REALISM QUILTS

Realism Quilts by Marcia Eygabroat

My realism quilts are portraits or subjects that look fairly realistic although the colors and texture may be altered.

Click on any photo to view the gallery magnified.

All the Time in the World  (for sale)

This quilt was inspired by a challenge for Quilting Arts Magazine. The challenge was to create a quilted clock face that was within a size parameter to fit clock parts purchased at a crafts store.

I found an antique pocket watch photo on the internet. This was to be the entire quilt, recreating this antique watch. Then I thought that the contest rules said nothing about having the quilt go beyond the clock face, so I decided to have it held by a pair of hands. My husband allowed me to photograph his hands as if holding this imaginary pocket watch. I merged the photograph of the watch with the photo of the hands. This was interesting, but not wanting such an irregularly shaped quilt, I needed something else to complete the design. Back to the internet, I went into the NASA web site and found a satellite image of the earth. I had the earth rotated to show North America and deleted the clouds from the satellite shot. Then the earth, pocket watch and hands were merged together to form one image.

This little quilt is “puzzle pieced” appliqué using commercial cotton fabrics. The watch has many trims surrounding the hand guided embroidery that comprises the clock face.

 

Mom and Dad  (not for sale)

I wanted to do a quilt of my father. It was a way for me to find some sort of closure after he passed away in January 2008. I found there was no way to do a quilt of my dad without my mother in it also. Together for almost 58 years, I could not separate them in fabric.

I used a snapshot I had taken of the two of them a few years ago at the Rochester airport as the basis for this quilt. I wanted it to be a casual scene of the two of them.

This piece is constructed of commercial cottons, using my puzzle piecing method. It is heavily quilted with rayon and polyester threads.

Sisters, A Quilted Snapshot  (not for sale)

This quilt was inspired by my mother. I made this piece for her for a special birthday. It recreates a snapshot my father took of my sister and myself on one rare visit when all of us were together in the same place.

It is “puzzle piece” appliqué and embellished with beads to represent my earrings.

 

Waiting for Work  (commission – sold)

I was approached by a prospective client to create a quilt for his daughter and son in law.  He wanted a piece representing their farm out in the countryside.

The client left everything else up to my judgement.  Going down to the farm I took many dozens of photographs of every aspect of the farm including buildings, equipment and animals. Upon entering the greenhouse I saw this beautiful Farmall tractor.  I knew immediately this was my inspiration for the quilt commission.

When doing the puzzle piecing, I decided the top of the greenhouse needed some extra interest, not the burlap ceiling.  I took many photographs of a wonderful stormy sky and made the decision to include one of these as the new “ceiling”.  The end result is an unexpected surprise.

The piece is totally puzzle pieced using commercial cottons.

My client was very enthralled with the end result.  In his case, he did not want to see anything until completed.  He knew that Farmall tractor very well and could not believe the detail I included in the composition.  When he presented the quilt to his daughter and son in law they  were extremely grateful for this gift which hangs prominently in their farmhouse.

 

Made in 1957  (for sale)

I took a photograph of this wonderful old truck several years ago while on a trip in Arizona. Due to it’s age it was very faded and weathered. Finally, I had a chance to recreate this wonderful scene.

This was “puzzle piece” appliqued onto a muslin foundation with many tiny bits of cotton quilting fabric to show incredible detail.

 

Just Like My Old Bike  (for sale)

I took an inspirational drive one sunny Sunday afternoon with my mother.  It turned out to be a very fruitful adventure.

My mother asked that we stop at an antique store, even though she is not an antique shopper.  She went into the shop while I stayed outside, observing the area.  There, leaning against a white brick wall was a rusty Schwinn bicycle!  I took dozens of photographs as I usually do and filed it away in my inspirational folder on my computer.

Later looking through my folder I saw these photos and realized this bike looks just like my old bike from the sixties.  I had to make this piece.

This quilt is puzzle pieced and free motion quilted.  The grass at the bottom of the tires are three dimensional.