Showing posts with label alphabet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alphabet. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Highlights of Quilt Arizona! (3)

The 2025 Quilt Arizona show features hundreds of quilters, many of whom spend the winter months in this sunny locale.  Here are some highlights from the show.  We hope you enjoy our photos!

Note: Please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on patterns, jewelry, and collectibles. You also can follow us on Twitter!

Here Kitty Kitty, made and quilted by Jo Willis

Jo Willis says, "I fell in love with this kit several years ago and purchased it at the Rusty Barn show in 2022.  I finally decided it was time to make this adorable kitty." The published design was Drum the Cat by Liam Brazier for Legit Kits.

Rosemary's English Garden, made and quilted by Penny Boese


Winner of 1st Place in the Pieced- Large Solo category, Penny Boese says: "I began this quilt a few years ago but only got serious about it this year. As I was making it, I thought of it as an English garden, thus my fabric color choices."  This quilt is distinguished by beautiful jewel tones and spectacular quilting. 


When my childhood and long time friend's mother, an avid gardener, died this year, I decided to name it in her honor.  Penny Boese based her quilt on the Star Upon Stars pattern by Edyta Sitar at Laundry Basket Quilts.


 SEW... My Needle Pulling Thread, made and quilted by Kate Glenn

Here is some gorgeous wool applique, embroidery, and machine quilting! Winner of 1st place in the Applique - Solo category, and a special award for Exemplary Non Professional Machine Quilting, Kate Glenn says this is her first wool applique quilt. 


 Kate Glenn says, "I liked how the pattern used whimsical flowers and vines to decorate many of my favorite sewing things. That encouraged me to revisit the embroidery stitches that my mother taught me when I was a young girl and I used them to embellish the center blocks." The published design is called Thimble Blossoms by Buttermilk Basin.  

Dragonfly Dance by Elaine Mahaffey, quilted by Nancy Stein.

Whirling pieced flowers done in batiks give so much energy to this quilt! Elaine Mahaffey says, "This project was exciting as it combined paper piecing with a design that utilized scraps. The paper piecing was necessary in order to achieve all the matching angles coming together.  The lattice in the background gives a framework for the whimsical flowers in a random pattern."

Winner of a red ribbon (2nd Place) in this category, Dragonfly Dance was based on a published design in American Quilter by Marjorie Rhine.  Check out the fun dragonfly quilting as seen on the back of the quilt, below!

Desert Rose, made and quilted by June Batty 

This lovely paper pieced quilt, with its complementary pink and green colors, was based on a published design from Lakeview Quilting by Linda McGibbon.  June Batty says, "This originally came as a kit but the substituted colors made it look like a circus tent to me.  [It was] not at all like the designer intended, so I purchased batiks from three different quilt stores... I'm quite happy with the colors now and think they are truer to the designer's vision."


Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Arizona Quilters Guild show.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Modern Quilt Month 2017 #3

We're keeping it simple for summer at Quilt Inspiration and featuring a showcase of modern quilts.  These original designs have a bold impact and straight or flowing lines, but the quilting is anything but simple.  We hope you enjoy these quilts as much as we did!
(NOTE:We are now a "Top Rated Seller" with great bargains on  books and fabrics at our eBay store! For free patterns, follow us on Twitter!)

Over the Edge by Jamie Fingal (California)


Jamie says, "My oasis is to be over the edge, pushing the envelope on my designs and quilts : to grown, and change and evolve."  Bright neon colors and geometric motifs give this non-representational design lots of high energy.



Jamie fused fabrics onto a foundation of wool-blended felt and used painting and stenciling, along with free motion machine quilting.

Modern Love by Laurie Schafer (California)


Laurie explains, " As a clothing artist, 'stained glass' style applique was my surface design of choice., so it was a natural transition to create appliqued quilts. Living in Palm Springs, the Mid-Century Modern influence surrounds me. Lyrical abstraction by Bienko Glass, Delauney, Miro, Frank Stella, and Peter Max."



We love the whimsical, sprightly flowers at the bottom of this piece ! Laurie's original design is machine pieced and appliqued, and sewing machine quilted.

Cascade by Victoria Findlay Wolfe and Shelly Pagliai


The artist notes, "As a child, I thought I might be an architect and was always inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's design of the Falling Water House. My design is based on the title of the home and the curve of modern bentwood furniture, using arcs, quilting, and color to tell the story."



Along with the title of the Frank Lloyd Wright house, these pointed spires remind us of cathedral arches or multiple exterior rooftops. This original design is machine pieced and longarm quilted.

The Red Poem by Caroline Wilkinson (United Kingdom)


Caroline writes, "I have taken the historical roots of quilt making as my inspiration, particularly antique sampler quilts. I have made a contemporary sampler using old designs, nineteenth century fabrics, paper and batting in juxtaposition with their present day counterparts and techniques, like fusing and photo transfer. Script on old hexagons are included. The letter shapes suggested are inspired by modern paintings."



We love quilts with lots of visual stimuli, and Caroline has something fascinating to look at in every block !  Her original design is hand and machine pieced, hand and machine appliqued, and hand and sewing machine quilted.

Hearts by Monika Scola


Monika states, "25 years ago, I was a Critical Care Nurse. After retiring, I was able to start quilting. My many years of sewing experience have been very helpful to me in this endeavor." We admire this beautiful display of analogous colors, which provides gentle, yet very pleasing contrasts.



Monika continues,  "My interest in water color paintings is always an inspiration for me in my original quilt designs." "Hearts" is machine pieced and longarm quilted.

Tangles by Linda Evans


Linda comments, "I used bold lines and colors to convey a feeling of emotional turmoil. The clean lines which are in opposition to the scattered tiny embroidered particles and the color selections are intended to cause a sense of unease or tension. It's similar to artists from the mid 20th century in that it is abstract, organic, and two dimensional, but it's obviously a modern work from the 21st century, here and now. "



We admire the precise workmanship on this fascinating work  Linda's original design is machine pieced, machine appliqued, and sewing machine quilted.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2016 Pacific International Quilt Festival.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Quilts of the World part 3: Canada

Part of the 2016 Pacific International Quilt Festival was the World Quilt Competition XX, which is a special exhibition within the larger P.I.Q.F. This competition, which is open to quilters from many countries, starts out each summer on the East Coast of the U.S.A.; the best quilts from that show then go on tour to the various regional shows in America. We hope you enjoy this presentation, continuing with quilts from CANADA.

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

Sweat Lodge @ Lazy M, 34 x 43", by Patti Morris


A sweat lodge is a low profile hut, typically dome-shaped or oblong, made with natural materials and used for a purification ceremony in native cultures. Patti Morris says, "This design came from an art retreat at the Lazy M Lodge in Central Alberta. Walking around the grounds I came across this very old stick-like fort called a Sweat Lodge. I sketched it onto paper and then transferred it to fabric. My goal is to donate this piece to the Lodge when I return for another drawing retreat."


A to Z for Ewe and Me, 79 x 90", by Carolyn A. Hudson


Winner of the Best of Country award for Canada, A to Z for Ewe and Me is the 2014 Block of the Month for the Quilt Show designed by Janet Stone. Carolyn Hudson says, "Janet is doing a series of alphabet quilts with ewes and winning consistently in shows for her work."


Each letter of the alphabet is done in a different font and includes a pieced or appliqued block. Carolyn says, "Making this quilt has been a pivotal point in my quilting journey and such fun!"

Ophelia, 54 x 38", by Marilyn Farquhar


This original design quilt is hand appliqued and longarm quilted. Flower motifs were fussy cut and appliqued to create the ostrich. Marilyn Farquhar says, “My son frequently challenged me to make an “ostrich” quilt instead of “flower” quilts. I took up the challenge in secrecy…. not only did I want to make his ostrich, I wanted to use floral fabrics, just to get his goat."


Marilyn's use of purple polka dot background fabric created a whimsical piece and allowed textural quilting.

New Crop, 43 x 43", by Leah Gravells


Leah Gravells says, "I am continually inspired by the sky and the fields of Alberta to create original designs. The new crop fields by Cochrane inspired this design. The fields were a lush green. This design uses 170 batik fabrics which were individually cut into ¾” strips. Each strip is quilted to the batting and backing using a “quilt as you go” technique on a domestic sewing machine."


Leah used 100% cotton batik fabrics, Hobbs Heirloom Batting and 100% cotton Gutermann thread.

Red, White and Black, 54 x 58", by Patti Morris


Patti Morris says, "This quilt originated from some left over stash I found while cleaning out my studio in the spring of 2015. Working without a plan, I sewed some strips together hoping to make a quilt for one of my grown daughters. The more strips I sewed together, the more fun it became. Then, when I decided to throw in some colorful dots, the piece seemed to dance!"


Canadian Winter, 72 x 78",by Carolyn A. Hudson


Canadian Winter, done in red and gray, is an original medallion quilt with an inner border of sampler blocks.  The center 16-point oval Mariner’s Compass is a pattern by Judy Mathieson’s book and was used with permission. The red stars really show up against the wintry gray blocks.


Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration. Ophelia was exhibited in the main PIQF show.  The other quilts shown were entered in the World Quilt Competition.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Highlights of the Pacific International Quilt Festival: Day 2!

The Pacific International Quilt Festival (PIQF) is the biggest quilt show on the West Coast of the US. We had a great time at the 25th annual show, held last week in Santa Clara, California. There were nearly 1000 quilts on display from around the globe. Here is Part 2 of selected highlights of this year's show!

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

Carnavaal, 74 x 52", by Thom Atkins, Santa Cruz, California


Thom Atkins notes, "I started with a kaleidoscope pattern from 2004; I had the pieces cut but not assembled. I also had lots of purple tear drop crystals I wanted to use. I was inspired by some pictures of Venetian Carnival masks, and my kaleidoscope morphed into a headdress. Then I created the lady to wear it and a window frame for her to look out."

Closeup,  Carnavaal by Thom Atkins


"Carnavaal" is an original design which is machine appliqued and long arm quilted. The elaborate embellishment with crystals gives this work a very glamorous, sophisticated look.

Street Tunes, 48 x 40", by Deborah Ann (Yakima, Washington, USA)


Deborah Ann says, "The passion that Ray has as he entertains people in The Loop of St. Louis, (an historic neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri), inspired me to share with others."

Close up, Street Tunes


Deborah's original design is machine pieced, machine appliqued, and sewing machine quilted. Even though these fabric shades are mostly neutrals, there is still a lot of contrast and energy to this piece.

Draft Horse Classic, 74 x 57", by Linda Lasich (Grass Valley, California, USA)


Linda notes,"The Nevada Country Fairgrounds produces annually in September, the Draft Horse Classic, bringing all breeds of draft horses together. It's a fabulous event that I commemorate with this quilt. "
Draft Horse Classic was inspired by the Material Matrix technique by Sandra Bruce
which involves interpreting a gridded photograph with fabric.

Detail, Draft Horse Classic


Linda's original design is machine pieced and long arm quilted. This artist has done an excellent job of selecting both light and dark fabrics to depict both the draft horse and the background.

No L, 71 x 70",  by Janet Stone (Overland Park, Kansas, USA)


Winner of the Yuko Watanabe "Best of Show" award, Janet Stone writes, "Inspired by quilt collector Bill Volckening's antique New York Beauty quilts, I thought the large sashing interection blocks would be a great place to put the letters. Except letter "L", that is. Being fearful of curved piecing, [I made sure that] all the curvy pieces are appliqued."

Detail, No L


Janet's original design is machine pieced, machine appliqued, and sewing machine quilted.  This meticulous workmanship is certainly deserving of the Best of Show award.

Apis Mellifera, 44 x 49", by Barbara Lange (Germany)


"Apis Mellifera" is the Latin name for the Western honey bee, the most common of the 40 species of honey bees world wide. Barbara notes, "Bees have been a major topic in my work for the past few years. Insects in general are the most successful species on earth - without them, our life would not be what it is."

Detail, Apis Mellifera


This lovely embroidery work in clear tones of orange-yellow provides a stunning contrast with these pure shades of cyan blue.

Reinventing the Wheel, 60 x 65", by Erin Davis, S. Napier, S. Cureton, C. Calvert, J. Ramsey, M. Capron, and J. Passell (Morton Grove, Illinois, USA)


This is a 100% English Paper Pieced color wheel quilt and has 11 blocks by Erin Davis and fellow members of the Get Your Hex On bee. The original design is hand pieced and machine appliqued.  Every color, except one, was a Kona cotton fabric. It was longarm quilted by Melissa at Sew Shabby Quilting.

Detail, Reinventing the Wheel


Erin Davis explains, " As a relatively newer quilter, I've been very much drawn to the modern quilting movement, but as I work within that realm, I've been increasingly influenced by past styles and traditional techniques. I like to call myself a 'modern traditionalist'. Rather than seek to work with a particular quilt pattern, i chose to design a more unique approach by playing with geometrics  and palette. This......quilt has served as larger inspiration in other projects I've completed."

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Twelve days of Christmas Quilts: Merry Christmas to All

Christmas 2015 is drawing near, and we wanted to share some of the beautiful Christmas quilts we've seen this year. Here is Day Ten of  our series: Twelve Days of Christmas QuiltsNote: We're continually featuring free patterns on Twitter for the holidays and beyond...  please follow us @quiltinspire !

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, 55 x 55", by Anna Hammes


Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is based on the Merry Christmas to All block of the month quilt by Daisy and Dell.  Each of the letters is decorated with emblems of the season, such as Christmas tree lights, toys and gifts. Anna Hammes says, "It is so exciting to see how the design will turn out!"  Anna machine appliqued the blocks, and Judy A. Danz did the long arm quilting.


Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2015 Pacific International Quilt Festival.
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