Quilt Shows

I am just going to have to do better at spreading my life out…. Sometimes it all comes at one time and then there are weeks of nothing….

I belong to a Quilt Guild, Riverwalk Quilter’s of Naperville, IL. Last March we held our ‘Gathering’, a one day Quilt Event, held every 2 years. Our featured speaker was Ami Simms, and one of the exhibits was Priority Quilts made by guild members for Ami’s Alzheimer’s Quilt Project. The whole exhibit was hand delivered to Ami, following her Lecture at the Gathering.
Well over achiever that I sometimes tend to be, I had 3 completed. So yesterday, the exhibit curator for our Gathering Event and a member of my Bee/Small Group mentioned that we should check on our “Priority Quilts” because hers was going to be in Houston this year. So, I checked. All 3 of the ones I submitted will be in Houston!!! As it turns out all the quilts Riverwalk gave to Ami will be there. What a nifty surprise. Now, if they would only garner lots of high bids… so that the Alzheimer Project can make more money for the research. If, by chance, you are interested in following, my little quilts… and of course bidding really HIGH on mine or any others that might interest you! These are the numbers. #3622 Simply Content, #3631 Summer, and #3632 Winter or if you are interested in the Alzheimer Quilt Project go here http://www.alzquilts.org/

So this weekend I went to another quilt show, the Faithful Circle Guild Show of Downers Grove IL, assisting in a booth. I have two friends that make Hand Dyed fabrics, Creative Fiber Expressions; one of them was away for the weekend so I volunteered to help. Between helping and chatting with quilters, I got a chance to look at all the quilts, and there were some stunners, but I have to say I think the Faithful Circle Guild Challenge stole the show!!! Each participant was given a picture of a Van Gogh painting and was instructed to recreate it in fabric. There were several examples of innovation and creativity among the 20 or so entries! I took a couple of pictures…

Cafe at Night garnered the Red Ribbon, and deservedly so. The details are so amazing. The piece was about 20" x 24", and I am guessing about that. It was a treat to see the picture and the quilt together!

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Another was Boats on the Beach. It was sotrue to the pictures. I think it was foundation pieced, but very accurate to the picture. Very nicely done.

Another favorite of mine was the Poppies. Not as literal of a reproduction in

fabric, but all of the important details were

there.

And last but not least. A totally different view of Farmhouse Near Provence. The one that was a

total different view of the painting, and I liked

it very much for it's 'difference'.

So that is my week in review... More Later!

Madison Quilt Expo and Pictures

Last weekend I visited a friend, (Karen), in Madison, WI -Karens Blog. We attended the Madison Quilt Expo. A very nice ‘Regional’ Quilt Show. Just the right size show for a 1-day visit. I saw several stimulating quilts and more hand quilted quilts than I have seen in one show in a very long time!!! I have a few pictures, although the colors are a bit off… due to the lighting and the fact that my point and wait batteries were almost dead, so no flash.


One of the first quilts that made me stop was “Icing on the Cake” by Linda Roy- a queen size, was all done by hand- there is appliqué, embroidery, broidery purse and it's hand quilted.

Another quilt that was hand quilted was “Peony Dream” by Molly Hamilton-McNally. The quilting was done in an orange thread on the black, very

striking and she noted the

central figures were reverse

applique.

One of the things I noticed in the picture, but not at the show was the variegated border. I also noted that the border motif was also appliquéd by hand. The quilting stitch is fabulous!!!

This quilt called “The Creation-Genesis Chapter 1” had a distinctly ‘African’ feel too it, and since I was just in

Africa… well I had to stop. It was all done by machine. Each strip of fabric was about ½ and inch wide. Lots of strips in this! Too many strips for me…. But then again

when you need something to do

and just are not inspired to be

creative.

I saw 3 Machine Quilted quilts that either the quilting was very nice or I liked the design they used, but not necessarily the whole quilt.

And last this was the most interesting edge finish… Although the quilt was nice too. It was an 'Alphabet Quilt, and along with each letter was a foundation pieced block or an embellishment of the letter attached. In addition there was some beading too!

After looking through the pictures I took, these are the ones that stand out the most for me.

There were quite a few vendors, but I didn't spend very much and I never really do at the shows. I go mostly for inspiration and generally buy items I can't/won't find in a local shop. I did purchase 2 'snow' dyed pieces- a pink/white adn a yellow on yellow and one commercial piece of fabric...

Other than my few purchases it was time and gas for a day of friendship and quilting. Is there anything better?

More Later!!!

OK OK I’ve been lazy. Here I have been home longer than I was on vacation and I haven’t updated the blog. I have been busy, just nothing exciting enough to post about. Well that’s not exactly true. I joined a Twinchie Swap, before I left for Africa, and as usual, I had plenty of ideas but didn't implement any until the last possible moment. So next, What’s a Twinchie? Like a quilt, it consists of at least 3 layers, top, middle and back that is quilted - that is about where the resemblance ends; they are then embellished with anything that fits! Oh, and it's only 2 inches square. I would love to show you, but until the participants receive their Twinchies I have to keep the secret…

I was asked to recreate the 'chicken blocks' for a friend from her hand dyed fabrics, which I have gotten appliquéd and beaded. They look cool, not sure how I am going to set them yet… but I got a brain storm for what I am going to do with the larger chickens, recreated from the "Sparkly Chicken Swap". I can’t wait to get going on that! But alas I have another project that has to be done first. I am swapping blocks, this time receiver’s choice, either Fall or Halloween. Today, I got the Halloween ones nearly done. I have plans for the Fall ones, but they have to wait until later next week.

Tomorrow I will drive about 3 hours up to Madison, WI to meet a friend- Karen, and go to the Wisconsin Quilt Expo! I plan to take a camera, and hopefully I will take a couple of pictures that mean something to me later and if the quilts aren't exciting enough -there's the vendors!

Axel is healing up very well, so while I visit Wisconsin, he is visiting the kennel again. I also have to tend to the motorhome on Saturday morning. We are bringing back to the city this winter and I have to move it over to the repair shop to complete the repairs that were put on hold earlier this summer, due to lack of parts, technicians and time.

Pictures and more later!