Amador Valley Quilt Show (California) : Day 3

We recently attended the annual quilt show of the Amador Valley Quilters in Livermore, California, with the theme "Colors of the Vineyard". This prolific guild had two big rooms full of fabulous quilts It's difficult to decide which quilts to feature, as they were all wonderful ! Let's continue with Day 3.
Happy Mother's Day on Sunday, May 14 !  😊

(We're featuring fun books, patterns, and fabrics at very low prices on Quilt Inspiration E-Bay !)

Labyrinth Walk by Donna Driver, et.al.,  quilted by Dianne Saugier

In sewing this intriguing quilt, Donna Driver was assisted by Elizabeth Taylor and Karen Loughrige. Donna says, [Labyrinth Walk] was made in June 2014 by the United Methodist Women's Quilt Group for Pastor Paul Harkness on his retirement. Paul had always said he wanted to build a labyrinth, so here it is in the eyes of a quilter. This is.... a work of fellowship and love given by the members of Castro Valley United Methodist Church. " The pattern is by Christopher Florence. 

Donna continues, "Christopher Florence's design was inspired by a gorgeous floor he discovered in Naples, Italy. He had the honor of Quilt Magazine publishing his pattern in the April/May issue of 2012."

Chanticleer by Jean Ann Luther

Jean Ann notes, "Chanticleer is the result of a class by Susan Carlson. I have always loved chickens and wanted him to have a real "presence".  Jean Ann was inspired to create Chanticleer from a cartoon drawing. We really like the lively personality with which Jean Ann imbued Chanticleer.

Here's you can see some of Chanticleer's gorgeous plumage, of which (we imagine) he is obviously very proud ! Jean adds, "He is made using many small raw-edged pieces, then covered with net and quilted."

Tea Pots for a Tea Party by Elizabeth F. Taylor, quilted by Darla Padilla

We really enjoyed viewing this charming quilt ! Elizabeth states, "[Tea Pots] was made from a kit from Keepsake Quilting. Three friends each bought a kit and challenged each other to complete it. Mine got finished in 2016. This quilt is a work of love. The fun is in making all the pieces go together." The Garden Tea Party pattern is by The Quilt Company.

The description card says, "There was piecing of the fabrics, applique on some of the prints, embroidery by machine and by hand, and a lot of patience by Elizabeth F. Taylor. The quilt was longarm machine quilted by Darla Padilla of "Wildflower Quilting."

Stars in the Garden by Elva Blackburn

Elva writes that she chose the "Stars in the Garden" pattern by Piece O' Cake Designs because she really liked this design. It's bright, very artistic, and a real eye-catcher.

Close-up, Stars in the Garden

Elva's embroidered embellishments on these tiny blue flowers add such a finished, pretty touch to this lovely quilt. In this close-up, you can see the precise, even hand-quilting that Elva did on this project.

Symphony in Sea by Susan Mangels, quilted by Lora Zmak

Susan states, "Growing up in California, I have always lived on the coast, currently I live near the coast. I love the sea and the life it contains. This design hit all my favorites, so I just had to make this."

It must have been such fun to applique these happy ocean creatures ! This pattern is by Karen Brow at Java House Quilts.

Susan continues, "Lora Zmak was recommended to me by a friend, and her work on my quilt has enhanced its theme beautifully."

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.

A Day of Color Quilt Show

On June 1, 2013, we attended "A Day of Color" quilt show presented by the Flying Needles Quilt Guild in Woodland, California. 

This quilt guild is only three years old, but they are turning out some very pretty and skillful work. Come join us for a "walkabout "!

This Old Barn Quilt , 72 x 72, by Lois Dell

Lois has done a very creative variation on the traditional schoolhouse quilt block by substituting barns in bright, happy colors. She's added in some cute chickens and rooster blocks, set off by prairie points, around the center medallion.  The pattern is by The Quilt Company.

Close-Up, This Old Barn Quilt by Lois Dell

Look at the darling "quilt barn" in the center, surrounded by baby chicks, a butterfly, and a stately rooster! This is a very fun quilt, with lots of visual interest.

Step Into My Garden, 60 x 60, by Olivia Loop

Olivia says,  "I couldn't resist another Kim Diehl pattern. I used up lots of old strips and had fun with applique." You can see that Olivia has used a lot of her vivid scraps, but the motif is still very unified, due to the matching red and white nine patch centers of each block. This cheerful folk art pattern will brighten up any room in your home.


Catch Me If You Can, 45 x 56, by Maggie Mitchell

Maggie says,  "This was a Linda Ballard workshop, where she emphasized precision piecing."  We especially like the flying geese border, which enhances the strong, angular, geometric pattern of her quilt.

First Big Quilt, 68 x 83, by Kathy Goding

Kathy notes, "This is my first big quilt that I quilted myself, using nylon thread for each individual block. Also, I had to calculate the number of  [quilted] curves for the border before chalking the curved lines. So, determining exact dimensions was a new process for me."  We think that Kathy has done an excellent job of showing her collection of  large-scale Asian prints, using the traditional snowball  pattern.

Calendar Block of the Month, 64 x 82, by Betsy van Kessel

Betsy states: "[This is a ] Block of the Month 'Calendar' presented by Betty Kisbey. As always, I enjoyed making one block a month and at the end, being challenged with putting the blocks together." We enjoyed this eye-catching quilt, which displays some favorite, much-beloved quilt patterns, updated in vivid colors.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.

Vintage and Modern Valentines: Part 2

Did we mention that we love Valentine's Day? Vintage and modern hearts are so beautiful in quilts.  Also, quilts are an expression of love; the love that goes into making a quilt can be expressed in tangible form on Valentine's Day.  Here are some wonderful quilts which caught our eye.

Broken Heart, 56 x 76" by Laura Jansen at Butterfly Quilting (Vacaville, California)

Laura Jansen is a professional longarm quilter who is based in Northern California. Her beautiful "Broken Heart" quilt won First Place at the 2011 Dixon California May Fair.  The three-dimensional appearance of the hearts is due to the use of two different red fabrics; the fabric on the right hand side of the heart is slightly darker. The hearts are based on the "Love the Log Cabin" pattern from the book 25 Years and Still Stripping by Eleanor Burns.  A friend of Laura's, who taught a class on the pattern, called it the Broken Heart quilt.

Close-up, Broken Heart by Laura Jansen at Butterfly Quilting

In this close-up photo you can see the details of Laura Jansen's lovely quilting (can you also see the log cabin?)  The setting blocks are filled with hearts and feathers, which are echoed by feathers inside the red hearts.  Laura has enhanced the 3D appearance of the hearts by quilting parallel lines in the darker strips. You might not be able to tell how large the hearts are from this photo; for perspective, see a photo of Laura with the quilt at Butterfly Quilting. Also, at Laura's Flickr photostream, you can see her gallery of Broken Heart quilts.

Heart and Feather Wholecloth Quilt by Leah Day at The Free Motion Quilting Project

As you may know, Leah Day is the free-motion-quilting guru who started The Free Motion Quilting Project. Now, with over 365 designs created, the project is a resource for thousands of quilters around the world !   The stunning Heart and Feather quilt shown above was the subject of her 10th Quilt-Along, and the pattern and instructions are free at this link.  You can find all kinds of FMQ tools and supplies, along with instructional books and DVD's at the associated online shop, Day Style Designs.  Last but not least, Leah offers a Craftsy class called Free Motion Quilting a Sampler (there is currently a 50% discount if you follow the link at Day Style Designs !) 

i heart you, 57 x 57" or 108 x 108", by Vanessa Christenson

Vanessa Christenson is one of the modern quilt designers we admire, and this luscious heart is her first quilt and pattern for 2013.  The "i heart you" quilt can be made in either a baby quilt size or a large throw; the easy pattern features half-square triangles as shown below. 

The "i heart you" quilt, and the faux-pleated pillow shown in the first photo are made with Vanessa's own Simply Color ombre pink fabric for Moda. Just think: a quilt like this can be made with only a single fabric, plus a white background !  We love ombres, which are so useful for adding dimensionality; Vanessa's collection has 6 different hues including a gorgeous graphite gray.  For more information see Vanessa Christenson's post at V and Co (you can find the 'i heart you' pattern here).

Heart and Home Village, 63 x 72" by Jan Millner, 2012 River City Quilters' Guild; photo by Quilt Inspiration

This charming "Heart and Home Village" by Jan Millner has eight heart-themed houses along with tree and bunny applique blocks, surrounded by a heart-and-ribbon border. Jan says: "[This quilt was] made in a precision-piecing workshop in 2010. The next year we bought and downsized into a red townhouse in a village – coincidence?"  The quilt design and kit are by Arlene Stamper and Melissa Harris at The Quilt Company.  The close-up photo of  Jan Millner's quilt shows "The Purr-fect Heart House" block; you can even see tiny cats in the front windows.  Jan won a third-place ribbon for this quilt; in this photo you can see her expert quilting, including the scalloped roof on the house.

Theresa’s Heart Strings, 62 x 48", by Theresa Caselman (Hemet, California) as seen at PIQF 2012.  Photo by Quilt Inspiration.

We spotted this cheerful heart quilt at the 2012 Pacific International Quilt Show; this scrappy quilt was made with 219 different fabrics. Theresa Caselman says: "As an artist new to quilting, I love creating with the endless palette of colorful fabrics. This is my first quilt using hand applique and hand quilting; it took me 2 years to complete."  Theresa embellished many of the hearts with trinkets and jewels. The "strings" are made with bias strips that are curved into different shapes. We recognize this whimsical design as "Heart Strings" by Cindy Cooksey (a pattern is available at Jukebox Quilts).

Image Credits: Images of Broken Heart, Heart and Feather Wholecloth and 'i heart you' are shown with the generous permission of the artists.  The other photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.

River City Quilt Guild - Day 4 ('Tis the Season!)

We recently visited the River City Quilters Guild quilt show in Sacramento, California, where we saw some lovely quilts with a Christmas theme.

Holiday Lane, 63 x 73", made by Lori Hemmingsen-Souza, quilted by Brandy Rice

This cheerful quilt with its cozy houses and decorative holly leaf border won a third place ribbon in its category. We recognize this as a design by Arlene Stamper and Melissa Harris at The Quilt Company.

Close-up, Holiday Lane

This is the Holiday Inn block: The Holiday Inn is decorated for the holidays with a Christmas Tree in the Window. The three signs out front give directions to where the fun is at! There's "Miller's Pond" for ice skating, and skiing at the "Bunny Slope" with "Hot Cocoa" to warm you up afterward.

Over the River and Through the Woods, 48 x 54”, by Phyllis Day

Phyllis says: "Made for my son and daughter-in-law. First time to do redwork." The "Over the Hill and Through the Woods" pattern is by Meg Hawkey at Crabapple Hill Studio.  Meg says: "The little family travels in a horse drawn sleigh through the snowy woods & across the river to Grandmother's warm & welcoming farmhouse. You can practically smell the turkey roasting!"

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, 86 x 97”, made by RCQG Members, quilted by Deborah Joyner

First place winner for "Best Group Quilt", this is the RCQG’s Opportunity Quilt for next year's 2013 show. It is adapted from Jennifer Chiaverini’s Caroline’s Wedding Quilt from her book Traditions from Elm Creek Quilts (A Double Wedding Ring embellished with floral appliqués, a cherished gift for a very special bride). The quilt was made by 25 applique artists and 4 piecers. This truly lovely quilt has subtle color gradations, which gives it an elegant luminous quality.

Close-up of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

In this close-up, you can see the intriguing center floral applique motif.

Pretty Packages, 27 x 30" by Teri Moore

Teri notes, "I saw this block in a magazine. It is a wonderful block for the beautiful Christmas fabrics. I’ve had fun making many table runners and 3 quilts."

Winter Wonderland, 63 x 67”, by Mary Fish

Blue ribbon winner for best quilt utilizing all other techniques, Mary notes, " This is my creation for a Zephyr Point Quilt Camp challenge to produce a winter wonderland quilt. It is adapted from patterns from Crabapple Hill’s "Winter Wonderland" and "Over the River and Through the Woods"; The Stitch Connection's "Snowman Collector"; Winter Twitterings [by Pearl Louise Krush] and my own designs."

Close-up, Winter Wonderland

Close-up, Winter Wonderland

Christmas Bed Quilt, 84 x 103",  by Phyllis Day

Phyllis Day writes,  "I decided it would be nice to have a Christmas quilt for every bed in our home. This is a start."

Image credits:  Photos are by Quilt Inspiration.