Garden Sampler 42″x 42″ Quilted Tapestry

Primrose flowers represent the change and growth that happens during the transition between winter and spring. These flowers and the changing of the seasons represent positive changes I’ve experienced as I’ve struggled with depression. Like the gradual transition of the seasons, my wellness and growth felt gradual.

This quilt block depicts a flower with heart-shaped petals and relays the message ‘love is natural.’ It is a celebration of identity and pride in oneself. When you look at this quilt block, I hope you feel warmth, love and acceptance.

I love my culture, and I am incredibly blessed to be born a Filipina. When my family moved to another country, I unconsciously strayed away from my culture to fit in with other kids in my new home. My block celebrates Philippine symbols, traditions, and cultures.

This piece is inspired by Bryan Stevenson’s concept of transitional justice for Black people. I chose to use the name Redemption, as the creation of this quilt as an act of repossessing parts of Black history that have been silenced in exchange for the pain, guilt or shame that comes with processing this history. Hopefully, the price paid for processing this history will lead to a reconciliation that breaks the invisible walls of institutional racism.

I’ve been sewing simple things for years but am new to the realm of quilting and sewing Y-seams. Learning new skills is something I value, and this seam proved tricky to get the hang of. Ultimately, I learned a new skill and a reminder that sometimes all you need to succeed is a little practice.

My quilt block is a combination of two designs that flowed beautifully together to create something completely new that expresses my bright, bubbly, and colorful personality. I worked collaboratively with other students to choose colors and create a design that would be easy to sew for beginners but allow for creative interpretation through color placement.

Like many multi-cultural people, I spent a lot of time in adolescence questioning and constructing my identity. I did not fit into any box or under any label and I’ve learned to make this grey area my home. The contrasting colors and stripes of my block intermingle to tell my story.

The Flower Folk shows only one part of their journey, like the pictures from our past. You don’t stay the same as you were but can appreciate who you were in those pictures and how you’ve grown. Maybe Flower Folk will grow into a bush or a tree or are like a tulip and will come back a little differently next year.

As a kid growing up in the South, I am no stranger to sitting on couches and rocking-chairs with quilts draped over them. With this block, I sought to find a link between my Southern upbringing and my Korean heritage. This design resembles a Korean textile called Pojagi and the well-known Log Cabin block.