Highlights of Quilt Arizona 2019 ! part 4

The Arizona Quilters Guild has over 35 chapters, and they all get together annually for the Quilt Arizona show. The 2019 theme was Jewels of the Desert: "Every quilt is like a gemstone, the dancing colors play through patterns to endlessly fascinate and amaze. This year your quilt should convey Arizona's iridescent beauty, from golden sunsets and emerald cacti, to clear sparkling memories."

Note: please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns, fabric, and vintage jewelry ! (For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !)

Mother and Baby Giraffe by Barbara Renoux

Barbara says, "I fell in love with the eyes of this family ! I decided the piece needed embellishments, so I added beads and needlework to really bring them to life. They are an exotic pair with exotic blooms!" This pattern is by Toni Whitney.

Barbara quilted this very fun, expressive piece herself. We love the fringe embellishment which comprises the mane along the back of the giraffe's neck.

Flying High by Martha Baltram



2019 Best of Show winner and First Place winner for large applique quilts,  Martha remarks, "This original design was inspired by the many birds that fly around our house and make their nests in our garden. I included high flying birds, bees, and ladybugs to round out my theme."

Close-up, Flying High

Martha's stunning work contains many spectacular applique motifs. Here's the center block, where two charming birds are building a nest. On Flying High, Martha did all the quilting work herself.

Cacti at First Light by Debra Goley

Debra states, "As an inspirational artist, I find clues from nature. The cacti that dots the landscape is brought within safe view. At dawn's light, the prickly pear thrives, stretching forth to the sun's rays."

Cacti At First Light shows a creative juxtaposition of textured light and shadow, as the leaves react to the early morning sun. Debra quilted her innovative work herself.

Spiky Spirals by Judy Salb, quilted by Jessica Gamez

Honorable Mention winner in the Paper Pieced category, Judy notes, "I've long loved this pattern by Karen Stone, called 'Happy Chihuahuas'.  I created the border, as I wanted to add something of myself to the design."


Close-up, Spiky Spirals

Judy's cheerful quilt is really a whirlwind of color and energy. She's done an excellent job of blending contemporary black and white fabrics with these vibrant, high-chroma hues.

Grandmothers' Spring Bouquets by Joyce Strassburg, quilted by Jessica Gamez

First place winner for medium size applique quilts, Joyce writes, "This was my first Edyta Sitar pattern. Her quilts have made me a true admirer. These bouquets remind me of my grandmothers' gardens; and I hope they make my descendants as happy as they make me."

Close-up, Grandmothers' Spring Bouquets

Richly saturated batiks, in a profusion of shades, highlight this beautiful foliage against a light background. We're certain that Joyce's descendants will always consider her quilt to be a treasured heirloom.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2019 Quilt Arizona show..

Quilts of the Great Outdoors

We hope you enjoyed our 3-part series on Quilts of the Great Outdoors.  These images of bears, deer, salmon, moose and wolves remind us of the beautiful mountains and rivers of North America.  Here's the collection !

Above, Row 1: Calling Me Home by McKenna Ryan at Pine Needles; Winter Wolf by Toni Whitney at Bigfork Bay Cotton Company; Day on the River by Dana Verrengia at Wildfire Designs Alaska; On the Prowl by Toni Whitney at Bigfork Bay Cotton Company. Row 2: Raven Salmon by Lisa Moore at Abby's Reflections ; Fish On by Mary Stenros for Willow Bend Creations as seen at Northern Threads; Landscape Quilt  by Donna Cherry at Donna Cherry Designs. Row 3: Moose Junction by McKenna Ryan at Pine Needles; Metolius by Jean Wells at The Stitchin' Post; About Trout by Angie Steveson at Lunchbox Quilts ; True Nature by McKenna Ryan at Pine Needle Designs. Row 4: Out to Lunch by McKenna Ryan at Pine Needle Designs ; Autumn Lady design by Carl Brenders,  pattern by Bigfork Bay Cotton Company ; Northern Lights by Marie Noah at Northern Threads. Row 5: Cedar Plank Salmon by Lisa Moore at Abby's Reflections.

The Great Outdoors Part 3

Take a mini-vacation with us today !  You'll find yourself surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery and wildlife in these lovely quilts.

Calling Me Home, 57 x 60.5, by McKenna Ryan at Pine Needles

Teeming with animals in their natural habitat amidst scenic beauty,  Calling Me Home is comprised of 8 separate applique blocks.  You can choose individual block designs,  or you can purchase all of them for this glorious quilt. As always, McKenna's scenes are full of personality, ranging from capricious bear cubs, to dignified waterfowl, graceful deer, and leaping fish. This quilt was created with solid color and lightly patterned batiks from Hoffman California International, as are many quilts from Pine Needles.
 

On the Prowl,  28.5 x 28.5. by Toni Whitney at Bigfork Bay Cotton Company

According to the San Diego Zoo,  the mountain lion is also known as a cougar or puma; it inhabits the wilderness areas of western Canada, the western United States, and southern South America. This fabric kit contains the rich tawny beiges and golds  for constructing the mountain lion's face, along with the deep chocolate brown batiks for the borders.  The eye-catching, attractive pattern can be purchased by itself, or along with the fabric kit. In addition, the fabric kit and thread kit can be purchased separately if desired.

Fish On, 37.5 x28.5, by Willow Bend Creations at Northern Threads

 
Alaskan pattern designer Mary Stenros did a great job of creating this dramatic applique pattern showing an angler landing "the big one."  This pattern is advertised as being very "beginner friendly", even though it seems complex and detailed.  You trace the pattern onto fusible web material,  cut it out and attach it to the background fabric, then iron it onto the quilt. Here's a great way to put that pretty multi-colored batik fabric from your stash to perfect use.

Metolius, 40.5 x 70, by Jean Wells at The Stitchin' Post
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Renowned designer, author, and teacher Jean Wells of The Stitchin' Post in Sisters, Oregon, pays tribute to the trout of Metolius River, near her grandmother's home. Find the most dazzling royal blue, violet, orange, and gold fabrics that you can; and get to work on this cheerful creation.  You can purchase the entire quilt kit including directions,  or the individual pattern itself.  Either way, you'll have a wonderful time with this project.

Northern Lights, 33.5 x 24.5,  by Marie Noah at Northern Threads

A beautiful bargello patchwork background and fusible applique silhouettes highlight this picturesque work. The scene depicts the fascinating light show of the Aurora Borealis, which often occurs near earth's polar regions.  This wall hanging looks complex, but it's designed for basic sewers. It includes easy-to-follow directions for both piecing and applique. If you love mixed-techniques quilts, here's an enjoyable pattern for you.

The Great Outdoors, Part 2

Here's another look at quilts featuring the beautiful and noble creatures of North America's mountains and rivers. Enjoy !

Cedar Plank Salmon, 19 x 51, by Lisa Moore at Abby's Reflections

Lisa Moore is a retired electrical engineer who lives on beautiful Silver Bay in charming Sitka, Alaska. When not teaching quilting, she loves to go fishing, shrimping, and crabbing with her family. Lisa has designed this wall hanging quilt using beautiful ombre fabric, in which the center of the fabric is a lighter hue, giving a lovely monochromatic effect. The salmon fish are appliqued using the fusible web technique. You can purchase the entire kit with the fabric shown above, or you can purchase just the pattern by itself, both from Abby's Reflections in downtown Sitka.

Winter Wolf, 28 x 29.75,  by Toni Whitney at Bigfork Bay Cotton Company

Here's a fusible web applique project done in dramatic purples, blues, and gray tones, which complement the clear gold eyes of the wolf.  You can purchase the pattern by itself, or the entire kit including fabric and easy to follow directions, or just the fabric and a thread kit by itself. We can imagine this quilt on the wall of a den or family room, or even as the center of a large spread in a bedroom with a rustic theme.

Moose Junction, 29.5 x 38.5, by McKenna Ryan at Pine Needles

According to the Pine Needles website, Moose Junction is one of artist McKenna Ryan's all time favorite patterns in over ten years of quilt designing. This quilt has so much interesting animal life : flying geese silhouetted against the night sky, mountain goats, moose, bears, and fish. It's a real potpourri, done in an eye-pleasing, symmetrical arrangement.

Landscape Quilt, 40 x 30, by Donna Cherry at Donna Cherry Designs

Quilt artist Donna Cherry offers an innovative approach to assembling a landscape quilt: a mix-and-match assortment of backgrounds, mid-grounds, foreground, and detail addition, so that you can create a very custom-looking design. For example, in this quilt, Donna has chosen the background pattern of High Desert Cascades, the mid-ground pattern of River View, the foreground pattern of Serenity Rock, and detail addition of the Mule Buck. You can choose from a variety of patterns to create your own lovely custom look. In addition, Donna's "Getting Started" booklet and her 'Surface Embellishments" DVD are also available for purchase at Donna Cherry Designs.

Day on the River, 26 x24, by Dana Verrengia at Wildfire Designs Alaska

Pattern designer Dana Verrengia writes,  "Brown bears fish the Kenai and Russian Rivers in Cooper Landing, Alaska every summer to fatten up on salmon as they swim upstream to spawn. If you spend a day along these rivers you're likely to share your fishing hole with one of these powerful creatures."

Here, we see him hungrily eyeing a tasty-looking morsel. Hues of sage green, blue, gray, and orange  comprise this attractive quilt. They surround the handsome bear, who could be appliqued in any variety of earth tones or neutral hues to match your décor.

Western quilts Roundup !

~ Stay tuned for the September Giveaway  ~

~ Stay tuned for Free Pattern Day (tomorrow !) ~

It's time to lasso those Western quilts, and to celebrate the cowgirl spirit. Dale Evans once said: "'Cowgirl' is an attitude really. The cowgirl faces life head-on, lives by her own lights, and makes no excuses. Cowgirls take stands; they speak up. They defend things they hold dear." These designers make their homes in Missouri, Oregon, Texas and Montana, and these quilts make us dream of horses, cattle, and wide open spaces.

Row 1: Prairie Moon Ranch, Cowboy Christmas Stocking,  and Cowgirl Up, by Shelly Pagliai at Prairie Moon Quilts
Row 2: Royal,  The Guardian, and Mellow Meadow, by Toni Whitney at Toni Whitney Design
Row 3: Rodeo Gals and Working Cow Horse, and Wranglers, by June Jaeger at Log Cabin Quiltworks
Row 4: Boot Bash block-of-the-month for 2011, by Molly Fryer at Molly’s Place
Row 5: Texas Cowboy Crests Embroideries,  Bronco Embroidery, Dancing Boots Crest Embroidery, and Texas Wildflowers Embroideries,  by Susa Glenn at Susa Glenn Designs

Quilts of the Wild West Part 3

Toni Whitney is a pre-eminent wildlife painter and quilt designer. Her home and studio in Northwest Montana is nestled up against miles of wilderness, where a never-ending abundance of inspiration walks by her studio. Toni's wild west designs include moose, bear, elk, buffalo, cougar, wolf, and eagle. Of horses, she says: "I am deeply inspired by the beauty of the horse, whether standing, running, grazing... Any horse lover knows that a mere glimpse into the eyes of a horse can stir the soul."

Royal, 19-1/4 x 22-1/4", by Toni Whitney at Toni Whitney Design, as seen at the Bigfork Bay Cotton Company

"Royal" is (was) Toni Whitney's own horse, whom she rescued from the meat market at three years old.This magnificent palomino appears to be leaping right out of its quilted frame ! As for all of Toni's art quilt patterns, "Royal" is designed for fusible applique. For more beautifully realistic horses, check out "Guardian", "Pride and Joy" and "Lazy-Days" at Toni Whitney Design; and 4 Ever Friends, Spring Storm, Wild Girl, and Wild Horse Canyon at Bigfork Bay Cotton Company.

Midnight Glide, 13-1/2 x 21-1/2", by Toni Whitney at Toni Whitney Design

The Great Horned Owl is an impressive bird, with a wingspan of 40-60 inches (101–153 cm). Owls have spectacular binocular vision allowing them to pinpoint prey and see in low light; they hunt at night by waiting on a high perch and swooping down on prey. The eyes of Great Horned Owls are immobile within their sockets; their neck must be able to turn a full 270 degrees in order to see in other directions! Toni Whitney's "Midnight Glide" perfectly captures the majesty of this bird in flight.

Backdoor Bear, 8" x 10", by Toni Whitney at Toni Whitney Design

This little black bear hung around the back door of Toni's studio for days, just waiting for his close up. Two small black beads in his eyes give off just the glimmer that you see when they look right at you. "Backdoor Bear" is designed to be mounted on canvas (instructions included) or to be made as a wall hanging using the background fabric with thread play as borders. Right now, Toni is off teaching "Backdoor Bear" on a quilting cruise to Alaska (wow !)

Image credits: Images are shown with the generous permission of Toni Whitney. In addition to North American wildlife, her quilt patterns include an elephant, lion, giraffe, tiger and zebra. The quotation in the first paragraph is from an interview with Toni Whitney at whohub.