Highlights of the Houston International Quilt Festival! (4)

We had a wonderful time at the Houston International Quilt Festival! We enjoyed seeing 1200 quilts from around the world, and are excited to share photos of our favorites... here is Part 3!

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1st PLACE ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUES:  Motocat by Esther Tronchoni Simo (Spain) @esthertronchonisimo

Machine applique and quilting were combined with wool felting to create  Motocat, which won a blue ribbon (1st place) in the Alternative Techniques category!  Check out this kitty's realistic fuzzy wool felted face! 

MASTER AWARD for THREAD ARTISTRY: Family by Yoshiyuki Ishizaki (Japan)

The quantity, variety, and colors of the embroidery stitches can only be appreciated close up, including the details of the pets on the front porch! As the artist says: "The more effort that goes into it, the more gorgeous it becomes!"

This Land is Your Land by Elizabeth Bauman (USA)

Elizabeth Bauman is a quilt artist, teacher, and member of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA). Celebrating America's beauty, this quilt is named after a famous folk song from the 1960s: "This Land is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie. Solid color fabrics give it a cheerful vibe, echoing the travel posters of the 1930s. 

MASTER AWARD for INNOVATIVE ARTISTRY:  Painted Ponies on the Prairie (106" x 63") by Melissa Sobotka (USA)

Melissa Sobotka is an artist and teacher, specializing in photo-realistic techniques. This quilt has an interesting family history! A family photo depicts a traveling carnival and horse-powered merry-go-round on the plains of Nebraska and South Dakota during the early 1900s. It was professionally fabric printed, enhanced with ink and pencils, machine appliqued and quilted. 

 

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Houston International Quilt Festival.

 

 

The Best of Digital Quilts (1)

Digital printing technology has changed every industry it has touched, including quilting. Anything you can view or design on a computer can be printed onto fabric, then quilted ! This week and next, we're featuring award-winning fabric artists who have inspired us with their creative works.

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for great deals on quilt patterns, fabric, and books ! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !

Icons in Blue by Suzan Engler (Texas)

Suzan Engler holds degrees in Computer Science and Business Administration, as well as a Master’s degree in Fine Arts. On her website, Suzan Engler says, "My art is a collaboration of photography, digital painting and manipulation, and contemporary art quilting."

Icons in Blue was based on a commercially licensed photo which was digitally manipulated, printed onto cotton fabric, and then machine quilted by Suzan.  The background of the image features numerous icons, including the word "artist".  For more of her work, please see Suzan Engler's website.

This Land Was My Land by Patricia Kennedy-Zafred (Pennsylvania)

Patricia Kennedy-Zafred says, "The striking image of a young Navajo man in 1906 speaks not only to the forced migration of Native Americans during that historical period, but also to the battle being fought today by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe... Their stories are an essential part of our diverse American fabric."

This original photo was obtained from the Library of Congress.  This piece was hand-silk-screened, transferred, machine pieced, and quilted. Patricia's prize-winning works have been exhibited nationally and internationally; for more of her work, see her gallery page.

My Arizona by Maureen Tollman

Artist Maureen Tollman says,  "As a native of Arizona, I chose to use a few of my own photographs to depict places in the state.  The background fabric is silk and the photos are mounted onto suede and burlap.  Photographs were printed on treated roller shade fabric using an inkjet printer." 

The rustic feeling of this piece  is enhanced by the addition of metal gears, burlap flowers, and other embellishments.

Birds Eye View, 60 x 24", by Wen Redmond (New Hampshire)

Birds Eye View really caught our eye with its ethereal imagery and pieced-image construction.  Wen Redmond says, "Glancing upward while at a stop sign, I spied a bird sitting high on a branch.  This observation took me on a short reverie, thinking about what the bird was thinking, watching all of us scurry and hurry about our day. This moment gave me back perspective, to remember how precious life is, and to remember the fleeting beauty hidden in today."

Birds Eye View was created by melding several photographs and printing onto prepared canvas.  The fiber photograph is mounted onto sections, which were then stitched, and tied together using dyed pearl cotton.  In the closeup photo above you can also see that the edges of the individual sections are embellished and sealed with metallic paint.
To learn more about her techniques, check out Wen Redmond's 2017 book titled Digital Fiber Art: Combine Photos and Fabric - Create Your Own Mixed-Media Masterpiece:

Mudra, 75" x 51", by Melissa Sobotka (Texas)

Melissa Sobotka’s artwork can be found in many private collections and in the National Quilt Museum. Mudra won an Honorable Mention award at the 2018 Road to California quilt show.  This striking, large wall quilt was based on Melissa Sobotka's own photograph.  She says,  "Mudra is a spiritual gesture and an energetic seal of authenticity employed in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions.  Some mudras involve the entire body but most are performed with the hands and fingers."

The authenticity of this piece is greatly enhanced by the loops of wooden beads that embellish the bottom edge of the quilt, as shown above.  For more of her work (and information about workshops), please visit Melissa Sobotka's website.


Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2018 Road to California show (Mudra), the 2015 Quilt Arizona show (My Arizona), and the 2017 Houston International Quilt Festival (Icons in Blue, Birds Eye View, This Land Was My Land).

International Quilt Exhibition 2018 (2)

Quilt art, sometimes referred to as “soft paintings,” has more in common with fine art than it does with traditional quilting. The Brigham City Museum (Utah) is presenting the 46th International Quilt Invitational Exhibit from June 16 through September 1, 2018. The exhibit features universally prized quilts by artists from Europe, Australia and North America.  In today's post we're featuring U.S. artists. We hope you enjoy this selection of outstanding quilts!

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Fiesta by Cuauhtemoc K. Kish (California)

This is one of Cuauhtemoc's quilts from his "Celebration" series. He says he wanted to express the simple joy of everyday life in it. Fiesta incorporates the applique process with cottons on a burlap backing using some traditional fabric from Central America. The woman pictured here is wearing a traditional Bolivian costume.

Quilting lines that flow outward towards the edge of this piece give the viewer the impression that they are moving gently as the woman moves.Quilted with a domestic machine, these lines bring a sense of energy and motion to Cuauhtemoc's very eye-catching work.

Natalia's Russia by Melissa Sobotka (Texas)

Melissa made this quilt for daughter Natalie, who traveled to Moscow to study Russian. Melissa says that Natalie was enchanted by Russian history, art, and culture; and saw a beautiful Russia through her eyes and her camera's lens. This quilt was inspired by one of Natalie's photographs.

Melissa has incorporated excellent detail in her work by using stitching lines to depict the elaborate architectural details of each building.

Fall Ginkgos by Franki Kohler (Oregon)

Franki comments that she has been enthralled with the fan-shaped ginkgo leaf for many years; and every time she uses this simple leaf as a design element in her art, she falls more deeply in love with it. Her quilt features a spray of ginkgos in their fall finery.

Lovely thread painting here displays the slightly mysterious, ethereal quality of the ginkgo leaves, an ancient plant. Ginkgos have been found in fossils dating back 270 million years. 

Red Wheelbarrow by Laura Wasilowski (Illinois)

Laura's colorful work is based upon the William Carlos Williams poem of the same name:
so much depends
upon
a red wheel 
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
Williams was closely associated with the modernist movement in literature. 

Close-up, Red Wheelbarrow

Laura's quilt was constructed with hand-dyed and printed fabrics, as well as fused applique. It is machine quilted. Her very artistic use of the dark background provides the contrast needed to display the burgeoning plants in the rich brown soil.

Lemon Tree in Tuscany by Sandra Bruce (California)

Sandra utilized a technique known as "Material Matrix" to interpret a gridded photograph, using her eye to reproduce the image with fabrics and piecing. It is based on a photo taken in Italy, which is a fond reminder of her trip. 

Because it is impossible to create perfect circles with this technique, the entire quilt was made (quilted, blocked, and bound) before Sandra added the lemons and some of the leaves. These were attached by hand, using applique.She free-motion quilted it on her long-arm machine. All the materials on this intriguing and beautifully-constructed work are commercial cottons and hand-dyed fabrics.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.

Best of the Road to California - Day 1

More than 39,000 visitors from all 50 U.S. states and several foreign countries come each January to visit the Road to California show in Ontario, California.. This quilt show features traditional, art and modern quilts. Here are some of the award winners and our own favorites from the 2018 show.

Also check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns, fabric, and vintage jewelry!
For continual free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter.

Erin by Sandy Curran (Newport News, Virginia)

Erin was awarded a first place ribbon at the Road to California show. Sandy Curran says, "To me, my daughter, Erin, is one of the most beautiful people on earth. I have been afraid to do a portrait of her because I believed I could never do her justice. So, I created an unlikely color scheme and a simplified pattern. You can still recognize Erin, but, because it is not literal, I don’t have to agonize over whether or not I captured her."

Santorini Sunset by Melissa Sobotka (Richardson, Texas)

Santorini Sunset won the Best Use of Color award. Melissa Sobotka says, "I desperately tried to photograph the golden hour (sunset) in Santorini Greece, but that was an image so many had already captured. So I added a new twist, and challenged myself to turn the sunset-washed town into an abstract for a new perspective."

Melissa’s photo-realistic style of quilting is created by appliquéing numerous pieces of raw edge fabrics, and then enhancing them with inks to give them greater depth. You can see more examples of her work at her website, MSfiberart.

Rainbow Dash by Michelle Howe (Irvine, California)

Michelle Howe says that Rainbow Dash was completed in one week in a class given by Susan Carlson.  We admire Michelle's clever use of batik fabrics in creating this collage quilt with raw edge applique.

Remembering Roatan by Pamela Kuck (Shawano, Wisconsin)

Pamela Kuck achieved a remarkable realism in this seascape. She says, "This view of the sunset is from our home in the Western Caribbean Bay Island of Roatan. This piece uses raw-edged fused applique, thousands of ¼-inch fabric bits, a layer of tulle, and embellished with 500 Swarovski crystals to help the water sparkle."

Gilded Roses by Susan E. Stewart

Gilded Roses won the Best Domestic Machine Quilting award. Susan Stewart says, "this quilt was inspired by the lacy, watercolor-y rose machine embroidery design from Urban Threads, in a variety of soft colors to make all the roses just a bit different. The gold swirl designs are from OESD; the fold lace motifs are John Deer's Adorable Designs. All the quilting was free-motion on an APQS George."

Your Place or Mine by Marva-Lee Otos (Ketchikan, Alaska)

This quilt design was a block-of-the-month project by Australian designer, Wendy Williams. Vibrant fabrics by Kaffe Fassett enliven this quilt. Marva-Lee Otos says, "I have always been inspired by Wendy Williams' vibrant use of color. This quilt was a personal challenge to myself as it used non traditional applique techniques."

Marva continues, "I liked the combination of needle turn and wool applique on the pieced cotton background. That, coupled with use of a creative variety of embroidery stitches, allowed me to express my artistic options."
Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.

Happy Halloween from Houston

Welcome to the Houston International Quilt Festival, everyone !

The Toad Collector by Deborah Quinn Hensel 

Quilt Inspiration is thrilled to be in Houston, Texas for the biggest and best known quilt show in the entire world.  As part of the doll display here, "The Toad Collector" by Deborah Quinn Hensel from the  Material Girls Cloth Doll Club wishes everyone a very Happy Halloween ! ( Check out the little frog that she's cuddling on her lap)

Let's get right down to business !  We know you're waiting to see the award winners !

Chihuly's Gondola by Melissa Sobotka, Richardson, Texas

$10,000.00 Best of Show Award goes to Melissa Sobotka for this resplendent, stunning quilt depicting the glass art of Dale Chihuly.  Melissa says, "Art reflecting art. This is my interpretation of a photograph I took as the sun set on a reflecting pond at the Dallas Arboretum." The gondola of glass balls was part of the installation exhibit  Garden and Glass by Dale Chihuly, sponsored by Cirro Energy.

Close-up, Chihuly's Gondola by Melissa Sobotka

We were delighted to meet and chat with Melissa, who has a degree in Fine Arts and who enjoyed a successful career as a graphic designer. Her extraordinary work is an original design, done in batik fabrics and Tsukineko inks, with raw edge applique and machine quilting.

We'll be adding more photos soon !  Stay tuned.

2013 Pacific International Quilt Festival: Part 2

Welcome to Day 2 of the 2013 Pacific International Quilt Festival!  This year's  theme is "Indie". The quilt artists were asked to explain what the concept of independence meant to them and the ways that they demonstrated independence in their work.

Venetian Menagerie, 60 x 66",  by Melissa Sobotka

Blue ribbon winner for "Best in World" at the 2013 World Quilt Competition, this quilt is a most impressive show-stopper.  Melissa says, " [I was] inspired by a photo I took of a display window in Venice, Italy. The dramatic still life was a menagerie or masks, art, and oddities. [This technique is] raw edge fused applique constructed from cotton batiks and enhanced with Tsukineko inks."

Close up, Venetian Menagerie by Melissa Sobotka

Innovative and elaborate machine quilting is part of Melissa's spectacular work.  

Ulu, or A Tribute to the Longevity of Marriage, 43 x 40", by Pamela E. Foster

Pamela notes,  "My pursuit of traditional, fully hand-sewn applique and quilting is in dramatic contrast to my high tech equipment that I use as a laparoscopic surgeon. I use cameras and log instruments to reach deep inside the abdomen to perform complex sewing tasks, pushing the limits of my abilities and imagination.....to help ailing patients. However,  with quilting, I enjoy being in full contact with my project, working with  whole cloth projects and seeing designs emerge from a blank slate. This juxtaposition between my personal and professional life epitomizes my independence.

The traditional "ulu" or breadfruit design was copied from a photograph of a 200 year old quilt from Kauai, Hawaii. The quilt is dedicated to my in-laws ad my parents, both celebrating 50 years of marriage."   We really enjoyed Pamela's lovely creation, in shades of cream and tangerine orange, which was hand appliqued and hand quilted. 

Life at the Water's Edge by Ann Horton

Blue ribbon winner in the Wall Quilt category, Ann writes, "Looking down through the branches, life by the edge of a stream is viewed with all of its activity. Digitized embroidery that has been shaped in software has been enhanced with free motion thread play. The animal tracks were stenciled and then quilted for the highlights. I used my felting machine for the next and embellishments on the rocks and logs. Adding a few bird feathers was the final bit of glory. "

Close up, Life at the Water's Edge by Ann Horton

Intricately embroidered bluebirds perch amidst the white blossoms, peering intently down at a lively woodside setting.  Their vibrant color and realistic appearance creates a perfect focal point for this very eye-catching machine appliqued and machine quilted work.

Kaleidoscopic Calamity, 35 x 35", by Margaret Solomon Gunn

Margaret states, "I wanted to make a quilt from exclusively solid fabrics. Some days, this experiment felt like a content comingling of color, while other [days] , it was a full-blown kaleidoscopic calamity." 

Close-up, Kaleidoscopic Calamity by Margaret Solomon Gunn 

Margaret adds, "The quilting is done in an "overlay" style using Filtec's Glide threads." The soft pink inner diamond really helps the stars "pop" on this very pretty solid color quilt.

The Favorite Place, 61 x 66",  by Kayoko Fukui,  Japan

Kayoko notes, "I grow herbs and flowers in my 2700 square foot garden. I tried to profile the flowers which always soothe my mind in this quilt. I used the Cathedral [Windows] technique, painting on the small flowers and a stitched outline."

Close up, The Favorite Place by Kayoko Fukui , Japan

Tiny white flowers in between each block add a delightful charm and delicacy to Kayoko's work, which is hand pieced and machine quilted.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.