Members of the Buda Bees group that completed the swirling western-themed quilt “Open Range” include: (left) Donna Sinner, Julia Castro, Carolyn Hesser, Anita Farber and (right) Jean Holbrook, Linda Stavlo and JoAnn Keller. (Photo by Jen Biundo)

by JEN BIUNDO

After last year’s Mexican-inspired quilt, a Buda-area quilting bee has moved across the border and into the Wild West for inspiration.

At a Houston quilt show last year, Buda resident Carolyn Hesser fell in love with a design by famed quilter Judy Niemeyer. Originally called “Sand Devils,” they renamed the quilt “Open Range” in honor of its western feel.

The six core members of the quilting group Buda Bees met weekly at the Onion Creek Senior Citizens Center for about three months to complete the quilt, which used a technique known as “paper piecing” to assemble the intricate design. The women transferred the pattern to tracing paper, and then sewed the thousands of tiny pieces of fabric directly onto the paper.

Though the quilt gives the impression of having just two primary colors, blue and gold, it’s actually assembled from more than 80 separate fabrics, mostly purchased from B&B Quilt Shop in downtown Buda.

The subtle shading and tonalities give a sense of motion and depth to the free-wheeling design.

“The fact that it’s not in square blocks makes it feel more free-flowing,” Hesser said. “You’re not conscious of the geometry of it.”

The jagged gold border suggests a flaming sun, while a background of wild mustangs and a rope pattern quilted into the fabric calls to mind the western frontier.

“It does have an element of sagebrush, that western feel,” quilter Anita Farber said. “The horses are not fenced in, they’re not constrained.”

Originally designed as a half-sized quilt, the Buda Bees expanded their version to 85 inches square.

“Open Range” will be displayed at various locations around town, and will be shown at the Buda Fine Arts Festival and raffled off at Budafest.

Their last quilt, “Cinco de Mayo”, won several awards at regional quilt shows and raised $3,800 in raffle ticket sales for the senior center building fund.