Copyright © 2009-
Judith Wilson
Quilts
& Wall-
Arabian Night, 1998
This is a classic Arabian tile design based on a seven point star with a border designed by my husband Ray. There are maybe 100 yards of bias-
Shown at Olympia 1999, it got a nice write-
It was hung once at an exhibition in St. Albans Abbey -
Now in the care of our eldest grandson, Joel Tribe, who lives in Portchester, Hampshire.
84" x 84"
. . . and even the weeds are blooming, 1999
The bit before the dots was 'A Bright Summer's Day', the Theme category at the National Quilt Championships in 2000.
Much to my delight it won . . . and then sold.
I later made a 75” x 95” version in just blue and (not too much!) yellow flowers called Garlands for Sylvia for a friend. It now resides with Sylvia's family in St Albans.
75"x 75"
Trilogy, 2002
Three Art Nouveau panels based on Smit's designs.
I loved the gormless posing of the herons and the elegant dance of the fish.
It won the Machine Appliqué award at Quilts UK 2002.
Now owned by Alison Curry; she said it has been a great talking point in her living room.
45" x 33"
Gilding The Lily, 2003
My City & Guilds piece, variations on a lily design (centre) inspired by a Moorcroft pot.
Shown at Festival of Quilts, 2004; strangely, all 3 Judges asked 'Why 3 panels?'
Still, it was a hit with some people and all 3 panels are now owned by Judi Kirk.
Each panel 60" x 25"
Dent de Lion II, 2004
That most resistant of weeds, the ubiquitous dandelion has often been my design starting point. Here, the quilted border is emphasised with trapunto quilted leaves.
Dent de Lion (I) was selected for an exhibition at the Nature in Art Museum at Twigworth in 2005, and was then featured on the Fabric of Nature Calendar 2006 produced by the Quilters Guild.
It was the only item sold from the exhibition and bought by Rory Taylor of Hereford, so I had to make another, this one, which now resides, among others, with our youngest son, Richard, in Thorney in the Fens.
23" x 31"
Chung Hua, 2005
This Chinese “window lattice” design was marked on my own hand dyed fabric.
The pattern was enhanced with trapunto and free machine stitched with granite stitch; it took ten reels of thread to complete the design.
It won the Cot Quilt Award at Quilts UK 2005.
28" x 40"
Out of the Blue, 2007
Using 2 different Makower Ombre* fabrics gave a background lattice, onto which I appliquéd the Art Nouveau style leafy border and my favourite butterflies on a spiral quilting pattern.
The lattice is based on the Fibbonaci series . . . 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 . . . in widths and heights; I used the same idea for my Makower demonstration quilt called Dream Waves published in Popular Patchwork, issue 5, 2007.
*Ombre means shade or shadow, en Francaise!
80” x 80”
Into the Blue, 2007
Ray challenged me to make something 'strippy' based on a 17" tall special edition vase in our Moorcroft collection: designed by Rachel Bishop, 'Study in Blue' is shown alongside.
I made 'Imago', a poppy-
One or other of them got a Judges Merit at Quilts Uk 2007, and later that summer this blue one went to Festival of Quilts at the NEC.
Both were sold:in 2012 Judith made 'Into the Blue II', with an appliquéd butterfly, to hang at our bedhead.
'Into the Blue' is owned by Julia Dekker, in Whitstable, Kent.
48” x 25”
Floralia, 2009
Using a favourite block shape I set Art Nouveau flowers on black backgrounds, which makes the colours zing.
This quilt won both the Machine Appliqué and the Small Wall Hanging awards at the National Quilt Championships, 2009.
{Gifted by Judith and the family to her most successful student, Tricia Tominey in St Albans, who went on to complete her City and Guilds, started teaching with Judith, and now teaches at their old venue. RW}
56" x 56"
De Morgan Magic, 2010
The starting point was some beautifully coloured fabrics produced for the Victoria and Albert Museum. The designs were adapted from William de Morgan tiles.
The quilt was constructed from individual blocks which were quilted and appliquéd and then stitched together.
It was awarded 2nd Bed Quilt at Quilts UK 2011.
76" x 76"
Beautiful Belief, 2010
A bed runner for lovers of duvets.
Inspired by William Morris who is often quoted as saying: 'Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.'
It won the Machine Appliqué award and was 3rd Bed Quilt at the National Quilt Championships, 2010.
90" x 30"
StripTease 2012
One of a number of Strippys 'what I have done' over the years, mostly using Art Nouveau-
It won the Machine Appliqué award at Quilts UK, 2012.
80” x 100”
Ringing the Changes, 2011
A triple-
It was inspired by an antique triple-
My design was later published in Popular Patchwork magazine.
Awarded a Judge's Merit at Quilts UK 2012.
Now owned by Betty Jones.
76” x 98”
Deco Fantasy, 2011
This is a collage of Deco designs and colours.
I used machine appliqué and the quilt-
I loved using the really bright colours.
It was awarded 2nd in Theme – 'Art Deco Revisited' -
Now owned by grandson Oscar Maynard Wilson, in Watford, Herts.
39" x 53"
Poppy Day, 2011
Made around Rememberance Day in November 2011 when an ex-
Winner of the Machine Appliqué and Small Wall Hanging awards at the National Quilt Championships 2012.
Also featured on the cover of the Show Catalogue!
(There’s an interesting feature about the construction of this quilt . . . see my hints!)
50” x 50”
On Green Pond, 2013
A central square of distorted pineapple blocks, quilted with circular ripples. Appliqued foliage and lots of silly, posing, flying birds and 2 owls!
It won the Piecing Award (!?), a Judges Merit and was Karen Milne’s Judge's Choice at Quilts UK 2013. At the 2013 World Quilt Show in the USA it was awarded an Honourable Mention (4th, 5th?, anyway a big green rosette) in the Traditional category and then toured the USA.
Shown at the Festival of Quilts 2014, it was the July page of the Quilters Guild 2016 Calendar.
70” x 70”
Humming Bee, 2015
The foliage was inspired by wrapping paper around flowers given to me by my 'Tuesday Group' of students.
The pointy crimson central border was an attempt to ‘do’ a different shape. The hummingbirds provide some dynamics; so too, does the humming bee in there.
As in many of my quilts these days, I put in a butterfly too!
Won a Judges Merit at Quilts UK 2015, then went to the USA . . .
50” x 50”
Humming Bee, 2015
. . . and got an Honorable Mention green rosette in the 2015 World Quilt Show in the Traditional category, again!
Really chuffed, and then I thought, how would it do in the Festival of Quilts, the most important UK quilt show, held at the NEC, Birmingham in August 2016?
It was Judge's Choice for Dawn Cameron-
50” x 50”
A Glimse of Sky, 2016
The ideal English Country Garden, no weeding, no digging and a few butterflies.
And then the rain stops and through the clouds, there's a glimpse of sky!
Machine pieced, machine appliqué and quilting.
Was at Quilts UK 2016, didn't show well; went to the 2016 World Quilt Show in the USA.
Now owned by our eldest great-
53” x 53”
Flora's Rings, 2016
Double Wedding Ring blocks, using jelly rolls; very pleased with the 'stars' that come forward.
Morning Glory and Passion Flower appliqué border and centre.
Awarded Judges Merit and was Sylvia Critcher's Judge's Choice at Quilts UK 2016 in Malvern.
Machine pieced, machine appliqué and quilting.
80” x 80”
Framed, 2017
Based on a painting by Edward Huyton from his book Flowers from an Island Garden, used with his permission.
Trapunto Victorian picture frame border, the fussy-
It was awarded a Judges Merit in the Theme class at Quilts UK 2017 in Malvern.
Machine pieced, machine appliqué and quilting.
30” x 34”
See also my News for June 2017
Larger Than Life 2018
The beautiful convulvulus "weed", a single barley stalk with its whiskery seed heads and the Common White butterfly, all larger than life, an exercise in reality!
Shadow quilting onto a batik background.
(The butterflies were printed on cotton on an ordinary ink-
It was awarded 3rd in the Small Wallhanging class at Quilts UK 2018.
Machine pieced, machine appliqué and quilting.
20” x 42”
Walled Garden 2018
A fanciful garden of flowers using some of my favourite batik fabrics.
Asymmetric borders and a black background to make the colours sing. An odd number of butterflies, as usual.
Machine pieced, appliqué and quilting.
Awarded 3rd in the Large Wallhanging class at Quilts UK 2018.
Now owned by our eldest grand-
55” x 55”
A selection of my quilts . . . click the pics to enlarge them