Photos: Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts are works of art
Lisa Fryxell's quilts begin with photographic portraits that are turned into patterns. Many are of rescue animals that look like much more than a way to stay warm on a winter night.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Peaches is just one of Lisa Fryxell’s quilts that uses animals as a subject.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A closer look at Peaches.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
This detail shows Peaches’ eyes, made of at least 20 pieces each.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Lisa Fryxell designs paper-pieced quilts and often teaches classes at libraries and the Quilter’s Market.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
This rider racing for the cure is made of 26 pieces from handlebar to end. It is one of the riders in the "Crossing the Finish Line" quilt runner.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
The beginnings of a bicycle rider a student's version of the "Crossing the Finish Line" quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Pieces that will make up a rider in the "Crossing the Finish Line" quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Detail of a bicycle rider in the "Crossing the Finish Line" quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A felt board helps in deciding how to place the riders in the "Crossing the Finish Line" quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
a few finished riders for the "Crossing the Finish Line" quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
The finish line on the "Crossing the Finish Line" quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
The jerseys of the racing cyclists required 20 to 35 pieces each.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Some bicyclists on the "Crossing the Finish Line" quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A detail of a biker on the "Crossing the Finish Line" quilt. There are 35 pieces in the biker and handlebars. The entire biker piece is roughly six inches long.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Fryxell often makes quilts from photos of adoptable shelter cats.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Fryxell sells her designs and quilts through her website prefurredquilts.com. The quilts are pre-furred by Fryxell's cat.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Quilted art decorates Lisa Fryxell's home.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Quilted art decorates Lisa Fryxell's home.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A square on a Mimbres quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A square on a Mimbres quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A square on a Mimbres quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A square on a Mimbres quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A square on a Mimbres quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A square on a Mimbres quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A square on a Mimbres quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A square on a Mimbres quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A square on a Mimbres quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A square on a Mimbres quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A square on a Mimbres quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A square on a Mimbres quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A full-size quilt of Mimbres designs.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Bicyclists racing. Every color variation is another piece of fabric, or perhaps several if the appearance of a curve is needed.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A Mimbres design in a bowl-shaped quilt.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A Mimbres design in a bowl-shaped quilt. The insides of Mimbres pottery often have detailed designs while the outsides are plain.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A cactus fiesta.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Meet the Skullytones.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A Mimbres design on a pillow.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A beach scene.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Detail on the beach scene.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Detail of a chair on the beach scene. Each shadow or variation in color requires different fabrics. Even pieces that are one color may require a lot of piecing to accommodate the shapes of adjacent pieces.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Fleece Navidad.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Howling at the moon. This design is on a pillow.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
A quail and her babies.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Detail of the quail.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Fryxell begins each animal quilt by paper piecing the eyes and then the nose. She says if she can get these right, the rest will follow.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Fryxell does many designs of animals. Having worked with shelter animals, The subject is close to her heart.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
An eye detail.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Fryxell took a photo of a young bobcat that wandered onto the foothills property where she lives with her husband and made this quilt design from the photo.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
The windows to the soul. Finding enough different shades of gray can be difficult when making a quilt like this one. The best-selling book notwithstanding, fabric stores aren't likely to sell 50 shades of gray at one time.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
The man in the maze.
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
Lisa Fryxell's paper-pieced quilts
The designs are cut into smaller, more manageable pieces.
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Lisa Fryxell's quilts are works of art. Many are of rescue animals that look more like portraits than a way to stay warm on a winter night.