Happy Valentine's Day ! (1)

Happy Valentine's Day 2019! We love this holiday, dedicated to friendship, love, and romance. Join us as we take a look at some of these red and white quilts which celebrate such a fun time of the year!

My Best Friends by Jo Ann Kilgroe,  Arizona U.S.A.

JoAnn says,  "[This is] an original design inspired by [quilt designer] Carol Doak, Possibilities, and Quilter's Cache. It's a fun sampler quilt, expressing what the Arizona Quilters' Guild and my quilting friends mean to me." Here are two quilting buddies who appear to be holding out their hands with strips and squares of fabric all ready for the sewing machine.

Close-up, "My Best Friends"

At the 2018 Quilt Arizona! show in Mesa, Arizona, the theme of the year was the Ruby Extravaganza. The guild celebrated its 40th year of by inviting its members to create quilts that showed the importance of quilting in their lives.
Winner of an Honorable Mention Award,  JoAnn did an excellent job of applique, especially in the tiny, fun details like the Valentine heart, the necklace, earrings, and the facial expressions on these two friends. They look very determined to get right down to work !

Heirloom Heart by Guinevere Cassidy, Arizona

Guinevere explains about her original design, "[This is] a techniques sampler quilt. It's machine appliqued for the vintage hankie. Sharon Schamber's trapunto technique was used for the quilted heart and her piping technique was used for the binding."  We love this incredible looped edgework, which is so perfectly done.

Guinevere's exquisite work is both so delicate and so fluffy at the same time, that the two motifs provide a delightful juxtaposition. She won an Honorable Mention award for "Heirloom Heart."

Poppies and Posies by Linda Hopkins,  Arizona

Linda notes, "My interpretation of the 40th anniversary of the Arizona Quilters Guild, the Ruby Extravaganza, incorporates the elements of life 40 years ago and includes the modern as well. Hankies were an integral part of the 1970's. "

Close-up, Poppies and Posies

Elegant pearls, ribbons, and delicate embroidery embellishes Linda's work, full of dainty, brightly colored blossoms.

White Lace on Red Velvet by Lauretta Crites, California

Lauretta writes, "I am endlessly inspired by the works of art created by those who came before us. Master lace makers of the 1800's create elaborate yet delicate patterns using bobbins, needle, and thread. Here, fabric, needle and thread showcase detail of an exquisite Point de Gaze (a French phrase meaning 'gauze lace')  handkerchief I photographed in Brussels, Belgium. 

Close-up, White Lace on Red Velvet

Lauretta's fabulous work is made of cotton fabric, polyester net, tulle, cording, buttons, hand embroidery, and fabric paint.

Amaryllis Among the Stars by Kim McCloskey, Utah

A 2018 blue ribbon winner at the Springville, Utah quilt show, Kim remarks,  "This quilt was inspired by the Utah Valley Quilt Guild's red and white challenge. In Greek mythology, Amaryllis was a shy and timid nymph who fell in love with a handsome, but cold-hearted shepherd, Alteo. All he wanted was a unique flower that had never existed before. After thirty days and through her own blood, she created that flower and won his heart."

Close-up, Amaryllis Among the Stars

Kim adds, "The flowering of this late-blooming quilt came as a result of patience and a few drops of my own blood, as I'm sure every hand-made quilt does."

Close-up, Amaryllis Among the Stars

The Carolina lily block pattern spectacular here, enhanced by the strong geometric motif around the outer border. We really admire Kim's workmanship on what seems to us  very likely to be a treasured heirloom.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2018 Quilt Arizona show (My Best Friends, Poppies and Posies, Heirloom Heart), the 2018 Road to California show (White Lace on Red Velvet), and the 2018 Springville Utah quilt show (Amaryllis Among the Stars).

Quilt Arizona 2017! Day 5

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 is our final post from this year's show, with some of our favorite quilts.

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

My Daughter's Gift by Ann Gonzalez

Winner of First Place – Machine Embroidery, this quilt really sparkles. Ann Gonzalez says: “This quilt was offered as a monthly class at a local quilt store. My daughter bought the class, as well as the fabrics and thread. I had the joy of making it, as well as a second one for her."

We recognize this as the Jacobean Journey pattern by HoopSisters. It features a center medallion surrounded by undulating curves and bordered by a curvy applique border.  The quilting design is by Sharon Schamber.

We love Ann Gonzalez' choice of fabrics.  The use of light-colored thread on the dark (green) batiks, and darker thread on the light blue batiks, makes the stitching really stand out.

Bird Dance by Cynthia Lynn

This whimsical folk art quilt was a standout at the show; it won Honorable Mention. Cynthia Lynn says she loves Sue Spargo designs. The wool was collected at thrift stores and/or given to her by friends.Each one of these birds had its own personality.  Cynthia used many creative hand embroidery stitches and embellishments in each one of her blocks.  (The Bird Dance pattern is available at Sue Spargo's website.)

Dragonfly Pond by Carol Carpenter, quilted by Kris Neifeld

Carol Carpenter says, “This pattern by Lynn Majidimehr was altered (with her approval) to include more plants and pond creatures, which was a really fun challenge.“ The applique shapes were finished with satin stitching.

The Waiting Room by Diane Hansen, quilted by Judith Kracker 

We recognize this design as Lucy Boston's Patchwork of the Crosses (the book is by Linda Franz.) The fussy-cut fabrics create a beautiful kaleidoscope appearance.Diane Hansen says, “It took a year to piece this quilt by hand. The work was done while sitting in doctor and hospital waiting rooms." The quilt was made with English paper piecing; the shapes include honeycomb and square templates.  We love Diane Hansen's choice of fabrics and high-contrast design, enhanced by Judith Kracker's wonderful quilting.

Cady by Kathleen Bowers

Cady was designed in a class with Susan Carlson, collage teacher. It was made for a friend in memory of her dachshund, Cady. Many different fabrics were used in the dog and the background. We love the expression on the face, and the heart-shaped dog tag.

Tree of Life by Debbie Stanton

This is an original design by Debbie Stanton, who cut the tree from one piece of fabric. All the edges were turned under and sewn with machine buttonhole stitch. Three-dimensional leaves add a creative touch to this brilliantly colored quilt; there is even a little owl in the tree, shown below.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.

Celtic Quilt Inspiration

Happy St. Patrick's Day (17 March!) The holiday commemorates Saint Patrick, the primary patron saint of Ireland, and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish.  To honor the occasion, we're featuring a selection of Irish themes and some beautiful green quilts.  Erin Go Bragh!
Please note: We're continually posting free patterns on Twitter ! Check us out @quiltinspire.

Faerie Quilt by Bobbie Bergquist at Quilters Treasure (New Hampshire)

Fairies feature heavily in Irish mythology. This stained glass quilt features hand-marbled fabric and the following Celtic patterns from Quilters Treasure: Celtic Fairie, Fairie Lights, Hazel Fairie, Ivy Fairie, and Willow Fairie.  The stained glass is made with LeadLine, a narrow (3/16") flexible bias tape.  The braid is colored with metallic Tsukineko ink.  Here is a closeup of the Celtic Faerie:

Book of Kells by Karen G. Fisher

Book of Kells won 1st place in the Mixed Techniques - Small category at the 2015 Arizona Quilters' Guild show.  It was inspired by medieval manuscript illustration, beginning with the Book of Kells from Ireland. Gold fabrics and embellishments honor the use of real gold on the original manuscripts.

There is an amazing amount of detail in Book of Kells including bias strip appliqued circles and ovals, piping, appliqued crosses, and borders of tiny blocks.

Pixie Fairy by Margie Huber (Kingman, Arizona), quilted by Stephanie Davis

Pixie Fairy is based on an original drawing by Pandi Patterson, re-designed by Sharon Schamber and Margie Huber.  The face was painted by Sharon Schamber.  Sharon Schamber's art quilt techniques are explained in her Quilt Fairy DVD. Check out the yarn for hair on the fairy and for the flower centers.  

My Two Color Quilt by Gloria Jean Hartley (Mapleton, Utah), quilted by Carole Lifferth

For this quilt, Gloria Jean Hartley used only two colors of fabric:  10 green and 9 cream. The additional color you see is in the machine embroidery threads that surround the applique.  Gloria's lovely creation is based on the Sincerely Yours machine embroidery pattern by Smith Street Designs.  We love the soothing spring color scheme and leafy fabrics.

March Mania mini quilt by Kathy Stark (California)

Cathy Stark says that March Mania is her take on a Courthouse Steps pattern.  We love the shamrock fabrics and the meandering border design! It was begun as a calendar quilt block in a class taught by Megan Selby and Cindy Sloneker.  

Tree of Life by Karen G. Fisher

This beautiful Tree of Life wall quilt won 2nd place in the Pieced-Small Quilt division at the 2015 Arizona Quilters' Guild show.  The beaded tree, created with iridescent beads, can be seen because of its sparkle.  Karen says, "Our lives should sparkle to light up a sometimes dreary world."

Karen G. Fisher is the author of Easy Grid Quilts published by AQS.  This quilt is a miniature version of her Herringbone Grid design.

Learning to Navigate, 94 x 89",  by Barbara Henderson (Pinetop, Arizona), quilted by Pat Doro

This quilt inspired us with its beautiful forest green color scheme.  Barbara Henderson did a spectacular job with the fabric selection and piecing. The description reads, "Barbara arrived at a Judy Niemeyer Mariner's Compass class totally unprepared for the complexity of the design.  With scraps of green and gold fabric, she took a deep breath, tried not to cry, and pushed on."  The quilting by Pat Doro was done in gold thread, which really stands out against the dark background.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2015 Arizona Quilters' Guild show (Book of Kells, Tree of Life, & Pixie Fairy);  the 2015 Springville Quilt Show (Utah; My Two Color Quilt); the 2015 Diablo Valley Quilters' Guild show (California; March Mania); the 2016 AQS QuiltWeek (Learning To Navigate).  Bobbie Bergquist was on the Special Faculty at the 2014 Road to California (Faerie Quilt).

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 !