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I’m not what you would call a shabby chic sort of gal. I spent my early fashion years at Calvin Klein, where John Pawson and Donald Judd loomed large. Too many tchotchkes make me nervous, and calico is not my fabric of choice.
However, after seeing the remarkable quilts of Rosie Lee Tompkins exhibited at the Berkeley Art Museum, I have a new found obsession with all things patchwork. Her incredible improvisation of shapes, assemblage of materials, and unbridled use of color have me rethinking my minimalistic ways.
I’ve even gone so far as to consider making my own quilt. Never mind that my one foray into sewing resulted in an unfortunate concoction of a dress that I wore to Sunday school to entice my crush, Wren Autrey. Unsurprisingly he was not moved, bringing my sewing career to an abrupt end.
Until I have mastered the zigzag stitch, I’ll get my patchwork fashion fix from those far more qualified than myself. And it seems that I am not alone in my obsession: Designers have applied the principles of quilting to jackets, shirts, and handbags. Below, 12 patchwork fashion and home items to satisfy your inner maximalist.
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