There is quite a story behind these fabrics!
Dr. Karen Nyberg is an engineer, astronaut, and artist who made her first trip to space aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 2008.
Karen took her lifelong love of creating art with her to space. While there, she captured the beauty of space through her photography.
When Karen lived on the International Space Station, she and NASA invited crafters from around the world to join a project to stitch together a global community quilt. Karen stitched a 9” square star-themed quilt block in space and encouraged others to create their own star-themed quilt blocks on earth, and the project took off.
NASA received over 2400 quilt squares from around the world. A team of NASA and Johnson Space Center volunteers quilted the squares together and created 28 king sized quilts which were showcased at the 40th Anniversary International Quilt Festival in Houston.
The panels spanned the globe and the completed quilts represent a truly interconnected world.
Recently retired from NASA, Karen is currently pursuing interests in the areas of conservation and sustainability, fully appreciating the responsibility for innovation and technology to strive to meet those needs. She now lives in Houston, Texas.
These fabrics are taken from some of the photos Karen took of the earth’s oceans from space.
The panel is made up of a selection of the different fabrics, put together to appear as if through the windows of the International Space Station.
Obviously blue is the predominant colour – ranging from lightest to deepest shades, and all with different patterns depending on the weather and location. You will see clouds and weather systems against the sky, waves and currents, and shorelines. More details emerge as you study the fabrics.
This would be perfect to make into a quilt for anyone interested in space travel. How cool to have your own view of the earth from space hanging on your wall, or to wrap yourself in on chilly nights.
It could be used complete, perhaps with added borders, or cut into the separate pieces and reassembled to your own design.
100% cotton
Panel measures 36 x 44 inches approx.



