Green Mountain Goodness

The Vermont Quilt Festival was last weekend and it was great.  The quilts were interesting, creative, original and well done.  There did seem to be a shift to awarding more artistic design from traditional, but I attribute that to the panel of judges, who tend more toward the art quilt style.  There were much fewer blue ribbons than in the past.

They have not posted the photos of this years winners, but you can see all of them from last year right here .  If you check back, you'll be able to see all of them from this year.

I've decided to divide the photos this time.  So I'm starting with my love, applique' enjoy!

best in show -

This one is my favorite - pink and brown - no surprise there!

This was absolutely beautiful - bright and very well done!

This is the BACK of the quilt.  It won for best hand quilting.  Can you believe I didn't take the front?  It was pieced and the quilting really didn't show well on the front - but the back - what the?  How did she do this?

I'm including this detail.  She couched pearl cotton along the border and the binding - pretty and interesting.

Okay, so this photo did not turn out well.  This is a 3-d quilt made up of 4 different quilts to give it depth.  It also had a frame work around the whole thing with metal tubing (it came with a notebook of instructions on how to set it up).  The pieces were strung with fishing line (or the like).  I'm hoping to find a better view - it was a very crowded place as it is certainly unique.  I don't know what to say about it - so I've decided not to say much.

A little shopping:
I bought this Jinny Beyer 1994 commemorative toile' at the NQA show in Columbus (it's also of Columbus).  The dealer had three pieces, had three pieces :)

Love pre-cuts from Lancaster Traditions.

Swore I wouldn't buy a kit - did anyway- it's  pincusion

Poor coco - so bored.  She had surgery last Thursday, spaying and microchip and she's supposed to stay quiet - no walks - so her belly heals properly.  This is how she is enjoying her recovery.  She gutted her favorite toy, the pink bunny...

 

Then she stole a roll of TP and put on a show for her little frog.

I'll be happy when we can go walking again~

Pieced quilts in a few days - happy summer sewing!

The Losers Club

I'm back from Indiana/Columbus and it was so great to see Mary again.  Thanks Mary for all the ground transportation, wine, food and fun times!

I decided to post quilts from the show that were the "losers".  Why?  Well, I decided that the ribbon winners are going to enjoy the attention and recognition that they so well deserved.  The "losers club" however needs a little attention as there were many, many great quilts in that category.

Okay haters, yes, I'm a loser and I did include mine here.  I still love my quilts and feel that I'm in great company.  There.

To us, this was the biggest loser - or best unrecognized quilt.  The work was lovely and it was crowded all day!

 Second biggest loser - it was lovely and so well done.

 I wish judges would stop dismissing these quilts just because they fit a certain "category" what do you think?  Is it me?

so here are quilts that I (and I can only speak for myself) really liked.  Mary liked these also.

 

  

 

 This is a miniature - so sweet

 

 

YEA! Liberated!

These quilts were either little auction quilts, part of the "trees" exhibit or some other exhibit.  They were not judged.

 

  This is a street scene made by different quilters - very cool.

New Friends - 

Shasta of High Road Quilter

Tara of  Sew Unique Creations

Ann Champion of  Ann Champion.

The nice lady who bought my little auction quilt - we just happened to be walking by when she was paying for it.  She was so happy to have won it and it was great to meet her!  Thanks!

After the show, we went to Mary's new home.  It is quite stunning and her new sewing room is to die for, but I'll let her do the show and tell there.

On Thursday, I'm off to the Vermont Quilt Show - just visiting not exhibiting.  If you see me, say hello!

Lollipop Garden!

Challenge Reveal -

Last fall the Needlers' group organized a little challenge. We exchanged squares of 30s repros and the guidelines were to make a quilt using applique'. I chose to do machine applique' for mine.

Here is the thumbnail sketch that I did last fall in my little notebook:


I'm always surprised how like my original rough my finished projects turn out.

Here is a sketch of how I thought about quilting this. I took a photo of the design wall and just printed it up. I would make the print size larger next time. Here I did not use any of these doodles.

Instead, I decided on undulating wavy lines with red thread.

I like it - but HELP!! because of the wavy lines, I have some wavy borders. How can I minimize this? Any suggestions?


Views of the back. I used up some fun old novelty food fabrics:


And the label. I figured a circle was called for.


I finished the quilting on my Lunar Pineapple. I decided on the tea cup design (interlocking circles). I'm happy with it. I just wanted an overall textural design.


Here is part of the back, it almost looks 3-D.


And here is a fun label I made with a small fabric panel and a strip of the fabric from the front border.


Tomorrow I'm off to see Mary!!!!! I'll bring back photos of the NQA show - until then, happy sewing and let me know if you have any solutions to my wavy edges.