Changes in Latitude

Changes In Latitude (2002, 40" x 40") was designed and made for the Nebraska State Quilt Guild Bali Ha'i Challenge (July 2002). Challenge rules required that I use a challenge fabric, a non-traditional quilting fabric and my choice of one of four challenge blocks. I chose Stormy Sea as my challenge block. I repeated the challenge block four times, creating both the border and the medallion center of the quilt by the value placement of the fabrics in the blocks. The challenge fabric was used in flying geese blocks that separate the Stormy Sea blocks. My original design included a flying geese border, but that changed when I read the challenge rule on maximum quilt size (42" square). I should have checked that size requirement earlier! I think it might be a better quilt with the border. Except for the challenge and non-traditional quilting fabrics, all fabrics in this quilt were hand-dyed by me. I used 5 different "neutrals" and 5 different "darks". There is extensive piecing in the light areas of the quilt that doesn't show up well in pictures. My non-traditional fabric was a wonderful lame' that is fused behind the flowers and used as the center of both flowers.

This quilt is an original design. The blocks are pieced using techniques from Gwen Marston's Liberated Quiltingmaking and Jan Mullen's Cut Loose Quilts. A Laura Heine fabric inspired the appliqued and threadwork flowers, which fill the light area around the appliqued flowers. The entire quilt is closely quilted using two colors of DMC machine embroidery thread simultaneously. The quilting design is something I used to doodle while attending long Sunday evening church services where my presence was mandatory. There are some detail shots of the quilting at the bottom of this page.

• 1st Prize - Stormy Sea quilts, Quilt Nebraska, July 2002
• 1st Place - Quilted Arts/Original Design/Machine Quilted, Douglas County Fair, Nebraska, August 2002
• Best Machine Quilting, 2002 Douglas County Fair, Nebraska
• 5th Place - Original Design, 2002 Nebraska State Fair
• 3rd Place - Wall Hanging, Mixed Technique, Machine Quilted, 2003 River City Roundup Annual Quilt Show

The quilt hanging above mine was made by LaVonne Dunetts of Omaha. Swimming in a Storm won 1^st prize in the Storm-At-Sea block group. It is a scrap quilt. The base pattern is Storm at Sea. There are about 90 different fabrics in it, all from her stash. They include her own hand dyed fabrics. The only fabric purchased was the challenge fabric. Swimming in a Storm also won a 3rd prize at the 2003 River City Roundup. Tell LaVonne how wonderful her quilt is by email: ldunetts@cox.net

Same quilt - better pictures - from the 2003 River City Roundup. I've lost quite a bit of weight since that earlier picture was taken!