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Last Leaf

Diana Stinebrickner

This piece was the product of my first class with Vikki Pignatelli which was held at the Jabez Quilt Seminar 2012. I really enjoyed what was a new technique for me; I can see so many possibilities. This class was exactly what I needed to jump start my creativity. Vikki is an incredibly good teacher: informative, helpful and encouraging.

 

Cabbage Rose Jacket

Bob Gutcher

Inspired by your recent workshop, I used the Cabbage Rose design together with techniques that you were teaching to adorn a spring jacket for my wife. For each of the eight construction pieces, the designed top fabric is sandwiched and echo quilted before being cut to size. The seams and the edge are hand bound.


Follow that Star

Mary Harmon

After completing Vikki's large star, I thought it needed a small companion. Vikki suggested two, so I redrew the smaller star and the real adventure began. Placing the 2 small stars was the easiest part. The borders were the real challenge, and a great learning experience.

Manta Ray

Ellen Owen

I made this as a sample in Vikki Pignatelli's class in September
2011 using several of her piecing methods---pleats, prairie points, silk, lame, etc. I combined them into this fish. The eyes are
stacked buttons; the tail is felted sheer; and the quilting was a leaf pattern that I thought looked like seaweed.

Seismograph Pool

Shari Thompson in Tucson, AZ.

Nestled in West Thumb Geyser Basin, the Seismograph Pool bubbles away at a temperature of164°F. Thermophiles, extreme heat loving organisms, live in this pool. Thethermophilic communities are made up of bacteria and archaea which can take a variety offorms from brightly colored mats to streamers in the runoff water. Using techniques taught by Vikki Pignatelli, I have interpreted this evidence of life in a Seismograph Pool. The quilt is 47 inches wide and 37 inches wide featuring authentic bison hair (purchased) needle-felted into parts of the quilt. Angelina fibers, foils, and TextureMagic were utilized to interpret the hot spring with its microbial mats. Small blackbuttons symbolize the tiny ephydrid flies that live there year round.


Lily Pond

Marnie Houston

This quilt was made at Vikki's 2 day workshop in Winnipeg - June
2011.

After seeing Vikki's beautiful quilts the 1st day of the workshop I was inspired to use my imagination and creativeness to create my own design. The design came from seeing a friends beautiful photo of a water lily.
I used the picture and Vikki's fabulous techniques as an inspiration to create my design.

The outer green border of the quilt is a reverse whole cloth facing.

Thanks to Vikki and everything I learned during the 2 day Crazy about Curves workshop; I already have visions of a new quilt dancing in my head.

Mushroom

Karen Harvey

In Interior Alaska where I live, these beautiful and poisonous Amanita mushrooms pop up at the edge of wooded areas adding their bright orange-red color to a waning summer landscape. Though I appreciate large vistas and landscapes, I often find myself examining the individual tiny wild flower, a small colorful caterpillar or the way a piece of bark curls. I created this little wall hanging from a picture I took of a large fist-sized beauty in my yard. I used a bit of extra batting in the top part of the mushroom to help give it its roundness, This is my first original using Vikki's technique but it definitely will not be my last.

Robbie Pettapiece


This wall hanging was begun in a 2-day workshop taught by Vikki Pignatelli in Leamington ON Canada in July 2010. In those two days, Vikki taught us a new way of sewing curves and by exposing us to her improvisational techniques, she also encouraged us to loosen up and step out of our "quilting boxes". What a gift. Thank you so much, Vikki.


Reawakened Passion

Miki Miller


Hearts are a symbol I have always felt connected to. They express joy, sadness, longing, whimsy, and of course, love. I have gone through a tough few years in my personal life brought on by my daughters battle with drug addiction. The loss and pain threatened to shut down my creativity and caused me to withdraw into myself. Attending Vikki's workshops with a dear friend was a big step to regaining my creative fire. Reawakening my passion.

The trapunto heart represents the fullness of emotions that I have "stuffed" inside. The icy blue color is a metaphor for hibernation. It is set on a dark background that represents isolation. I worked the flames in pieced and appliquéd fabric, thread, and fabric glitter because my creativity is being reawakened through all the forms of quilting that I enjoy. Since my business is quilting for others, making expressive art quilts is something I am doing to feed my own creative soul and free the emotions that have been trapped inside too long. I don't have to worry if it is good or bad, I just create.

I enjoyed using Vikki's curved piecing techniques to draft and piece my original design. I used the faced backing technique because I wanted a finished shape that shows the flow of emotion that I feel with this piece. I love that my quilt doesn't have to be a "square peg". Thank you, Vikki, for helping me reawaken my passion!

Ode to a Lost Maple

Peggy Stockwell

Behind our house is a very large, dead sugar maple. It was alive when we bought the house and it framed our house in a view from the road in a magnificent scarlet every fall. A couple of years ago a winter storm split the trunk and killed the tree. This past fall another storm broke off the top half. All I have left of that tree is my picture. It was what was in the back of my mind when I began cutting material to create my tree and I never realized it until I got home and looked out my back window. I call it 'Ode to a Lost Maple.'


My Favourite Cracker
Juliet Nowlan

I made this quilt this summer for a local Guild Challenge. We were each given a box top and had to make a quilted item based on the top - we just had a few basic rules. Anyway my box top was from a box of Christie 'Toppables Crackers'. I have both Vikki's books which I love to look at and have always meant to make a quilt using the curved piecing techniques. So I took this opportunity to challenge myself do so and just wanted to say how very easy it was to follow the instructions. They are set out so clearly and I was delighted with the results.... mine actually won Favourite Quilt. Thank you very much for teaching me this wonderful technique through your books.

Jette Madsen

Artist Takes Flight

Cécile Lafleur


At a course with Vikki Pignatelli in February, I took a leap forward to the next level - following my intuition. The inspiration for this piece was a photograph of a piece of rotten tree trunk. It was a rather thin trunk with weathered silver wood and a lot of interesting shapes. The exercise was to create depth with light and dark fabric. Vikki has no rules when she teaches and loves to see students create outside of their comfort zone. I didn’t quite know how to start this quilt. When I finally got a few pieces cut and placed on the green background, I took off. I forgot to look at the photograph and let my intuition lead me. For me, this is the spice of life: to forget convention and rules in quilting - to follow one’s intuition in creating. 


Tree - Full of Life
Marika Arro-Kütt

In April 2010 I participated in Vikki´s patchwork workshop in Denmark, Vigersted.
The design of my picture I created myself during the process of learning how to use the ´crazy curves´ technique. The wallhanging was created by using different fabrics, trying to play not only with the colors but also with the textures. Batik fabrics and different prints for the tree and ground were used. In order to create the variation in the different tones of blue for the sky surrounding the tree I hand dyed the fabric myself. In order to create variation in the texture of the wallhanging, I used free motion stitching. For guidance and inspiration I would like to thank Vikki.
A Gift From Pele
Shari Thompson

24"W x 28"H
Erupting beneath the ocean, magma is creating what will become Loihi, the next Hawaiian Island. Contacting cold water, the lava forms basalt blobs, which then split open, spilling out their fiery interior. This is pillow lava, a gift from Pele, Goddess of Volcanoes. Employing Vikki Pignatelliís techniques, my original creation uses raw edges to emphasize the erupting pillow lava. Narrow edged binding/facing depicts the Pacific Ring of Fire. Black beads are stitched along parts of the raw edge, depicting volcanic glass.
It's All About Curves
Shari Thompson

16.25"W x 17.5"H
It's All About Curves is the small workshop piece I made while taking two workshops from Vikki Pignatelli, quilt artist, in November 2009. It is bound using the whole cloth facing technique.

Sandi Hetrick

Made at a class in Denver.

S-Squared
Cathy Stone

This quilt evolved during a week-long class at Asilomar. The center panel used Vikki's pattern to get the hang of the technique; the outside panels were all created spontaneously as I sewed. Great class, much fun, and I love Vikki's curved piecing method. It did win a first place in art quilt category at our local fair last summer.
Red Adair
Ingrid Cattaneo

"Red Adair" was created in Vikki's class at Asilomar (Monterey, CA). June 2010. Crunching of fabric, ironing it flat and then sewing curves was a great experience. Adding "shiny stuff" was an awesome experience the entire class will never forget. No longer am I intimidated by curves. In fact I love improvisational curves. This little wall hanging is small, yet fiery.


Angry Owl
Esther Olesen

Made at a course in Vejerslev in Denmark.
This is my first trial with Vikki's special way of sewing curves. I just draw some lines with the flexible tool for designing curves. Choose fabric. What came out, it looked like an angry owl or a face of some kind. It made with a colour (pink) I normally never use.
This was fun making and it will not be the last time I try using Vikki's special way of sewing.
Red Quilt
Jette Irene Madsen

Made at a course in Vejerslev in Denmark.
The red quilt I started on in Vejerslev (in class). It is improvisation and I made it so I could try some different techniques.


The Owl
Jette Irene Madsen

Made at a course in Vejerslev in Denmark.
The owl was my own idea and I have been drawing it with the flexi curve tool and sewing it after Vikki's techniques. It was fun to make my own idea in a quilt. And it was easy to work with the technique.

42 Curves
Greg Barner

In learning Vikki's technique I made an eighteen inch square and then for practice I made a second. I decided to continue making squares to get better at the topstitch piecing technique. I ended up making 42 of the squares, put them together and ended up with a queen size quilt. It really helped me get a good feel for the technique.
Evening Tree
Greg Barner

I started with a background made with the topstitch piecing technique. I then added the trunk and major limps of the tree using tubes and added smaller branches using steam a seam 2. I enjoy drawing trees and I am finding I like designing trees with fabric.

Power of Three
Linda Lewis Taylor
Power of Three - Detail

The three images on the black canvas were created individually using Vikki Pignatelli's techniques. I decided I wanted them presented as a whole so secured them to a canvas with a Gee's Bend not solid black fabric top. For the individual images I used Vikki's topstitch appliqué technique and heavy blanket stitch and finished each one with her envelope backing. The binding for the larger canvas was finished using a satin stitch.


I am new to quilting, particularly art quilting, having been into it for just over a year now. I had the creative ideas but not the skill of the craft, i.e....the sewing machine. I happened upon Vikki's book and DVD and off I went. I can relate to her quilting history as I too had no desire to make traditional quilts. I was in a carriage driving accident a couple of years ago and couldn't drive cars so was at the mercy of friends. One friend, Pat Nelson, also a well-known quilter, both traditional and art, took me to a local art quilt club meeting (Mountain Art Quilters.) At this point, I would go anywhere, just to get out of the house. Quilting didn't sound very interesting but I quickly changed my mind as what I saw was fiber art, fantastic creative art quilts. I was hooked and Pat took me down to the Bernina dealer after the meeting where she helped me select the best Bernina for my needs. I bought a Bernina Activa 240. The rest is history.

It's Red
Bronwyn Ferrier
Australia

Award winning guild challenge piece.
Autumn
Elspeth Davis

39" H X 32" W

The veins on the leaves are metallic thread.  The background is quilted with traditional motifs using silk thread.  The background was appliquéd using your top stitch piecing method.  The leaves were fused because I had started the process before reading your book.  My triad color choice for the background was chosen after reading your chapter on color in "Quilting by Improvisation".  My original background just wasn't working.  Then I tried the shades of violet and the leaves popped. 


At Sea

Ellen White

Jackson, Georgia

 

I made this quilt after seeing the one you had made in one of your books. My son is a captain on private yachts and has this on his wall in the captain's quarters. He is really pleased with the wave motion.

I love making quilts with your technique.

Joy

Ellen White

Jackson, Georgia

 

This is the spirit I made for my sister and hangs in her home in NC over the fireplace. She loves to see it every morning when she and hubby wake up. She says it starts her day with a smile.

("The Spirit of Joy" is a pattern available from Vikki)  
                 

Pigeon Forge 2009 Challenge

Ellen White

Jackson, Georgia

I made this small quilt as the challenge for Pigeon Forge in 2009. Stars are a big part of my quilting life and these are special to me as this is the first pattern I learned with the curved machine appliqué method.
 


Improvisational Purse

Lesley Wickham

Australia

 

"These are photos of a handbag I've just made for my mother's birthday using improvisational curves. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I've fitted the inside out with little pockets for her glasses, phone, hearing aid batteries, pen etc so she can find everything in it easily without rummaging. I hope she likes it."

 

 


 

Angels Among Us

Connie Backus-Yoder

Lincoln, Nebraska

 

 

Detail View

Tree of Life

Connie Backus-Yoder

Lincoln, Nebraska

 

 

The Greening Of Diversity

Connie Backus-Yoder

Lincoln, Nebraska

 


Janet Brooks

Columbus, Ohio

 

"Last year I attempted to make an "art quilt" , not really even sure what that term meant. I felt led by God to do one on the "I AM" sayings of Jesus. God put the picture in my mind, but I didn't know how to make it reality. I had never done anything with curves, only straight lines and block patterns. I bought Vikki Pignatelli¹s book and poured over the instructions. It was so much fun to see what I had seen in my mind actually coming out in the form of a quilt. I thank Vikki for her encouragement and help. I am on a new journey in quilt making now and it¹s so much fun!"

Freeform

Nancy Eckel

"I'm sending you a picture of what my Scrap the Pattern workshop piece turned out to be... I really enjoyed it, and it has given me a glimmer of hope that I might have some dormant creativity wanting to spring to life."

 


Fire Dance

17" x 22"

Lisa Ellis

Fairfax, VA

 

I made Fire Dance under the direction of Vikki Pignatelli. I visited her home for 3 wonderful days in July 2008 and made this journal piece to experiment with her techniques for improvisational design and curved piecing. 

 

Fire Dance shows the spirit of God in waves of energy, moving over the earth during creation. In the earth’s initial stages, God’s spirit, represented by fire (coral), the waters and air (teal), and the earth (black) are all inter-mingled while the spirit creates their form and they become distinct entities.

Feel the Mist

18" x 18"

Lisa Ellis

Fairfax, VA

One of the quilt groups I attend is called Playing Outside of the Block. Its a wonderful mix of traditional and art quilters. A challenge was issued to make an 18" x 18" piece on the theme of cool or hot. I chose to make a cool piece. I wanted to practice the skills I learned from Vikki on pleated borders and curved piecing. So this was a perfect opportunity to make a small piece.

 

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The contents of this site are protected by copyright. Any reproduction of the quilt images or text in whole or part without the written consent of Vikki Pignatelli is not permitted.

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