Welcome to Mel Beach Quilts Gallery
Please click on any of the images below to view more of my quilts and projects.
Please click on any of the images below to view more of my quilts and projects.
I am fascinated with mandala designs and have enjoyed incorporating them into my quilts via piecing, applique and wholecloth quilting.
20” x 20”
Hand Dyed Mandala transformed with free motion quilted mandala designs.
21” x 21”
Hand Dyed Mandala transformed with free-motion quilted mandala designs
21” x 21”
Hand Dyed and Quilted Mandala
22” x 22”
Each measures 4” x 6”
Made for Pokey Bolton’s Stay Pawsitive! Fundraiser to benefit the Wags & Whisker’s Rescue serving families impacted by the Camp Fire.
Raw Edge fused mandala made for the 2018 Hoffman Fabric Challenge using 377 gem stones from the challenge fabric.
Awarded Hoffman’s Curator Choice for the Applique category and juried into the traveling exhibit.
32” x 33”
17" x 18"
Wholecloth Mandala Quilt with Mod Mola Cutwork
12" x 12"
12" x 12"
27" x 24"
Mod Mandala made for the 2017 Hoffman Challenge
22" x 22"
Hand dyed Wholecloth Mandala quilt.
22" x 22"
Hand Dyed Wholecloth Mandala Quilt
22" x 22"
Mod Mandala made for Project Quilting's Off Season challenge theme: Summer Sizzle.
10" x 10"
FiberShot made for San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles 2018 Champagne Gala
22" x 22"
Patriotic Inspired Mod Mandala
21" x 21"
Sample for Mod Mandalas Workshop
22" x 22"
Hand Dyed and quilted Mandala
31" x 31"
Juried into the Michael Miller Fabric Challenge for QuiltCon 2017
22" x 22"
Made for Project Quilting Season 8, Challenge #1: 8 is Great!
29" x 29"
Modern Mandala
Crayon Etched Mandala
Finishes 18"x19"
"Mystical Mandala", 21"x21" wholecloth quilt designed as part of Project Quilting Season 7 "All About That Thread" challenge.
10"x10"
Companion piece to another Mini Mandala made for San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles.
Finished 10"x10"
Donated to the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles for their annual FiberShots fundraiser.
20" x 20"
Made for Cherrywood Lion King Challenge.
Blog Post
Improvisational piecing using the Slice and Insert technique can be very freeing, forgiving and FUN! And look at all the design possibilities for this one basic technique!!
23” x 23”
12” x 12”
Made for Project Quilting 10.2: Red, White and Blue Challenge theme
33” x 33”
Selected as a Finalist for the MQG/Riley Blake Designs Fabric Challenge 2018, Awarded Judges Choice in 2018 San Mateo County Fair.
37" x 37"
Made for the 2018 Michael Miller Our Yard Fabric Challenge
35"x35"
10"x10"
Made for Machine Quilting Unlimited's 10x10 challenge.
Sampler Quilt Made for my "Slice of Improv" workshop
20"x36"
Made for Project Quilting Season 7 Challenge theme: Confetti
50" x 60" Community Quilt made with blocks that were improv-pieced and donated by Q101 attendees at my May "Slice of Improv" demos.
Interleave quilts are the brainchild of Lorrie Cranor. With her blessing, I have had a lot of fun using different fabric combinations to create Intriguing Interleave quilts of my own.
17" x 17"
17" x 21"
17" x 18"
31"x15"
16"x16"
44" x 44"
17” x 19”
Made for Project Quilting 10.1 Hope Springs Eternal
12" x 12"
Inspired by and made for The Quilt Show starring Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims.
18" x 20"
16" x 20"
18" x 20"
18" x 22"
27" x 21"
10" x 10"
FiberShot Donation for The San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles Champagne Gala/Fundraiser
18" x 19"
Made for Project Quilting Season 7 "Through a Child's Eye" Challenge
18" x 18"
Walking Foot WOW! designs with the Mod Mola cut outs.
These quilts were designed and made as part of Project Quilting quilt challenges. Each challenge has a unique theme and participants have just 1 week to start and finish a quilted project inspired by the challenge theme! This is such a fun challenge series and while the challenge weeks are intense, they have inspired me to try new designs, techniques, and have fun!!
26” x 27”
Challenge Theme: Craving Chocolate
12” x 12”
Challenge Theme: Abecedarius
19.5" W, 11" H and 10" D
Challenge Theme: Bigger Than a Breadbox
19” x 16”
Challenge Theme: Pixel Play
12” x 12”
Challenge Theme: Red, White and Blue
17” x 19”
Challenge Theme: Hope Springs Eternal
30" x 51"
Challenge Theme: SCRAPtastic
Unconventional Materials: Recycled Plastic Items (plastic bags, bubble wrap, bottle caps, bottle base, snack packaging, bath poof, potato bag netting, bread bag tags, 6-pack rings, collar tab, guest visitor clip)
16" x 16"
Challenge Theme: A Stitch In Time...
Unconventional Materials: Post It Notes/Page Markers, CD Envelopes, Self-Adhesive Plastic Tabs, Paperclips & Staples.
20" x 20"
Challenge Theme: Mellow Yellow
Unconventional Materials: UNO cards regular and party size
21" x 24"
Challenge Theme: Brave and Bold
Unconventional Materials: Nylon paracord, carabiner and pulley
38" x 44"
Challenge Theme: Triangulation
Unconventional Material: Holographic Film
22" x 34"
Challenge Theme: Hometown Proud
Unconventional Material: 2 Outdated HP Laptops
20" x 18"
Challenge Theme: Time is Up
Inspiration: Deconstructed Clock
34" x 34"
Challenge Theme: Well-Dressed Man
Inspiration: Pocket Squares
March 2017
36" x 18"
Challenge Theme: Brighter is Better
Inspiration: Bright butterfly print and lamé fabric
February 2017
22" x 22"
Challenge Theme: Tune into Texture
Inspiration: Textures of citrus fruit grown in the Silicon Valley area.
February 2017
33" x 29"
Challenge Theme: Carolina Lily
Inspiration: Stargazer Lily
January 2017
22" x 22"
Challenge Theme: 8 is Great!
Inspiration: Mandala
January 2017
18"x19"
Challenge Theme: Through the Eyes of a Child
Inspiration: Crayon Scratched Art
March 2016
21"x21"
Challenge Theme: "A Goose in the Monkey Wrench" challenge
Inspiration: Flying Geese and Monkey Wrench blocks
March 2016
16"x22"
Challenge Theme: I Need a Vacation
Inspiration: Southwest and Gardening
February 2016
21"x21"
Challenge Theme: All About That Thread
Inspiration: Wholecloth Quilted Mandala
February 2016
41"x20"
Challenge Theme: Seasons
Inspiration: Changing Leaves throughout the 4 Seasons
January 2016
20"x36"
Challenge Theme: Confetti
Inspiration: Confetti using Slice and Insert technique
January 2016
I love participating in Quilt Challenges, especially fabric challenges. These are some of my innovative (and some award winning) entries to recent fabric quilt challenges.
31” x 31”
Made for the MQG/Riley Blake Designs Fabric Challenge 2018
20" x 20"
Made for the 2017 Cherrywood van Gogh Challenge, uses Karen Eckmeier's Layered Waves technique.
24" x 24"
Selected as one of ten Finalists for the 2017 MQG/Riley Blake Creative Rockstar Fabric Challenge.
27" x 24"
Mod Mandala Made for the 2018 Hoffman Challenge
20" x 20"
Made for the 2016 Cherrywood Lion King Challenge
Blog Posts:
Part 3: The Finish
Part 2: The Mandala Design
Part 1: The Fabric
34" x 42"
Made for the 2016 Hoffman Challenge featuring the Crystalia print.
56"x70"
Finalist for the Be Creative! quilt challenge
15"x15"
Made for American Made Brand Tiny Quilt Challenge
25"x36"
Accepted into the Hoffman Challenge Travelling Exhibit
70"x70"
Made for the 2015 MQG Riley Blake Fabric Challenge.
54" x 71"
Finalist for American Made Brand's "Celebrating Farm to Fabric" Challenge.
33" x 26"
Accepted into the 2014 Hoffman Challenge Travelling Exhibit.
20"x20"
Finalist for the 2014 Wicked Cherrywood Challenge.
Wicked Cherrywood Challenge website
This series of quilts were designed and made as part of Project Quilting "A Focus Through the Prism" challenge series. Each quilt finishes at 20" square, is designed based on the month's block inspiration and features one color of fabric from the Cherrywood ROYGBIV bundle.
Inspiration Block: Monkey Wrench
Inspiration Color: Orange
Inspiration Block: Friendship Star
Inspiration Color: Indigo
Inspiration Block: Log Cabin
Inspiration Color: Violet
Inspiration Block: Pinwheel
Inspiration Color: Green
Inspiration Block: Flying Geese
Inspiration Color: Blue
Inspiration Block: 9-Patch
Inspiration Color: Yellow
Inspiration Block: Snowball
Inspiration Color: Red
Blog Post
12" modern makeover blocks designed as part of Modern Quilts Unlimited "Everything Old Is New Again" monthly challenges featuring Michael Miller fabrics (mostly Cotton Couture solids)
72"x72"
Juried into Houston International Quilt Association’s Judged Show 2018, Awarded Best Modern Quilt Special Award and 1st Place Large/XL Modern Quilt at San Mateo County Fair, 3rd Place in 2017 Pacific International Quilt Festival/Mid-Century Mod Modern Quilt Competition, Best Modern Quilt and 1st Place in the Large/XL Modern Quilts Category at the 2018 San Mateo County Fair.
Inspiration: Jacob's Ladder Block
Inspiration: Drunkard's Path
Inspiration: LeMoyne Star Block
Blog Post
Inspiration: Sailboat Block
Tied for Winner (as voted by viewers)
Blog Post
Inspiration: Rail Fence block.
Blog Post
Inspiration: Square in a Square Block
Blog post
Inspiration: Double Pinwheel Block
Blog Post
Inspiration: Bow Tie Block
Blog Post
Inspiration: Deck of Cards Block
Inspiration: Ohio Star Block
Blog Post
Inspiration Block: Snail's Trail
Blog Post
Inspiration: Flying Geese Block
Blog Post
Here are more of my quilts that celebrate bright colors and beautiful quilted textures.
17” x 18”
Inspired by traditional Kawandi quilts made by Siddis quiltmakers
19” x 19”
Mini quilt for Free Styling & Spiraling Workshop
21” x 26”
Hummingbirds made using Kathy McNeil Feathers are Flying workshop pattern.
58” x 58”
Made using Ricky Tim’s Kool Kaleidoscope technique.
54” x 54”
Started in Kathy Doughty’s Modern Wedge Workshop
50” x 50”
Started in an English Paper Piecing class and evolved over the course of 5 years.
37" x 37"
Improv Pieced Spiral Blocks
13.5" x 13.5"
Made for Curated Quilts Triangle Mini Challenge. Awarded 2nd Place Ribbon for Small Pieced Quilted Wall Hanging in the 2018 San Mateo County Fair and 8th Place in Quilt Expo’s 2018 Modern Mini Quilt Challenge.
47" x 52"
Improv pieced spirals and flying geese units
27" x 41"
Made in Consideration of SAQA's Guns: Loaded Conversations Exhibit
24" x 27"
Made for the 2017 SCVQA "What the $%#& Was I Thinking?!?" Quilt Challenge
39" x 34"
Juried into the Threads of Resistance Traveling Exhibit.
12" x 18"
Made as part of Katie Pasquini Mosopust's Color & Composition online course.
53" x 53"
Made in response to the 2016 United States Presidential Election.
Featured in KQED's First 100 Days: Art in the Age of Trump
45" x 45"
Made for Project Quilting's Off Season Challenge: June Buggy
Juried into Houston International Quilt Association’s Judged Show 2018 and the SCVQA Jazz Impressions Exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles.
Awarded an Honorable Mention ribbon in the Wall Quilts category at Pacific International Quilt Festival, October 2016.
Finishes 40"x 24"
Blog Post
50" x 50"
Made as part of RaNae Merrill's Free Motion Mastery in a Month online laboratory. Published in RaNae Merrill's "Free Motion Mastery in a Month" A Block a Day to Machine Quilting Success!" book (Dec 2016).
Improv pieced blocks. Quilted by Jan Briggs of Quilting Among the Groves.
50" x 60"
Improv pieced blocks and quilting inspired by jazz music performed by Louis Armstong. Juried into the SCVQA "Jazz Impressions" exhibit at San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles.
30" x 30"
Gradated Postage Stamp blocks made from 2.5" charms.
40" x 40"
40" x 40"
Fused flowers and background.
29" x 23"
Made and published in RaNae Merrill's book: "Sideways Spiral Quilts"
Finishes 36"x36"
Blog Post
11"x14"
Blog Post
Color wheel measuring 11" on each side
40"x40"
Made for the 2015 MQG EZ Quilting Triangle Challenge
16"x16"
Made for the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles 2015 Fiber Shots fundraiser
12"x14
Viewer's Choice for Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association's "Blast from the Past" Quilt Challenge celebrating 40th Anniversary
30"x30"
Made using 1" strips of hand dyed fabric from 2014 UFO Exchange
33"x33"
Exhibited at 2014 Pacific International Quilt Festival
14"x14"
I love hand dyeing my own fabrics. I work mostly with Pimatex cotton and procion fiber reactive dyes. It is fun to see the dyes interact to create explosions of color and texture. Now I just need to muster the courage to cut up these lovelies and incorporate more of them into my quilts!!
As part of my mandala series, I also hand dye my own mandala designs. Several of these mandala designs have been embellished with free-motion quilting and turned into Wholecloth Quilts, which are posted in the Magnificent Mandalas gallery.
