Woman patches family story into quilt

SPRING BOUQUET-Jean Della Monica's hand-made quilt tells the story of her family. Della Monica said if the piece wins first place in the American Quilter's Society Quilt Show and Contest, she will refuse the $20,000 prize because she couldn't bear to part with the work that took three years to complete. Quilts aren't just bedcovers.

Calabasas resident Jean Della Monica has created a quilt that will compete in a national contest this week in Paducah, Ky. Judges will be looking for excellent craftsmanship and artistry.

Quilts are works of art, according to Meredith Schroeder, president of the American Quilter's Society.

"Quilting requires dedication, skill and ingenious talent," Schroeder said. The quilts in the upcoming 22nd Annual American Quilter's Society Quilt Show and Contest include some of the best artistic quilts in the world, she said.

"The competition is very incredible," Della Monica, 65, said. "I'm just very pleased that I qualified to be in the show. To me, it's like making the Olympic team. Beyond that, I expect nothing."

Della Monica's quilt, Rancho Dos Caballos Album, is 74 inches wide by 74 inches long and represents her family. It includes images of their home, family members, their two horses and flowers from Della Monica's garden.

Della Monica has lived in the area for more than 30 years. She loves it here and shows that love in her work.

"After our last really bad fire, I did a quilt," Della Monica said. "I called it my fire quilt. And then that spring, a lot of wildflowers came out-a lot of wildflowers come out after a really bad fire- and so I did a quilt of all the flowers that came out. I've done a lot of different quilts, but the area I live in is definitely one of my many inspirations."

Della Monica has made about 40 quilts. She's been quilting for more than 15 years.

"To me, it's amazing that anyone has the patience to do these things," Della Monica's husband, Vince, said. "The hand stitching that's involved is incredible. And the creativity of the original designs is also incredible."

Della Monica got involved in quilting by chance.

"Pierce College was offering watercolor classes and quilting classes and I couldn't decide which one I wanted to do," Della Monica said. "I knew I wanted to do something artistic so that I could portray all the flowers in the Santa Monica Mountains. I happened to pick the quilting class and I've been quilting ever since. It's a creative outlet for me."

Della Monica said she has no formal art training, but has been artistic her whole life. "I've always enjoyed artsy-craftsy things, and quilting just really did it for me. It's something that's really become an important part of my life."

Vince Della Monica agrees. He's been to several quilting shows with his wife.

"I've got to tell you, in my next life, I'm going to come back as a vendor in one of these quilt shows because those women can't swipe their Visa cards fast enough to buy materials for their quilts," Della Monica's husband said.

Della Monica worked on Rancho Dos Caballos Album for three years. "But that doesn't mean that's the only thing I did in the three years," she said. "I started it because there was a period of time where my husband's business sort of faltered after 9/ 11, and we thought we might have to leave this area for financial reasons. I had thought about doing the quilt for a long time, so I said, 'If I'm ever going to do it, I better start now.'

"That's when I started it. Luckily, things have turned around and we were able to stay where we are, which pleases us greatly."

Della Monica says she loves the idea of using fabrics to create works of art. "I love the whole process. I love the designing, I like putting it together and the quilting is very relaxing."

According to Vince Della Monica, Rancho Dos Caballos Album is one of 429 quilts in the American Quilter's Society competition. The competing quilts were chosen from more than 800 quilts submitted. Della Monica has never before submitted a quilt to a contest.

The quilter whose work is named best of show this weekend will receive a $20,000 cash prize, and the winning quilt will become part of the permanent collection in the museum of the American Quilter's Society.

"I don't think I can give up my quilt," Della Monica said. "It's too personal." Della Monica says this quilt is her best work. If she wins, she'll turn down the money prize because she doesn't want to give up the quilt, she said.

Della Monica is a registered nurse who retired in 2003 from a 16-year career with the Los Angeles Unified School District.