Creating Pictorial Quilts

By Cynthia England, England Design Studio

“Quilt Name: Piece and Quiet” by Cynthia England

This quilt has been named as one of “The Twentieth Century’s Best American Quilts”.

Class Time:  Friday, June 12,  9am – 4pm

Cost:  $40 plus kit fee

This woodland scene started with a 3 x 5 photograph. I use freezer paper for templates, but not in the traditional sense. The freezer paper stays on while I am sewing and I sew next to the freezer paper, not through it. Every piece is color numbered. There is no guessing about which color to use during actual construction.

The national attention I received for this quilt led to so many requests for patterns and information that I created the small floral patterns to teach the picture-piecing technique and thus England Design was born.

It looks like Paper Piecing, but it’s not! What’s different?

1. No paper to pick out
2. No fabric waste – cut out exactly what you need
3. What you see is what you get!
4. Can reuse the pattern
5. Use a regular stitch length
6. You can “chain stitch” in larger sections
7. You can CHEAT!

If you don’t sew it perfectly, don’t rip it out! You can either sew closer, or pick the paper pattern up and move it!