CheapThrills: A delicious treat for quilt and color lovers

January 10, 2008

A delicious treat for quilt and color lovers

I generally stay away from divulging too much about my friends and family... but in light of recent news from my aunt, I simply can't resist.

My family has always been very creatively charged. Our creativity, for the most part, manifests itself in three ways: music, words, and crafts. My grandfather played the piano with jazz legends including Ella Fitzgerald. My father played the tenor saxophone and the piano. And my uncle, Rusty Hassan, is a Washingtonian (D.C., that is) jazz historian and DJ.

My mom gardens, creates stained-glass stepping-stones, and writes. And my aunt, Sondra Hassan (she also goes by Sandy) quilts. Magnificently. She uses color in ways I’ve never dreamed were possible. Or maybe I should say, in ways I’ve only experienced in my dreams.

My aunt has been quilting for decades - for as long as I can remember. Whenever I visit D.C. with my mom for holidays or family events, we are always eager to check out my aunt’s new quilts. And she’s always excited to show them to us. In fact, 5 minutes after we’ve arrived, we are downstairs in her basement gasping in awe at the new patterns and color palettes that my aunt has created. They are never anything less than breath taking.

But my aunt is funny. You see, she loves her quilts. She’s very attached to them. But she also has a hard time recognizing the power that they possess. It's baffling!

For me, that power comes in the form of a strong tug on my heart. When I see one of her quilts, I need to have it. I need to see and to feel that explosion of color every day of my life. I know others feel the same way. In fact, my aunt has been told that her quilts are worth thousands. She’s even been told that her quilts are museum quality.

And though she has shown her work in art galleries around D.C. and has been features in several books, she is only now (FINALLY) setting up to sell them. Or at least a few ;) But this small step for my aunt is a huge step for mankind. Because, in my opinion, the world simply needs this kind of color. It’s inspirational.

She has established a blog as a place where she can showcase her work and converse with customers. She’s still working out her angle, her “sales” voice, her pricing, and her story—as well as figuring out what the hell a blog is anyway—but I think she’s done a fabulous job so far.

So I wanted to share my aunt's work with you sooner than later—if not only to decorate your day. I’ve included a couple photos of her quilts here, but for the full experience you must visit her site: www.SondraHassan.com. In particular, be sure to check out her Pattern Gallery.