Quilting is an art form that’s been passed down from generation to generation, serving as a way to preserve memories. Reflect values. Celebrate heritage and beliefs. Every quilt tells a story, whether through color, patterns, stitching or all three.
Quilts can also represent spiritual significance, depict a connection with nature, symbolize home and family … or just be simply about love.
Since it’s the season of amore, we thought who better to ask about love in quilt-form than the resident local experts from The Quilter’s Studio Loveland—Owner Karen Breed and General Manager Shelby Breed-Preshaw.
Love, in Pieces
Karen and Shelby show us some love through three beautiful and unique quilts, a trio they hand-picked for this sweet season.
Traditional. Historically, the heart shape has been used to symbolize love. The Exploding Heart quilt, Karen explains, was made from a commercial pattern from Slice of Pi Quilts, and features a center heart surrounded by triangles to give the impression of the heart “exploding” out toward the edges of the quilt.
Love from the heart. Nontraditional perhaps, but still a great way to preserve cherished memories, a T-Shirt Quilt memorializes past events and shows love through the creation of a personalized quilt. This one was made out of Shelby’s childhood tees.
Modern love. Sewn using a variety of purple batik fabrics from the shop, the Purple Heart Wall Hanging shows double the love, as a closer look reveals its quilting in tiny hearts connected with a swirling vine. Made by Karen specifically for this article, the quilt contains numerous quarter-square triangle units made from a variety of purple batik fabrics.
1. Traditional
Exploding Heart made by QSL employee Dawn Jackson as a gift to her daughter.
2. Love from the heart
T-Shirt Quilt crafted by QSL employee Jackie Hudnell for Karen Breed.
3. Modern love
Purple Heart Wall Hanging made by Karen Breed as a showpiece for this article.
QuiltersStudioOfLoveland.com | 535 W. Loveland Ave, Loveland | 513.683.3666
About QSL: Karen Breed opened The Quilter's Studio Loveland in May 2010, in a house in historic Loveland. Shortly thereafter, she expanded to the house next door, and then once more to its current corner building. In 2020, The Retreat opened in the heart of downtown and is run by Shelby.