Tuesday, May 12, 2009

A Beautiful Baltimore Album Quilt

Yesterday was my monthly Baltimore Album Class and we were all inspired by a beautiful quilt made by Helen Quane. Helen was a long time employee at Seminole Sampler Quilt Shop who recently passed away. As a memorial, Seminole Sampler is showing many of Helen's quilts throughout their shop during the month of May, and you can also view them on thier website.

I loved the colors in this quilt and how she used different backgrounds in the blocks. The star block above is one that I have planned to make in mine.

Most of these blocks are in Elly Sienkiewicz's books and are 12" (design size) with the block finishing at 15". The one above however, can be found in the City Spring Commemorative book put out a few years back. I've also been thinking of including that one in mine.

I have seen these little love birds in one of Elly's books (I don't remember which, I'll have to go on a hunt), but I never thought to make them in gold and I just love them!

I still really don't know what I'm going to do with my borders, but I was thinking of having some birds here and there. Helen made each of her borders different and I think it really works. Again she used the gold color in a cool way as the rouched rose centers on these flowers.

It's amazing how a quilt can reach out, even past the life of the person who made it, to touch and inspire so many others. What a wonderful gift!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

4 comments:

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

This quilt is just beautiful. Thanks you for sharing the legend Helen left.

lindaschiffer said...

OH, I'm so glad you are enjoying and being inspired by Helen's quilt!! That is one of the reasons I agreed to hang her things when her husband asked me to do it -- that her ideas and works would continue to inspire other quilters. :)

:) Linda

Anonymous said...

JENNY MANTEL, HELEN'S SISTER SAID
THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS AND SHOWING HELEN'S BALTIMORE ALBUM QUILT. SHE LOVED QUILTING, WORKING AT THE SEMINOLE SAMPLER, AND ALL HER QUILTING FRIENDS.

Peg VanMeter (College roommate of Helen's sister) said...

Jenny's "little sister" Helen was such a wonderful person and so very talented. Thank you for sharing some of her work. Both Jenny and Helen inherited their artistic talents from their father who did beautiful wood carvings.