2015

Gifted

(65″ x 48.5 “)
Pieced and appliqued by Sue Hickman     Berryville, VA     12/2015
Using ‘A Pretty Package’ pattern by Susan Marth of Suzn Quilts.
This package is both warm and cozy to look at and to snuggle under.

Star Bright

(67″ Sq.)
Pieced by Sue Hickman     Berryville, VA     12/2015
Using ‘Hubble’ – a Schnibbles pattern by Carrie Nelson, published by Miss Rosie’s Quilt Co.
Star light, Star Bright, first star I see tonight…
Beautiful, colorful batiks contrast with bright white in this classic quilt.

Green Ribbons

(63″ x 55″)
Pieced and quilted by Sue Hickman     Berryville, VA     11/2015
Ribbons! We see them everywhere: in a young girls hair, tied around packages, representing military honors and honoring military campaigns, celebrating patriotism, bringing focus to cancer causes, and with hopes that our loved ones will come home.

Bobbles Table Runner

(12.5″ x 40.5″ )
Quilted by Sue Hickman     Berryville, Va  9/2015

Hickman Family Royal Caribbean Cruise

Pieced, appliqued, and quilted by Sue Hickman     Berryville, Va     7/2015
Using The Sweet Tea Girls ‘The Wave Too’ pattern.
Signed by all members of the family and presented to Ernie and Ruth Hickman on our cruise.

A Patriotic Tribute

(18.25″ x 5.25″ excluding hanger)
Appliqued and finished by Sue Hickman     Berryville, VA     6/2015
Using Patch Abilities, Inc. ‘Wave It’ pattern.

Fractured Floral 9

(52″ x 29″)
Fractured, pieced, quilted, and thread painted by Sue Hickman     Berryville, VA     3/2015
While this is the ninth completed in this series of Fractured Florals, this was the one that inspired them all. This was the fabric that first inspired me to fracture; the others gave me the experience and confidence to tackle this larger design. You can click on the Fabulously Fractured link to the right under Sue’s Gallery to see them all.
Features Stephanie Brandenburg’s Frond Design Studio Day Dreams II Autumn Flowers.
This quilt was one of the quilts showcased in a Solo-Artist “Art in the Halls” show at The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA from October 18th, 2016 through January 22nd, 2017.

Plainly Pinwheel

Table Runner (11″ x 26″)
Pieced and quilted by Sue Hickman     Berryville, Va     3/2015
Created from necessity, this table runner was just what was needed atop my family room coffee table.

Shimmery Artesian Spirit 2

(27″ x 8.5″)
Designed, pieced, and quilted by Sue Hickman     Berryville, VA     3/2015
This simple wall hanging showcases angled gradation of shimmery color.

Swatches Gone Crazy

(67″ x 49″)Designed, pieced, and appliquéd by Sue Hickman     Berryville, VA 2/2015
Finished with long-arm quilting.
In college, I studied Interior Design. Many think that means I’m a “decorator”, but in truth interior designers make interior spaces functional, safe, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting decorative items, such as colors, lighting, and materials. They read blueprints and must be aware of building codes and inspection regulations. Designers determine the client’s goals and requirements for the project and consider how the space will be used and how people will move through the space. It my field it helps to be creative, artistic, and good at problem solving, all of which are skills handy in quilting. It also helps to have a strong sense of proportion and visual awareness, to understand how pieces of a design will fit together to create the intended interior environment (or a quilt). One of the “tools of the trade” are books of fabric samples also known as “swatches” that must be regularly purchased as fashionable fabrics change seasonally. So what is one to do with the old books? When a designer friend offered me books she was discarding I couldn’t wait to put these fabric swatches into a quilt. I had long conceptualized a modern crazy quilt using a variety of fabrics and embroidery stitches and for fun, I “tilted” these blocks, bordered in homespun. I paired fabrics, pieced them together forming blocks, began adding embroidery stitches, then set the project aside. Over the years I’d pick up and work on this “UFO” (Un-Finished Object) and then set it down again. Finally, motivated to organize my quilting room, I purposed to see it through to completion, and viola.

Because of the Brave – Peace and Comfort

(55″ x 68.75″)
Design adapted, pieced, appliquéd, and quilted by Sue Hickman     Berryville, VA     1/17/2015
(Adapted from Stephanie Hove’s Because of the Brave pattern and made for Moda’s 2015 Piece & Comfort Challenge)
This patriotic military wife born on Flag Day just had to make this scrappy quilt honoring all our Nation’s heroes who have served, serve, and will serve, and their families who love and support them in their sacrificial gift that keeps America free. We ARE free because of the brave!
This quilt is also made in memory of my Army soldier, KLG, Jr. Made in this year that marks the 20^th anniversary of his passing, I especially wanted to honor his memory. His calling to military service, like many, stemmed from a heart of patriotism. He loved God and country and faithfully, bravely served them both with his all. At his first duty station with the 82^nd Airborne, he earned the level of Jumpmaster. In Germany, he commanded an Air Defense Artillery Company. He was an outstanding soldier and leader, and a wonderful husband and father. Despite military honors bestowed on him, when his death was imminent at the age of 39, it was the love of family that meant the most to him and his only regret was not living to see his two young sons (ages 8 and 10) grow to be men.
For this challenge, I adapted Stephanie Hove’s quilt pattern to make it my own.  My design sets the flag, representing all Americans, behind our military heroes, showing that we “have their backs” and support them in what they do with a heart of thankfulness.  Movement was created with the curvature of the quilting representative of the wave of the flag.  Fussy cut & hidden in the ‘white’ stripes are the names of all the branches of service & their mottos.
This quilt participated in Moda’s 2015 Piece & Comfort Challenge. Out of the 5 quilts that participated on the local level, it won the most Scrappy Apple Quilt Shop‘s Viewer’s Choice votes making it the local winner. Then as a finalist, it went on to participate in Moda’s National 2015 Piece & Comfort Challenge.
This quilt was shown in the 2015 Quilter’s Unlimited 42nd Annual Quilt Show at the Dulles Expo Center.
I’m excited to add that this quilt earned a Blue Ribbon in the 2018 Virginia Quilt Show at the State Fair in the Quilts of Valor category.