Perseus Saving Andromeda, 79 x 66", by Marilyn Belford, New York, USA
Winner of both the Viewer's Choice Award and an Honorable Mention in the Innovative Quilts category, this quilt depicts an ancient Greek myth. Marilyn explains, "When Cassiopeia's [pride] leads her to boast that her daughter Andromeda is more beautiful than the Nereids (the female spirits of the sea waters), King Poseidon chains Andromeda to a rock and sends a sea monster after her. [She] is saved by Perseus, her future husband. ...Made with commercial fabric, fusible web, and thread sketching. Long arm quilted. No inks or paints applied."
Close up, Perseus Saving Andromeda by Marilyn Belford
Marilyn has created a wonderfully ferocious sea monster, with the sharpest "teeth" we've ever seen on a quilt. She has really brought the myth of Perseus and Andromeda to life. Marilyn's original design is machine appliqued and machine quilted.
Littering the Sky with Diamonds, 33 x 49", by Jane Hopkins (UK)
Jane notes, "As the song says, the diamonds are in the sky and the inspiration came from an art nouveau calendar. Techniques include hand-sewn hexagons which are quilted by machine with a diamond pattern. The figure and lamp are machined trapunto to bring extra loft. There is also machine applique using mostly hand-dyed fabric with extra embroidery and hand-crafted cords."
Close up, Littering the Sky with Diamonds by Jane Hopkins, U.K.
In this close-up you can see the background in deep hues, made from hand-sewn hexagons. You can also see the pretty embellishments of strands of pearls in pastel shades, along with crystals. This charming "flapper girl", reminiscent of the Jazz Age of the 1920's, looks as if she's all ready for a night on the town.
Flower Fantasy, 58 x 46", by Tamar Ophir ,Israel
The ombre monochromatic fabrics in Tamar's quilt glow so beautifully, they look as if they are lit from behind. We really enjoyed this elegant, symmetrical piece which reminds us of a stained glass window.
Close up, Flower Fantasy by Tamar Ophir
Flower Fantasy is machine appliqued, pieced, and quilted. You can see the satin stitching in black thread on the edges of the pieces. The echo quilting pattern brings out the gentle curves of the flowers and surrounding stems.
In The Fabric's Path, 42 x 42", by Orna Shahar, Israel
We love eye-catching quilts with all (or most) of the colors of the rainbow, and this one's no exception. Look at all the different fabrics in this energetic contemporary spiral! It must have been so fun and so rewarding to design and piece this vivid modern work.
Close up, In The Fabric's Path by Orna Shahar (Israel)
Tamar's vibrant creation is appliqued, pieced, and quilted by machine. She's made excellent use of blended deep blue fabrics with lighter tints as a neutral background to showcase these radiant colors.
A Newborn Star, 62 x 54", by Atsuko Matsubara ,Japan
Blue ribbon winner for Best Use of Color in the Innovative category, Atsuko's dynamic contemporary quilt exemplifies the "Big Bang" theory of the creation of the universe. As the star is born from a whirling, circular vortex, chunks of angular ice and rocks fly around it.
close up, A Newborn Star by Atsuko Matsubara
Atsuko's original design is all hand pieced, hand appliqued, and hand quilted. She's done a stunning job of juxtaposing cool silver grays, blacks, and glacial whites, with warm rust, cinnamon, tangerine, and apricot hues.
Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.
Well, I liked them all ... for different reasons ... and would like to have seen the pile of scraps left from all that fussy cutting ... but as you might guess, the handwork in Matsubara-san's quilt won my first choice. Thanks for the eye candy. (and as always, the inspiration)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing! What talent!
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