Best of the September quilt show! Day 2

Welcome to a new season of quilt shows ! We had a wonderful time at the Diablo Valley Quilters' show in Walnut Creek, California ! Here is Day 2 of  some of our favorites from this fun show.

California Jane by Kathy Fitzpatrick

Kathy notes, "I started this quilt in 2009 with the Diablo Valley Quilters' California "Dear Jane Group" and the book by Brenda Papadakis.  I finished in July 2015."  That's actually pretty fast work, as the average Dear Jane quilt has approximately 225 different blocks !  Kathy's work is a true masterpiece and clearly destined to be an heirloom quilt for her loved ones.

Closeup, California Jane by Kathy Fitzpatrick

Gorgeous shades of sapphire and periwinkle blue provide an eye-catching contrast against the white background. The blues alternate with lemon yellow and gold blocks. Kathy pieced, appliqued and hand-quilted California Jane by herself.  We'll be posting more close-up photos on Pinterest.

Santorini Afternoon by Fran McNamee

Fran explains, "[This quilt was] pieced from my original design and photo of Santorini (a Greek island on the southern Aegean Sea).  The [piecing] technique came from Sue Rasmussen's class at the Empty Spools Quilt Seminars at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California." Fran's delightful, realistic depiction of this sun-dappled, volcanic island shows her excellent use of perspective, light, and shadow to give dimension to the white-washed buildings.

Close-up, Santorini Afternoon by Fran McNamee

The vibrant blue tile of the ancient church rooftops mirrors the blue of the jewel-like sea. Fran designed, pieced, and quilted this fabulous project by herself.

Complementary Colors by Lynne Douglas

This quilt with its whimsical, expressive face reminds us of a Picasso abstract painting !  We especially loved the blue hair braid that graces the subject's face. Lynne is a member of the Creative Fiber Artists group in this guild and explains, "The challenge was complementary colors. Orange is my favorite color, so I had to use its complement, which is blue. I love doing portrait quilts, and this was so much fun to do." Lynne pieced and quilted this original design herself.

Giant City in Fall by Suzi Dillinger

Here's a quilt done in languid, watercolor fabric that perfectly depicts a quiet afternoon in autumn. Suzi notes, "Giant City State Park in Illinois was one of my mother-in-law's favorite spots." The quilt was based on Suzi's original photo of the park. Free-motion quilting over tulle adds to the texture of the water, woods and sky.

Pickled Pepper by Debby Horton, quilted by Loretta Jones

Debby writes, " I made this quilt at a class taught by Vicki Wind at Wooden Gate Quilts in March 2014. This was my first paper-pieced quilt!"  We think that Debby's quilt turned out spectacularly.  The vibrant colors and energetic prints are extremely eye-catching, and the border of little birds gives an especially cheerful touch. The pattern was designed by Judy Niemeyer.

Sunny Spring Frost by Diane Chambers, quilted by Christine Zachow

Diane says, " Sunny Spring Frost is based on the 'Earth, Wind, and Fire' pattern by Linda Ballard. Her class called for three color families with six fabric in each, but I instead explored jewel tones and their pastel counterparts. My 'families' were jewel, pastel, and yellow. 'Sunny' refers to the center of each Ohio Star and the diagonal yellow chains; 'Spring' to the color palette; and 'Frost' to the batik backing and binding."

Sunny Spring Frost by Diane Chambers

These gorgeous, color-saturated batiks remind us of bowls of ice cream sherbet in a rainbow of hues!  We admire Diane's excellent fabric selection and workmanship.  Christine Zachow  quilted the blocks with large butterflies and flowers.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.