Quilt Arizona 2017! day 1

For us, springtime in the desert means three things: spring flowers, spring training (baseball), and Quilt Arizona!  This is our 8th year blogging about this fun show, which draws visitors from many parts of North America. Here are some of our favorites from this year's show.

Please note: We're continuously posting free patterns on Twitter ! Check us out here !  

Whimsey in Bloom. 78 x 78", by Ann L. Petersen

Ann L. Petersen has won awards at every Quilt Arizona! show in recent memory.  The fabulous Whimsey in Bloom won 1st place - Mixed Technique and a special award for Excellent Use of Color.  Ann says, "I've been laying with adding applique to paper pieced designs for curves.  The top reminded me of Art Deco so I quilted it to reflect that."

close up, Whimsey in Bloom 

Six original black and white Dresden plate blooms are arrayed over a background of squares that move from green, at the bottom of the quilt, to sunny skies at the top.  In the photo below you can see the Art Deco style quilting designs created by Ann Petersen.

Unfortunately this quilt was hung right under a canister light in an otherwise dark hallway, which created the uneven lighting you see in our photo.  For a better photo of this quilt and other beautiful creations, please visit Ann Petersen's gallery at Obsessive Quilter.

Southwest Spirits, made and quilted by Linda Hopkins

We loved this southwest-style crazy quilt.  Done in copper and turquoise, with beautiful stitching and embellishments, there was something to see in every corner.. Linda Hopkins says, "Southwest Spirits embraces the diversity of cultures and colors of this region's past.  Mythical figures, rock etchings, and vivid colors are incorporated in this quilt."

detail, Southwest Spirits by Linda Hopkins

The closeup photos show some of the amazing beadwork and stitchery in Southwest Spirits.

The Harbor at Portofino by Linda Schoenfeld

This was a small quilt, maybe 15" across,with details that lend a photo-realistic quality.  Linda Schoenfeld explains that her photo of Portofino Harbor invokes fond memories of many trips to Italy.  The boats set against a backdrop of colorful buildings create the quintessential picturesque scene.  In the closeup photo below you can see the window shutters with painted details.

Cheryl's Fantasy Flowers by Cheryl A. Giovenco, quilted by Sheila Osbrink

Bursting with spring flowers, this is such a pretty quilt!  Cheryl A. Giovenco started Fantasy Flowers in 2012 and finished in June 2015. It is based on the Fantasy Flowers pattern by Pearl Pereira at P3 Designs. Cheryl says,  "I just love P3 Designs patterns! I enjoyed collecting the fabrics, then hand appliqueing each block." 

The Delft blue prints were a perfect choice for this flower pot.  See if you can spot the bumblebee enjoying the flowers!

Foxy Lady by Monika Hancock, quilted by Debbie Stanton

We are fans of Monika Hancock's work, and the larger-than-life face on this quilt really drew us in.  It received First Place - Pictorial (Non Original Design),  Monika Hancock says,  "I'm a big fan of Toni Whitney's paintings.  I couldn't resist the Red Fox.  I increased her pattern 150%.  Debbie Stanton always brings them to life."

The eyes, whiskers, and fur are so lifelike!  Monika's fabric selections and applique work were perfect in every way. Check out her award-winning Mama Loves You, Baby in our 2016 post.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration. We have made efforts to identify the websites for the makers, quilters and designers; please leave a comment if you have additional information.

Southwestern Quilts

On these winter days in the northern hemisphere, we're looking to the southwestern United States for some warm and sunny inspiration! Here are highlights of quilts with a southwestern theme.

Please note: We're selling beautiful quilting and crafting books and fabrics at low introductory prices on e-Bay! Also, we're continuously posting free patterns on Twitter!

Kayenta Formation by Ann Petersen

Blue ribbon winner for Best Pieced Small Quilt and Exemplary Machine Quilting at the Quilt Arizona ! show, Ann says of her original design, "Originally a Hoffman Fabrics Challenge quilt, [this] remnds me of the layers of rocks in northern Arizona called the Kayenta Formation , [which often is comprised of tall vertical cliffs that are red or brown in color]."  We are impressed with the way that Ann set some of the blocks en pointe or on the diagonal to convey the impression of the vertical cliffs.

Closeup, Kayenta Formation

We love these intriguing quilting patterns which add so much to the beauty of the quilt. Ann quilted this herself on a stationary machine.

Dancing to the Sky, 41 x 64", by Janet Haefner (Arizona)

Dancing to the Sky was juried into the 2014 American Quilting Society Show in Phoenix, Arizona. This quilt was based on a clay sculpture Janet Haefner made in 1983 of Kachina children climbing a ladder to a mesa top for a dance. The figures were extensively embellished with beads, charms, buttons and embroidery threads.

She painted silk for the feathers because real feathers were too fragile. For more information on Dancing to the Sky, see the description at The Quilt Index. 

Faux Navajo Rug, 54 x 60,  by Cindy Seitz-Krug

Cindy notes, "I've always loved Navajo rugs and dreamed of owning one. But they are quite expensive ! So I decided that until I save up enough money to buy my dream rug, I'd make a quilt that resembled one"

Cindy continues, "This really isn't done in traditional Navajo rug colors, but it's beautiful nonetheless and definitely has a Southwest feel."  Cindy's striking contemporary work is machine pieced, paper-pieced, and machine quilted.

Fade In, Fade Out by Melissa Dunworth

Melissa explains, " I was inspired by the Native American rugs that my parents had hanging in our house when I was a child. The spiral quilting was done to represent ripples in a pond, as each of our lives adds ripples to the world around us, whether we realize it or not."

Closeup, Fade In, Fade Out

Melissa adds, "I wanted to keep the colors simple with a bright pop right in the center." We think the spiral quilting is very effective and perfect for this pattern, as it contrasts beautifully with the strong angular, geometric patchwork.

Desert Rose Serenade by Nancy M. Howell

Third place winner in the Small Pieced Quilts category at the Quilt Arizona ! show, Nancy's quilt is based on the Two For Us BOM quilt by Sue Nickels and Pat Holly for The Quilt Show in 2013. We admire the primitive motif style of the small turquoise bears, which add southwestern charm to this work.

Deep teal blue provides an excellent contrast to the overall rust and cinnamon colorways on the ivory background. 

Kathi's Round Robin by Kathi Martin

A "Round Robin" is the construction technique of multiple quilters adding to a quilt one by one, because the quilt is passed around the group, from one person to the next. Kathi notes, "I made a 24 inch quilt center and sent it on to 4 friends to each add a 6 inch border, then finished it off with 3 more borders."

Closeup, Kathi's Round Robin

We loved the vibrant colors of the center of Kathi's quilt, which are comprised of 8 inch blocks, done in southwestern colors of teal, orange, and copper. Kathi quilted her pretty creation herself, using a track-mounted machine.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.

Beating the Heat at the 2015 Arizona Quilt Show #2

It was 95°F for this year's Arizona Quilt show... but, as they say, it's a dry heat! Moreover, it was the perfect occasion to enjoy an air-conditioned quilt show. This is our 5th year of attendance, and we always look forward to seeing the variety and creativity displayed by members of the Arizona Quilters' Guild. Let's beat the heat with a look at this year's fantastic quilts... here is part 2 of our virtual show!

Arizona Grand by Wanda Seale 

We really enjoyed this stunning landscape quilt by Wanda Seale.  Although the scene has a photo-realistic appearance, it is not a digital quilt.  Wanda says, "Capturing the iconic splendor of our favorite landmark, I appliqued specific fabrics to showcase the depth and colors of the Canyon."

Georgetown Wedding, 74 x 75", by Ann L. Petersen

Award-winning quilter Ann Petersen has created another stunning quilt in colors that remind us of chocolate and cotton candy.  Ann's original design was based on the traditional Double Wedding Ring pattern, combined with Georgetown Circles.  At the 2015 show the quilt won First Place - Mixed Technique Large.

This is a close-up photo of the Georgetown Circles with appliqued centers. (For more information on the traditional Georgetown Circle block, see the post by Martha Dellasega Gray.) It's no surprise that Georgetown Wedding also won the award for Exemplary Machine Quilting – Stationary. At the 2014 Houston International Quilt Festival it won a blue ribbon in the Innovative Pieced category.

 Midnight Dahlia by Elaine Putnam, quilted by Gina Perkes

There was a spotlight shining on the corner of this quilt, but we tried our best with this photo.  This Midnight Dahlia (a pieced Dahlia on a black background)  won First Place, Pieced – Medium.  The quilting, by Gina Perkes, was awarded a special ribbon for  Exemplary Machine Quilting (Track Mounted).   Here is a photo of the pastel center of the Dahlia:

Midnight Dahlia was inspired by Marti Michell’s Giant Dahlia templates and Sharon Schamber’s Piece-lique method. You might be interested to know that Sharon's daughter, Cristy, has a tutorial on the Piece-lique technique at her website, Sew Much Like Mom.  We'll be posting more close-up photos on our Exemplary Quilting Board on Pinterest.

Brimill - Icelandic Horse by Georgia Thorne

Georgia Thorne won a Judge's Recognition award for her artistic depiction of an Icelandic horse.  She says, "Inspired by a Threadplayers (fiber art group) challenge to design a fiber art piece using Zentangle details, I chose an Icelandic horse with his flowing mane and tail."  The background fabric is a silver-and-white diamond print; Georgia echoed the pattern with diamond-shaped shadows.

Each section of the horse had a different Zentangle design rendered in machine embroidery and applique.

Out of Egypt by Florence A. Evans

Out of Egypt won 2nd place in the Pieced – Large quilt category. It was made of Egyptian-themed fabrics and strip-pieced panels, inspired by a class on Strips and Curves taught by Louisa Smith.   This is such a successful design; we loved the way in which Florence used the bright blue to provide a focal point.

close up, Out of Egypt by Florence A. Evans

In the close-up photo you can see some of the fun Egyptian-themed fabrics in this quilt, including silhouetted camels at sunset (upper right).

In Memoriam by Maggie Hagen, quilted by Pamela Dransfeldt

We enjoyed this intricate applique quilt, which features patterns from the 1858 Bird of Paradise quilt top in the American Folk Art Museum.  Some of the blocks and borders are Maggie's own design. The Bird of Paradise block patterns can be found in A Bountiful Life: An Adaptation of the Bird of Paradise Quilt by the late Karen Mowery.

There is a lot of detail in this quilt: the edges of some flowers and leaves were embellished with French knots.  Pamela Dransfeldt used echo quilting around the flowers, and created veins in the leaves.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.  We appreciate the assistance of Cathy Tognoni !

A Winter Whole Cloth Extravaganza - Part 2

Whole cloth quilts, done in icy white or pale pastels, remind us of winter.  Here is the second part of our series.  Capturing the texture of quilting in a photograph is really challenging, especially with white-on-white quilts.  We hope that our photos will convey some sense of  the magnificent quilting by these artists.

All My Rowdy Friends by Ann McNew

Ann writes about her original design, "A wholecloth designed to represent many different quilting styles, each round is dedicated to a different friend's taste. I wanted to use as many longarm rulers as possible. My challenge was to keep the quilting looking cohesive throughout the quilt."

Close up, All My Rowdy Friends by Ann McNew

Look at the fabulous variety of feather patterns that Ann created. Each one is unique, yet they all fit perfectly into the overall design.

Close up, All My Rowdy Friends by Ann McNew

In this close-up you can see Ann's precision work on the "Greek key" style quilting motif which adorns the diamond-shaped center medallion.

Bella Be Blue by Rebecca Stewart-Bartell, Australia

Rebecca notes, "This wholecloth was inspired by my blue and white china collection, as well as my quilting heroes Libby Lehman, Sharon Schamber, and Sue McCarty.  I have combined all the things I have learned from them to make my quilt."

Close up, Bella Be Blue by Rebecca Stewart-Bartell
 

Rebecca's techniques for her elegant, vintage-inspired creation include free-motion longarm machine embroidery, hand-guided longarm quilting, and corded binding. For materials, she used cotton fabric, metallic thread,  Superior Bottom Line thread,  and hot fix crystals.

Close up, Bella Be Blue by Rebecca Stewart-Bartell
 

Bella Be Blue is Rebecca's original design. In this close up, you can see one of the four darling little birds that appear to be floating and drifting through each side of this quilt, as well as the glittering embellishments that adorn the inner borders.

Blue Ice by Inger C. Blood, California

Inger writes of her lovely original design, " This whole cloth quilt was quilted on my Bernina 820 on constant speed, without the stitch regulator engaged. It was [first] dawn out by pencil on paper, quilted, then painted after the quilting was completed. "

Close up, Blue Ice by Inger C. Blood
 

Inger continues, "[My] inspiration was a National Geographic TV program about Alaskan glaciers. I was fascinated by the color of the ice. This quilt is # 2 ( winter) in a series of four.

Close up, Blue Ice by Inger C. Blood

Blue Ice was displayed at the 2014 Pacific International Quilt Festival in California, where it attracted  many admiring viewers. Look at this gently scalloped outer border, whose curves mirror the half-fans of the inner border. Hundred of sparkly crystals really add shimmer to this quilt.

Field of Feathers by Jane M. Rua

Jane notes,  "This is my completed project for my Craftsy.com class,  "Beyond Basic Machine Quilting",  taught by Ann Petersen. This was my first serious attempt at free-motion quilting".  We think Jane did an outstanding job at creating this elegant depiction of a spring flower garden, replete with a charming dragonfly.

Close up, Field of Feathers by Jane M. Rua
 

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.