custom memory quilts - 2 quilts together to create a butterfly for a client here in CA

I love it when my clients see my work and challenge me to take it to new heights. This particular project is a great example of that.

It’s not a secret that I divide my studio time between making fine art and also taking on bespoke custom quilt projects for clients. Many of my clients are local here to Southern California -and many are spread out across the US. They find me online as they are searching for something to do with treasured textiles - often clothing of dearly missed loved ones - there are certainly places they can find to make memorial quilts - but few people handle them with the eye and visual voice of an artist.

I love it when the right clients find me and this client was a special one.

The customer found me online - loved my Noisy Flower artwork - but really wanted to celebrate the memory of his wife by creating two butterfly wing quilts for his children - that when placed together would create one large butterfly. Other quilters had told him it couldn’t be done - they even led him toss out her jeans before he found me (so sad! I’d have loved to include them).. By the time he found me, he was discouraged by the quilters he’d met and was wondering if I could help.

Could I? I was delighted - and also thinking “I haven’t ever done anything quite like this!” So I was excited.

Each of these pieces is 5’ square - 60”x60” (which means that to take this photo, i stood on a ladder really high up!)

This client also really wanted me to do the free motion quilting on my own - it was more work, but I think it turned out really beautifully.

I’m super pleased with how this all came out - and it was a joy to create these pieces for him.