My Favorite Quilts: Kathy Wiley's Beauty in the Broken

For years I have had in the back of my mind an idea for a quilt that would incorporate openwork and transparency. I've tried to imagine how I would do it, and developed a few ideas, but other projects, plus travel and teaching, took precedence and so for I haven't even sat down to experiment with techniques.

So when I saw Kathy Wiley's quilt Beauty in the Broken, I was blown away -- not only did she figure out a technique for what I  had in mind, but she did it in a way that took a top award at International Quilt Market in Houston this year (2023).

The quilt incorporates hand applliqued and stitched openwork, machine thread lace, and machine quilting. Countless of hours of work went into it. The result is something new that to my knowledge has never been done in quilting before.

And her work moves me closer to someday making that quilt that is in my mind.

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