Alden Lane Nursery Show, part 2

See part 1.

Pretzel Party
Pretzel Party

There were two Featured Artists at the show: Sandy Klop and Susan Else. Sandy Klop is the designer of the American Jane patterns and fabrics lines. While I am not completely on board with her color choices, I don’t hate them either and her patterns are fabulous – not the easy stuff. You have to think about her patterns.

Pretzel Party, the interlocking beauty on the right is my favorite of her quilts, though there are many that I like.

She also has something or everyone: applique’, piecing, squares, hexagons, straight seams, partial seams. She also has different skill levels. Her designs, with the confines of piecing and applique, vary widely, too. She uses interesting borders, panels, and has a quilt depicting classic game boards- playable game boards! If a person cannot find something to make, I don’t think it is because of Sandy Klop’s lack of trying.

Sowing Seeds detail by Sandy Klop
Sowing Seeds detail by Sandy Klop

Sandy’s quilts were everywhere. I estimated that she had 80 quilts on view. While her color palette is slighty dusky (e.g. she uses gold vs. yellow), I wouldn’t turn down most of her quilts if offered one. Her patterns are bold and bright and either are complex or look complex because of the fabrics.

I loved the diamond border in the Sowing Seeds quilt. I like the combination of pieced and whole diamonds. I also like the way the pieced diamonds fade in and out. It adds interest and made me look at the quilt a bit longer.

Starry Crown by Sandy Klop
Starry Crown by Sandy Klop

The picture of the Starry Crown quilt shows the benefits and frustrations of an outdoor quilt show. The blue sky, the beauty of the tree bark and the greenery all make an outdoor quilt show pleasant.

The wind, however, did not make for easy picture taking. I finally just took the photo, because the wind was not going to die down even for a minute for me to take the photo. Also, I was really just interested in the piecing of the block and the interplay of fabrics Sandy used. Both of those are covered in this photo. This isn’t a quilt with a complicated border, so I think I could replicate the layout, if I wanted. The bonus is that the wind gives you a view of the back and front at the same time.

Susan Else piece
Susan Else piece

TFQ and I saw Susan Else at the Road to California show a few years ago. I really enjoy looking at her 3D pieces. I wouldn’t necessarily include figures in my own work, but i love looking at what Susan has made. She is very willing to talk with people, too. Her stories aren’t prominent in the show, but I had her tell Mrs. K and Vicki the story of her Lifeboat piece, because it rings so true with me.

Lifeboat by Susan Else
Lifeboat by Susan Else

Susan explains that she, metaphorically, kept inviting people into the Lifeboat and serving them soup until her husband and daughter suggested that it might capsize. It is, for me when looking at the piece, a statement about women and how we try and take care of everyone.

Susan’s pieces are large, which is also appealing.

Susan Else's Chess Set
Susan Else’s Chess Set

Susan’s pieces are also hard not to touch. I really wanted to pick up a chess piece and feel it. Fortunately, Mrs. K asked so I didn’t have to surreptitiously stroke a queen or a rook! The people in Susan’s pieces really have a lot of life. I kept looking at them thinking about the giant chess set in the Sorcerer’s Stone and how all of those pieces moved. Susan’s chess pieces deserve to move!

Author: Jaye

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

2 thoughts on “Alden Lane Nursery Show, part 2”

Comments are closed.