The first step is to determine the story within the particular diary or memoir. Once the story has been selected, an actual quilt pattern is chosen from the standard and classic patterns that were popular during that era. For instance, Anna Marks' quilt is adapted from a pattern called 'Duck-in-the-Mud,' Sarah Thal's quilt pattern is 'Morning Star,' and Fanny Sharlip's is 'Cross and Crown.' The quilt design is done digitally - I select the fabrics, then they are scanned into the computer and manipulated there. This portion of the process takes up to a month. The text and photo imagery is then added digitally. The completed digital file is enlarged and printed on canvas at a commercial press and then returned to my studio in its large-format size, usually seven-by-seven feet. At this point, quilters from the community work with me to quilt cotton fabric sections over the printed imagery. On average, from start to finish, each quilt painting takes four to five months to complete.

Andrea Kalinowski