Designed and created in 2005 Helianthus I was inspired by the glorious fields of Provencial Sunflowers with their wonderful heads following the sun.

It has a machine quilted background on hand-dyed cotton. The sunflower heads are layers of sheer, synthetic fabrics on a background of synthetic felt, the design is machined on to the layered fabrics and cut back with a fine-tipped soldering iron. The work is finished with hand beading and each of the small sunflowers are hand embroidered. Heliathus I was originally made to enter the ‘Small Wonders’ category at the Chicago International Quilt Festival in the spring of 2006 this little quilt was then exhibited at the Houston International Quilt Festival in November 2006, subsequently it has been featured in Quilting Arts Magazine April/May 2007. 

A picture features on the Fine Art Trade Guild's publication "framing and presenting textile art"

Cross stitch is a traditional type of embroidery formed by two stitches in the shape of a ‘X’ and it is these crosses that make up the desired picture or pattern. In this article Mal describes framing a cross stitch that had previously been very poorly framed.