Highlights of the Road to California Quilt Show! part 1

Welcome to the Road to California Quilter's Conference and Showcase! The Road to California, as it is called, takes place in Ontario (Southern California), and features over 1,000 quilts by artists from all over the world. Around 40,000 people gather to see the show, take classes, and shop. Join us in admiring some of the stunning quilts from this year's show.

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Persephone by Deb Hyde (Michigan, USA)

This stunning piece drew in hordes of fascinated viewers at the show. The figure in the quilt is created with tiny (1") fabric squares while maintaining an underlying quilt block structure (sunshine and shadow, a traditional Amish pattern, set on point). Deb Hyde explains, "The quilt consists of one-inch fabric squares (many individually cut) that conform to both the demands of the human and landscape image as well as the embedded block pattern, forming concentric diamonds in specific color values."

Deb Hyde explains that all the pieces are placed and then sewn together with a quarter-inch seam allowance and quilted. The facial features, including the eyebrows and eyelashes, were defined by quilting with black thread, as shown in the closeup photo above.  You can read more about Deb Hyde's work at her Facebook page at Deb Hyde Fiber Art.

Little Artists by Hiroko Miyama and Masanobu Miyama (Azumino City, Japan)

One of the most charming and realistic portrait quilts we've seen (and winner of a Third Place ribbon at this show), Hiroko Miyama says this quilt was inspired by pictures of her granddaughters, Natsumi and Fuyuka. Just look at their happy, smiling faces, as they proudly display their artworks! Also check out the adorable dog peering over the sofa.

The girls' butterflies and flowers were also embroidered and popped into the wall paper behind the girls. Hiroko Miyama creates photorealistic quilts by starting with a computerized image (drawing), which is deconstructed into an applique diagram. For more information, see her Facebook page at Hiroko Miyama Quilt.

Triple Threat by Debra Crine (Florida, USA)

A gorgeous combination of fabric painting and thread painting, Triple Threat was inspired by a photograph by Nancy Joiner Harmon. Debra Crine says, "I saw a photograph of these three little faces and knew I had to paint them.  After getting permission from the photographer, I laid out my design, and decided to add some flowers to bring some color to the piece. What fun painting these tiny little faces and bringing them to life."

The precision thread painting on the faces really brings these furry creatures to life.  Check out more of Deb Crine's work at her Facebook page, Deb Crine - Artist.

The Value of Violet by Margaret Solomon Gunn (Maine, USA)

Winner of the $5000 award for Outstanding Wall Quilt, Margaret Solomon Gunn says, "All my life I have had a love affair with the color purple -- lavender, fuchsia, plum...love them all. This quilt explores creating depth, texture and design with just one color."

This beauty is made from commercial cottons and hand-dyed silk Radiance fabrics. It features turned-edge hand applique, embroidery, hand-guided longarm quilting and a scalloped edge created on the longarm. The edge scallops were quilted on the longarm, then finished on the domestic machine; they also were edged with a silk piping as shown below.

You can find more of Margaret Solomon Gunn's award-winning quilts at her website, Mainely Quilts of Love.

Boogie Brass Band by Sharon Casey (California, USA)

We loved this contemporary art quilt, with its bright solid colors and dramatic shapes. Winner of the Director's Choice Award of $5,000, Sharon Casey says, "Boogie Brass Band owes its creation to the big band music my parents played when I was a kid.  I also loved marching bands!  What a thrill it is when the light gleams off the trumpets, trombones, and sousaphones as they break from strict formation and sway into full-tilt boogie-woogie."

The musical instruments, keyboards, notes, and other elements in the quilt were cut in a freeform manner which adds to the improvisational contemporary feel of this quilt.  You can see more of Sharon's work at her website, Sharon Casey Quilts.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2020 Road to California show.

It's Raining Cats and Dogs - Part 3

Here is part 3 of our "Raining Cats and Dogs" series, with more photos of our favorite dog and cat quilts from the Houston International Quilt Festival.

Stink Eye, 30 x 30",  by Janice Paine-Dawes

Janice tells us, " My oldest Shih Tzu, Bandit, has a way of looking at us when he wants a treat. We call it his 'stink eye'. It usually results in treats for him and his sister, LuLu, and brother, PeeWee. If we try to ignore him he will freeze with this look in his eye until it produces the desired result." We love the flawless composition and design of this image, the lovely threadwork, and the fact that Bandit's collar fabric matches the very interesting border fabric.  Now, who could possibly resist giving Bandit a treat?

Close up, Stink Eye by Janice Paine-Dawes

Janice adds: "The quilt is constructed with free form cut and fused shapes on hand dyed black fabric. The fur and highlights were thread sketched with black and white threads. The trick to using hand dyed fabrics effectively is in finding just the right piece with the elements you are looking for. That was the case with Bandit's eyes and nose which were then highlighted with a bit of brown and white thread work. I don't think I could have used commercial fabric to get this look! "   We think that Janice has done an excellent job of using light and shadow very effectively to achieve a most realistic and life-like look to this totally adorable puppy. 

All Together by Hiroko Miyama and Masanobu Miyama, Tokyo, Japan

Hiroko writes, "This quilt is the first collaboration with my husband. Our sons in childhood, granddaughters, dogs, and wild animals play together at the lily mountain in Nagao. I appliqued my figure in high school days, too ! (She is in the yellow shirt, in the upper right corner, against the tree). The images of the children here provide a vivacious sense of movement as they play among the elegant lilies in this enchanting mountain setting.

Close up, All Together by Hiroko Miyama

The quilters note, " All figures, flowers, as well as white mountains, are appliqued with very tiny pieces. This quilt took 1,600 hours to complete. Techniques include: appli-piecing and micro-fused applique with hand-dyed cotton fabrics." This gorgeous quilt shows a wide range of very thoughtfully used colors.

My Blue Heeler "Rosie" by Laura Krasinski

Laura states, "My inspiration was a photo I took of my dog Rosie and a challenge with the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Art Quilters using the color blue.  I am not a fan of that color...I told my husband how I was disappointed about...having to use the color blue. He said, 'Why would you be disappointed, you have a blue heeler for a dog.' A lightbulb lit up in my head right then and there. I knew I would turn Rosie into my blues quilt."  We really like the way that Rosie's sensitive, intelligent face pops out against the artistic background of dots.

Close up, My Blue Heeler "Rosie" by Laura Krasinski

Laura has clearly undertaken very intricate, careful work to display Rosie's eyes and facial features just right. Her techniques include raw-edge appplique and ink on fabric,  all of which is free-motion quilted on a domestic machine.

Forever Friends by Jude Edling

Jude explains, "Three friends, Lady, Marti, and Twinkles, loved chasing leaves, running through shrubs, crossing the bridge, and running free together. The love that greyhounds and all dogs give can't be captured anywhere but in our hearts. It was a challenge to make a memorial quilt that was a lively as these beloved canines. It was a challenge to make a memorial quilt that was as lively as these canines. The quilt suggests wind blowing behind it."  She notes, "The greyhound's ears [shown below] can be moved for her full range of expression."

Close up, Forever Friends by Jude Edling

This close-up shows the sweet personalities and soulful natures of  Lady, Marti, and Twinkles. Jude used hand and machine applique, plus machine piecing and quilting to create this heartfelt tribute to her friends. For further information about the artist, please see the  profile of Jude Edling at the BAQS website.

Neon Kitty by Laurie Russman

Laurie says, "Neon Kitty is inspired by the pet of my heart, a feral kitty rescued...as a two-day-old-kitten. Defying the label of  "unadoptable", she has succeeded in training me completely. Her nonstop energy is (almost) captured in this ....fabric interpretation of a photo taken on my iMac in "thermal" mode- hence the brilliant primary colors. I normally work from conventional photos but was curious to see what coloration would result from this unusual setting on the computer. "

Laurie's techniques include drawing, fusing fabric, machine applique, free-motion quilting, threadpainting, and inking. Her expert use of vivid complementary colors really displays her beloved pet's dynamic personality and very expressive facial features.

Image credits: Photos of "Stink Eye" are from the collection of Janice Paine-Dawes. Other photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2013 Houston International Quilt Festival.