Ratcliffe Named Among Nation's Top Craftsmen

(Created: Friday, July 2, 2010 9:51 AM EDT)

For the sixth year running, Waterford resident and longtime quilter Katherine Ratcliffe has made the list of the nation's top artisans in the Directory of Traditional American Crafts, published by Early American Life. Ratcliffe was selected by a panel of 30 judges representing different museums and cultural organizations for her miniature quilt work.

This is the directory's silver anniversary, and the editors chose to mark the occasion by publishing color images submitted by the selected artisans of the work they deemed exceptional.

Ratcliffe was thrilled to see the colorful image of her miniature 11-inch-square "Mariner's Compass" pattern depicted in the 16-page spread. In the past, the magazine published photographs of the artist's work depicted in a historic house or museum, and Ratcliffe said this year's edition showed the artists' work more clearly than before.

The 2010 directory issue shows only the work itself, either alone or in combination with other craft works-in basketry, textiles, antique furniture reproductions, woodworking, tools, folk art, floor cloths, pottery and ceramics, iron and tin work, painting leather making, paper cutting, glassmaking, clothing and pewter.

A quilter for more than 35 years and an original member of the Waterford Quilters Guild, founded by the late Anna Holland in the early 1970s, Ratcliffe said her work has evolved over the past decade from making "big quilts to cover the bed" to working in miniature, to the point where she now only works in that dimension.

That new direction, she said, is more of a focus on the art and design of a quilt than on its use and form as a bed cover. The photograph of Ratcfliffe's work published in the directory was taken by another Loudoun professional, Larry Thomas of Gleedsville Art Gallery. Ratcliffe, who usually does about five shows a year, will demonstrate and exhibit her work during the upcoming Waterford Homes Tour & Crafts Exhibit, Oct. 1-3.

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