Melody Johnson Quilts

Wow. Just wow. These quilts are fabulous.

Melody Johnson: I’m making art for the wall, not a functional bed quilt. I choose to fuse so I can be expressive with fabric in ways that would be impossible with any other construction method. After removing the release paper, I cut my fused fabric directly using the scissors or rotary cutter as a drawing tool. I don’t finish the edges of my shapes because that would alter the character I have drawn with my cuts. I also dye my own silks and cottons so that my colors are rich and saturated. I’ve found that I can use both appliqué and piecing approaches without the sewing machine even though eventually the piece will be quilted with a machine, or lately, even by hand. I especially enjoy working improvisationally, but often find myself making up a design found in my sketchbook.