The Coperta and Trapunta Series

Pamela describes this evolving series of "blankets" as the quilts she has always wanted to make. Her first interests in quilts were the bold geometric traditional Amish quilts which were so suggestive of some modern painting. In her earliest work Pamela was attempting to meld the strong graphic qualities of modern painting with the rich texture of the Amish quilts. However, the time constraints of hand quilting did not allow for the studio production of bed size quilts and Pamela developed another style of working on a traditional sewing machine which allowed her to create a rich texture utilizing a unique piecing method.

After thirty years of making quilts professionally, Pamela began to explore the possibilities of creating that long desired densely textured work with the relatively new technology of the longarm quilting machine.

After Pamela designs and constructs the quilt top, she meets with the longarm quilter and they discuss the intent of the piece in great dept h.

Sample drawings are often made on a piece of mylar stretched over the quilt top. When a schematic drawing of the entire piece is finally achieved, the actual quilting is executed.

The most subtle of contemporary quilts, La Trapunta is Pamela's interpretation of the classic whole cloth quilt. The design area of the quilt is cut and pieced of the same piece of silk fabric. Then, by sewing the cut pieces in such a manner that the direction of the warp threads are altered, subtle changes in color and texture emerge. After the quilt top is constructed it is densely quilted with a longarm quilting machine. The longarm quilter interprets and executes Pamela's quilting design in a free hand drawing style that ranges from the attenuated to the explosive. The result is a richly textured, color nuanced and sophisticated bed cover.

As mathematically precise as the quilt top is, Pamela constructs the backing with an improvisational random piecing method. When the quilt is completed there is the very deliberate quilt top and the unanticipated back which is veritably a piece in its own right consisting of the random piecing and, now, what appears to be random quilting.

These quilts are always one of a kind. The top and back are constructed usually of all silk, linen or cotton. The fill can be either pure wool, cotton or Polarguard 3D. The quilt is completely reversible and, as always, signed and dated. Most are completely machine washable in a commercial washer with cold water. While washable, the silk will look better longer if professionally dry cleaned.

Each quilt is custom made to meet the design and color needs of the client. Price is determined by size. There is a base price of a $750.00 design fee plus $54.00 square foot.

La Coperta is currently available only through the artist and Artful Home (The Guild)