Paisley
motifs are one of those classic favorites, and designer Terry Albers let the
paisley print in our Lauren collection take center stage in her
new quilt, "Renaissance Medallion." This quilt, featured in Fons
& Porter's Love of Quilting magazine, showcases 3 different blocks in a
unique layout that gives the impression of being on point.
(Hint: From
a construction perspective, most of it isn't!)
Keep reading to learn
more about Terry's beautiful design.
 |
"Renaissance Medallion" by Terry Albers; machine quilted by Mary Klein;
featured in Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting March/April 2015 |
Q. What attracted you to the Lauren
collection?
Terry: I just can't seem to resist a beautiful
paisley! The Lauren line has such beautiful colors, making it easy to pull
colors for blocks and accents. I find the combination both vibrant and
peaceful.
Q. Do you have a favorite print in the
collection?
Terry: It was the paisley that first grabbed my
attention. It is beautifully detailed.
Q. Can you talk about your design?
Terry: I created a medallion design for
some friends by starting with a square and adding the pieced corners. It turned
out really well so I added the layout to my sketchbook. I created my version of
these blocks for a special quilt when my grandson was born. This design was the
perfect opportunity for me to feature them again. The layout of these blocks
gives the impression of being on-point for a little different look.
Q. And what about your fabric
placement?
Terry: I used the companion fabrics to accent
different parts of the blocks, trying to balance them for color interest and
scale. The red was an easy choice for the pop of color, as pulling the red and
rose from the paisley to give more life to the quilt. The first paisley border
emphasizes the medallion look of the center and allowed me to use the paisley
again.
Q. What do you like best about this
quilt?
Terry: I love the fabrics and the whole
design seems to float (thanks to the first border). The end result is a bit
unexpected and I like that. The unusual setting adds more interest.
Q. Any advice for someone making this
design?
Terry: It's just blocks and segments...one
step at a time. I found it extremely helpful to mark all the parts as I cut. I
pin a bit of paper with the block name on each part so that I could sort them
into stacks for each block type.
Don't use tape or stickers because they tend
to fall off or stick to something else.
Q. Tell us about the machine quilting.
Terry: My quilter is such an accomplished artist
that I give her free rein. She used a combination of medallions to highlight
some of the squares and rows of feathers in the borders. I am fortunate to have
Mary Klein working on my quilts. Her long-arm skills enhance the beauty of the
fabrics and the designs I create.
Q. What do you envision it being used
for?
Terry: I plan to use the quilt in my guest bedroom.
It is going to look stunning on my antique bed and complete feeling of a
restful retreat in that room. If I had higher ceilings, I would be tempted
to hang it on the wall above the bed, too.
Q. Anything else to share?
Terry: Fabri-Quilt has been coming out with a new
paisley line almost every season and I've worked with most of them. I plan to
keep my eyes open for the next one, too. The fabric has a beautiful hand and
(for me) irresistible colors. No two are the same and each one inspires a
different design
See the entire Lauren collection
here.
Find out more about Terry and her designs
here.
Buy the kit for the Renaissance Medallion quilt
here.
Buy the digital version of this pattern
here.
Find Love of Quilting magazine
here.
