Here’s my latest quilt finish, which I call 春と秋 Haru to Aki (Spring and Autumn). I use Japanese words to title my artwork, which helps build my vocabulary. This is a completely two-sided quilt:
Details
I started work on the Spring side first, after deciding to make a bed runner sized quilt (this one is 30″ x 120″). My chosen palette was spring green and very light neutrals. This bright combination reminds me of fresh leaf growth against wispy clouds.
I honestly just started cutting and sewing without a plan, first making the green shapes. They started out as modified curvy log cabins, with just three sides. Then they started looking like cells, so I paired a few up to look like cells that are dividing. I have always been fascinated by unicellular organisms… magical when I first viewed them as a kid, looking at pond scum through a microscope. I marked out a space on my design wall and had fun organizing the organisms (ha!) to create flow across the space. Then I sewed the background using light neutrals and lots of arcing curves.
I decided to use machine appliqué to attach the cells, which worked great. I first carefully turned and pressed the edges of each cell. It was much less difficult than I expected and the result looked great (as well as being nice and flat). I used polyester monofilament to stitch on top, 50 wt cotton bobbin thread, and a very narrow blind hem stitch.
For the Autumn side, I started by making a simple sketch. Using a limited palette of very dark brown, tan and grey plus some amber-yellow highlights, I had fun pulling a wide mix of fabrics from my stash: contemporary cottons, and vintage cotton and wool from Japan. I never worry too much about mixing all kinds of fabric together.
This side is constructed in panels of varying widths. Each one was an exercise in playing with fabric value, subtle hues, textures and contrast. I didn’t do much measuring until each panel was nearing the correct height and width to fit my layout. That’s when I got my ruler out and squared things up.
I hope that the golden amber elements give a sense of light and energy bursting through.
I really love how this quilt turned out. It’s a very visual and tactile piece due to the wide variety of fabrics in it. There are many fabrics that remind me of people I admire (Marcia Derse, Patricia Belyea, e bond, Leslie Tucker Jennison) and places I’ve visited, Japan in particular. I’m also happy to have worked with some distinctly patterned fabrics, too! I love my subtle, solid-reading textures, but strong patterns are a fun element as well.
My quilt labels are inkjet printed and fully integrated into the quilt. I have a lecture called Quilt Labels to Love! which quilt guilds can book as a virtual or in-person event.
“The garden of love is green without limit and yields many fruits other than sorrow or joy. Love is beyond either condition: without spring, without autumn, it is always fresh.”
RUMI
Haru to Aki (Spring and Autumn) is not available for purchase, but I do take commissions to create quilts like this one. To discuss a commission, contact me and please mention this quilt by name in your message. I deliver to the Seattle area, and ship within the U.S.