When Guild members entered the Hall on Monday, they were soggy from the rainstorm and chilled from their walk in the parking lot. The whole main room of our meeting place was gloomy because from the huge wall of windows came not a drop of light. The view seemed to suck the light away from the room.
Waiting in line to sign in for the meeting, we noticed a flash of bright, swirling color straight ahead that made us smile. Even seeing the quilt from a distance, we were 99% sure of who made it. The 1% of doubt vanished after getting a closer look. We only knew of one quilter who would torture herself with precision paper piecing and perfectly set points on a pattern so fearsomely intense that you can’t look at it very long, unless you like feeling dizzy.
Diane explained this quilt was 3 years in the making. The pattern, “Brilliant Beauties of Joy”, was designed by Jacqueline de Jonge. Although it is difficult to tell from photographs, Diane applied 760 Swarovski crystals to the quilt for added sparkle. It is beautifully quilted by our own Jennifer Cabral.
Diane named her masterpiece ~ My Joy
BTW – I’m pretty sure that “My Joy” will be entered in this year’s Quilt Faire. Soooo, you will have a chance to admire it yourself!
Diane Mitchell standing between “Intensity” and “Mikes Air Race Quilt”
Diane joined the Independence Hall Quilters Guild in 2005, the year her son went off to college. For the past 10-years she has been gracing the Mountain Heritage Quilt Faire (and our walls) with her talents.
“Flannel Raggedy” (1st Quilt) from class taught by Peggy at Country Cloth Shop.
Diane began her show with the first quilt she ever made. It was made with care and precision. It has applique, fringed squares and coordinating fabrics. Nothing at all about it says “beginner”.
Becky & Trisha (The Pink Ladies) help Diane display her”Crème Brulee”, the most recent quilt she finished. It is a Judy Niemeyer pattern called Bali Wedding Star.A Closer Look
Diane loves to do what quilters call ‘paper piecing’. She says it “relaxes” her. I have not done any paper piecing, but from what I’ve heard from other members it is difficult and tedious. This could be the reason some think she’s a little nuts.
In 2012 our “Guild’s Challenge” was to create a piece using only one color. Diane’s wall-hanging won 1st place in that category at our annual Quilt Faire. Paper piecing can be as simple as tulips, or as striking as the intricate “23 Shades of Purple”
“23 Shades of Purple” from a pattern created by Cindi Edgerton. It measures 28” square.Diane and Tisha Cabral point out some interesting details of her “Somers Bay Sunrise.”
The quilt on the right, is from the Mariner’s Compass pattern by Judy Niemeyer, was one Diane made in a challenge posed by her hubby, Mike, who bet she could not make a quilt without using purple. Challenge met!
August 2009 Diane made 3 wall-hangings designed by Ricky Tims. The theme of these pieces is “convergence”.
Royalty ConvergedFire & IceForest Canopy
The fabrics in the last two used were hand-dyed by Ricky Tims and were in one-yard pieces. The challenge was to cut the fabric so the center became an image of its own.
Nicely done, Diane.
Mardi Gras
Amateur photography does not show enough detail of this Judy Niemeyer design, Diane did at Quiltworx Retreat ’12
Diane has worked hard keeping up with the latest techniques in paper piecing. The next quilt is a Judy Niemeyer design as well (also known as JNQ).
“Reflections” using Raindrops pattern by JNQ
“September in Asilomar” from her first Empty Spools seminar at Asilomar, taught by Jan Krentz in her Spiral Lone Star class.
Mike’s Escape, class taught by former IHQ member Doris Williams
“Sugar & Spice” based on a pattern in a Carol Doak book
More of Diane’s collection:
JNQ Christmas Celebration Tree Skirt pattern she calls “Star of Wonder”
“Winter Ice” JNQ pattern One For All Seasons
2-Color High Contrast quilt from class taught by IHQ member Roxanne Borean
“My Happy Quilt” from Crazy Nine-Patch class taught at IHQ
“For the Love of Jade” from Best Friends class taught by June Jaeger at Sisters
“Butterflies Are Free to Fly” from Ruth McDowell class taught at Asilomar
“Caribbean Blue” from Storm at Sea class by John Flynn at PIQF
“I Left My Heart in Sisters” from class taught by Colleen Blackwood at Sisters
IHQ Back to Basics Sampler“Nautilus Coral” from class taught by Barbara Shapel at Sisters
“Room For Six” from McKenna Ryan pattern of the same name
French Rose Buds
Rose Buds Reversed
As you can see,Diane’s show was awesome! She brought 49 quilts to our meeting place, so these are just a sampling of what she has created. OK, I must admit it, the ones featured here are favorites of mine. Artistic license is fun 🙂
Special Thanks to:
Becky Smith and Trisha Cabral for holding and folding up quilts.
Independence Hall Quilters Guild 