How Nancy Prince Turned History into a Quilt

I first met Nancy Prince in 2014 when I attended her AQS thread painting class in Phoenix, Arizona. Later that year, we crossed paths again in Houston, where I had the opportunity to congratulate her after she won Best of Show for her extraordinary quilting artistry. Nancy’s talent for combining history, storytelling, and textile art is truly remarkable. In 2020, she completed her stunning quilt, Signing of the Declaration of Independence, a masterpiece that showcases her exceptional thread painting and quilting skills. Now, award-winning quilt artist Nancy Prince has turned her attention to another iconic moment in American history. Through the art of thread painting, she has brought Washington Crossing the Delaware to life in an entirely new way. Known internationally for her realistic thread work and extraordinary attention to detail, Nancy transforms fabric and thread into a richly textured interpretation of one of America’s most recognizable paintings. Every stitch contributes depth, dimension, and emotion, creating a work of art that honors both the historical event and the craftsmanship required to recreate it in cloth. From the icy waters of the Delaware River to the determined expressions of Washington and his soldiers, Nancy’s quilt captures the drama, courage, and perseverance of this pivotal moment in history, demonstrating once again why her work continues to inspire quilters and art enthusiasts around the world. As part of her America 250 series, Nancy’s quilt demonstrates how textile art can preserve history while offering a fresh perspective on familiar images. Every stitch contributes to the story, creating depth, movement, and realism that invite viewers to experience the scene in a new way. Through projects like Washington Crossing the Delaware, Nancy Prince continues to demonstrate that quilts can do far more than provide warmth—they can preserve stories, honor history, and inspire future generations.   Please check out her website for more information and photos. https://nancyprince.com/

Can you believe that this quilt was made from a hot air balloon panel fabric. Incredible! I think the loopy quilting flight pattern of the balloon!

Bright happy greens and yellows zig zag their way up this quilt. Beautiful vine quilting brings out the print of one of the fabrics. What a fantastic quilt to donate!

I have been having so much fun quilting this New Mexico themed fabric. It’s fabulous for baby quilts especially from someone living in the southwest. Viva New Mexico!

This quilt has Southwest and New Mexico all over it. I used a quilting design with zia symbols, geckos and kokopelli in a light turquoise thread. The alphabet blocks are unique to New Mexico! Ole!

Behind the scenes as the quilt is on the frame.

There is a tremendous amount of creativity and stitching woven into this panel. Beginning with the river, I contrasted the chunky texture of the ice floes against the smooth, placid water to create visual interest and movement. I also used quilting to enhance the sense of depth, gradually increasing the quilting density as the landscape recedes into the distance. This subtle change in texture helps draw the eye through the scene and reinforces the perspective, bringing the entire panel to life.

In the section featuring the printed boat, horses, and soldiers, I used a variety of thread colors to enhance the details and create a thread-painted effect. For the dark horses, I first quilted with a rich chestnut brown thread and then layered charcoal gray stitching over it to add depth and dimension to their coats. For the light-colored horse, I used two shades of cream thread, placing the lighter shade in the highlighted areas where the coat catches the light and the slightly darker cream in the shadowed areas. This subtle shading helps bring the horse to life and gives the printed image greater realism and depth.

In the foreground, I quilted flowing ripples and movement into the water to capture the energy of the river. The entire river was quilted, even though much of that work will be hidden on the front of the quilt by the thread appliqué of Washington and his boat full of soldiers. While some of the quilting will only be visible from the back, it adds texture, depth, and dimension to the piece, contributing to the overall richness of the finished quilt.

On the far shore, I used a tight stipple to define the trees and bushes, while a smoother quilting design differentiated the land from the surrounding landscape. Throughout the entire piece, the quilting density remained consistent, with stitching spaced approximately one-eighth to one-quarter inch apart. For the sky, I wanted to capture the drama of an approaching storm. I quilted layers of rolling waves across the background to create movement and energy, gradually decreasing the spacing between the lines as the sky darkened across the quilt. This increasing density enhances the sense of depth and atmosphere, giving the impression of gathering clouds and turbulent weather.

The completed panel is almost ready for its debut. I’ll be posting pictures soon!

Debbie Thornton
Ideal Stitches

Reversible quilts are so much fun! Notice how the dragonflies cross over seamlessly from back to front! Spectacular!

An old quilt top that had been unfinished for year gets a new lease on life with quilting and binding. My client is thrilled to be able to gift it to her son as part of a family heritage.

Easy blocks with a pieced sashing gives the illusion of complicated piecing. Shining stars and falling leaf quilting pattern blend well. Stunning!

I am truly honored to be part of this historic quilt recreation. This incredible project reimagines Washington Crossing the Delaware as a textile landscape mural. The fabric artist brought the scene to life by creating the boat and Washington’s men as individual, flat thread-painted appliqué pieces. I had the privilege of longarm quilting the expansive printed background panel, measuring 110″ x 67″. 

The background panel for my longarm quilting is minus the foreground icebergs, the ship and Washington and his men.  The panel measures 110 x 67 inches and had to be quilted across it’s entirety.  Later the design items will be appliqued in place.  

Stay tuned for updates on this incredible piece! I’ll be sharing photos of the work in progress soon, and I can’t wait to show you how it’s coming together.