20. Kaleidoscope

I saw a picture of this quilt in a magazine and quickly became fascinated obsessed by the colors and all the repeating mirrored layout patterns in each quadrant.

 I carried this picture (4" x 4") around with me as I shopped for just the perfect "scraps" in just the right color.

When I give trunk shows, this quilt is often referred to as the quilt where Mark nearly lost his life.

Back story: I spent hours arranging and rearranging all the little triangles of fabric on my design wall so they would be in just the right place. One morning, Mark decided to throw a towel down the hallway to a pile of dirty laundry in our bedroom, and as it passed my design wall (which at that time was on the wall of the long hallway toward our bedroom), it created a little current of air that made nearly all the triangles come off the wall, swirl around and float gently to the floor. As pretty as it was when it happened, we looked at each other, horrified! Mark left for a few hours (good decision...) and many more hours were spent putting them back!

Title: Kaleidoscope
Pattern by: Mary Golden (Kaleidoscope of Colors)
Date Started: 1997
Date Completed: 1998
Size 72" x 72"
Quilted by: Pam Peterson, Tulare, California

16. Will You Marry Me?

Made for Aaron's marriage proposal to Christa, November 5, 1999!

It was thrilling to be part of this major life event.

Also, this was my first original design.

Title: Will You Marry Me? (She Said Yes!)
Pattern: Me--first original design
Date Started: August 1999
Date Completed: October 1999
Quilted by: Machine pieced and quilted by me

13. Puzzling Pieces

Made for Aaron as a 21st birthday gift. He's done puzzles all his life and as soon as I saw this on the cover of Foundation Piecer (a magazine I subscribed to for years), I knew it was the perfect quilt for him.

This is the first time I had used batiks. And also, in retrospect, the first time I realized that just because the pattern was designed to be a queen-sized bedspread, it was okay to make it smaller if I wanted to. This quilt is huge!

It was entered into the Big Fresno Fair in 1999 and won 2nd place. Judge's comments: "Beautiful use of batike fabrics! Wonderful workmanship and pressing."

I also sent a picture of the completed quilt Foundation Piecer and they published it in Letters to the Editor.

Title: Puzzling Pieces
Pattern by: Liz Schwartz and Stephen Seifert
Size: Queen bedspread
Date completed: 1999
Quilted by: Friendly Quilters in Auberry

12. Stars In, Stars Out

Made as a college graduation gift for Christa.

I thought the design of stars in the center of log cabin blocks, and conversely, log cabin blocks in the center of stars, was genius.

Title: Stars In, Stars Out
Pattern by: Carolyn Beam
Size: Twin
Date Completed: May 1999
Quilted by: Friendly Quilters in Auberry, California

10. Log Cabin Zoo

Baby gift for Hannah Rose Linville (Pete and Jane's daughter).

Jane is a veterinarian, so animal fabric and tiger print for the backing seemed like the most logical choices.

Hannah was nearly 2 years old before she received this "baby" quilt.

Title: Log Cabin Zoo
Pattern by: Ursula Reikes
Date Completed: NOvember 1999
Quilted by: Machine pieced by me, not sure who did the quilting