More fabulous quilts from Houston !

We loved every minute of the Houston International Quilt Festival, where fabulous quilts were in abundance ! Here are some more of our favorite show-stoppers.

Bohemian II : Ferris Wheels and Kites by Sandra Peterson, Muncie, Indiana

First place winner in the Innovative Pieced category, Sandra notes, "This quilt is the second in the "Bohemian" series. The original designs of "fractal wheels" in the series are hand crafted. Fabrics in multiple colors and unrelated patterns are used to carry out the Bohemian theme. The titles in the series are all inspired by summer, first fireworks, and now, Ferris wheels and kites."

Close-up Bohemian II : Ferris Wheels and Kites by Sandra Peterson

The lovely complementary colors give so much sparkle to the center medallion, in our opinion. Sandra's techniques include machine piecing, foundation piecing, and hand quilting with cotton thread on cotton fabrics, and Warm and Natural cotton batting.

Septem Peccata Mortalia (Seven Deadly Sins) by Christine Alexiou, Ontario, Canada

Winner of the $7,500 World of Beauty award, this original design is just one of three separate quilts which Christine created and then bound to make a quilted book.  Each "page" depicts a different sin. The artist writes, "Although inspired by illuminated manuscripts, the theme tackles how little human nature has changed since these manuscripts were first created. I wanted to explore how these seven failings speak to... human nature; why we are, in all our seeming morality, still guilty of these sins." For materials, Christine used cotton, silk, synthetics, fabric paint, Pigma Micron pens, Warm and Natural batting, fusible interfacing, Misty Fuse, Superior silk and metallic threads, and cotton, polyester, and rayon threads.

Close up, Septem Peccata Mortalia (Seven Deadly Sins) by Christine Alexiou

Christine says of her techniques, "Designs were painted on each panel and sandwiched together to make three quilts that were carefully matched and then quilted. Each was folded in half vertically and bound using traditional book-binding techniques." We really liked the elegant border and the detail of the lettering underneath the image.

Quilt Noir by Shirley Gisi (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Winner of the $5,000 Pfaff Master Award for Machine Artistry, Shirley notes of her original design, "The inspiration for this quilt is mid [20th] century abstract art. It features ombre fabrics, which contribute to the shading effect, and polyester shantung for the rings to add a metallic sheen. It is done in muted tones and is entirely pieced. The quilting echoes the geometric shape of the pieces."

Close- up, Quilt Noir by Shirley Gisi

According to the white glove volunteer on duty,  the geometric quilting of the solid sections was done by stitching 1/8" apart. We loved the sense of luminosity provided by the darker and lighter values of the neutral fabric colors.

Catching Beauty by Sylvia Kaptein (Sijbekarspel, The Netherlands)

Sylvia notes, "Near the center of Berlin [Germany] is the Peacock Island, with beautiful peacocks. I have made them in cross stitch and applique, in one project. The peacock made of fabric embraces the cross stitch peacock. Two colorful birds, made of thread and fabric."

Close up, Catching Beauty by Sylvia Kaptein

An award winner at the 2013 Open European Quilting Championships, Sylvia used beautiful,  eye-catching shades of monochromatic blue to depict the bird's face, neck, and feathers.

Close up, Catching Beauty by Sylvia Kaptein

We enjoyed the pretty beading and threadwork on this beautiful quilt.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.