Easter Blessings

~ At this time of year we wish you all the blessings of Easter. ~
The flowering crocus can be regarded as an essential symbol of the awakening of nature, resurrection, and the renewal of life.*  We've long admired the beautiful Spring Crocus quilt by Jan Krentz, shown below.

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Spring Crocuses by Jan P. Krentz (California) 

The colors of spring crocus are white, light violet,and dark violet. The flowers, buds, and leaves are mainly machine pieced with some applique. Jan Krentz says the inspiration for this quilt was a photo she saw in a Smith & Hawken gardening catalog of a misty, grassy slope scattered with naturalized crocuses in bloom. The design was created in a five-day workshop conducted by Ruth B. McDowell in 1990.

Spring Crocuses was juried into the 2016 Art Quilt Invitational show at the Brigham City Museum (Utah). Jan Krentz is the author of Lone Star Quilts and Beyond and other bestselling quilting books. Ruth B. McDowell pioneered paper pieced techniques as taught in Ruth B. McDowell's Design Workshop and other books.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2017 Brigham City Museum quilt show. *For information on the symbolism of the crocus, see: Kandeler R, Ullrich WR. Symbolism of Plants: Examples of European-Mediterranean Culture Presented With Biology and History of Art: JANUARY: Crocus. Journal of Experimental Botany 2009;60(1):6–8.

Highlights from the 2014 Tucson, Arizona Quilt Fiesta (continued)

We headed south through the sunny Arizona desert last weekend to the  2014 Tucson, Arizona "Quilt Fiesta" .  Here are some more of our favorites.  We hope you have fun viewing these selections!

Together We Dance by Patsy Heacox

1st place winner in the  Pictorial Art category, Patsy writes, "Five times World Champion Hoop Dancer, Tony Duncan, inspired me to include his family in a new way. [My techniques include] inked portraits, raw edge appliqued, thread-painted, embellished. Background quilting of childrens’ images, sacred symbols. 

Close up, Together We Dance by Patsy Heacox

We were very impressed by this artistic quilt and the creative background quilting, which includes the Native American flute player, which you can see in the upper left. You can also see part of the quotes, which Peggy says are inked and then free motion outlined.

Extravagant Nature by Laura Steiniger

Extravagant Nature was adapted from Kim McLean’s Roseville Album pattern. "My love of nature inspired me to adapt a Kim McLean pattern. I added rabbits to personalize the design and had fun creating the birds and animals out of Kaffe Fassett and other fabrics. I’ve never had this much fun playing with fabric."

Close up, Extravagant Nature by Laura Steiniger

In this close-up, you can see the fabulous colors that Laura chose to depict the animals, including the very cute rabbit on the lower right-hand side.

Close-up, Extravagant Nature by Laura Steiniger

Laura has done wonderful work in creating a tree-of-life motif, where these lively, happy creatures exist in a vibrant fantasy world of different hues.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? by Janet Pugh and Barbara Barr, quilted by
Barbara Barr (non-judged)

This highly imaginative quilt is a view of a dinner table, as seen looking down from above on the table. Janet writes, "Barbara and I envisioned hosting a dinner party with 8 of America’s best-known contemporary quilt artists as guests. We designed 8 dinner plates in their respective styles. Ours are the two end plates on the tables. Can you guess who’s coming to dinner?" (The answer is in the footnote* at the end of the post).

Close-up, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? by Janet Pugh and Barbara Barr

Each plate is a mini-quilt that is finished and then appliqued to the surface of the quilt.  This Mariner’s Compass design is from Judy Mathieson.

Close-up, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner by Janet Pugh and Barbara Barr

The plate shown above was designed in the style of Caryl Bryer Fallert.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner by Janet Pugh and Barbara Barr

The plate shown above was designed in the style of Yvonne Porcella.

Silver Winter by Jacquelyn Morris-Smith

This quilt was based on the Golden Tapestry Special Edition pattern by Anita Goodesign, which was originally done in gold thread on a blue background. Jacquelyn says: "When I saw this design I immediately wanted to do it in black and silver. This reminds me of a beautiful winter scene, with over 2 million machine embroidery stitches."

Close up, Silver Winter by Jacquelyn Morris-Smith

In our opinion, this pastoral garden scene brings to mind a tapestry pattern from centuries past. We really enjoyed this superb example of machine embroidery.

Circus Stars by Sally Dickinson, quilted by Mary Vaneecke

First place winner in the medium size quilt made by two persons,  Sally Dickinson notes, "Circus Stars started as a collection of clown embroidery patterns from older Aunt Martha’s Hot Iron Transfers. Instead of working these in Red Work, I chose ‘Rust Work’ to give the quilt an antique feeling." The light colored stars with various sized-points placed in between the blocks really add sparkle to this quilt. Pattern source: Embroidery from old Aunt Martha's Patterns.

Close up, Circus Stars by Sally Dickinson, quilted by Mary Vaneecke

Sally's expert workmanship is shown here in her precise rendering of the tiny blocks and the little clown spinning the balls and the hoops.

Square Peg in a Round Hole by Barb Smart, quilted by Barbara Angerhofer

Barb Smart used a Burgoyne Surrounded pattern by Mary Fons, which was published in the Winter 2012 edition of Quilty Magazine (as of this writing, there is a digital pattern).  We've always loved this pattern, which originated in the 19th century (see the history below). Barb Smart has created a wonderful graphic version with a single blue block which adds a contemporary focal point to this quilt.

close up, Square Peg in a Round Hole by Barb Smart, quilted by Barbara Angerhofer

Barb Smart says: "This quilt is machine pieced and made with 100% cotton. My inspiration was to practice squaring up 9-patch blocks. I like the simplicity of the pattern, yet it shows drama!"  Barbara Angerhofer's quilting, which was done in concentric and overlapping circles, adds interest and a sense of movement to the quilt.

"Burgoyne Surrounded" is an abstract depiction of the battle of Saratoga, a turning point in the American Revolution. The chains of small squares represent regiments of Redcoats and British armies of Burgoyne, marching from Canada, and General Howe, marching from New York. The circle represents militiamen from New England, surrounding Burgoyne at Saratoga. This pattern and a related one, "Burgoyne's Surrender," have been popular since the 19th century.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.
*Answer to "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner": Top row, L-R: Michael James, Jane Sassaman, Ruth McDowell, Ricky Tims; Bottom row, L-R: Judy Mathieson, Yvonne Porcella, Libby Lehman, Carol Bryer Fallert. 

It's Raining Cats and Dogs - Part 2

We're continuing with our coverage of loveable canine and feline images displayed at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, Texas. We think these are all wonderful! In the Comments section below, you be the judge and tell us which ones are your favorites. Do they remind you of your own precious companions?

Snow Buddies, 48 x 48", by Ruth Powers

Ruth states, "These are my two dogs, a 165 rescued shepherd mix and a 145 pound Komondor. I took the photo several years ago, intending to make it into a quilt. This exhibit spurred me to get it done."  Komondors are a rare breed with long cords of white fur, resembling a large rag mop.  You can see the photo that inspired the quilt at Ruth Powers' blog.

Close up, Snow Buddies by Ruth Powers

For Ruth's original design, she used machine piecing and free-motion quilting on a domestic sewing machine.  In this close-up photo you can see the pieced segments that make up the dogs and the snowy background.

Close- up, Snow Buddies by Ruth Powers

We really admire the contemporary geometric piecing of the Komondor's coat which gives a lovely three-dimensional collage-like effect to this quilt.

Mendelssohn by Franki Kohler

Franki says, "Mendelssohn, my bichon frise buddy, was just eight weeks old when my sister snapped a photo of him playing in the grass. I knew immediately that I would use the image to create a quilt." Franki began drawing the pattern in a class taught by Ruth B. McDowell. "Mendelssohn" is machine pieced, then free-motion quilted.

Close up, Mendelssohn by Franki Kohler

 The languid curves of the quilt pattern here are very reflective of the wavy fur coat possessed by many bichon frise dogs. If you’d like to learn more about the inspiration for and construction of this art quilt, and see the original photo that inspired the quilt, click here.

Best Friend, 43 x 59", by Barbara Yates Beasley

Barbara writes, "Drew, our Dalmatian mix, was adopted from the local animal shelter in 2002. He has become my best friend, loyal companion, and the muse for my art. This quilt is the 10th in a series of portraits featuring my best friend."  We love Drew's smiling face and laughing eyes. Doesn't he look as if he's ready to play?

Close up- Best Friend by Barbara Yates Beasley

To assemble her quilt, Barbara used raw-edge fused applique, then she free-motion quilted it.  She has made very effective use of many different values of black and white fabrics.

The Gift by Pamela Seaberg

Pamela notes, "About a year ago, a stray cat came crying to our house. He was cold, full of fleas, and un-fixed. We took him in and gave him a home. A week later, my mother passed away.  I think that my father sent him to us to help me with my grief."
Surrounded by an elegant, classic border that looks almost like an oil painting, this cat has a very noble, dignified look.

Close- up, The Gift by Pamela Seaberg

To create her original design, Pamela used over 50 colors of rayon thread. She drew the outline of the cat on muslin; then did thread painting, hand applique, and machine quilting.

Somebody Say Treat?  by Suzan Engler

Suzan notes, "This is Roxy and Lucy Furr. They are Italian mastiffs and belong to my little brother, who loves big dogs.....When I saw Lucy's eyes, I was inspired to try to document her piercing stare into a quilt."

Close-up, Somebody Say Treat?  by Suzan Engler

Suzan has done a great job of capturing the soulful, intelligent look of these countenances. She used a digitally manipulated photo, which was printed, then thread painted. 

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2013 Houston International Quilt Festival.

River City Quilt Show - Day 1

"Rhapsody in Bloom" was the theme of the  River City Quilters' Guild 2012 Quilt Show, which took place from Nov. 14-16, 2012 in Sacramento, California.   We really enjoyed the exhibits put on by this local guild, and we have many fantastic quilts to show you !

River City Quilters' Guild, 2012 Raffle Quilt, close-up photo by Quilt Inspiration

This year's Opportunity Quilt was adapted from a pattern by Crabapple Hill Designs.  The blocks of delicate floral motifs, and blossoms in soft pastels remind us that cultivating good friendships is like tending to a cherished year-round garden.

Red Chair, 41 x 58”, by Mary Upham

Winner of the "Best in Show" award and First Place winner in the Art Quilts category,  Mary writes, "The inspiration for this quilt came from a photo that I took of the porch of a winery in Murphys, CA. I started this project at a Ruth McDowell class at  the Empty Spools Seminar in Asilomar, California." Mary's perfect piecing work has resulted in a life-like depiction of an inviting, homey porch on a sunny afternoon, with one's favorite chair waiting to be occupied.

Close-up of Red Chair by Mary Upham

The strong vertical lines of the house are mirrored in the vertical lines of the chair's colors and quilting pattern.The house, chair, and the garden have a very comfortable rustic look to to them, as a place to relax and daydream.

Fractured Star, 60 x 60”, by Linda Bergmann, quilted by Debbie Lopez

Blue ribbon winner in the Scrap Quilts category, Linda says "This star is a variation of the Star of Bethlehem; all paper pieced with Civil War fabrics."  We recognize this design as the "Unusual Lone Star" pattern in the book, 'Quilts by Karen K. Stone'. Linda has done a wonderful job with a fabric selection of mostly browns, reds, and oranges, which contrast nicely with the taupes and ecru shades of the background fabrics.

Close-up of  Fractured Star by Linda Bergmann

Here's a close-up of how this graceful contemporary star is constructed. The triangles are paper-pieced into smaller diamond blocks, then the blocks are sewn together to make larger diamond components of the eight-pointed star.

Bridget, 22 x 29”, by Linda Bergmann

Winner of a Judges' Choice award, Linda writes, "This portrait was made in a Ruth McDowell class-from a picture of Bridget; pattern was made in class, and this is a form of paper piecing."

Close-up of Bridget by Linda Bergmann

With her perked-up ears and lively eyes, Bridget exudes a lovable personality full of energy.  We can really imagine Bridget just begging to be taken on a walk by her owner

Lady Bug Picnic, 74 x 73, made by Linda Boehm and quilted by Karen M. Walker

Third place winner in the Two Person Pieced Quilt category, Linda notes,  " My children listened to the classic song, Ladybugs' Picnic, during early Sesame Street. In tune with this whimsy, Karen Walker long-arm stitched an Eric Carle (Children’s author) pattern, I spy a dragonfly, snail…”

Close-up of  Ladybugs' Picnic by Linda Boehm and Karen Walker

Complementing the darling polka dot sashing is the ladybug in the center of each quilt block.  Can you spot the cute quilting patterns of the bugs which are stitched into this block?  ( Hint : One bug's head is in the blue background, on the right hand side of the block).

Italy in Bloom, 57 x 81”, made by Malene Evans, quilted by Karen Valdez

Malene tells us, "This [one-block wonder] quilt was created in memory of our trip to Italy and Sicily in October 2009 to celebrate our retirement." These lovely primary colors and the cheerful round symmetrical patterns remind us of the beautiful hand-painted folk art plates that travelers find throughout sunny Italy.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.

Pieced Vegetables

We're continuing our series on fruits and vegetables, and today we are featuring textile artist Linda L. Frost, whose website is at 13th Street Studio. Linda's work ranges from reproducing antique quilts to creating abstract pieces, and her quilts have been exhibited in galleries and quilt shows throughout the U.S.   Her beautiful vegetable quilts were inspired by Ruth B. McDowell's book, Pieced Vegetables.

Carrot, 17 x 37", by Linda Frost at 13th Street Studio

Linda Frost's explorations of pieced vegetables began in 2008 with the opportunity to show some quilts at her local organic/health food market. She decided it would be a good time to make some of the quilts in Ruth McDowell's book, Pieced Vegetables. We love the carrot, above, with its interesting fabrics; the carrot appears to be visible underground, with just the carrot tops showing in the light blue sky fabric;  the carrot top is quilted to mimic the texture of leaves.

Yellow Pepper by Linda Frost at 13th Street Studio

The sinuous shapes of the yellow pepper are clearly shown in this art quilt by Linda Frost.  She has enhanced the lines of the pepper with echo quilting.  Linda's artistic fabric selection extends to the border, which incorporates strips in a variety of colors and patterns.

Artichoke, 36 x 37", by Linda Frost at 13th Street Studio

This is the third vegetable quilt that Linda Frost made to exhibit in her local Mercantile. It is also from Ruth McDowell's book, Pieced Vegetables. At 36 x 37", this artichoke is larger than life! Linda used some purple acrylic paint to shade the tips of each of the artichoke petals-before they were sewn together... and then also used some fairly heavy stipple quilting in purple thread to help with the shading.

Ruth B. McDowell's book includes our favorite vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, onions, peppers, and more. Pieced Vegetables joins Ruth's other books, including Pieced Flowers and Piecing: Expanding the Basics.

Image credits:  Images are shown with the generous permission of Linda L. Frost. The quilts shown here are in private collections. She is the author of the book, Happy Birthday Kansas! A Sampler Quilt Celebrating 150 Years on the Prairie. Her work was also featured in Martha Sielman's Art Quilt Portfolio: The Natural World and in several books by Barbara Brackman; for more information, please visit 13th Street Studio.  For additional inspiration also see Linda's photostream at Flickr.