Summer is here at the International Quilt Museum! And we are sharing this colorful, summer-inspired piece as our Quilt of the Month for July. 

Made by artist Patty Hawkins in 1991, this quilt depicts a summer-evening landscape with stylized clouds and lightning. Hawkins employed a variety of printed fabrics, metallic thread, sequins and beads in the quilt's design. 

According to the artist, this piece was the result of a summer evening with friends at a Quilt National gathering in Ohio — an experience that was reminiscent of her youth in Shreveport, Louisiana. 

From the artist:

An abundance of lightning bugs, coupled with a dry electrical storm in the sky, caused overwhelming lighting effect. It seemed all the electrical power in the sky was being funneled into the house across the street. So, it must be ET's House. It was truly one of those rare summer nights I associated with childhood and playing outside after dark.

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Lightning Bugs & Lightning Bolts (at ET's House on a Summer Night)

Patty Hawkins

Made in Lyons, Colorado, United States; dated 1991

Cotton 

IQM 2023.044.0005