Accordian Quilting

I had previously mentioned "accordian quilting" in the posting about Market Mania. Here's the first piece (as well as being my first quilt ever) made in this technique.

Patchwork Perspective - 1993
36"x36"(point-point)

Materials: Thai silk fabric samples, variety of black silks, silk thread, Strathmore acid free paper.

Technique: Strips of heavy Strathmore paper the length of the pieced area and the width of two squares were cut. Each strip was scored down the center of the length with an exacto knife and gently folded to form a long tent. All the strips were layed under the pieced area over a larger prepared background that extended to make a border. I fiddled with the positioning of the paper "tents" to space them evenly. The seam allowances on the long smooth sides were tucked under the paper and blind stitched in place. The seam allowances on the tented sides were folded under and finger pressed. I used a curved needle to sew the pieced top to the foundation along the valleys between the peaks of the tents. These running stitches were also the quilting stitches. I whipped another strand of black silk around them to make solid lines visually.


I used this form of presentation because I liked the dynamics of the visual distortion and movement of the squares. The piece literally dances before your eyes.

My intention was to make all of my quilts with this technique. However, learning the craft of quilting (including precise piecing without using 100's of pins) waylaid that plan. It was three years before I made "Market Mania" and I haven't yet made another in this form.

"Patchwork Perspective" was a Christmas gift to my older son and daughter-in-law. It hangs in their livingroom in Evanston, Illinois. I love visiting it.