Beating the Heat at the 2015 Arizona Quilt Show #3

This is our 5th year of attendance, and we always enjoy seeing the variety and creativity displayed by members of the Arizona Quilters' Guild at their annual show. Here is part 3 of our virtual show including some top award winners.

Silk and Satin by Sheila Groman

Winner of a blue ribbon (1st Place - Other), This rainbow-shaded crazy quilt has a very contemporary look.  Each block is shaded in a different hue of the rainbow. There is even a bright sun rising in the upper right corner of the quilt. Flowers (of course), baskets, fans, butterflies and hearts were used in the blocks, along with some very creative stitches.   Sheila says, "Hand embroidered surface embellishment is satisfying and rewarding for me."

Ghost Walk by Karin Scanlon

This improvisational piece was beautifully composed, and the fabrics added a softness and depth not seen with commercial dyed fabrics. The original piece won 2nd place, Art/Abstract.  Karin Scanlon says, "I used some of my hand painted and stamped fabrics as well as linen in this abstract piece."   We loved the serene colors in this piece. 

Spiky by Vicki Bohnhoff

This Spiky quilt is a finished UFO from a class Vicki took at Quilt Camp in the Pines in 2008 (Inner Light with Deb Karasik).   The stitching with heavy-weight rayon thread was like nothing we've seen before... it really makes this quilt sparkle. 

Vicki says, "My couching design with Razzle 12-weight thread added detail and excitement."  We can't imagine how many thousands of knots were used to finish the lines of stitching.  The quilt was awarded Honorable Mention at the show.

Winter Chickadee by Diane Hansen

Diane Hansen won First Place, Applique-Small for her depiction of a little bird, inspired by a copyright-free photo.  Diane says that Winter Chickadee was started in a class with David Taylor. There are 100 different fabrics and thread choices in this quilt.  The textured quilting was so well done, it makes the applique work blend into the scene.

Life Lessons: Playing With Blocks Can Be Perilous by Linda Engstrom

This quilt won First Place, Art/Abstract (blue ribbon) along with the special City of Mesa award (teal ribbon).   Linda Engstrom says, "As grief therapy during my mother’s final illness, leftover fabric was improvisationally pieced, assembled into 'balancing' blocks inspired by Ann Johnston. The shadowy echoes of the design in the off-white background can be seen in this close-up photo. 

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration. 

Blooming Beauties: Artistic flower quilts

Here's Part 2 of some of the most fabulous floral quilts we've seen at recent quilt shows (also see Part 1). For some real life "eye candy", click on the links of the flower names included below.  They will bring you to actual photos of the glorious blossoms depicted here.

Spring Storm, approx 29 x 33", by Kathleen Hughes (Wisconsin), shown at the  2013 Houston International Quilt Festival

Kathleen notes, "Tulips are tossed by a gusty spring wind in this tribute to our front garden. All the walkers who pass by our yard look forward to seeing our tulips display, which tells them that spring has arrived."  Through the use of bold fabric shapes, Kathleen has done an excellent job of exemplifying the tulips that make the upper Midwest states of Michigan and Wisconsin a tulip paradise each spring, like the displays of tulips in the Netherlands, Europe.

Close up, Spring Storm by Kathleen Hughes

Notice how clearly you can see the lines of the flowers, done in warm colors of apricot, rose, and butterscotch, against the cool gray colors of the sky. Kathleen's  techniques include raw-edge applique, fabric painting, and free-motion quilting.

Two Tulips by Luella Morgenthaler (Colorado), shown at the 2013 Houston International Quilt Festival

Luella writes, "I wanted to see if I could achieve a watercolor look in a quilt. I liked the quilt version because it gave a second dimension to the art work." Luella's design source is the parrot tulip plant, which produces tulip petals that are flat instead of curved, with ruffled edges.

Close up, Two Tulips by Luella Morgenthaler

Luella achieved these spectacular results through the use of fabric painting, with appliqued accents. The parallel machine quilting lines give an elegant, textured effect to this work which features soft, eye-catching warm hues.

Milkweed and Hummingbirds, 33 x 49", by Sara Sharp  (Texas), shown at the 2013 Houston International Quilt Festival

Sara writes, "I knew to watch for monarch butterflies that are attracted to this milkweed plant, but I was surprised and delighted to discover that hummingbirds are attracted to them as well. The vibrant yellow, orange, and red buds and flowers made a wonderful contrast with the colors of the hummingbirds."

Close up, Milkweed and Hummingbirds by Sara Sharp

Sara based her original design on photos of milkweed flowers and hummingbirds. Her techniques include fabric painting, thread painting, digital photo printing, free-motion quilting, and fused applique.

Close up, Milkweed and Hummingbirds by Sara Sharp

Notice the darling thread-painted hummingbird as she floats from flower to flower among the dappled leaves. Sara has made excellent use of detailed colors and patterns in depicting the hummingbird's body and wings.

Cactus Fireworks, 34 x 43", by Vicki Bohnhoff (Anthem, Arizona), shown at the 2014 AQS Quilt Week

A native of Argentina, the Argentine Giant is a relatively low-growing cactus in the Cereus family that puts out plate-sized flowers.  Widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cactuses in the world, its flowers last for only a day. It has been propagated in Arizona, where this 2014 AQS Quilt Week was held. Vicki says: "The Sonoran Desert’s Argentine Giant is interpreted in raw-edge applique using hand-dyed fabrics and silks." The gold fabric frames the quilt just like a painting.

Close up, Cactus Fireworks by Vicki Bohnhoff

Here you can see Vicki's raw-edge applique done in several shades of pink, along with delicate bead work in the center. She says, "The tactile experience and drama [of the flower] is heightened with beading."

Wisteria, 35 x 54", by Megan Byrne (Wembley, Western Australia),  shown at the 2013 Houston International Quilt Festival

The Wisteria vine with its ethereal, almost fluffy lavender and blue-violet blossoms, is dazzling to behold each springtime. Megan notes, "Plants awaken in the spring and share their beauty as the cold of winter starts to disappear. Wisteria brings drama to my front veranda. The gnarled and twisted trunk suddenly bursts with new growth. The texture of the the red bricks heightens the delicious softness of the cascading blossoms and helps dispel the last of the winter chill. Green leaves will shelter and shade the birdbath, as spring brings visitors to my garden."

Close up, Wisteria by Megan Byrne

Speaking of visitors to the garden, take a look at the colorfully sewn and quilted green and yellow-orange butterfly hovering near the blossoms. Megan has made outstanding use of contrasting colors, as the blues and greens stand out so well against the contrasting orange-red wall bricks. Her techniques include, piecing, plus raw-edge applique and free-motion quilting. Megan has created a pattern for her Wisteria applique wall quilt; the pattern can be purchased at Craftsy.  

Star, 32 x 46", by Caryl Schuetz, quilted by Cathy Franks (Indianapolis, Indiana), shown at the 2014 AQS Quilt Week

The stargazer lily is the most famous plant in the genus Lilium.  The quilt was made from Caryl Schuetz’s photo of her star lily plant, which a cousin gave to her.  That was the last time Caryl saw her cousin, who passed away.  The quilt was created in her memory.

Star by Caryl Schuetz, quilted by Cathy Franks

The tropical, exotic look of this stunning lily is enhanced by the sophisticated dark background and the swirled longarm quilting pattern of Cathy Franks.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.  If you love flower quilts, you can see more than 300 inspiring quilts on our Flower Quilt board at Pinterest.