Salli McQuaid: Fiesta block, 12"w x 12"h, 2011.

Artist 's Statement

I used sixteen fabrics to create this colorful pictorial block for the Walla Walla Valley Quilt Festival 2011 block challenge. For me, the colors, difficult asymmetrical balance, and imagery worked out beautifully. It's my best block to date. Fabric in the bottom of the block, designed by Ricky Tims, was the required fabric to incorporate. The required theme was "fiesta, fiesta." In my block, I carried out the theme of my large quilt Fiesta de los Angeles (created especially for this show). Note that the block's central figure is an angel whose skirt is highlighted with couched metallic braid.

Private Collection: Walla Walla, WA, USA

Materials: textiles (16 fabrics), ⅛" braids.

Techniques: machine piecing, couching.