Best of the 2014 Pacific International Quilt Festival - Day 4

The Pacific International Quilt Festival, known as PIQF, is the biggest quilt show on the west coast of the United States. In this series, we're displaying some of the fabulous, innovative, and just plain fun quilts we saw there.  This year's theme is  "The Whole Nine Yards", meaning "to show maximum effort in work or play."  Here is Part 4 of our photos!

Peeking In, 59 x 39", by Anne Marie Miro, Florida

We imagine this must be what fish see when a human peeks into their watery underworld. Anne Marie notes, "For the last 4 years, I have taken classes from some of the top instructors in the quilting industry to develop my skills. What started out as a simple face peeking through some kelp, morphed into 'Peeking In.'"
This stunning quilt contains brilliant high-chroma hues which offer us a glimpse into an enchanted world of sea creatures, shells, rocks, and plants. Anne Marie's original design is hand and machine appliqued, hand pieced, and machine quilted.

Detail, Peeking In by Anne Marie Miro

We loved this darling sea horse on the right hand edge, which hung outside the quilt in his own net bag, adorned with shimmery fabric and ribbon. Along with the ruffled upper border, Anne Marie has done an outstanding job of creating a vivid and enchanting three-dimensional quilt.

To Dream Beneath a Tree by Sarge Furman,  California

Sarge's quilt is included in the traveling exhibit of the 2013 Hoffman Challenge Quilts, which has toured the U.S. for the past year.  Sarge says that this work is "loosely based on a Victorian painting and comic book page."  This work makes wonderful use of a split complementary color scheme of aqua blue, lavender, sage green, and various tints of yellow orange.

Close up, To Dream Beneath a Tree by Sarge Furman

We admired the very unified design effect shown here in the close-up photo.  As you can see, the artist created "sleeping beauty's" dress to have a same flowing, wavy, voluminous line as her strawberry blonde hair.

Celebration, 74 x 65", by Susan G. Cobb, Oregon. Quilted by Betty Anne Guadalupe

Susan writes, "The central panel - Celebration by Keith Mallett (2005) - ends at the thick black line of fabric. My effort to augment the title of the panel and this quilt starts with the blue tulip fabric. The panel's selvage with the makers' name, year, and title of panel is at the back of the quilt. Both Betty Anne and I went our 9 yards  (we hope you'll agree) to augment the celebration."

Close up, Celebration quilt by Susan G. Cobb

In this close-up, you can see the central panel by artist Keith Mallett. Susan has done a great job of incorporating the blues, greens, and golds of the dancers' outfits into the surrounding borders. The original design of the outer borders is machine pieced and long arm quilted.

A Mother's Gift by Mary Mix , California

Mary explains, "Throughout her life, my sister was my mentor and my inspiration. Bonnie introduced me to quilting in the 1980's....and I've become passionate about it throughout the years. When she was diagnosed with brain cancer, she used her remaining time to create quilts for those she loved. Her daughter requested a double wedding ring quilt. In 2013, Bonnie gave me a bag of beautiful fabric. I cut the pieced, and Bonnie sewed all 3,000 pieces. I came home with the crescents completed and finished the piecing and applique. A beautiful collaboration and gift of love. Bonnie passed away in February, 2014. "   We were very touched by the moving narrative of how this lovely heirloom was created.

Close up, A Mother's Gift by Mary Mix

In this close-up, you can see the very pretty fabric roses and vines that meander through the middle of some of the rings, echoing the quilting pattern of roses and vines. Mary has clearly put a great deal of love and care into this impressive masterpiece.

Ombre Odyssey by Ardy Tobin, California

Ardy notes, "Ombre Odyssey was made for a 2014 Mountain Art Quilters'  ( Nevada County, California) challenge called "Wild For Spirals". Working from my own drawing, enlarged to full size freezer paper pattern, using ombres from three different manufacturers, batiks, and one Kaffe Fassett stripe, I used both piecing and appli-piecing techniques." The fun and fanciful quilting patterns you see here were done by Ardy herself.

Close up, Ombre Odyssey by Ardy Tobin

Ardy adds, "Machine quilting was done with rayon, polyester, and metallic threads. There are spirals both in the quilt and in the machine quilting. " We love these radiant cheerful colors of orchid, violet, chartreuse, and aqua. They give Ardy's work so much energy and sparkle !

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration