Highlights of the 2017 Houston International Quilt Festival - part 2

The Houston International Quilt Festival is an awe-inspiring event, with more than 1,600 quilts on display, and over 60,000 visitors!! It's hard to describe the scale and visual impact of this event. Just weeks earlier, the Houston convention center served as shelter for more than 10,000 people displaced by Hurricane Harvey, yet the Quilt Festival was executed flawlessly! Here are more highlights of this fantastic show.

We've listed lots of lovely items at very low prices at Quilt Inspiration's E-Bay store !

Jake by Carol Morrissey (Texas, USA)

Jake was awarded 1st Place in the Art- People, Portraits, and Figures category.  Carol Morrissey says, "I showed my grandson the electric train I got for Christmas in 1956 and explained to him that it was not working. He held the train’s engine out to me and very solemnly said, “You can fix it.” I took a photo of him at that moment. After playing around with the photo digitally, I interpreted it in circles cut from my hand-dyed fabrics [and fused]."

Revive 1995.1.17 2011.3.11 by Miiko Kuwahara (Tokushima, Japan)

Thousands of hand-stitched hexagons make up the background of this quilt. The angel's hands and the bird stand out from the surface of the quilt, making them appear to fly.  About the title, Miiko Kuwahara says: "There were two big earthquakes in Japan, on January 17, 1995 and on March 11, 2011. Though I didn’t suffer, I wondered what I could do. It is : Don’t forget. I wanted to express that people who lose everything go forward again. Bird, the symbol of rebirth, just takes off."

Revive was made entirely by hand with hand piecing, hand applique, hand beading, hand embroidery, and painting.   In this photo you can see the lace that decorates the angel's gown gown.

Eve by Candice Phelan (Florida, USA)

Candice Phelan says, "Humans have created masks to celebrate significant cultural rituals for millennia. This African mask celebrates Mitochondrial Eve, named by the scientific community to represent the mother of the human race, based on the fossil record, DNA evidence, and migration studies.

Eve is made with machine applique; fused applique; hand embellishment; painting; hand guided, track-mounted applique, thread painting, and quilting using African and other cotton fabrics along with various threads; silk; satin; ribbons; yarn; buttons; and oil paint.

The Monumental Way by Karlyn Bue Lohrenz (Montana, USA)

This stunning piece was the headliner in a special exhibit titled Rising Stars: Karlyn Bue Lorenz. Karlyn says that a snow-filled, cold winter in Montana inspired her to create an atmosphere of the warmth of the desert based on her photos. This stunning quilt was machine pieced, appliqued, and quilted.

She says, “I don’t know how one could take a class [from] Katie Pasquini Masopust and not say to yourself, 'I have to try it!' [Caryl Bryer] Fallert-Gentry’s gradated fabrics gave life to my vision."

Come Into Bloom by Eun-suk Lee (Chungbuk, Republic of Korea)

The glistening lotus pond was expressed in a shimmering triangle pattern with satin fabric. The Korean traditional pattern, Wadang (lotus flower), was created with machine embroidery and quilting.

Eun-suk Lee used machine piecing, machine embellishment, machine embroidery, original digitized embroidery, free-standing lace, and cutwork to create her masterpiece. The materials used included polyester satin fabric, polyester and silk thread, tulle, and wool batting.

Llums by Montserrat Forcadell Blasco (Catalunya, Spain)

“Llums” means “lights.” Montserrat Forcadell Blasco says, "My intention was to create a quilt with light effects on it, therefore the shape of the quilt creates a color and light loop. I wanted to create an effect that would immerse the spectator. Her techniques included fused applique and machine embellishment.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.

Things with Wings

As a subject for a quilt challenge, "Wings" evokes images found in literature, art and our imaginations. It brings to mind butterflies, birds, bees and other winged creatures that enliven our skies.   In compiling the collection, we were inspired by the Quilters' Innovative Design challenge at the 2015 World Quilt Show, but we've included several other fabric art works featuring Things with Wings. 

Butterfly - Barbulètè, 32 x 47", by Lucia Schnog (Curaçao)

Butterfly - Barbulètè was exhibited in the International category at the 2015 World Quilt Competition in Florida. Lucia Schnog says, "[The quilt was] inspired by the blooming of the Ixora – or “Faya Lobi” in our native Papiamentu. It attracts lots of beautiful butterflies."

The butterfly wings were hand appliqued.  The creative, knitted flowers really stood out in this creative piece.  Their color perfectly matches the Ixora flowers that inspired the piece. The large embroidery stitches (upper left) add texture to the leafy forms.  In the upper left you also can see the beading on the butterfly's eye.

Magical Wings by Candice Phelan

Magical Wings was exhibited in the Quilters' Innovative Design (QID) "Wings" challenge.  QID is an advanced art quilt group in Florida.  The intricate pattern of the butterfly wings reminds us of a stained glass window.   The iridescent look of the wings was created with metallic threads and yarn which can be seen in the close up photo below.

Candice Phelan is also a member of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA). You can see more of her beautiful work at her website, Fiber Art Vision.

Butterfly Ballet by Barbara A. Stewart

Butterfly Ballet has a modern, graphic appearance, which we really enjoy.  The depiction of butterflies in shades of gray really emphasizes the shape, structure and design of the various butterfly wings. Some of the shading was created with applique, while other "spots" were created with stitching, as shown below.

Bad Hair Day by Martha A. Nordstrand (Arizona)

The incredible applique work, fanciful stitching and embroidery really stand out in this colorful quilt by Martha Nordstrand.  She says, "This quilt is a combination of Mola-like birds decorated with embroidery threads using many types of stitches. It is my version of a Crazy Quilt Mola-Style!"

Martha Nordstrand is an award-winning quilter and teacher who has developed her own method of detailed applique.  You can find more information about her technique, along with galleries and pattern books, on her website:  More Quilts Please.

The B Quilt:  Bananas, Birds, Blossoms, Butterflies, Bees, Buttons by Judith Roderick (New Mexico)

This bright tropical quilt was inspired by Judith's many trips to Hawaii. She says, "I combined two of my painted scarves and then added other tropical elements, such as butterflies and hummingbirds... It was a delight to create a high desert dweller’s version of a spring: a green, fertile, busy blooming tropical paradise."

This quilt was hand painted, stenciled, stamped, and machine quilted. We love the colorful buttons that decorate the butterflies and border of this quilt. Judith explains, "The rainbow-blended border of this piece gave me the opportunity to use every possible color of button that I had."

It's All About the Birds, 39.5 x 34.5”, by Toby Gluckstern

Toby says, "This is my second quilt inspired by Escher’s technique of tessellation. I am intrigued by how the birds fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. By using different shades of gray and white, I was able to make some of the birds hide in the background, until you get close."

In this close up you can see the tessellation, along with the quilted wings, whimsical expression and yellow beaks on the birds. The background was quilted in a chevron design, which sets off the birds around the edges.  This quilt was exhibited in the Shades of Gray quilt challenge at the 2015 Florida quilt show.

Sweet Nectar, 31 x 31”, by Barbara Kilbourn (Michigan)

This huge bee is definitely larger than life! This wonderful quilt was inspired by a photo taken by Barbara Kilbourn’s daughter, Anna, in Florida. Barbara loved the way the bee was curled around the flower.   We love the orange and black pattern on the bee's body, the use of batiks for its head and legs, and the quilted pattern on the wings.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2015 World Quilt Show (Lucia Schnog, Candice Phelan, Barbara A. Stewart, Toby Gluckstern); the 2014 Road to California (Martha A. Nordstrand); the 2014 AQS quilt show (Barbara Kilbourn); and the 2013 Houston IQF (Judith Roderick).

Best of the 2015 World Quilt Show in Florida (part 1)

Florida's World Quilt Show in West Palm Beach is a great event to attend, amidst the warmth and sunshine,  while most of  the U.S.A. shivers under winter's blanket. We marveled at all the spectacular quilts from around the globe!  Planet Earth indeed holds a huge variety of wonderful quilting talent. We're happy to be sharing this series of photos from Florida.

Miyabi, 105 x 88",  by Matsuko Shiraishi, Japan

Matsuko says, "This quilt is made from a traditional Japanese bridal costume. I want to express of feeling of Miyabi through this quilt. Miyabi is a feeling of elegance and sorrow. To represent [Miyabi], I reformed the log cabin pattern to a rose shape and expressed sorrow through my color choices. Weddings are ceremonies that have these two emotions." Matsuko's stately and elegant  kimono pattern, all done in silk, is almost 9 feet long- one of the tallest quilts we've ever seen in a show.

Close up, Miyabi by Matsuko Shiraishi

Matsuko adds about her original design, "I hope these rose pattern [blocks made out of ] wedding dresses expressed these emotions well." This stunning work is machine pieced and machine quilted.

In the Mughal's Midnight Garden, 84 x 57", by Hazel Foot, New Zealand

Blue ribbon winner for Best Use of Color-Traditional Quilts, Hazel writes of her original design,  "[This quilt was] inspired by a photo taken in India of stonework on a heritage building. The quilt uses the bright colors of the women's saris to evoke the energy and vibrancy of India. " Through subtle yet stunning gradations of hues, Hazel's work is spectacular.

Close up, In the Mughal's Midnight Garden by Hazel Foot

Hazel continues, "The flower motifs are mainly silks with shot cottons, cut on the bias for the trellis work. The piece is machine applied and machine quilted with hand embellishment in the center." For more information about Hazel Foot, please see her biography for the 2015 Quilt Symposium Manawatu.

My Brothers I Seek, 63 x 46",  by Shani Leser, Israel

Blue ribbon winner for Best of Country (Israel), Shani notes, "Watching these three brothers, listening to their music and their laughter, I was captivated by the energy that flowed between them.... It brought to mind the biblical story of Joseph searching for his brothers and for brotherhood...."my brothers I seek".

Close up, My Brothers I Seek by Shani Leser

Shani created her original design with machine raw edge stitching with zigzag stitch and machine quilting. She used pastel crayons to enhance the face and the hands.   We admire the thread painting, which adds so much to the ethereal light and shadow effect of her work.

Grandmother- Sisters' Garden, 88 x 96", by Jocelyn Thornton, New Zealand

Jocelyn notes, "Both [of my] grandmothers and my sister plant flowers. I sew them, planted in a trellis border fabric. The back is pieced from fabrics bought with the border for a quilt top."  This split complementary color scheme, with its radiant periwinkle, lavender, and yellow-gold tones, creates a lovely floral bouquet pattern.

Close up, Grandmother Sisters' Garden by Jocelyn Thornton

Jocelyn adds, "[These] flowers are hand sewn and machine quilted with guidance and help from Sharon Perry, who designed more hexagon patterns especially for this quilt. We used a computer-driven longarm machine owned by Sue Burnett, who gave us the use of it."

Jocelyn's work provides a cheery and colorful touch of springtime to the viewer's eye. In this close-up photo you can see the fussy-cut hexagons that make up the "flowers". The quilt reminds us of a one-block-wonder combined with a Grandmother's flower garden design.

Fireball, 48 x 48",  by Candice L. Phelan,  Florida, U.S.A.

Of her original design, Candice explains, " [This is] fourth in a series of luminescent spheres." Candice started with the lightest fabric, the white highlight, then worked outward to the deeper orange tones. In Candice's You Tube video, she provides an excellent explanation of her fascinating work.

Close up, Fireball by  Candice L. Phelan,  Florida, USA

Candice continues, "It is machine raw-edge appliqued, thread-painted, and machine quilted, using variegated, metallic, and iridescent threads." She used over 3,300 pieces of 1 1/8 inch fabric circles, hand-dyed in 8 different hues. This is one of the most innovative and original creations we saw at the World Quilt Show.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.