American Quilt Series: Explorations in Stained Glass

We've all heard of stained glass quilts - that is, quilts that resemble stained glass windows. But what about stained glass windows that resemble quilts?

Tim Sutton's American Quilt Series celebrates quilting through unique stained glass pieces. Nineteenth-century friendship quilts inspired these works. Loved ones often made a friendship quilt for someone who was getting married or departing on a trip; the quilts often included thoughts and quotes.

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Creativity by Tim Sutton

Blue and yellow stars are featured in this lovely design.  The square centers of the intervening blocks have etched quotes from creative people including Maya Angelou and Twyla Tharp.  Here is a quote we particularly liked, from South African playwright Athol Fugard: "I have an image of myself in a witness box, and I have an opportunity to tell the truth."

 Messages of Help and Hope by Tim Sutton

Messages of Help and Hope is composed of a variety of specialty glasses ranging from deep forest green to clear faceted glass. Each quote begins with an Old English font evoking illustrated manuscripts of that era. Here is a closeup photo, below, of a quote from Psalms 119:105: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." 

Foundations of Freedom by Tim Sutton

Foundations of Freedom includes inspirational quotes, interspersed with the Great Seal of the United States: An eagle, topped by the words E Pluribus Unum – Latin for "Out of many, one".) 

Tim Sutton reminds us that learning is a cornerstone of freedom.  Diligent learning enables us to avoid the mistakes of the past. Here is an important quotation from Abigail Adams: "Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardour and attended to with diligence."

Another great quote is this one by George Washington: "The best way to preserve the confidence of the people durably is to promote their true interests."

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2022 Springville (Utah) quilt show.