Watermark Books and Cafe

”Twelve by Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge" by Deborah Boschert, et al (Sterling Publishing, ISBN 9781600596667, $22.95).   

Online crafting groups are no longer a novelty, but the Twelves (technically called the Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt Project) are a unique group because of their artistic, geographic, and political diversity. In the course of two years, these twelve artists created 144 art quilts that were inspired by twelve different themes, ranging  from “Chocolate” to “Chairs” to “Passion” (although chocolate and passion do seem a bit redundant to me!). The amazing difference in the way each artist interprets these themes is what makes this lavishly-illustrated book such a delight. 

Although I don’t make art quilts—preferring more traditional patterns myself—I have a great appreciation for the quilters and fiber artists who can create such amazing pieces. These 12x12 inch beauties were each created within a self-imposed sixty day time limit, thus the two year span of the project. There were no rules regarding materials or techniques, so you’ll find quilts made with organza and hand-dyed fabrics, reverse appliqué and concertina folds, as well as more old-fashioned methods.

Even today, for many people the word “quilting” conjures up an image of a group of gray-haired ladies wielding their needles in a church basement. And quilting groups, guilds, and bees still do rely on the collective spirit of the craft; however, with the freedom of the internet, quilting groups, like the Twelves, can still possess that communal feel without any geographical closeness. These artists hail from Australia, Texas, Hawaii, Belgium, the UK, North Dakota, etc., each bringing some of the sensibilities of the place into their art. 

Twelve quilters participating in a two-year-long international virtual collaboration may not sound like the kind of book you can’t put down, but trust me... you won’t regret a single moment spent appreciating these inspiring works of art. 

Review by Shirley Wells