Smile for the Camera!

When Designer Quilts Magazine asked for photos to accompany their feature on quilting with MS, I called my friends for help. Sheila Lewis and Kathy Smith, both accomplished quilters, convincingly played themselves as my neighbor and professional photographer Sherry Simonetti snapped away. et the stage for the photo shoot and also posed for the camera.

Now that I no longer go upstairs to my sewing room, I work at the dining room table. It's become a dumping ground for fabrics and quilt projects, as well as anything else my family doesn’t quite know what to do with. Before we could take photos, the table had to be cleared, a stunt quilt located, and various poses discussed and rehearsed (so much for spontaneity).

Even thou the scene was staged, our laughter and smiles were authentic. 

The quilt that hangs in my dining room is a deceptively simple one patch, made from Milly Churbuck’s hand dyed cottons. The assorted 3 ½” squares came precut, in swatch packs Milly used to sell, featuring various color ways of her fabric. For a small price, I got plenty of colors, with scraps to spare for another project. 

What I tried to emulate were the simply pieced yet elegantly quilted comforters of Provence, France. CLICK TO ENLARGE the photo below. As you scroll around, you’ll see the borders are each hand quilted with a different motif. The date appears in the lower left corner.

Readers have often asked if Milly Churbuck’s hand dyed cottons are still available. They are not. However, I can recommend Cherrywood Hand Dyed Fabric or Vicki Welsh Hand Dyed Fabrics.