Big Bluestem quilt by Pauline Burbidge - September 2025

Final Report of ‘Big Bluestem’ quilt from Pauline Burbidge – September 2025

After 10 months of making, I have finally completed the quilt ‘Big Bluestem’ – a commission for the International Quilt Museum, in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.

It’s been an incredible journey, learning about the life that has inhabited the Tall-Grass Prairies of Nebraska – life before our time, and how important these tall-grasses have been.

I have made the quilt double-sided, the front having the dominant images of the tall-grasses, printed on-site: the back, hinting at the history, showing layers of time of previous existence. From the fossils of millions of years ago, to the animal life, to the Native Indigenous Americans’, to the Homesteaders, through to the industrial farming of today.

To me, the importance of the tall-grasses is key to our future balance – the well-being of humans, animals and plant life.

There are very few Tall-Grass Prairies left! I would love to see more conservation and development of them – they are so important!

I am passionate about quiltmaking, and passionate about conservation and observing wild life.

Pauline Burbidge, September 2025.

PS A big thank you to you all at the International Quilt Museum, thank you so much for your support and inspiration over the years.

This work marks 50 years of my career as a Quiltmaker/Textile Artist. 8 photos of finished quilt, all by Dominic Clemence: Big Bluestem quilt by Pauline Burbidge. 

1. Big Bluestem by Pauline Burbidge – 2025. Size = 196x198 cms (or 77”x78”) Whole front side.
2. Big Bluestem by Pauline Burbidge – 2025. Size = 196x198 cms (or 77”x78”) Whole reverse side.
3. Detail 1 – Big Bluestem – shows Tall-grasses (cyanotype print), Homesteaders and Native American Indian images.
4. Detail 2 – Big Bluestem – Cyanotype print of tall-grasses and stitched images connected with Native American Indians.
5. Detail 3 – Reverse side, Big Bluestem – showing Homesteaders images.
6. Detail 4 – Reverse side, Big Bluestem – Fish fossil drawing.
7. Detail 5 – Reverse side, Big Bluestem – Fossils, Ferns & Buffalo.
8. Detail 6 – Reverse side, Big Bluestem – Native American Indian images, from the Pawnee Tribe.