Are patterns available for any of these quilts?

No, each of these quilts is an original work of art. 

As one of the foremost teachers of design for pieced quilts, Ruth focused her professional life on teaching students how to design their own original piecing patterns. Her pair of books, Ruth B. McDowell's Piecing Workshop and Ruth B. McDowell's Design Workshop, distill the essence of her process, and will guide you into making your own patterns for your own quilts. The Piecing Workshop book also contains patterns for a sample block and two art quilts, a Maple Leaf and a Waterlily. You can find all Ruth’s books here. Some of them are out of print, but you can often find them on eBay and used on Amazon.

Is anyone currently teaching Ruth’s methods?

We (her daughters) don’t know of anyone. If you’re reading this and you’re teaching her methods or techniques, please let us know!

How long did it take Ruth to make a quilt?

Fifty years of practice and hundreds of hours. 

How are the quilts constructed? Are they appliqué?

All of Ruth’s work is pieced; she didn’t use appliqué or glue for any of the components, except in very rare occasions where noted. Each quilt contains hundreds of individual pieces.

How are they quilted?

All of Ruth’s quilts made after 1990 are machine quilted. She drew the quilting with free-motion stitches as she went, with a darning foot on a regular machine with a slightly wider arm space. Ruth’s quilts made before 1990 are hand quilted.

Did Ruth dye her own fabric?

Ruth did not dye fabric. She enjoyed the creative challenge of using commercial fabrics to create her work; she found the results to be visually richer and more unexpected. She occasionally used hand-dyed fabric in her quilts, but only if it was gifted to her.