Inspiration Gallery

Take a look at some of our pieces that sold recently. While these are no longer available for purchase, they serve as inspiration for future projects. Interested in commissioning a piece? Contact Us

Sine Waves - By Request

Our friend, Deb, commissioned a new Sine Waves and requested “shiny black” wooden slats and a color palate found in a piece of fabric she liked. Once again, the aluminum rods were added for stability to make certain she would enjoy it for a long time. As for Thread and Timber, we’re taking a break from sine waves for a while and moving on to other designs! Size: 19 inches by 21 inches.

Map in the Attic

Thread was drawn to the map print fabric and discovered that when pieced into blocks, it reflected the chaotic current world. The leather accents were added and Timber decided to build a support system that gave it a bumpy surface. Suddenly it looked like an old map newly discovered in the attic. Years from now it may remind us of 2020! Approximate dimensions: 13 inches by 28 inches overall.

Back to the Garden

Linen was tie-dyed by Thread for use as table runners at a party in conjunction with Big Top Chautauqua’s Woodstock Revival in 2019. Not wanting to waste great fabric, she incorporated it into a piece combined with gray and white background fabric that is densely machine quilted. Timber elevated the tie-dye areas and added a gentle curve on the upper corner. Groovy! Size: 24” x 24”.

Quiet Calm

2020 was a tumultuous year for our nation and all of us came out of it with a need for moments of calm. Although there were many bumps and hills to climb this year (depicted by Timber’s support structure) the quiet earth tones and soothing horizontal lines speak to a need for inner calm. Look closely to find the intermittent occurrence of beading. Namaste! 21 inches by 16 inches.

Transformation

Sometimes quilts don’t follow the expected path, not unlike life itself. This one is a perfect example. The original linear curves suddenly called out for circles. The dimensional form took on a multi-level terrain. But the path that started with dark quilted leather embellished with polished wooden “stepping stones” looked dreary and boring. To the rescue: a pop of yellow linen to enhance the leopard wood stones…which became unique wooden buttons. Change is good! Size: 20 inches by 27 inches.

Spring at Last

This piece was finished in May when thousands of daffodils burst into bloom in Bayfield, finally ending our 5-6 months of winter weather. That was Thread’s inspiration. Timber decided it needed a sharp stair-step mounting and it reminded him of the computer game, Tetris (which Thread had never even heard of). You get to pick the name you like. It can be used flat on a table as a centerpiece, sitting on edge on any surface, or hanging from the wall either vertically or horizontally. Your choice! Size: 16 “ x 13”.

Wavy Gravey

First in the wavy series, this piece invokes the woods and nature in tones of brown and beige. Dense free-motion quilting accents each unique “wave”. It is capped by rough-sawn wood on both top and bottom which has been stained dark brown. Size: 20” x 42”.

Wavy Woods

Let’s go into the woods! Another in our “wavy” series, this quilt was created in shades of gray-blue and tan. Thread was inspired by the tree stump print fabric and Timber completed the look with polished natural oak. It can be hung vertically or horizontally, whichever suits you best. It looks great in either orientation. Approximate dimensions: 34 inches x 16 inches.

Quilt in Flight

If you like bright colors, this one is for you. Thread used some age-old quilt patterns, the log cabin and the half-square triangle, and gave them a wonky modern twist. She originally thought of calling it “Not Your Grandma’s Quilt” but realized that for our five grandchildren….Noah, Anika, Johnathan, Adeline and Thomas…THIS is their grandma’s quilt. Timber used some model airplane building techniques in cherry to build a support system that literally puts it into flight. The back looks as cool as the front! Approximate dimensions: 27 inches x 15 inches.

Granite Falls

The second wavy edition hangs vertically and is a collection of fabrics in dusty mauve and various gray tones. The middle fabric looks very much like the red granite found near Thread’s hometown, thus the name. It is densely free-motion machine quilted in silver. The intricate support shape was designed by the Timber and it sports hammered silver paint. Size: 35” x 18”.

Knot Magic

This is the second project that started with the wood. Timber was gifted with a piece of locally milled butternut. It turns out that butternut is quite rare in this part of the country, having been eradicated by a fungal disease first documented in the late 60’s. Not only is it a beautiful wood in general, but this particular piece had two knots which were begging to be the stars of the project.

Thread constructed a quilt in pale earth-toned fabrics with quilting to echo wood grain. Then, the moment of truth: She cut two holes in a finished quilt! Timber framed it in butternut and placed the knots slightly deeper than the quilt to add more dimension. The result? A reminder that sometimes the beauty, like a knot, is in the imperfection. 20 inches X 16 inches overall.

Lost in the Round-About

Thread hates unfamiliar round-abouts and fears never emerging from one. Getting lost in this one might be a good thing! The quilt is made up of multiple circle elements in shades of gold, burnt orange and black with a background of intersecting quilted circles on black fabric. Timber highlighted it with a wooden circle, painted to look like hammered copper. It’s definitely a focal point piece for any room in your home. Size: 36” diameter.

Swimming to the Other Side

Inspired by the folk song of the same name, this is the Thread’s interpretation of a design by UK quilter, Nicholas Ball. It sports brightly colored fish swimming in a blue and gray sea with appropriate fish-shaped machine quilting. Timber consulted the internet for a realistic wave pattern to truly get those fish to the other side! Size: 40” x 16”.

Foggy Morning

The quilt inspiration came as we took a drive on a foggy Saturday morning. Thread returned home and immediately began pulling out fabric in shades of gray ranging from very pale to medium. The quilt grew with no regard for ending up square. Timber outdid himself constructing a grid composed of thin strips of wood which was then painted dark gray. The empty spaces were accented with assorted varieties of wood cut to mimic shapes in the quilt blocks. Approximate size: 28 inches by 24 inches.

Tiny Houses

Working in a folk art style, Thread constructed this quilt using turned edge applique on a brown/rust-toned batik background. Hand quilting and embroidery with heavy weight thread completed the rustic look with applewood that features a “live” edge. Size: 15 inches high and 33 inches across.

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Roots

What offers more hope than the emergence of plants in the spring? And what brings more security than knowing our own roots grow deep? A piece of live edge applewood holds its shape and makes it appear to float on the wall. Dimensions: 19 inches by 18 inches.

Northern Pine

Ahhh….the smell of pine in northern Wisconsin! Does life get any better? This quilt evokes a feeling of the Northwoods in shades of gray, enhanced by pine trees. Once again, we resort to our old familiar “wavy” design with accents in reclaimed pine wood. Look closely on the top and bottom of the support and you’ll see the knotty pine we all love. Approximately 29 inches wide and 13 inches tall.

Quilt in Flight II

Our first commission! The buyer of the original “Quilt in Flight” requested a companion piece: same, size, same shape, similar design but a different color scheme. Improvisational quilting doesn’t exactly lend itself to repeats but we think we delivered. Size: 27 inches by 17 inches.

Polka Dotty

This was described by a friend as a “happy quilt” and it certainly is! Brightly colored batik circles have been appliqued to a black background. Timber added some dimension and a fun 10% angle to give it more interest. 28 inches X 25 inches.

Pick Up Sticks

Thread was inspired by the chaotic Covid-19 quarantine and the quilt is truly a symbol of the time spent at home. Whether or not we were safer at home might be up for discussion! Fashioned from tiny turquoise, brown, gold and gray strips, it is entirely hand quilted. Timber kept the theme going with random sized and shaped pieces of cherry and pine at variable heights. Size: roughly 24” x 24” with seven sides.

Apple River

A friend gave Timber some slabs of apple wood that still contained edges of bark. This was cause for great excitement. The idea for a quilt was conceived quickly, following the graceful contours of the wood. It looked like a river so it was named Apple River. The river actually exists in Wisconsin and has been a favorite tubing place for years. Thread used denim in various shades, pieced to give the river flow and added a wild rapids with indigo dyed cheesecloth. Once around the bend the river widens out and becomes shallow and calm. It looks like a great place to stop and rest on the beach! Approximate size is 36” x 18”.

Heart of the River

Thread added lots of river curves to this one with a salute to the woods and the great outdoors. The apple wood support piece is actually the middle section of the wood used to create our Apple River design (hence the title). The quilt falls freely like a waterfall and is accented with hand embroidery. 20" x 19" (approximate).

All My Life's A Circle

“I guess I wonder why. Seasons going around again, years keep rolling by” so sang the late, great Pete Seeger. This tribute to life makes the circle flow with more than a few bumps and uneven patches, not unlike life itself. As Pete sang, “All my roads have bends….but so far, no dead ends.” It seemed fitting to have a less than perfectly round shape with a weathered frame and a special woodworker touch: the grain in the wood follows the quilting lines.