Earlier this year I decided to make a quilt to enter into the Project Modern Challenge 4: Find Your Own Voice challenge. The description I wrote for project modern is below, but I have to note first– this is truly one of my favoritest quilts ever, and accordingly I took a million and one photos of it. Consider yourself warned!
Plus, to show more of the inspiration, I’ve interspersed some of our pictures from Banff. Enjoy!
This quilt tells a story about my past and my present all at once. Last year, I took a trip to Banff, Canada, and I was incredibly moved by the landscape and colors. The gray mountains, white snow and glaciers, green flora, and range of blues of the glacial streams and lakes were all stunning. When I returned home from the trip, I purchased a large pile of solid color fabrics representing all of the colors that so vividly remind me of the trip. However, at the time, I was unsure what pattern would best capture the lines and shapes of the landscape.
After a year had passed, I revisited the photos of the trip, and I thought it was time to dig in to my pile of fabric. In the past year, I have experimented with a number of different approaches to quilting, and I found that improvisational piecing is my favorite way to sew; I love that I don’t have to follow a pattern or rules, and can let the colors and shapes guide my choices of which pieces to cut and sew together. I find such joy in sewing without strict rules, and I love continually making decisions that shape a project, not knowing exactly how it will turn out.
After piecing a number of blocks concentrating grays and light blues (my mountain blocks), and greens and rich blues (my water and tree blocks), I randomly joined these to blend the colors together. I laid them out in a mosaic style pattern for an organic look, and I framed the quilt top with 2 gray borders, interrupted by 3 small lines of color in unexpected places. I chose the mosaic layout and the borders interrupted by 3 lines of color because it was reminiscent of the arts and crafts style, my favorite architectural style. I love the clean lines and simple forms of this style, and I loved translating this to my style of quilting. This quilt represents myself and my style on multiple levels—the colors, the inspiration, the piecing, the layout, the borders, and the overall design and aesthetic. My quilts are a reflection of myself, and I love that this quilt, which I call my “Banff Quilt,” are a seamless marriage of my personal experiences and the elements of my style.
One last– Here are J and I at Peyto Lake:
I spent a year in Jasper (I am from and live in Halifax, NS) and I love the Rockies! Your pictures bring back so many memories. The quilt is also great too!
Amazing, gorgeous. You have outdone yourself here! A true artist.
Beautiful landscape, beautiful quilt… brava!
I love your description of the quilt and the way that you describe your inspiration and design process! It really makes the quilt that much more beautiful!
I love the picture of the quilt on the bridge. And the quilt of course. Banff looks beautiful as well.
Clever. I love the photos – both of your quilt and of the landscape.
Banff is indeed beautiful. Thanks for sharing your process, too – I loved reading about it and I love this quilt!
A wonderful quilt with an equally wonderful story! Your photos made me drool – must go to Banff…
Love the little blocks of color in the borders! OK, so really I love everything about this quilt, but those are really fun! And the quilting just goes so well with it! Umm, serene almost…Great story to go along with the quilt. Banff looks stunning. We went to Glacier NP for our honeymoon and it looks very similar. Excellent photography, too!
Wow! Insanely beautiful scenery! I want to go! And the quilt is amazing. I can definitely see the inspiration! Love it!
Stunning!! You have chosen the perfect colours for this quilt! And Banff looks beautiful too – definitely a must see place.
Oh wow Natalie, this is gorgeous. Every time I see your improv piecing it really makes me want to make a quilt this way – gotta move that up the list of next projects!!
I thin my heart just stopped. Perfection!! I love all of your quilts, but I think this ranks as my new favorite!
it’s really beautiful!
WOW. A lovely post, Natalie.
It’s beautiful! It really does evoke Banff, love the idea of a quilt based on a trip.
I love your quilt. Thanks for showing it and the photos of Banff.
I love how you came to this quilt design. That is a nice way to remember.
Wow Banff is majestic, no wonder you were so inspired. Your quilt turned out so nice! I especially like the improv nature of it and the little pieces in the border.