Cotton dyed with avocado, a tank top from 2009-­ ish, a found patchwork and handkerchief, lace, metal milagros, and cotton thread

Hand embroidered, hand appliquéd, hand weaving, hand-knotted needle lace, and hand quilted

2022

57 x 57”

You can hear me tell the story of this quilt in my Quilt National Artist’s Talk (7 minutes)!

I began this quilt while my grandma Mimi was in Memory Care; I found myself grieving her loss while she was in a liminal space, about to pass in 2024. Traveling to Santa Fe, New Mexico reconnected me with smells, tastes, and memories that reignited my fondest memories of her. Mimi organized a collaborative quilt to celebrate my birth in 1982, and this quilt is my celebration of her life.

Exhibitions:

At Home, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey, MI (2026)

Statement Pieces: Quilts with Something to Say, Textile Arts Center of Madison, Madison, WI (2025)

Heidi Parkes: Soft Magic, Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts, Cedarburg, WI (2025)

QuiltCon presented by the Modern Quilt Guild, Phoenix, AZ (2025)

Quilt National ‘23: The Best of Contemporary Quilts at Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, Morehead, MN (2024)

Quilt National ‘23: The Best of Contemporary Quilts at Canton Museum of Art, Canton, OH (2023)

Quilt National ‘23: The Best of Contemporary Quilts at European Patchwork Meeting, Espace de Tisserands, Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, France (2023)

Quilt National, Diary Barn Arts Center, Athens, OH (2023)

Awards:

2nd Place, Handwork, QuiltCon, Phoenix AZ (2025)

*Shipping may take up to 2 weeks

*Shipping within the United States is included in the purchase price. To make an international purchase, contact Heidi at HeidiParkesArt@gmail.com