Tara | SewEndipitous® Art Exhibit

Some quilts have a front and a back. Tara has two sides worth seeing.

Pieced by Debbie Hollis and quilted by Quilting Sew Sweet, this exhibit uses the Tara pattern from Stripology Mixology 3 by GE Designs and features the Kindness fabric collection designed by Deb Strain for Moda Fabrics. Rather than treating the reverse as simply the finishing layer behind the quilt, Debbie created a second composition — giving the piece two distinct personalities connected by one beautifully gentle story.

The patterned side begins with a field of softly colored squares floating within a pale background. Mint, blush, peach, cream, and delicate floral prints move diagonally across the quilt, punctuated by smaller peach squares that create subtle pathways between the larger blocks. The arrangement feels light and airy, allowing each fabric to be appreciated individually while maintaining a graceful rhythm across the entire surface.

There is an almost garden-like quality to this side. Roses, tiny blossoms, butterflies, and leafy motifs appear and disappear from block to block, while the generous negative space gives the composition room to breathe. A floral border gathers those scattered details together, creating a soft frame around the interior design.

Then the quilt turns over — and the conversation changes.

The second side makes fuller use of the message behind the Kindness collection. Large floral panels carry sentiments centered on kindness, compassion, and the effect those choices have on the world around us. Mixed among coordinating florals, butterflies, and softly colored prints, the words become part of the visual composition rather than simply something printed onto the fabric.

That transformation from one side to the other makes Tara particularly interesting as a textile work. The first side communicates primarily through color, placement, and pattern. The second communicates through language and imagery. One invites quiet observation; the other speaks directly.

The quilting becomes the element that physically and visually connects them. Flowing floral forms travel across both surfaces in a soft aqua thread, adding another layer of blossoms, leaves, and graceful curves. On the lighter areas especially, the stitching becomes almost illustrative — as though another garden has been drawn across the fabric with thread.

And because the same quilting travels through both compositions, neither side truly exists independently of the other. Each stitch belongs simultaneously to two different works of design.

That is what elevates this quilt beyond the idea of simply having an attractive backing. Debbie has used the entire textile surface. Turning the quilt over does not reveal what was hidden behind the artwork.

It reveals the rest of it.