We're counting our blessings!

Here's a wish for a happy Thanksgiving! Studies show that expressing gratitude - an integral component of the Thanksgiving season - can lift the spirits, and it's built right into the holiday. We're practicing gratitude by giving thanks for good friends, family, and nearly 10 years of Quilt Inspiration.

P.S.  For quilt patterns, books, and vintage collectibles, please visit us on E-Bay quilt-inspiration !

Count Your Blessings Daily by Marcia Tinder, quilted by Arla Ballesteros

Marcia Tinder won a second prize ribbon for this stunning wool applique quilt, with its embroidered saying, Count Your Blessings. She says, "My quilt is about churches of old and new. My sister Arla made the suggestion for me to do this quilt... she said you just don't see churches in quilts.  Some of the churches are from memories of my past."

The angel, and the church with its steeple, provide a lovely setting for this message of gratitude. We admire the charming embroidered features and hair on the angel! 

One of our favorite blocks, this church reminds us of the mission churches in New Mexico and Arizona. The tiny appliqued cactus bring to mind the desert Southwest.


Image credits:  Photos were taken at the 2019 Arizona Quilters Guild show.

Best of the Pacific International Quilt Festival 2019 - Day 5

Held annually in Santa Clara, California, the Pacific International Quilt Festival is the largest quilt show on the west coast of the U.S.A. It features a wonderful variety of beautiful quilts! Here are some of the highlights of the festival. Let us know which ones are your favorites!

P.S.  For quilt patterns, books, and vintage collectibles, please visit us on E-Bay quilt-inspiration !

Layla, 42.5 x 44.75, by Holly Adame, California

Holly says, "Layla was created in a Rod Daniel class taken at Empty Spools Seminars in Asilomar, California. He taught us to turn a photograph into fabric art. Thread painting was used to enhance Layla. The original photo was taken by my husband, an amazing shot of a leopard sitting in a tree just behind us. She seemed to be surveying the animals on the Savannah below, contemplating which one would make a tasty lunch."

We really admire the intricate thread painting here, which elegantly portrays the shadows and nuances of Layla's face and eyes. Holly's original design is machine pieced, machine appliqued, and sewing machine quilted.

Ladies of the Sea, 87 x 87, by Shirley Tchou, Ohio

Shirley writes, "I fell in love with Sue Garman's pattern for Ladies of the Sea 10 years ago, especially with the borders. That is how long it took me to complete this quilt."

Shirley adds, "After appliqueing the blocks, I postponed quilting it until I felt competent enough in my free motion quilting skills to perform a good job. I felt my quilting skills progressed significantly while quilting it. I am pleased with the results."  And, we'd like to add that we are amazed with the results, which are most stunning !  This is one of those quilts which will always be a treasured heirloom.

Bloomin Dahlias, 57 x 25, by Melanie Missin, United Kingdom

Melanie notes, "My inspiration was big, bold, fluffy, colorful Dahlias. The background was Procion dyed, and some faux trapunto was used to enhance the flower shapes. The 3D petals were made using interfacing organza and transfer dyes, 264 in total- hence the name "Bloomin" ! The cord in the center was handmade and machine stitched.

These cheerful flower petals convey such a crisp, three-dimensional effect that they almost pop right off the quilt ! The organza fabric gives the petals a pretty transparent effect, just as if the sunlight were shining through them. Melanie's original design is machine pieced, machine applique, and sewing machine quilted.

Our California, 67 x67, by Karla Dellner, California, quilted by Shireen Hattan

Blue ribbon winner for Best Visual Impact in the New Quilts of Northern California category, this very creative quilt of California landmarks really does have something for everyone. If you look around the outside of the circle, you'll find: the State Capitol building in Sacramento, the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, the Los Angeles skyline, and the "painted ladies" Victorian homes of San Francisco. Inside the circle, among other places, you can spy the Disneyland castle and the Santa Barbara Mission.

Karla's lovely work is all hand-appliqued! She comments, "I am hooked on wool applique, almost as much as I love quilts that reflect my family's and my own experiences and pasions. Wool felt applique and embroidery allow me to create highly pictorial quilts full of texture, wonderful color, and personal meaning. Thank you [to quilt designer] Wendy Williams for your inspiration!"

Quirky Collections, 46.5 x 57,  by Dianne Dowd, New Zealand

 

Diane explains, "This was a wonderful online class with the amazing Helen Godden, who designed this quilt. My first experience of fabric painting, this was an interesting challenge [and] great fun learning to trace, paint, and quilt using black homespun, Lumiere paints,  and heaps of free motion quilting. Diane's charming work is machine pieced and sewing machine quilted.

These Matyroshka dolls ( classic Russian folk art nesting dolls) here look adorable. We love the brilliant complementary colors in these blocks.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2019 Pacific International Quilt Festival.