Waratah
2014
Most of my art come from photos I take on trip or inspired by the sites I see on my travels.
The Waratah is the flower of New South Wales. I discover this flower when preparing for a teaching trip to one of my favorite place, Australia. When visiting the country all Joe wanted to see is boxing Kangaroos so of course I had to add the Kangaroo paws. But I was moved most by the aboriginal art work we saw at the Modern art Museum in Sidney. They tell story’s with a dot. Love!

This is a quilt I made in 2014 for the Libby Lehman auction. It is of a Texas wildflower called the Indian Blanket or Fire Wheel just to name a few.

This quilt was made for the IQA Silent Auction.

2005
57” x 69”

IQA Houston / Founders Award

Sold

50” X 72”

2011 / IQA Houston
2013 / Road to California / 1st place
2013 / AQS Paducah / Judges Choice

I was inspired by the morning light hitting the lily pond at the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena. The water shimmered with reflections which made me wonder what Monet must have seen. Made in my fusible technique with 100% cotton fabrics primarily hand-dyed by the artist. The batting is Quilters Dream cotton in a low loft. The thread used is Sulky rayon 30 weight.

Available

2003
51" x 72"

Folsom Quilt and Fiber Show / Best in Show
2004 / Folsom/ El Dorado Hills Style Magazine

I used fusible appliqué and heavy thread painting to create this quilt. I was moved to make this quilt after my only son became a United States Marine. As quilters, we work out our life changes and challenges in cloth. I had no idea of the impact this quilt would have on the public. I dedicate this quilt to all military families who have raised sons and daughters who sacrifice to keep us free.

Owned by the National Quilt Museum

2007
51” x 60”

2007 / 2nd Place / IQA Houston
2008 / Best of Show / Road to California
2009 / Viewers Choice / AQS Paducah
2009 / 1st Place (Small Wall Quilts) / AQS Paducah

Made with cotton fabrics, 100 cotton batting by Quilters Dream, Sulky rayon 30 weight thread on the top and Aurful cotton in the bobbin.

Available

2007
41”x 59”

I love to paint using only fabric and thread. I took this picture on an outing to a lily farm. The red lilies were peeking out from their long, grassy leaves. I couldn't wait to get home and start this quilt. I worked about 9 hours a day, barely stopping to eat.

2009 / Best of Show / IQA Chicago
2009 / IQA Long Beach
2009 / IQA Houston

Available

2007
57” x 69”

I have always loved the luscious flower paintings of the Dutch Masters.
I try to recreate them with my own flower bouquets from my garden and then in my quilts. When I bring a flower bouquet into my house, it instantly changes the mood of a room. This bouquet brought a romantic feel.

2007 / 2nd Place / IQA Houston
2008 / Honorable Mention / Road to California
2009 / 3rd Place (Machine Quilting) / AQS Paducah

Available

2008
76”x 54”


2008 / IQA Houston
2009 / Sacred Threads


Available

2002
21” X 32”

This was my second Fusible Flower quilt, inspired by a picture in a flower catalog.
These flowers are bright and crisp in the morning light, capturing the sunlight hitting the center of the flowers just right.


$ 2,000

40” X 47”
2007

I made this quilt for my husband, Joe, after we celebrated our 25th anniversary in Monterey.

I was taking pictures at sunset when a local couple walked by and commented that
“You can’t take it with you”. Oh, yes I can!
I used my Fabulous Fusible Flower technique to create this seascape, using
fabric and thread to paint a quilt painting.

2007 / Judges Choice / Pacific International Quilt Festival

2004
27"x 36"

On a teaching trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico I visited the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. She is one of my favorite artists and, to my delight, next to the museum was a garden full of blooming hollyhocks.

$3,000

2009
77” x 64”


Fusible applique

2010 / IQA Houston 2010
2011 / 3rd Place / AQS Lancaster

Available

2002
21” X 32”

This is a study in whites, inspired by a photo and the curiosity of how many white fabrics it take to make this work. The quilt is embellished with lots of beautiful thread. This is like painting with fabric, sewing machine and thread.

$2,000

2006
45”x 57”

On a beautiful fall afternoon, the morning glories where hanging heavy with flowers over my garden fence. Their colors had changed from blues in the morning to pinks and purples in the afternoon. I ran to get my camera. This would make a great quilt, I thought. Using lots of fused fabrics and 30-weight thread, I created this quilt. I like to use my fabric and thread as a painter would use her paints.

$4,000

2005
34" x 48"

2005 / In Bloom III / IQA Houston
2006 / IQA Catalog
2006 / Judges Choice / Pacific International Quilt Festival
2008 / Shelburne Museum, Vermont
2008 / Quilters Newsletter / August

2007
54” X 54”

I choose a black fabric for the back of the quilt and used the same thread in the bobbin (30 weight rayon) as on the top of the quilt, resulting in a thread painting on the back of this quilt.

Made using fusible applique, thread painting, 100% cotton fabric and cotton batting.

2007 / In Full Bloom IV / IQA Houston
2008 / IQA Chicago
2008 / IQA Long Beach
2013 / Texas Quilt Museum

Available

2003
21" x 32"

2004 / Judges Choice / Folsom Quilt and Fiber Show

2004
57”x 57”

The technique is using just fabric and thread to create this quilt, there is no paint. I have to try and find the right colors of fabric to create my painter’s palette.

2008 / Shelburne Museum, Vermont
2010 / In Full Bloom / IQA Houston
2013 / Texas Quilt Museum

2011
29“x 37“

Fusible applique technique with 100% cotton hand-dyed fabrics. I used rayon 30-weight thread to thread-paint the quilt. The back of the quilt is where you can see the thread painting process on black fabric. Also used is 100% cotton batting by Quilters Dream in a low loft.

SOLD

2010
23" x 25"

This picture was taken after a rainstorm. I made this quilt for an invitational silent auction for IQA Houston in 2010.

SOLD

2008
39” x 38”

2012 / Accepted into a special SAQA traveling exhibit, "I’m Not Crazy."

Available
$5,000

2004
12” x 12”

Made for a special art exhibit for the Folsom Quilt and Fiber Guild.

2003
38 "x 45"

The Apple Bowl was inspired by a picture in a country magazine of apples in an old wooden bowl.

Sulky 30 weight rayon thread is used to color and define and Steam a Seam 2 was my iron-on adhesive.

2nd Place / Sulky American

2004

Sold to private collection.

2012
20”x 29”

Technique: Fusible applique, hand-dyed fabrics in 100% cotton. For the quilting I used rayon 30-weight thread to thread paint the quilt. The back of the quilt is where you can see the thread painting process on black fabric. 100% cotton batting by Quilters Dream in a low loft.

17"x 24"

Melinda painted with fabric to create this beautiful poppy quilt. Her inspiration came from the Jackson and Perkins flower catalog. She highlights her quilt with lots of thread play, which adds shading and detail. The final step is carefully placed glass beads.

2003 / Honorable Mention / Marin Quilt and Needle Art Show

Sold to private collection.

2002

This is the first Fusible Flower quilt I made, playing with Steam a Seam 2 to see if I could paint with fabric. I did not do much thread work on this quilt, unsure sure how far I could go with the thread play.

2001
23"x 22"

This is a study in greens. The inspiration was a 1”x 1” picture. The colors were beautiful but I had to enlarge the picture to see the shapes. When I did, I lost the color so I used the original picture when shopping for fabric and the enlargement for leaf shapes.

2004

Made for the Folsom Quilt and Fiber Guild as their opportunity quilt.