsical look at the back side of a brick wall - sort of like 'Toys in the Attic" that come alive in the night to assume a "human" life.

Notice that the sashing changes from orange to pink.

Carol defies the "rules" by experimenting with different techniques and combinations of those techniques.

Be sure to click on the picture to enlarge. It appears that she has couched yarns to fabric before cutting squares, giving a different texture to the surface of her quilt. Notice that she has used thread in different values or hues to stitch down the smallest squares and circles.

TCQC quilt by Rebecca Rohkaste 08-23-09

This quilt is another auction purchase. In even numbered years East Bay Heritage Quilters [guild] holds their quilt show [Voices in the Cloth] and silent auction of quilts made by members at the Oakland [CA] Convention Center. They have some very well-known quilt makers in their membership and some who aren't well-known who do fabulous work. I think the members of this guild offer the most original design and color work of any guild show I have attended. Great stuff and I try to go to every show. It is always in January, so watch for it in January 2010.WRONG! NO, next year the dates will be APRIL 10~11. I'm sure there will be some info on EBHQ.com soon.

You can check out the quilts shown in Jan 2008 at: http://www.ebhq.org/vic2008_1.shtml

"A Lunar Season" Rebecca Rohrkaste 1999 35"W x12"L

I have long admired Rebecca's quilts - they are always different and frequently use unusual color choices. This quilt is a small version of at least one large quilt with the same design. This one has hand dyes, shibori, commercial hand dye "look-alikes, commercial prints, batiks, a lovely mustardy brown woven ikat (above, left) and more exceptional fabric choices.

I love the inclusion of this fabric with a violet ground, pinky red flowers and black foliage. Only a very color confident artist would throw that one in the mix! The quilting appears to be done using #8 perle cotton thread. It is very even w/top and bottom threads in equal tension. Not an easy thing to do with a very thick thread.

Each block is composed of sixteen different fabrics - eight for the background and eight for the "moon".

Rebecca's colorful quilt "Big Red" was juried into Quilt National 2001

(http://www.dairybarn.org/quilt/index.php?section=226&page=277

She has taught quilt classes in the past at New Pieces Quilt Store in Berkeley, but I don't see her listed currently as one of their teachers. I would jump at the chance to take one of her classes. I do not find a website for her. But since I posted this page several people have sent e-mail and phone contacts for her. Thanks to all.