Primrose Surprise

Well, it's February, the shortest month of the year that only feels so much longer than the rest. Let me guess what you might be craving about now... a bit of color, perhaps?

My quilting friends braved a wintery mix of weather to deliver this gorgeous basket of primroses for my birthday. Aren't they amazing, (both the flowers and the friends?) What a mega-dose of technicolor on an otherwise dreary day!

The rich velvety blooms reminded me of this signature quilt I made several years ago. Wow, it's a perfect match!

It commemorates a special group of friends the year we all turned forty.

Although the fabrics were bright, they mostly read as medium tones. Without a strong contrast between them, I had to rely on something other than lights and darks to create the design. 

Instead, I set "warm" colors (pink, orange, yellow) against "cool" colors (blue, green) to create contrast.

Notice how the cool colors recede, while the warm colors advance, creating a sense of depth particularly visible in the zig-zag border.

Be sure to save your scraps! I used a few to spruce up the label on the back of the quilt.

Lordy, Lordy, We're 

Turning Forty!

20" x 25"

machine pieced, hand quilted

Diane Burdin, 1996

Cooped Up

I have a confession to make about the lengths I will go to for good quilt photos.

I once sent a quilt cross country to be photographed by a friend with her chickens. Even more embarrassing was the confidence I had that Jessica would agree to it and embrace it as a creative challenge for herself. Yeah, I know, like I was doing her a favor!

But the absurdity didn't stop there! Jess was pregnant when she said, “Sure, send me your quilt.” Two months later, she was traipsing through her chicken yard with a brand new baby strapped to her chest, taking awesome photos for my blog! 

I made this quilt when our boys were young and had the chickenpox. We were "cooped up" for three long weeks, in a 90+ degree heatwave, without air conditioning, and no way to escape the discomforts of home. I credit the quilt with "keeping my cool" during that particularly trying time! 

The pattern is "Folk Art Chickens" from Gwen Marston's book, Folk Art Quilts.

Enjoy Jessica's brilliant photography by clicking the link below. It will take you to a YouTube montage featuring my quilt with her highly cooperative chickens.

LINK TO VIDEO HERE