I recently learned the most important thing about Amanda Leins (aka Mandy or Mandalei Quilts). You pronounce her last name like LIONS. Got it? Good! 🙂 The second most important thing about Mandy is that she’s just written an amazing book with the incredibly appropriate title of Wanderlust Quilts.
So what are Wanderlust Quilts you ask? They are quilts inspired by the art, architecture, and history of ancient civilizations and the objects made by human hands that remain behind, made to gain a fuller understanding of the people who lived in that time and place.
In her book, Amanda presents 10 beautifully original patterns, along with photographs of the places and events that inspired those designs. Her background is in archaeology, so it’s a natural fit that she’s inspired by her previous work and life experiences.
My Favorite Quilt
Eggs and Darts, pieced by Sue Bishop and Quilted by Amanda Leins, won first place in the Modern Category at NQA Quilt Show in Little Rock, AR earlier this year.
My favorite quilt from the book is Eggs and Darts. The quilt design is stunning and I love the expansive negative space which allows for copious amounts of machine quilting. I had the pleasure of viewing this stunning quilt close and in person earlier this year at the NQA quilt show.
I’d award a Best in Show ribbon to Wanderlust Quilts if I could.
In fact, I love going to quilt shows because they inspire me so much. I’m such a big advocate of showing your work, not for the glory or ribbons, but simply to share your artistry with the viewer. I never really understood the phrase “art moves me” until I began viewing quilts as art when hung in quilt shows. I can stare at them for hours and imagine all of the possibilities if I were to make this quilt my own.
Here’s a better view of the luscious detail quilting of Eggs and Darts:
In addition to being an amazing pattern designer, Mandy’s quilting will knock your socks off, too. (Photo by Nissa Brehmer)
Egg and Dart detail – photography courtesy of C&T.
I also love that along with beautiful quilt photography, each quilt includes a photograph of the architectural details that inspired it. Here’s a closeup of a facade of the Pantheon, showing a small egg and dart row. I learned this fun fact from Mandy’s book: historically, the egg and dart motif was used as a very small detail on a temple, or as a bit of a border between features.
Wanderlust Quilts Giveaway
Mandy’s publisher, C&T is very generously giving away a book to one person at each stop along the blog hop. To enter, please leave your comment below telling me where you would love to travel to find your quilting inspiration. I’ll keep the comments open until November 15th, the last day of the hop.
Aquaducts, another favorite of mine. Photography by Nissa Brehmer.
Be sure to visit Mandy’s blog for the full blog hop schedule so that you too can be taken along an imaginary journey into far off places.
I have to end this post with this fun little image I noticed when looking for Mandy’s book on Amazon. It made me smile. 🙂
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Christa Quilts 
This book looks fantastic! I’m planning to visit southwestern Minnesota next year: Pipestone and Comfrey, MN. Both are located within driving distance from home, so it’s more likely to happen than a longer trip. I expect the Jeffers Petroglyphs at Comfrey will provide inspiration for quilting or needlework or other craft designs. And I’d really like to observe the carving of Native American pipes at the Pipestone National Monument!
Andalusia, please! or better yet, send Mandy Leins, so we could get her take on the Alhambra and the other Moorish architectural wonders.
I would love to travel to Norway, where my father was born. Norwegians have many art forms (hardanger embroidery, rosmaling, fine carpentry, Nordic knitting patterns) among others. Norway also has such wonderful sites to see, most of all the fjords. The history is rich and has great meaning to me. This would provide a lifetime of inspiration!
For design inspiration I’d go to Turkey and the Middle East to study the tapestries and the tile mosaics.
I would travel to the east coast of Canada in the fall. The colours are amazing.
While world travel would be fun and very inspirational, I’d stick to the good old USA and go anywhere I could find works of any kind by Frank Lloyd Wright. I love the clean, simple lines of his works. Thanks for the chance to win!
I would LOVE to go to Greece for quilting inspiration.
At the top of my travel bucket list is Kyoto, Japan, during the Cherry Blossom Festival.
India!
Just to travel, I hope hope hope to one day go to Scotland. For design inspiration, I would love to go to Morroco. I love the simple design shapes they use and also the intricate ones.
I’d like to travel in the western part of the US, visiting Bryce, Zion and Glacier National Parks!!
I’d love to go back to the Alhambra, but next year’s trip is about 13K miles around the US. My top pick from that site would be ….hmmmm, Zion in Utah or in CA, Jeddidiah State Park, or Canada, or…. no way to pick just one.
Christina, on a very separate non blog related item, please contact me via email.
I would love to travel to Venice, to visit St. Peter’s Square, and to have a ride in a gondola!
I want to travel to Russia and England, I’m sure I would find tons of inspiration in both!
I’d like to travel to England to see the old graveyards.
I’d like to head north, Alaska, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and so many other places!
I really want to visit London someday!
I love travel in general! I’d really love to go back to Italy and France and England, I’d love to see Scotland, and I’d really love to go to New Zealand.
Almost everywhere I have traveled I have seen inspiration for a quilt. I really want to go to Europe and definitely see it as a place for great quilt inspiration.
I think travel anywhere can provide us with inspiration, but I would probably choose to go to the Orient for modern geometric designs the appear in the architecture there.
I hope to go to Australia one day…….aboriginal inspiration abounds
I’d go back to Australia!
I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland and Italy and Greece and France and…Anywhere sounds good, really! Mandy’s book looks amazing. Thanks for the chance to win. Oh, and thanks for sharing how to pronounce her last name 🙂
I,d like t travel to Sweden.
I have always wanted to visit Amsterdam, I find inspiration everywhere I go!
I would love to travel to Tuscany
I would love to go to a quilt show in America, any show, as I can’t believe how huge they are ! I know I’d be inspired 😃
I just saw a show on Barcelona. I’ve always loved the work of Gaudi, but now I realize how inspiring it can be to a quilter. Not as precise as some other architecture styles- more Improvisational to be sure.
Oh my goodness!! Aquaducts speaks to me!! I want to make it today!! It looks like doors!! And the first one looks like a crown! Can we say pretty in jewel tones for a little princess??? Ok I’m all in! I beef this book yesterday!! ;0)
I would love to go to Israel for inspiration. Thank you for the great giveaway!
I would love to travel to Hawaii and Sweden.
I would like to travel to the southwestern US to gather design inspiration from the native American cultures and the landscape that inspired them
I’m lucky enough to live in Europe and have traveled a fair amount (distances aren’t that huge here!) both here and in Asia, but I would love to travel to Japan and Australia for inspiration! Two very different destinations, to be sure, but both call out to me.
I would love to go to Japan
Sounds like a fabulous book! I would love to travel to Japan, particularly the smaller islands!
It may sound a little unexpected at first glance, because I’d love to come to America! I’m living in the Netherlands and over here there are very few quilters and even fewer that I feel inspired by. It would be fantastic to meet in person with some of the many, many great quilters and their work. Fortunately, thanks to the wonderful internet I’m able to read their blogs see videos and take classes through Craftsy, but how inspiring would it be to watch them and listen to them in person!!
Belgium home of the Art Nouveau movement. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
Although I tend to be a homebody, since I am really inspired by tile and tile designs, I think I would love to spend some time in Morocco or Spain–imagine the gorgeous “tile inspired” quilts I could come home and make, for the rest of my homebody life.
Hungary would be inspirational I think, for its architecture from so many influences.
I would love to go to Houston IQF! I always get so inspired by the amazing work of other quilters.
Ireland and England as that is my family came from years and years ago.
Where have I not been that I would really like to go? England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales…Pugh is a name that is common in Wales.
AnnLouise Pugh in Las Vegas……
I wish I could travel to Egypt and get inspiration from the pyramids and the great Sphynx. I love modern quilts and “Eggs and Darts” is a seriously sweet quilt!
I would love to go to Spain. What wonderful architecture.
I would love to travel to England to visit the cathedrals and all the many historical sights and museums..
I think each country have something beautiful & inspiring. I love France.
I would love to visit an Amish community, to see the beautiful hand stitched quilts. Then I would thank my lucky stars that I have a sewing machine.
I think that getting to travel to Norway, specifically the archipelago Svalbard is high on my bucket list. But when all else fails, any beach with warm sun and shade works for me! 🙂
I’m sure I’d be wonderfully inspired if I were to travel to Greece.
I like to go to Italy – mountains, sea shores, history, architecture, beautiful colors – inspiration galore !