Someone once told me that plagiarizing yourself is the height of conviction. (FYI: I just copied that sentence from my 2008 book, KALEIDOSCOPE QUILTS: An Artist’s Journey Continues, page 47.) Peobably re-coloring patterns from a previous collection doesn't qualify as plagiarism. Maybe a better reference is the current repurposing trend where everything deserves a second chance. Not that these patterns weren’t anything but wonderful in their original incarnation.

Practically until the moment the package of finished designs left the studio for the mill, I wanted to call the collection Festivus. Whatever the title, I think the intent was realized: a classic Christmas colored collection of elegant patterns accented with metallic gold.

3176M MADAM BUTTERFLY rendered in Red/Multi (10) and Purple Multi (66) is originally from my collection called OPULENCE.  It is a lavish, sensual pattern filled with glorious curves that dance off an equally sumptuous background.

3177M CATHEDRAL WINDOWS is a beautiful design, originally inspired by a postcard a friend sent to me of the (now demolished) Chicago Stock Exchange Ceiling designed in 1894 by Louis Sullivan in the Art Nouveau style. One colorway is a little more Christmas (Green/Red 43). The other’s a little bit Mardi Gras (Purple/Multi 66).

3175M TIFFANY is a calmer rendition of the multi-colored original. Offered in three colorways: Red (10), Dark Green (45) and Purple (66), this version is an elaborate ombre: colors that gradually shade and blend into another. The adept transition from light to dark adds complexity while carrying the viewer’s eye smoothly from one form to another.

I grabbed the opportunity to bring back STRIPE 3178M from NUANCE (2011). It’s a personal favorite of mine and my stash was dwindling. It may not be a very clever title, but it is a very clever pattern combining a classic stripe with a shapely chevron. You’ll need both colorways Purple/Multi (66) and Multi (99) because they function like two completely different patterns. The golden arrows pop off the ground in the Purple-Multi while the curlicues are the attention grabbers in the other.

3174M-12 ORNAMENTS PANEL is not a redo. It’s a brand-new pattern available in one color way. I’ve wanted to do a smaller kaleidoscope perfectly scaled to make actual tree ornaments for a while. I plan to try covering a 3” Styrofoam ball.

3179M-10 STENCIL (10 Red, 44 Green) is new, too. It reminds me of decorative metalwork with an ornate filigree pattern cut out of it, overlaid with a framework of crossed lattice rendered in delicate gold. Let’s see where it takes us.

Fabric Design Repeat Sizes: