Tesselation I (1982)

This quilt was the first in which I experimented with an Escher-style tesselation. The pattern gives an illusion of overlapping squares, but the block for this quilt isn't quite where it appears to be. Each of the "squares" actually consists of a smaller square and two rectangles, and the blocks alternate between the smaller squares and squares formed by joining two rectangles of contrasting colors. This is visible in the first detail photo below.

This quilt had gotten in very poor condition due to use as one of my "every day" quilts over a period of many years. In addition to damage from cat claws, fading from being washed, etc, this quilt included some vintage fabrics which I had inherited from my step-great-great-grandmother. These old fabrics probably date back to the 1920's and were in good condition when I received them (as are the remaining pieces I have left over in my scrap box), but unfortunately they did not hold up well to regular washing.

In late 2000 and early 2001, I undertook a project to repair this quilt by sewing new patches of fabric over the damaged areas. The technique I used to pull up the existing outline quilting from around the damaged piece, hand-sew the new piece in place, and then re-do the quilting.

Before the repair; detail showing the blocks.

This pink-flowered fabric was one of the old calicos I inherited from my step-great-great-grandmother.

More damaged fabric.

Still more damaged pieces.

This is an "after" photo of the same part of the quilt as in the last photo. The peach-colored fabric with the diamond print went over the pink flowered calico, there's a new black patch on its right, and another flower print covering the damaged purple-and-green calico. In the lower left corner, the dark red piece and the yellow one directly below it are also new.

Another repaired area (the dark red piece and adjacent black one in the center of the frame).

Yet another repair where the peach-colored fabric was used to patch the pink-flowered calico.

Still more repairs.

Back to the main quilting page.

	Before the repair; detail showing the blocks.
	This pink-flowered fabric was one of the old calicos I inherited from my step-great-great-grandmother.
	More damaged fabric.
	Still more damaged pieces.
	This is an "after" photo of the same part of the quilt as in the last photo. The peach-colored fabric with the diamond print went over the pink flowered calico, there's a new black patch on its right, and another flower print covering the damaged purple-and-green calico. In the lower left corner, the dark red piece and the yellow one directly below it are also new.
	Another repaired area (the dark red piece and adjacent black one in the center of the frame).
	Yet another repair where the peach-colored fabric was used to patch the pink-flowered calico.
	Still more repairs.