Chasing Joy

“Chasing Joy” is an art quilt that measures 51 x 56 inches. The inspiration for the quilt comes from the beautiful flower by Stephanie Brandenburg. The flower seems to be blowing in the wind, but I choose to believe the flower is blowing with purpose. That is how it got its name. We should all be intentional about adding joy to our lives.

After making the flower the focal point, the quilt becomes an adventure into my 20 year stash of fabrics. I love making different types of fabrics play nice together. The quilt includes traditional, batik and African fabrics, many of which became out of print years ago. I love the blue and brown African border. I think it makes the quilt striking and unexpected.

I pieced “Chasing Joy” on my Janome sewing machine. My friend and long arm quilter Maxine Moore quilted the flower pattern into the background of the quilt. It carries out the theme of the quilt. After the quilt was quilted, I embellished it with rhinestone crystals to add sparkle.

The fabric on the back of the quilt is a yellow and blue African print. There is a hanging sleeve on the back of the quilt for easy display and a label that documents the quilt.

I signed it on the front. This quilt is one-of-a-kind.