Earlier this month we, along with Mother
Nature, were vending at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton VA. Despite the wicked weather, ice and 7+ inches
of snow, the show was wonderful. The
crowds were lighter than expected, but sales were up. Customers kept commenting on how much they
enjoyed being able to shop every booth, see every demo and not have to wait in
line to have fabric cut. Those that
braved the elements really did have a wonderful time.
As a vendor we arrive early each
day. That gives us time to freshen the
booth, restock and get ready for the day.
It also gives me time to sneak away and look at the quilt show! Every show has inspiring quilts. I rarely have time to study them, so I just
focus on the ones that catch my eye.
Here are a few of my favorites.
I posted this one on The Quilt Company
Facebook page. Not only is it a fun
subject, but this quilt was made by 4 different people. It is one of those challenge projects where
you select a photo, enlarge it and then cut it into sections. Each person in the group creates one section
without consulting the others. Once the
sections are finished they are joined together to make the finished project. If you look closely you can see some of the
division lines. Up close you can even
see that the fabrics that join are different prints even though they are very
close in color. The subject made me
smile and I appreciate the work that this group did to make the project come
together. Fun!
I wanted to walk up to this quilt and
pick up one of the balls. It looked that
dimensional! Notice how it is a simple Irish Chain that the circles were added to. Not only did the quilter add the circles, they are larger in the center and get smaller toward the edges creating a unique optical illusion. I found it to be an
excellent use of the blue and white fabrics.
I am rarely fond of painting on quilts – traditional quilts. Art quilts are a different category. This is a very traditional quilt and the
dimension given to the balls was done with paint – or fabric dye, but the white
looked too opaque to be a dye. The effect was stunning.
Here is a close-up of what the balls
looked like. A dark shadow was given to
the bottom left side of each one. A
simple white brushstroke provided a highlight on the top right. Art class 101, but it created an amazing
effect! Those white brush strokes really look like a reflection of light. The dark shadows on the balls and the background finish the illusion.
I took a photo of this next one especially for my First
Friday/First Saturday group that meets at the store. We are currently working on 6 inch blocks in
a wide variety of different techniques.
Foundation Paper Piecing was not everyone’s favorite technique. You should have heard the moaning! These blocks finish at just 5 inches. The half square triangle borders measure ½ inch
and the pieced blocks are only 4 inches.
Somebody loves foundation paper piecing, because this is the entire
quilt!
And this is a close up of another quilt
that was done in the English Paper Piecing technique. See, people really DO have those skills to be
proud of! … I can hear the moaning now. Those hexagons are about the size of a quarter.
That brings us to the jaw dropping
quilts. I love to look at the quilting
designs that transform an average quilt top into a show stopper. I have plenty of creative talent, but not in
that area. I can design patterns, write
instructions, publish books and even design fabric and notions, but I leave the award
winning quilting to the professionals.
This ribbon winner is a very nice quilt, but it’s the quilting that
makes it a ribbon winner!
Don’t get me wrong, the person that made
the quilt top definitely had some talent.
Check out the interesting fabrics in those tiny squares in the border. Black and tan check is something I wouldn’t have
thought of. Make sure you check out that
tiny pink piping in the wavy border – beautiful. Still it is the quilting that makes this
quilt. I love what the quilter did to
create a mirror image of the border triangles in that inner green border…..
never would have thought of that.
And in honor of spring – which had
better be right around the corner or I am going to lose it – here is a photo of
my favorite daffodil quilt.
The weather is getting nicer here in the
northeast, get out and visit your favorite quilt shop. Get inspired to make something beautiful!
