Quilts: Pattern and Rhythm

The Nelson Art Gallery, located in UC Davis, currently is displaying many African American sewn quilts. Each quilt has its own unique pattern and design. Although all the quilts are different they all share two elements of design, pattern and rhythm.


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Many of the quilt’s creators are unknown, and therefore untitled. One of these unknown quilts had a very simple pattern. The quilt had four sections and in each section one flower with six petals. The repetition of this image is considered pattern. Since the quilt has a repetition of shapes and color, the design is more attractive to the viewer. The flowers cause the viewer’s eyes to rotate around the quilt in stead of focusing on one focal point. Rhythm is another element utilized in this design to make the viewer’s eyes circulate around the quilt. The petals on the flowers are each facing in different directions; three petals curving to the left and three curving to the right. This technique adds a flow or rhythm to the design, just as different repeated notes add rhythm to music.

Another quilt that was displayed at the gallery was called, “Piano Keys” and created by Avis Collins Robinson, 2009. This particular quilt had much pattern and rhythm as well. It consisted of many vertical fabric strips of different lengths and colors. In fact, it only utilizes different shades of the primary colors; blue, red, and yellow. Each color occupies one third of the space and transitions into each other. This can be defined as pattern because of the pattern of the different shades of color and because of the pattern of the vertical lines and nature of the quilt. The quilts title, “Piano Keys” implies rhythm and the vertical patterns represent keys on a piano.

Therefore, quilts are often a perfect example of pattern and rhythm utilized in design.




Quilt By: Avis Collins Robinson
Title: Sharecropper's Masterpiece, 2008 (featured at the Nelson Art Gallery, UC Davis)
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