Animal Quilts–Not Just for Babies

Quilting, an age-old craft that weaves threads of creativity and tradition, has found a delightful expression in the form of animal quilts. These charming creations not only showcase the talent and artistry of quilt enthusiasts but also bring a touch of nature’s beauty into our homes. Animal quilts offer a unique and versatile canvas for quilters to express their creativity. Often featuring whimsy and humor, with significant potential for strong graphic design, these quilts appeal not only to children but to adults as well. Each animal quilt tells a story, not just of stitches and fabric, but of the deep connection between humans and the natural world. Below are the stories behind some of my animal quilt designs.

Marvelous Monkeys

This animal quilt is dedicated to the memory of Mary, who was the director of the local AZA accredited zoo where I served as a board member. While travelling with her husband on an annual international trip to appreciate animals in their natural environments, Mary passed away suddenly. At the time, the zoo was in the midst of finalizing its latest exhibit, which she had shepherded through the stages of design, fund raising, and construction. The cornerstone of this new exhibit on small animals of Africa, featured Wolf’s Guenon monkeys. Zoo visitors delighted in watching these enchanting creatures bounce around, interact socially, and cuddle their babies.

I created Marvelous Monkeys to honor a woman I deeply admired. Initially, I designed the monkey’s head using foundation paper piecing.  Eventually, however, I decided to use a stylized design that could easily be made with traditional straight seams, and would give this animal quilt a modern, graphic aesthetic.

Welcoming Committee

In 2020, my niece and her fiancée travelled together to Africa for their dream destination wedding. They stayed at Giraffe Manor, a hotel in Nairobe, where friendly giraffes are known to stick their heads through the windows in the restaurant to greet diners and beg for treats. I created my animal quilt, Welcoming Committee, as a wedding gift for my niece and to remind her of her fabulous trip. Wanting to include family and friends who could not travel to Africa, my niece invited us to a reception in her hometown. Unfortunately, covid hit, and she had to cancel all the plans. I’m hoping we all get invited someday to a wedding anniversary event in Africa!

Barn Dance

I spent my career as a professor teaching at a university in Iowa. I never tired of seeing old, Midwest style barns dotting the landscape. While not technically an animal quilt, Barn Dance celebrates the beautiful, traditional old barns that provided shelter for farm animals. No barn would be complete with its own “barn quilt”, so each of my barns has a 3-inch square quilt block, some of which are foundation paper pieced.