Kaffe Fassett as inspiration

Not long after I started quilting, Kaffe Fassett's work crossed my radar screen. Since then, he has inspired me, and influenced my large quilts. I was drawn in first by his use of colour, and soon after, his use of pattern. You may recognize my use of many, many fabrics in a quilt, along with my repeated patterns. This I learned from Kaffe, and have tried to use in my own way. I have several of his books, and have read a few more from the library. Ok, some I've read in Chapters! For my birthday recently, I received a copy of his latest book, Simple Shapes, Spectular Quilts. See here the front and back covers.

What I find so intriguing about this book is the way Kaffe talks about his own inspirations. In fact, he dedicates the book to all the quilters worldwide who ask where he gets his ideas. He sees ideas everywhere, in museum quilts, in sidewalk tiles, in ancient art, in industrial settings, in commercial products, in painted doors, in brick doors and windows. Anywhere there is unusual use of colour or pattern, he is there recording with his camera or his mind. And he explains clearly in this book how he converts these ideas into a quilt. Permission pending to use images.

I'm inspired now to look more for my own ideas, in nature and elsewhere, to develop my quilt ideas. Although I do admit, that it is much easier to be inspired by other quilters like Kaffe Fasset.