Julie Filatoff | Art Quilts

Wallhanging for Noelle

Quilt Size: 18" x 22.5"

Block Size: n/a

Machine Pieced and Quilted

Date Made: Summer 2003

Title: "The Southwest Calls You Home"

Noelle is the person who got me into quilting. For Christmas 2000 she sent me 10 half-yard cuts of fabric--all very different from one another. To this day, when I accuse this quilting business of being "all her fault," she says, "I just sent you a few pieces of fabric.  I didn't tell you what to do with them."

Noelle has made me two quilts: a small, Amish-like wallhanging of flying geese leftovers from her friend Dave's quilt (and if you are a quilter, you will appreciate that this is not an insult!), and what was supposed to be my wedding quilt--an Irish chain in creamy muslin (Noelle's favorite fabric), a pale yellow print, and some rich green prints. It is all hand-quilted and took her about six months. Needless to say, I was seriously remiss in not reciprocating!

Due to her work, Noelle has lived all over the United States, yet always seems to be drawn back to the Southwestern desert, as her friend Dave points out. I made this for her birthday. I actually bought some of the fabrics when she and I were together, either shopping at a fabric store or at the International Quilt Festival in Houston. The backing is the "Frida Kahlo" fabric, which I also bought right under her nose on a Phoenix excursion!

The see-through clouds and general threadplay were inspired by Libby Lehman. The "easy braid" border is from "The Border Workbook" by Janet Kime, published by That Patchwork Place. The sky is comprised of hand-dyes from Primrose, and there's beading and free-motion quilting.

Although there's no danger of the student surpassing the teacher anytime soon, I believe Noelle liked this a lot.

Photos:

Entire wallhanging (top).

Detail of wallhanging: Ultrasuede saguaro and cotton grass (bottom).