From Houston: Quilts that honor The Day of the Dead

The Houston IQF is so overwhelming... at the end of the day you are dead ! But seriously.......since November 1-2 is Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead), here are two show quilts that embody the theme.

Life Everlasting by Ann Horton, Redwood Valley, California

Ann notes, "In the tradition of The Day of the Dead celebrations, this quilt embraces life after death with happy assurance. [It was] inspired by my 89-year-old mother's faith and life." Ann's work is an original design utilizing the Carolina Lily block in the center. The gray you see on the words in the border is actually shiny metallic silver fabric, which gives this quilt extra sparkle.

Close up, Life Everlasting by Ann Horton

Here's only one of 8 cheerful skulls which dance around the center medallion.  For the extensive embellishment of this quilt, Ann used hand-beading and hot fix crystals. The skulls were created with digitized machine embroidery. 

Close up, Life Everlasting by Ann Horton

In the corner of this quilt, you can see a happy skeleton couple enjoying the day, surrounded by colorful lilies.

Dia de los MOOertos by Peggy Baldwin-Clayton,  quilted by Denise Green

This darling cow is part of the MOO-ston (a pun on the word "Houston")  exhibit, which featured quilts, based on the purple cow pattern from the book,  Out of the Box With Easy Blocks by Mary Lou Weidman and Melanie McFarland.

Peggy says, "This quilt was the perfect opportunity to showcase the Alexander Henry fabrics ( with printed skulls)  I collected at Festival last year."

Close up, Dia de los Mooertos by Peggy Baldwin-Clayton

Peggy adds,  "Note the skull flowers ( on the yellow background)  .... and the  skull earrings [on the cow] . This was a very fun quilt to design and make. Whoever would have thought that cows would "go viral" !

Image credits :  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.