Framed Diamond in the Square patchwork quilt (detail)

Key Words

patchwork; pattern

Questions to ask

What was this used for? Would it have been for domestic purposes or for decoration?

What design motifs have been used on this quilt?

Research patchwork and quilting. How has this quilt been made? What kind of stitching has been used?

How this might inspire your work

Present the process of developing ideas for an art project in patchwork style. 

Start with an image of your final artwork. This will form the centre point of your ‘patchwork quilt’.

Scan or photocopy pages from your sketchbook. Collect images that have inspired your work in some way. Use a scanner to shrink the pages and images to the same size. You may like to print out several copies of some of the images.

Arrange your copied pages and images around the central image of your ‘quilt’. Place items that have links next to each other. Include examples of materials that you have used in your development process. Arrange items to indicate progression from one idea to another. Place the items that have the weakest connection to the final artwork on the edge of the ‘quilt’. You may need to annotate pieces of paper/material and add these to the ‘quilt’ as well.

When you are happy with the arrangement, stick the pieces of the ‘quilt’ onto a piece of backing paper. You may like to draw on ‘stitches’, to indicate how the final artwork in the centre is held together by all the aspects of your planning process.