Welcome to the 2012 Arizona Quilter's Guild Quilt Show !

Welcome to Mesa, Arizona, and the 2012 Arizona Quilters' Guild Show ! We attended this show on the weekend of March 10, and we have some fabulous quilts to show you this week.

Arizona Centennial Commemorative Quilt by Arizona quilters, historians, and artists

One hundred years ago, in 1912,  Arizona became part of the United States of America; therefore this year is Arizona's Centennial Celebration.  The quilt show theme this year is "Our Heritage: Copper, Cotton, and Culture."  Above is the of the map of Arizona, showing the state's mountains, flowers, animals, and landmarks. Click on this image to expand it, and you'll be able to see more details.

Back of Arizona Centennial Commemorative Quilt

Even the reverse side of this intriguing quilt is very artistically done.  Here is the state's motto, "The Grand Canyon State", the Arizona state flag, and the names of everyone who worked on the quilt.

Close-up of Arizona Centennial Commemorative Quilt

Wavy longarm quilting lines symbolize the rolling landscape of the high desert, along with an applique of a big horn sheep, London Bridge in Lake Havasu City on the border with California, the entrance to an old copper mine,  the Joshua tree forest parkway, and fabled Route 66, the road west to the Pacific Ocean.

Joseph's Coat by June Griepp

Winner of an Honorable Mention Award,  June Griepp writes,  "I pieced this quilt using a paperless paper-piecing method. I really enjoyed the free-motion quilting designs incorporated in it using a variety of threads." The deep chocolate brown, tan, and teal blue of this star medallion are lovely colors of nature, reminding us of the earth and sky.

Close-up of  Joseph's Coat

June Griepp not only pieced this quilt, but she did the quilting; here is a sideways view which shows her exemplary machine quilting. She delicately touched the ends of each circular feather with pastel turquoise fabric paint to add color and depth to the star's background.

Sunny Pathways by Barbara Nicholson

Barbara writes,  "I used Judy Niemeyer's Drunkard's Wave paper-piecing pattern to construct this quilt. I love bright colors, and it reminds me of sunshine and happy thoughts. This colorful, lively pattern conveys a great sense of motion and energy to the viewer. The pretty ribbon effect created by the border fabric provides an artistic contrast to the curved meandering lines of this design.

Quodlibet by Constance Clark

Webster's Dictionary definition of Quodlibet is "a whimsical combination of familiar melodies." Designer Judy Hasheider created this pattern with a combination of designs reminiscent of architect Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style. Quilter Constance Clark writes, "I've always been fascinated by stained glass windows, especially those of Frank Lloyd Wright designs. This pattern gave me an opportunity to quilt my own."  We really enjoyed the graphic look of bold color and contrast in this contemporary design.

Modern Dresden by Mary and Linda Powell

The well-loved and well-known Dresden Plate pattern always seems to show fabrics to their most cheerful advantage,  regardless of the colorway. Linda Powell writes, "Pieced Dresden Plates by Mary Powell are hand appliqued down. She chose lots of fun/wild fabrics, and then she gave me the freedom to quilt as desired!"

Close-up of  Modern Dresden

The careful placement of warm and cool hues, along with detailed spacing of light and dark values, give these blocks a very happy, balanced, and vibrant look.