Valori Wells - Radiant New York Beauties: 14 Paper-Pieced Quilt Projects

Editor-in-Chief: Darra Williamson

Editor: Candie Frankel

Technical Editors: Candie Frankel, Gailen Runge

Proofreader: Eva Simoni Erb

Cover Designer: Christina Jarumay

Book Designer: Adriane Bosworth

Design Director: Diane Pedersen

Illustrator: Tim Manibusan

Production Assistant: Jeff Carrillo

Photography: Valori Wells

Front cover: Carnival Beauty

Back cover: Red Licorice, Radiant Beauty, Joshua Tree

A sea urchin shell exhibits beautiful texture and a subtle radiating design.

The points in a New York Beauty block mimic the protruding stems and circular motion of a handmade pussy willow wreath.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all my quilting Mothers. Working in this wonderful industry, I have met amazing, inspiring women who have changed my life. They have given me encouraging words and unconditional love and support. Through them, I have faith in myself to do anything I set my mind to.

And for those Mothers who dont quilt but who admire the art, thanks! My love goes out to these women whom I am lucky to have in my life.

Acknowledgments

I wish to acknowledge the following people who have made Radiant New York Beauties such a great book.

My sewing fairiesBarbara, Betsy, Carolyn, Mom, Katrina, and Patricia. In addition to hours of sewing, they gave me encouragement and emotional support. I couldnt have made it without them.

Todd Hensley, for believing in me, and the C&T familyespecially Diane Pedersen, Christina Jarumay, and Tim Manibusanfor their skills and expertise in creating this book.

Candie Frankel, the amazing developmental editor for Radiant New York Beauties, for all of her time, devotion, vision, and support.

Adriane Bosworth, my book designer, who did a wonderful job interpreting my ideas to make the book both visually appealing and informative.

All of my family at the Stitchin Post, for seeing me through stressful days and just for being there.

John, my amazing step-dad, who always believed in me even when I didnt. He brought me food when I was famished and wine when the day was over.

Zoe, who once a month relieved my sore muscles with a great massage and eased my mind with insightful words.

Looking directly into the centers of plants, cones, and flowers often yields great inspiration for radiating block designs.

Foreword

Those of us who are around when Valori arrives with a new quilt in tow know enough to take a big deep breath in preparation. We get a glimpse of whats in store just by eyeing the quilt backthe exposed quilting is a teaser as we wait for her to unfurl her latest creation.

Needless to say, Val went well beyond all our expectations when she completed the designs for her book of New York Beauties. Her interpretation of the fundamental aspects of radiating points in Joshua Tree is just a hint of where the art can take her.

Vals genius is revealed in her combination of design and fabric choices and confirmed with her machine quilting. All of her designs have a huge aah! factor. As each block goes together, the excitement builds. Once the quilt is fully assembled, the collective oohs and aahs can be heard throughout the room.

It is always so much fun to walk into The Stitchin Post and see Val stacking bolts of fabrics on the cutting table. Her palette doesnt know any of the limits that we tend to place on ourselves. How many times have I spied Vals stack and thought, Okay, this time she is going too far, only to eat my words a few weeks later.

The gift Val gives us in this collection is the freedom to leave our comfort zoneor not! She has designed quilts that run the gamut, from traditional to beyond contemporary, and allows us to choose for ourselves. The added beauty is that you can make her designs your own just by throwing in that favorite fabric.

All of Vals quilts are perfect backdrops for the fun, whimsical machine quilting that has become her trademark. Val has inspired a real quilting frenzy with her continuous-line motifsspirals, flowers, leaves intertwining with circular twirls. Half the fun of looking at Vals quilts is seeing the incredible thread work in her machine quilting.

Too many quilters have somehow convinced themselves that New York Beauties are beyond their capabilities. As you peruse Vals book, keep in mind that many of us were neophytes when she asked us to help her. If we can do it, so can you! Paper piecing is the key to creating those perfect points.

You are in for a treat as you make your way through Radiant New YorkBeauties. The colors and fabric designs combine to create one radiant point after another. Vals creativity has always been infectious. It is such a pleasure to see her share her vision with the ever-expanding quilting community.

Betsy Mennesson

Two plant close-ups suggest an extraordinary variety of greens ranging across the spectrum from blue-green to yellow-green.

Interpreting blues and greens in a quilt palette.

Introduction

New York Beauty quilts have always fascinated me. The circular shapes and precise points draw me in and start me thinking of other design possibilities. I can remember two such quilts in my mothers book, Memorabilia Quilting, that set my creative mind working. Playing with color and pattern in a quilt design is a challenge that I love.

Four years ago, I returned to Sisters, Oregon, to join the family business, The Stitchin Post. I enrolled in a New York Beauty class that my mother, Jean Wells, was teaching. She taught us how to paper-piece the arcs to get perfect points and how to sew curved seams. It wasnt nearly as hard as I thought it would be. Once I had mastered the stitching techniques, I was off and running with design ideas of my own. With the deadline for our annual store challenge fast approaching, I jumped in with both feet and designed the original block for Radiant Beauty. What a liberating experience! Playing with color and pattern then became the focus. I love how the quilt turned out.

More ideas for New York Beauty blocks soon began to fill my design journal. One thing led to another, and I kept making quilts with different blocks. I have enough blocks drafted to be making New York Beauties for years.