Show & Tell

"Woodland Chromatics" 1984, by Libby Lehman

When you belong to a quilt guild, one of the highlights of each meeting is Show & Tell. I like to bring antique and vintage quilts to share, but I brought a much more recent quilt to the last guild meeting. It was made in 1984 by Libby Lehman. She called it "Woodland Chromatics" and inscribed it with ink and embroidery.

Libby Lehman

The audience collectively gasped when they heard the name Libby Lehman. I was delighted so many people there knew her name. There were others who never heard of her before. They would learn about Libby for the first time by seeing her magnificent, modern quilt.

A more recent photo of Libby

A few years ago, Libby suffered from a brain aneurysm followed by a stroke. Last year, several of her quilts came up for auction, the proceeds designated to offset her medical expenses. When I saw her "Woodland Chromatics" quilt from 1984, I fell in love. I had to have it.

"Woodland Chromatics" 1984 by Libby Lehman, photo by Matthew Stovall

"Woodland Chromatics" was one of the earliest quilts in the auction that revealed Libby's true potential as a master quiltmaker. It foreshadowed the quilts of the 21st century. Here are some detail photos showing the fresh colors and playful hand quilting.