Welcome to the 2021 Pacific International Quilt Festival - part 1

 Welcome to the Pacific International Quilt Festival! Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we could not view all the quilts this year! Therefore, we are showing a small sample of the quilts in this large show. Here is Part 1 of our photos.

Fleur de Leapfrog, 45 x 78, by Lys Axelson, California

 Winner of an Honorable Mention award in the Innovative Quilts category, Lys explains, "Everything about frogs and toads makes me happy. Their color, funny little legs, big giant eyes, the way they hop, swim, and sing. Sadly, in recent time, their has existence has become threatened by loss of habitat, climate change, pollutants, exploitation, and disease. "

Lys continues, "Chytridiomycosis, an infectious fungal disease, attacks the skin of frogs, toads, and other amphibians, causing mass mortality events. Recent evidence shows some species beginning to recover; others continue to experience ongoing decline."  Lys' brilliantly colorful original design is hand appliqued and machine quilted.

High chroma beaded embellishments and closely spaced machine quilting give an energetic appearance to this work and make the frogs appear to be ready to hop right off the quilt !  From the comments of the other viewers at the show, Lys' quilt was a real crowd-pleaser.

Sphere, 76.5 x 76.5, by Beth Nufer, Oregon . Quilted by Clem Buzick.

First Place winner for Best Mid-Century Modern Quilt, Beth notes, "[This quilt was made with all dupioni silk. My goal was to create a 3-D and modern effect."

Precision design and cutting really show off the multiple dimensions of Beth's spectacular quilt. An excellent sense of perspective is required to create this contemporary geometric look. Beth's original design is machine pieced, hand-appliqued, and longarm machine quilted.

Rainy Day Ballet  by Geri Patterson-Kutras, California

Geri writes, "Rain in the big city creates a kind of sidewalk ballet. Dancers perform rapid leaping steps trying to avoid colliding with other dancers and splashing in  unforeseen puddles. The joyful choreographed steps of the tiny ballerina's production of Swan Lake reminds us to slow down and relish the lost childhood gifts of imagination on a rainy day."

Long diagonal lines of quilting, along with an umbrella blown inside out show the effect of the wind and rain on the walkers as they scurry along in the storm. Geri's very imaginative original design includes machine finished edge applique, hand sewn specialty tear shaped and crystal beads, and metallic ink.

Pink Breath of Heaven, 55 x 55, by Allison Alexis Lockwood, California

Allison states, "My quilt designs have been greatly influenced by my love of travel. I am passionate about the color and pattern that I have observed in our exotic corners of the world, such as India, Myanmar, and Bhutan. As Covid-19 has curtailed travel, I find that I have gained months of time to continue creating at home, and my memories continue to inspire me."

One of the charming and lovely embellishments of Allison's work is the tiny little glass mirrors in the center block and in the orange flowers of the inner and outer borders. This type of traditional embroidery is known as Shisha and can be found in India, as well as China, Afghanistan, and Indonesia.

In Perfect Harmony, 36 x 47, by Sandra L. Mollon , California

 First Place winner for Best Wall Quilt, Sandra comments on her original design,  "As a traditional hand applique quilter for more than two decades, it was a leap for me to try a different, realistic, raw edge style. That style, with lots of machine work and some mixed media has become my personal new norm, and it has been a lot of fun."

Sandra adds that her quilt was designed from a photo by Deb Simon, which was used with her permission.  This very intriguing, machine-quilted work has a texture which makes the bears, the water, and the rocks appear true-to-life.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2021 Pacific International Quilt Festival.