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Conception

 

Cairo is a loving tribute to one of my main artistic inspirations- Islamic art and architecture. This wall quilt pays homage to the city I fell in love with and where I discovered fabric and learned to sew. Many Islamic patterns originate with the idea that everything comes from one single point or deity and then flow out from there. I wanted to articulate that growth and movement. This pattern is a traditional one but a great jumping off point to explore more specific elements of star grids. It has become a study quilt for other projects playing with this concept.

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Creation

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Cairo was drafted by hand on butcher paper and then transferred to Adobe Illustrator. Appliques were cut by hand or using Silhouette Portrait. Techniques include needle turn applique, raw edge applique, and bias tape applique. I used Kona Cotton Solids by Robert Kaufman Fabrics, Warm & Natural batting, and Aurifil thread.

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Life Outside the Studio

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Cairo was a featured quilt at the Ontario Museum of Art in 2018.