Just for fun : Humorous quilts

Did you know that humor boosts health in six different ways ? Humor reduces stress and can help us to put situations (including the daily news!) into perspective. Laughter can even help lower the risk of heart disease.*  We hope these whimsical quilts will make you smile. :-)

Upcycle Cat by Ann Horton

Ann notes,  " [I was] inspired to use recycled shirts, buttons, trims, and pieces from my stash. This fun cat shows how an art quilter's mind works ! His belly is made from a blouse belonging to my 93 year old mother."  The cat is even carrying a book titled "Art Quilts" (see closeup below!)

Upcycle Cat won the Most Humorous Quilt award at the 2018 Road to California show.

In the sewing world, "upcycle" means to take previously used materials or fabrics and re-use them in a new project. By showing this cute kitty pedaling a bicycle, Ann makes a humorous pun by relating "upcycle" to "bicycle".  Ann's original design is very well done and most deserving of the "Most Humorous Quilt" award.

Wonky Houses by Martha Baltram

Third place winner for Best Scrap Quilt at the 2018 Quilt Arizona Show, Martha states, "This original house design was inspired by hairdos, curls, and colors. Buds and flowers were created to give it life and humor. "

Close-up, Wonky Houses

It's really  fun to stand and observe Martha's quilt for awhile, as there are all sorts of zany, very imaginative details !   Here's an owl perched in the air between the house that looks as if it's wearing a wig for a roof, and the house with valentine heart windows.

Sewing Bee by Diane Robinson, quilted by Irene Talmadge

Diane explains, "This was a block-of-the-month from an online vendor. I used the laser-cut bee [appliques] that were supplied, and I used my own fabrics for the blocks."
This adorable quilt is based on the Sew Busy Bee block-of-the-month quilt at Stitches of Love.

The center block shows a queen bee with heart-topped antennas sprouting from her crown. The expressions on the bee's faces really made us smile !

Wrinkly-Irony by Connie Griner

Connie writes about her original design, " [This quilt was] Inspired by an internet posting that defined the word 'irony' as the opposite of 'wrinkly.' My hope is to bring a smile to the viewer !"  We like the way that she very creatively divided the quilt into two distinct parts to emphasize the difference between the "wrinkly" side and the "irony" side.

Detail, Wrinkly-Irony

Connie's techniques include machine piecing, hand and machine applique, fusing, hand embroidery, improvisational piecing, fabric texturizing, and piping.

Octopus by Gay Young

Gay says, "A red octopus seemed like a fun idea ! She floats peacefully in her garden."

For her original design, Gay used hand-dyed cottons and silk broadcloth. Her techniques include machine applique, fused applique, hand-dyeing, painting, and Thermofax printing. This cheery octopus looks as if she is dancing along with the starfish in an under-the-sea party ! 

Pickles All in a Row by Nancy Walter

Nancy remarks, "Several members of the Betweens Chapter ( of the Arizona Quilters' Guild) decided to do a row challenge ! We each provided basic fabric, made a row, and pass it on with the group."
These Pickles quilting and sewing cartoons on fabric are guaranteed to bring a smile!

These cartoons are hilarious -- and very relatable to any quilter who's ever shared a space with a non-quilting but supportive friend or relative.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2018 Road to California (Upcycle cat), the 2018 Quilt Arizona show (Pickles in a Row, Sewing Bee) and the 2017 Houston International Quilt Festival.

*Hayashi et al. 2016. Laughter is the Best Medicine? A Cross-Sectional Study of Cardiovascular Disease Among Older Japanese Adults. See: J. Epidemiology 2016.
* Yim J. 2016. Therapeutic Benefits of Laughter in Mental Health: A Theoretical Review. Tohoku J Exp Med.