Get The TechniqueDaryle Earl (a.k.a. My Mom) has been quilting for 35 years - her first quilt being a baby quilt for me. I remember my mom hand-piecing quilt blocks on the beach in the summers while she watched me frolic in the ocean, and the giant quilt hoop in her lap (usually with a cat underneath it) in the winters. My young life was consistently decorated with the shapes and colors of her projects, and I am sure that has something if not everything to do with how I make my living now.
the guest room quilt (and my son's bunny)
I learned from my mom that to truly master an heirloom craft, you have to enjoy actually doing it - and not just itch for the finished product. I give this advice to anyone who wants to take up quilting or any other long-term craft project. So my mom must REALLY like quilting, because in the time she's been a quilter, she's made dozens upon dozens of beautiful quilts.
hand-quilting the border of a current project
You'll notice my mom's work tends toward the traditional American pieced quilt, which I love. However, even though she started out exclusively hand-piecing and hand-quilting, she has since delved into (and mastered) machine-piecing, machine-quilting, hand- and machine-applique, embellishing and dyeing, and myriad other techniques.
sunflower hand-applique
I am so inspired by her quilts and I wanted to take some photos for both her and me to show off - and she generously agreed to let me also share them here. Click through the gallery below to see more (but only a fraction of!) her beautiful pieces.
1 The bed in "my" room - log cabin design in my favorite color.
2 A second, appliqued quilt in the same colors drapes the bottom of the previous
3 Even the bathroom has a quilted wall hanging! I recognize these as my favorite "pineapple" blocks.
4 A beautiful pillow in the living room.
5 Another wall hanging - a little town with ribbon-embroidered weeping williows.
6 The well-loved blue-and-white quilt that draped my bed in elementary school is now a perch for the cats.
7 Perfect sunroom pillows
8 Piecing in progress in the dining room ...
9 Inspired by this LL Bean quilt (I think hers is better, and it's made in the USA!)
10 A jelly roll and some scraps neatly collected
11 A long-arm machine for quilting the big stuff - one quilt is usually on this while another is being quilted by hand.
12 Blue pillows (I made the top - not as good - one).
13 Probably my favorite pillow.
14 Paper-pieced american flag above the mantle. Glorious!
15 A quilt drapes the banister in the stairway - of course. Like in most houses.
16 The other side
17 The perfection of these corners almost makes my head explode.
18 A pillow to match almost every bedspread - this one has ferns machine-quilted in the center.
19 Hand-quilted medallion within each block
20 A white-on-white quilt drapes the bottom of this bed.
21 White on white HAND-quilting. I am amazed.
22 omg.
23 I love this new quilt. The colors remind me Bermuda.
24 Appliqued leaves surround the border.
25 Machine-quilted leaves pick up the border motif within the quilt.
26 A mat for the center of the kitchen table - salt and pepper goes within the diamond!
27 Even the fax machine (?) gets a quilt.
From: Doris | 4/17/12 at 1:03 pm
Wow - those are gorgeous!
From: Kristina | 4/17/12 at 2:56 pm
Lovely! What a fantastic collection, she is talented.
From: Sharon Kisel | 4/18/12 at 6:50 am
What a wonderful legacy!! And, what an amazing inspiration!!
From: Toni | 4/21/12 at 9:12 am
I must say these are the most beautiful quilts I have ever seen. I am truly inspired by your mother's talent! I started to think about making a quilt when I was pregnant, I want to make one for the baby as a keepsake. I was daunted by the hand quilting (it looks very difficult) and I am more than a little afraid of my sewing machine, so I have been putting it off. I have to say it moved me to read how much your mom inspired you, and I can only hope that someday my child will feel the same way about me. Time to get out those quilt supplies and dive into something new. Thank you!
From: Su Swent | 4/24/12 at 9:36 am
What a lovely body of work.
From: Karen | 5/11/12 at 12:59 am
What a lovely tribute to your mother. I'm certain she inspired in you a love of simple perfection, beauty, and the joy of making things.
From: Bridgette | 9/1/12 at 11:32 pm
Love Love Love the Quilts! I'm in the market for a solid white one. Any available for purchase?
From: NANCY PIRAINO | 9/25/12 at 5:47 pm
Wow,you are so lucky to be able to have the quilt of your pick, I absolutely love the sunflower one and the white on white. What a talented lady. These will be absolutely priceless to your family. god bless
From: Margot Lepore | 11/6/12 at 9:55 pm
love all your crafts; apsolutely fabulous. Keep them coming. Happy Thanksgiving!