Gail's Gallery of Quilts

Thank you for taking the time to view some of my quilts. Below you will find a collection of some of my favorites accompanied by an artist's statement, or other information about why this particular quilt came to be. You can also view a slide show of more of my quilts, including many that were designed and stitched earlier in my exploration of quilting styles and techniques.

Tiny Sailboat - 2008

Tiny Sailboat is one of a new series that I call, "Tiny Treasures". The finished size is a 12" circle. I am challenging myself to work in a small palette to demonstrate the techniques I teach in my classes, in a way that is simple and easily stitched, a project that can be quickly completed. Soon, I hope to offer some of my "Tiny Treasures" for sale on the website. Stay tuned . . .
Tiny Sailboat was donated to the silent auction of the Museum of the American Quilter's Society in April 2008. It was purchased for $100, and now lives in a new home.

Bernina Beyond Borders

Bernina Beyond Borders
© 2007
44" x 32"

This quilt was designed especially for Bernina as part of my commitment to the Bernina National Teachers program. I used their new logo on the Swiss flag, birthplace of the company, and placed the American flag in the opposite corner. Flying Geese traverse the skies over the Atlantic Ocean, and the bright star represents the wonders that are possible with these incredible sewing computers. I swear that mine does just about everything, except maybe the laundry. It is an absolute wonder to sew on. I am so proud to be one of the Bernina National Teachers!

All of the free motion quilting was done using the Bernina Stitch Regulator (BSR) that ensures that every stitch will be the same size. There was a considerable learning curve, but I now feel that I know new tricks and techniques to make this tool a valuable asset in my quilting tool box. One of the tips that helped me considerably was to shorten the stitch length to 1.5. This enabled me to stitch tiny loops and curves that you will find within the geese.

The Bernina logo was digitized on the Bernina Designer 5 Embroidery Software by Julie Hogan, of Ann Silva's Bernina Sewing Center in Albuquerque, and the quilt label was designed using the same software by my friend Twila Bastian. I appreciate their assistance, as well as the ongoing support from Ann Silva and my local quilting group, Designing Women.

Sylvia: A Life's Journey © 2006

Although Sylvia, my Mom, has not yet been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, she does suffer from dementia.

Her quilted journey began as a young bride, her portrait painted from a photograph taken on her wedding day. The first third of the quilt is rosy and full of joy with the brilliant colors of sunrise.

The middle section is more muted. The births of her six children are represented in spiraling row of flying geese. Although this was a happy time, it was financially difficult for my parents.

The colors in the last third are dark and stormy, for the period following my father’s death when her memory faded. She had to leave her family home and move to New Mexico to be nearer to two of her daughters, leaving most of her possessions behind.

Bright points remain. The red shooting star points are my joy in being able to be close to my mother in her last years, although the unquilted black void of dementia threatens to take even that from me. Mom was the rock upon which we depended as children, and is now the colorful thread that is woven into our adult lives.

Sylvia - Detail View