Louise Naples Quiltmaker

This quilt for my sister Elizabeth will suite her 1905 home in Wisconsin.  A traditional one-block scrap quilt, it uses patches from lots of fabrics used in previous quilts.  It has a very lively aspect as your eyes explore the surface.  The backing is an all-over white and black print, more relaxing than the top.  The wide black border gives this strong quilt and equally strong frame.

endless colors, endless patterns

At our Empire Quilt Guild Show we auctioned off dozens of small one-block quilts.  Making these art pieces out of orphan blocks was a great fund raiser.  These are some of my pieces.

Small quilts for small spaces

This quilt on commission for a friend, wanted the colors of the Bosnian flag, the heritage of the baby.  So blues and yellows it was, and a flowered pattern for this little girl.

colors of the Bosnian flag

 Sewing the curves is always a challenge, but slow and steady does the trick.  This pattern yields a secondary circular pattern for added interest.

I added yoyos to the flower centers for some playful texture.  I found a perfect backing fabric in my stash, a small blue and white flower print with hints of yellow.  So happy when that happens.

I got this idea to use on our French press coffee pot because we were tired of cold coffee.  I layered double pieces of batting between  two fabrics, quilted them, then sewed binding and ties on.  It is reversible;   and keeps that second cup of coffee very hot indeed!

Keeps coffee really hot

Layering of three high-contrasting fabrics, and an interesting technique make these lovely bookmarks, for those who still read real books.  I give one whenever I give a book as a present.

Fun project, takes about half an hour to make.

This quilt was made for a Women’s Club of Forest Hills philanthropic raffle.  Made of strips of Victorian era prints, in gentle colors, created the field for the floating flowers that were appliquéd to the surface.  Borders in cream and brick red frame it nicely, and soft free-motion quilting on the edges add a feminine touch.    Cream and red backing fabric. 

Victorian prints, and appliquéd flowers

Victorian prints, and
appliquéd flowers make a pretty quilt

I made this quilt for a neighbor family whose three sons are all in various branches of the military.  I pulled out all the red, white and blue fabrics

Red White, and Blue fabrics for a military family.

I had in my stash, to fashion this patriotic quilt for their home.  The outer border and back are cut from a sheet of an American flag fabric.

A clever twist and turn technique yields these colorful squares which get embroidered together to fashion table runners, or placemats.  Make wonderful gifts.

Making lots of these squares is very therapeutic. Make them into anything you want!

These three pastel quilts were made for the neonatal intensive care units at a local hospital.  Pre-mature babies have delicate eyes, and these covers for the isolates guard them from the intense lights of the ward.  The Moms get to take them home with their babies.

Isolate covers for NICU

At the Empire Quilters’ Guild in New York City,  a member can take any fabric from the charity table, make a quilt top, and return it to the guild.  Here is my first submission.  I found the intensely colored focus fabric, the bright print, and added  from my stash coordinating solids:

Intense colors for a lively baby quilt

teal, red, cheddar, olive and black.  It all yielded a fun top for donation.  The tops are then assembled with batting and backing, and quilted, the finished quilt then is donated to any one of many charitable organizations.

The Guild holds a “charity day” every March where hundreds of members  bring sewing machines, sewing notions, and other supplies, and we team up and finish about a hundred quilts in a bustling, carnival-atmosphere day.