Suddenly with petals, blooming
hand appliqué & free-motion quilting
68" x 92"
Suddenly with Petals, Blooming, demonstrates a blend of hand and machine quilting methods. It combines traditional and contemporary practices. The quilt includes techniques such as hand embroidery, hand appliqué, hand and machine piecing, machine quilting, and hand/machine binding.
This piece borrows elements from a hand-appliquéd, block-of-the-month project designed by Pearl Pereira. The pattern is altered to incorporate blooms that hold special significance to Karen. The quilt's original quilting designs are first drafted on paper and then are transferred onto fabric through the use of a light box.
The hand-dyed fabric, sourced from Cherrywood Fabrics of Brainerd, Minnesota, lends a texture and depth to the work. Wool and cotton battings are used to create dimension.
This quilt will be on display at the New England Quilt Museum for several months in July 2024.
Stills
This progression of still images show snapshots from the process of creating this quilt and then provides photographs of the final result.
Live recordings
This 55 minute video showing the process of assembling this quilt.
The video leads you through several live-recordings of the assembling, designing, quilting and binding.
About the quilt's name
This quilt was named after the poem magic from the book cloud birds copyright 2011 by Sheila Packa.magic
at twilight in early summer
on a road in the country -
I saw a girl standing outside
a run-down farm
in front of the machinery
and yawning dark doorway of a gray barn —
she was wearing
a worn denim jacket
over a long pink ruffled skirt —
staring down at the satin as if
she didn’t recognize herself or realize
that her thorny stem
ragged leaves or feet in the dirt
were leading up to one thing, herself
once tightly closed
suddenly with petals, blooming
Project support
Karen McTavish was a fiscal year 2022 recipient of a Creative Support for Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity was made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Longarm machines: APQS Millie (sales, service and training by Karen McTavish) authorized showroom in Duluth Minnesota. For more info: APQS