The Elephant quilt began when a woman emailed me and offered me a piece of fabric that had been in her family since her father brought it back from one of his overseas military trips ( maybe Indonesia ?) I made her a potholder in exchange for the fabric.
Then I used some of the fabric in my “Goddess Quilt” which I made for a customer. Since that quilt wasn’t available, the woman who sent me the fabric asked me to make a quilt for her Mother, using 2 elephants from the fabric, for Mothers Day. She wanted 2 elephants because the gift was from her and her sister.
I started with the checker board design because her mother plays chess and used the blues, greens and lilacs which are her Mother’s favorite colors. It took a few rounds at getting the colors right. The first quilt was dark and heavy. I left it overnight and when I woke up at 3AM the next morning I realized the colors weren’t right. They needed to be lighter and less serious. Back in the studio I used the same design, but changed all the colors, using flower prints (her mother also loves to garden) and lighter colors and fabrics.
The photos show the progress, from laying the quilt out on the floor to the finished quilt. Front and back and a detail.
Wow! This quilt is beautiful!! Whoever it is for is going to LOVE it. It is so personal.
Mom loves her quilt and she’ll be glad to have such nice pictures of it, too. I didn’t realize the checkerboard pattern was because of her chess playing! I’ll make sure she knows that. Thank you for making her such a beautiful and meaningful quilt.
That is a marvelous quilt Maria!! Great color choices and composition and then those elephants – very nice!
Maria,
I love this quilt! If you have any more of this fabric that features these elephants, I would love for you to make a quilt for me. Please contact me when you have the time about this possibility. Your work has grown as you have during the past year and half. It is such a pleasure to have followed you from the beginning of the other website. I like this one so very much more without the nails (smile). Thanks so much for continuing to allow all of us to share some of this with you!!! Oh, and good and bliss to you and Jon on your wedding day.
What a great,sit-on-the-couch-coverup on chilly evenings. My sister has always had a special feelings for elephants,and now her colors,passions and elephants are close by.