Highlights of the Utah quilt show (3)

Each year, the Springville Museum of Art (Utah) has one of the best quilt shows in the country.  It features award-winning quilts from Utah, a state blessed with an abundance of accomplished quilters. Here are some highlights of this year's show!

Note: please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns and collectibles ! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter ! 

Vintage Southwest by Marian Murdock (Mapleton, Utah)

We love the Southwest colors and images in this striking wall quilt with its cloud-shaped appliqued scenes. 

Marian Murdock designed the quilt around a rare vintage Alexander Henry fabric. Marian says, "After I received [the fabric], the big question was how do I use it and show the print?  After several failed attempts I finally came up with this design that didn't take away from the fabric I had fallen in love with." 

 Perspective by Megan Cresap Legas (Provo, Utah)

Hundreds of 1-inch fabric strips were used to create this tumbling blocks quilt! Each block was made with 24 different strips. Megan Cresap Legas says, "I have a very deep basket of 1" strips that I like to experiment with.  This is the result of one of those experiments.  I thought the strips would add extra depth to a large Tumbling Blocks design.  The setting was designed to enhance the illusion of real stacked blocks."

 The Boys on the Block by Marian Eason (Moab, Utah)

Winner of a blue ribbon (Award of Excellence), this very artistic quilt features three charming guinea fowl.  Marian Eason says, "This year our guild's annual challenge theme was 'Lotsa Dots'. At least 50% of the top had to be dotted fabric. Guinea Fowl are naturally dotted so they seemed a good choice for my quilt. They come in a range of colors so I made one blue. I was surprised to find so many dotted fabrics already in my stash, so I only bought a few additional pieces."

 Happy Dolphin Family by Jean Thornock (Provo, Utah), quilted by Amity Golding

Dolphins frolic among the "waves" of this lovely baby quilt. Batik fabrics from light to dark give the impression of the deep blue sea. Jean Thornock says this is one of a series of baby quilts which she has made over the years. "Since I didn't start quilting until my grandchildren were all grown these are for my future great grandchildren."

 Straits of Mackinac by Lani Brower (Orem, Utah), quilted by Peggy Cameron

We can never resist a storm-at-sea type quilt, and this one is a real beauty. Lani Brower says, "I pieced this quilt in a Bonnie Hunter class on Mackinac Island, Michigan at the Grand Hotel (think Somewhere in Time...) It was magical! Loads of string piecing and Tri-Recs [ruler] work, but definitely worth it!" Close inspection reveals tons of fun fabric prints which add interest.

Urban Cabin Vibes by Deanne Kuhni (Park City, Utah), quilted by Emily Herrick

Deanne Kuhni won a blue ribbon (Award of Excellence) for this very contemporary log cabin quilt! She explains, "I quilted when I was a young mother until I became too busy... now I am a grandmother and I have recaptured the luxury of free time. All my life I have loved subdued colors, so when I approached this quilt, I relished the bold design and colorful fabrics. A complete departure from "me!"

Deanne's colorful log cabin blocks are made with skinny strips, which are wider on the outside of the block and skinnier in the middle, creating an optical illusion of depth. A similar design can be seen in Tara Faughnan's Modern Log Cabin pattern. Deanne set off her large log cabin blocks with smaller pieced squares so that each block really stands out.

 Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2022 Springville (Utah) quilt show.

Highlights of the Utah quilt show (2)

 Each year, the Springville Museum of Art (Utah) has one of the best quilt shows in the country.  It features award-winning quilts from Utah, a state blessed with an abundance of accomplished quilters. Here are some highlights of this year's show!

Note: please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns and collectibles ! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !

Lone Star by Chris Dodge (Salem, Utah)

Winner of a blue ribbon (Award of Excellence), Chris Dodge chose colors of the southwest for her beautiful Lone Star quilt.  Smaller, matching lone stars edge the outer border.  Her outstanding quilting can be seen in the open spaces.  The closeup photos highlight Chris' precise machine quilting designs.

My Kinda Town by Lynette Cummings (Springville, Utah)

My Kinda Town is a delightful paper pieced quilt featuring houses, stores, a church, and  various trees! (The My Kinda Town quilt pattern is by Laura Heine.) Lynette Cummings says, "This is the 5th quilt I have created, however this is the first time I have chosen my own fabric.  It has been so fun to see how it all comes together and I love it! My mom owns a long arm quilting machine and I used that machine to quilt free hand."

 DeVine Stars by Megan Cresap Legas (Provo, Utah)

This heirloom quilt won a blue ribbon for Best Solitare Hand Quilting. It combines pieced stars and appliqued vines. The expert hand quilting alone must have taken many months.  Megan Legas says, "My basket of 1 inch strips inspires a multitude of possibilities.  This quilt combines a few of them.  I play with the narrow strips to see what will happen, and am often surprised by the result." Megan's intricate hand quilting can be seen in the open spaces, below.

 Ukrainian Lone Star by Tami Johnson (Springville, Utah), quilted by Emmy Evans

Tami Johnson says that this was going to be a simple yellow Lone Star on a white background, but that changed with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  "The white became blue thus representing the colors of the Ukrainian flag. ...Typically I leave the setting squares and triangles around the Star empty as a canvas for the qulter to fill.  But I wanted to fill this quilt with hope, so I spent hours creating the sunflower appliques."  Ukrainian-style embroidery is represented in the borders, as shown above.

 San Francisco by Becca Barlow (Pleasant Grove, Utah), quilted by Abby Latimer

Becca Barlow created this fantastic modern design after a trip to San Francisco. She says, "I noticed an antique grate and loved the intricate design.  I took a picture and set about incorporating the design into a quilt." The overall quilting, done in spirals and swirls by Abby Latimer, softens the lines without detracting from the striking geometric design.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2022 Springville (Utah) quilt show.

Highlights of the Utah quilt show (1)

Each year, the Springville Museum of Art (Utah) has one of the best quilt shows in the country.  It features award-winning quilts from Utah, a state blessed with an abundance of accomplished quilters. Here are some highlights of this year's show!

Note: please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns and collectibles ! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !

In Adoration of a New Mom by Kim McCloskey (Provo, Utah)

Kim McCloskey won the Show Committee Award for her design, which was made for her daughter to celebrate the birth of her first child (and Kim's first granddaughter.)  Kim says that the pattern was based on Gustav Klimt's work "The Three Ages of Women." We admired the serene repose of the faces and and the flowing lines of the hair, which was adorned with embroidered rosettes (below).

Baskets a la Carte by CodyMarie Mazuran (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Baskets a la Carte was beautifully pieced, appliqued, and hand quilted by members of the Holiday Quilt Show and Auction Board (Intermountain Healthcare), celebrating the event's 40th year. This stunning quilt won a blue ribbon (Award of Excellence). The design was inspired by a 5" basket block created by noted quilter and author, Cody Mazuran.

You can see the incredible hand-turned applique and precision hand quilting done by guild members in the closeup photo, below.

 My Story by Sheila Stettler (Kaysville, Utah), quilted by Kristina Whitney

Sheila Stettler tells her life story in this quilt, which won an Award of Excellence at the 2022 Springville show.  She says, "This quilt represents my life up until high school." It depicts her house and that of her best friend, her grandma's house, and many other details of the neighborhood and Sheila's life. All of the elements are beautifully designed, appliqued and embroidered.

Sheila's expert embroidery can been seen throughout the quilt including the flowers, bunny rabbit, and the girls' hair as shown above.

Insect by Shauna Kawasaki (Provo, Utah)

Shauna Kawasaki received the Art Director's Award for this unique work of fabric art. Insect was created with raw edge applique, extensively stitched and beaded, and edged with fringe.  This insect came from her sketchbook and imagination, making it very individual.  Each segment of the insect's body is rendered in great detail as if seen through a microscope.

Shauna says, "Mother Nature has the greatest creations.  All we can do is mimic.  Large or small, each is worthy of our admiration.  Insects deserve our love and admiration, for each one is individual in its design."  Some of the details of the hand stitching and beading can be seen in the closeup photo, below.

Happy Golden Days by Andrea Erekson (Midvale, Utah)

A puzzle of different blocks make up this dynamic sampler quilt! Happy Golden Days was inspired by the Golden Days quilt pattern by Jen Kingwell Designs (Australia). Andrea Erekson's quilt was done in a completely different fabric scheme with bright colors against a dark background. We enjoyed the details of the fabrics and their construction; some of them were fussy cut for added visual interest. (see the figures in the cathedral windows blocks below!)

Andrea says, "I made this quilt because I wanted to improve my skills and my local quilt shop was teaching it one block per month.  I attended class with a group of women that were all superior quilters.  I learned so much from them and it was a wonderful year of quilting for me, that is what I will always think about when I look at this quilt."  Dramatic contrasts bring out the creative detail of the flower block, below.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2022 Springville Museum of Art in Springville, Utah.

Flying High: For the Love of Birds

The International Quilt Show in Salt Lake City, Utah, was a fun place for us to visit last month! There were a number of special exhibitions and quilts grouped by theme, which we really enjoyed. Here are some of the highlights of this excellent show!

This visually exciting collection of art and contemporary traditional quilts celebrates our feathered friends and the many ways in which they help sustain our ecosystems.

p.s. check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns, fabric, and vintage jewelry!
For more free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter.

White Raven by Virginia Greaves (Georgia)

Virginia writes, "Legend holds that black ravens were kept at the Tower of London (shown in the background) to protect the monarchy. My piece presents a rare white raven and asks the question of what that would mean for the monarchy and the Tower."

 Close-up, White Raven

Virginia's excellent, detailed original design was machine stitched. We enjoyed learning about the legend of the ravens in protecting the monarchy.

The Lord of Birds: Hunting in Magnolia by Mary Jane Sneyd (New Zealand)

Mary Jane created her quilt based on a photo by Leo Thomas in Cologne, Germany. She explains, "I was blown away by the obvious bond between a young Kazakh woman hunting with her eagle in Mongolia. In a male-dominated activity, this woman is working to keep a 4,000-year-old traditional alive and has found a way to connect to her traditions and her roots. In Kazakh, 'qusbegi' refers to falconers and comes rom the words 'qus', meaning 'lord', and 'begi', meaning 'bird', thus, 'lord of the birds'. "

 Close-up, The Lord of the Birds

Mary Jane's fascinating quilt is fused, raw-edge appliqued, and plaited, with machine and hand quilting.

Cockles Magic Circle by Denise Griffiths (Australia)

Denise notes, "Most days, I have two cockatoos that visit me looking for seeds or crackers. I call them Mr. and Mrs. Cockles. The male one is especially friendly and quite a character. I could think of nothing nicer than to make this quilt for them. " 

Close-up, Cockles Magic Circle

Denise's colorful, enchanting quilt is an original design which is photo printed. We especially like the pretty pink and mauve floral embellishment in the upper left background.

 My Feathered Friends by Laura Ruiz (Florida)

Laura Ruiz comments, "My Feathered Friends began with an 8 x 10 colored pencil drawing that I drew, photographed, enlarged, and printed on cotton. I added patchwork, followed by ghosted patchwork, created with paintsticks to blend into the background color." 

Close-up, My Feathered Friends

Laura continues,  "Since I love both kinds of feathers, the quilted kind and the living kind, I thought I would combine the two."  Laura's enchanting creation is pieced, appliqued, machine quilted, stenciled, and digitally printed.

Pelican Rescue by Michelle Jackson (New Mexico)

Michelle says, "This [quilt] is to bring attention to and educate the public about those who rescue, care for, rehabilitate, and release wild birds, such as the pelican, so that they can thrive in their natural habitats.

Close-up, Pelican Rescue

Michelle very creatively portrays this pelican from a side profile, so that the bird's striking, dramatic plumage can be shown. Her lovely original design is done with raw-edge fused applique.

 

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2022 International Quilt Festival in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Note: Many of the contributors to the Flying High exhibit are members of Studio Art Quilt Associates.

Modern Quilt Month 2022 (5)

We really enjoy modern quilts and examining the design elements that make the finished pieces come alive. Summer seems like the perfect time to feature contemporary quilts, so it's become an annual tradition at Quilt Inspiration. Here is part 5 (and the finale) of Modern Quilt Month for 2022!

p.s. check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns, fabric, and vintage jewelry!
For more free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter.

Go With the Flow by Karen Neuendorf

This dynamic original design was made and quilted by Karen Neuendorf, showcasing a special technique.  She says, "The black felt top is cut away to expose the blue and then quilted.  Each circle is a quilt that is hand stitched to the quilt.  During the pandemic it reminded me to relax and Go With the Flow."

Social Distancing by Jane Wilcox, quilted by Cindy Stohn

Jane Wilcox won a blue ribbon for her original quilt, titled Social Distancing, which was entered in the Modern-Duet category at the 2022 Quilt Arizona show. She says, "I was inspired by a table runner to add a block here and there, some bright strips, and splashes of color." [Inspired by the Soho table runner by Busy Bee Quilt Designs]. Cindy Stohn's expert quilting adds tremendous interest, as seen in the closeup photo below.

Bubbly by Diane Hartman

Bubbly was made and beautifully quilted by Diane Hartman.  This "whole quilt" (made from a single piece of hand-dyed fabric) was inspired by the original hand dying, done in pink with a few areas of blue, and accented by appliqued circles.  She says, "Glitter HTV (heat transfer vinyl) was a fun addition". Diane's creative quilting added further bubbles and swirls, creating a frothy appearance that was admired by all the viewers.

Light in the Rainbow Tunnel by Becky Ripley

Here's a fabulous quilt featuring a watercolor effect in a rainbow of colors. Becky Ripley estimates that she used about 700 different fabrics to make this quilt! The watercolor effect begins with charcoal in the outer corners and graduates to near white in the center. Becky says that Light in the Rainbow Tunnel was inspired by a published design, Glowing Crazy Eights by Quilters Lumberyard, which Becky reduced to half size.  It was beautifully quilted by Becky herself.

The Blue One by Teresa Duryea Wong @third_floor_quilts

A collection of fabrics from designer Marcia Derse inspired Teresa Duryea Wong - to make The Blue One.  We were delighted to see this quilt in person at the 2022 QuiltCon show. Teresa says, "I loved the idea of cutting up over 2700 tiny patches of fabric and sewing them back together.  The pieces are cut improvisationally, and each bit of fabric has its own free motion quilting design. Just a few bits of red add some pop.  This piece was quilted by Teresa with a longarm machine.

Image credits: Photos were taken at the 2022 QuiltCon show (The Blue One), the 2022 Quilt Arizona show (Social Distancing, Light in the Rainbow Tunnel), and the 2022 Tucson Quilt Fiesta (Bubbly, Go With the Flow).