A Palette of No Colors

“Most of life is grey, with a little tiny bit of black and white.” - Bill Henson


What is it about monochrome quilting that resonates with so many makers? In the past, these quilts may have been made out of the necessity of using only available fabrics. Today, with so many fabric choices available to choose from, it is almost more difficult to limit your color palette to simply two colors. In simplifying the quilt down to a bare aesthetic of black and white the artist challenges their ability to design. 

Staccato 2 by Margarete Steinhauer

Staccato 2 by Margarete Steinhauer

‘Staccato’ is a musical term for crisply cut and short and detached notes. This quilt is comprised of 10 sections, each is made up of gently curved strips in which white bars are short and detached. The use of black and white color reads both sheet music and piano keys, adding to the overall musical feel of the quilt.  

Starring You by Peter Byrne

Starring You by Peter Byrne

Starring You is both a shooting star as well as starburst; it combines symmetry and the unexpected. While a complex star rests in the background of the pattern, an explosion of motion thrusts into the scene, engaging the viewer with geometric contrast.

Tension by Natalie Skinner

Tension by Natalie Skinner

The use of negative space in this quilt creates a feeling of tension. Are the fragments being pulled apart or pushed together? Skinner shows as much as she obscures and allows the imagination to fill in the rest.

Fault Line by Hope Wilmarth

Fault Line by Hope Wilmarth

Fault Line is representative of the increasing number of earthquakes happening worldwide. The small addition of red stripes leaves a place for the eye to briefly rest, making the movement of the stripes more interesting.

 Three Times Three by Geraldine Wilkins

Three Times Three by Geraldine Wilkins 

Three Times Three was designed for an Island Batik Ambassador Challenge. Wilkens wanted to innovate an unexpected star quilt by playing with high contrast and large-scale design. Inadvertently, the placement of the stars created a secondary flower design. 


By Brittany Bowen Burton


This is a small sampling of the quilts you’ll find in Curated Quilts: ‘Black & White.’Purchase your own copy today.



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