Charming Canines

We hope the new year is treating you well so far. This charming canine portrait quilt, seen at last year's Road to California show, inspires us to dream about going to a real (not virtual) quilt show again, in person, in the near future.  We wish you good health and happy quilting for the year ahead.

p.s. Check out our eBay shop for great bargains on books, magazines, and collectible items. For free quilt inspiration, please visit us on Twitter.

Viking Barkley by Angela Pachal

Angela Pachal says, "The inspiration was our dog Barkley, and the pattern was made from an original photo.  He was born on Halloween and every year he was dressed in a costume.  This [quilt] was a true labor of love for our beloved mini schnauzer."  

We were impressed by the incredible detail Angela achieved with her choice of fabrics and design, along with her quilting designs which followed the lines of the dog's fur.  This quilt is a wonderful tribute to her sweet-looking dog.  You can see more of Angela Pachal's creations on Instagram.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2020 Road to California quilt show in Ontario, California.

Kaleidoscope Quilt

Welcome to 2021. This kaleidoscope quilt inspires us to dream about going to a real (not virtual) quilt show again, in person, in the near future.  We wish you good health and happy quilting for the year ahead.

p.s. Check out our eBay shop for great bargains on books, magazines, and collectible items. For free quilt inspiration, please visit us on Twitter.

Kaleidoscope Quilt, 54x 70, by Gail L. Weiss, Oregon. Quilted by Nancy Stovall

Gail explains, "This quilt was made from 3,113 pieces using 5 different shapes. Cut and stitch lines were screen printed onto the back of 21 different Kona Solid fabrics, and a running stitch was used to sew them together. "  We enjoyed viewing Gail's lovely quilt because it projects a lighted glow that seems to originate behind the fabric, much like holding a kaleidoscope up to a sunny window.

Gail adds, "It took 10 months to sew the top together, then it was given to my co-collaborator, Nancy Stovall, who did an amazing job with her hand-guided quilting. It added to the top, without detracting from the design."  Gail's work is a fabulous example of the English paper piecing method of assembling patchwork. Her juxtaposition of light and dark values, along with the intermingling of warm and cool hues results in a luminous and sparkling work, to which the name "kaleidoscope" very aptly applies. 

If you would like to sew this spectacular quilt on your own, then you're in luck !  Gail has this pattern available for purchase as a PDF download on her website,  GailLizette.com. At the bottom of the book listing, there's also a link to Gail's very helpful  tutorial on English paper piecing. 

Image Credit:  Photos were taken by by Quilt Inspiration at the January 2020 Road to California Quilt Show,  Ontario, California.