Another Quilt With the Feel of Africa

I decided that Kalahari Fire Ring was very flat and lacking in the detail that I like, so I decided to try something using the Cathedral Window block. I think these fabrics are more vibrant, and that satisfies my interpretation of African textiles. I had to dedicate a piece of fabric for the windows that was earmarked for a vest lining, because I fussy cut the windows. The repeat on the fabric was so large that I had to break it down to 3 sets of 4 windows each. The center four were one, the remaining 8 were two different cuts. I like the red/orange in the center of this a lot. The fact that the windows were cut from leaf shapes also echoed the leaf prints in the black fabric, and I like that kind of continuity in my work, if I can make it happen.

My closeups always look distorted...but this is 12.5" square

These 3 black fabrics were companion pieces that I got from a shop in Columbus Ohio, and I liked that they all felt organic in the design. My method for hanging these small pieces is to get a wooden dowel, and cut it to fit inside the sleeve. I then wrap tape around the ends and screw in eyelets. The tape prevents the wood from splitting, and I  can use a smaller dowel that doesn't distort the front of the quilt. There is no weight to speak of, so this can be hung with straight pins. They don't leave much of a mark, and it can be moved around without too much wall damage. It's how I hang all my pieces here, and it works very well. I also like that there is no visible hanging hardware.

My next Cathedral Window experiment will include rectangle blocks that impart a bit of a 3-D effect. This pattern uses a LOT of fabric and needs a LOT of hand stitching, but I like the result, so I think I'm going to work on another piece.

A New Twist On Cathedral Window

Cathedral Windows as a quilt pattern has always fascinated me. I tried to make one a long time ago, but in my impatience, I didn't follow the directions, and had raw edges on the blocks, and that didn't work. Enter a book on the assembly, lots of sewing experience, and the understanding of how it goes together,  and I have decided that I like it very much. The book is full of  lots of ideas that take this pattern way beyond the muslin background which was the style back in the 50s. This has a fresh and artsy twist of color, which I like. So my sensible goal was to make a 3x3 block wall quilt so I could complete something with it before I decided that I didn't like it. But that wasn't the case. There are so many beautiful fabrics and the combinations of prints for the blocks and the windows make it difficult to see where one ends and the other begins. I like that. The only down side is that the blocks take a lot of fabric, and so much of it remains unseen. That seems wasteful to me. I would love to know who invented this design. Quilts in the old days were utilitarian, and this pattern uses so much fabric, that I can't imagine it being very practical for ordinary quilters who used old clothing and scraps with which to sew. Well, hat's off to whomever came up with the idea, because its my new favorite, and this 12"x12" experiment will look nice hanging on my wall.  

PHOTOS ©pegyates/2011