Five, Six, Pick Up Sticks
by Sally Keveney
63” X 71”
Traditionally, red and white quilts have a long history in the quilting arts. The two-color
combination is a bold and graphic palette used by generations of quilters. The Rob Peter to Pay Paul quilt in the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum collection demonstrates its timelessness.
Inspiration for this piece follows that tradition, interpreted in a modern aesthetic. My improvisationally pieced blocks use red as the focus of the design. Blocks of horizontal and vertical “sticks” move diagonally across the quilt. The linear motif continues in the neutral-colored blocks, developing texture and symmetry of design in the negative space. Randomly placed blocks feature spirals that are created by couching over cotton yarn. They provide a counterpoint to the horizontal and vertical lines and add a bit of whimsy to the quilt. Hand stitching adds embellishment to both the red and neutral blocks.