Zebra Portrait
62” x 85”
Materials: cotton quilting fabric
Methods: traditional piecing, needle-turn hand appliqué
Pattern designed by Jill Huntington
Based on artwork by Josh Brill
Pieced by Jill Huntington
Machine quilted by Nancy Stovall, Just Quilting PDX
2019
Captivated by the amazing graphic work of artist Josh Brill of Portland, Maine, I sought to recreate his illustration of Zebra Portrait into quilt form. Josh’s art translates beautifully into a bold, graphic quilt, unmistakably modern and striking in its color and line. Interestingly, I flipped the image, preferring to have the zebra face towards the right (a nod to my mom’s training in handwriting analysis, in which images facing right are interpreted to be facing the future).
To create the pattern, I drew it to scale on large pieces of easel paper taped together. My husband, Dana Huntington, created some of the curved parts using Adobe Illustrator (the ears, eyes, and snout). The greatest challenge in constructing it came when piecing the diagonal lines of the neck. The fabric, cut on the bias there, had too much stretch (bring on the spray starch). In addition, sewing with the quarter-inch seam allowance made for troubling issues with the neck points matching. My seam ripper became my constant frenemy. However, I was absolutely insistent that I get the points to line up just right; to do otherwise would be to diminish the artwork.
With Josh’s written consent, I have displayed Zebra Portrait at various quilt shows. (I do not have copyright privileges to make, sell, or distribute the pattern.)
1st place, Original Design - Oregon State Fair, Salem, Oregon (September 2023)
Viewers Choice - Willamette Valley Quilt Festival, Albany, Oregon (January 2020)
2nd place, Modern - NW Quilting Expo, Portland, Oregon (September 2019)
I tried to jury it into QuiltCon (February 2020) in a special-exhibit category that year called “STRIPES,” but it was not selected. Too representational, perhaps.
© 2023-2024 Jill Huntington, Huntington Quilt Design, HQD
All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce, sell, or commercialize in any form without permission.
