Quilts Show 2016

Our local quilt show was held at the end of July at the county fair.  I meant to post photos right away, but...

As usual, I was putting my last stitches in my quilt as they were hanging the last quilts.  When will I ever stop procrastinating??? Despite the proliferation of machine quilted quilts these days (which I totally understand and admire and am NOT knocking!), I love that nearly 15% of the quilts in this year's show were hand quilted!  Here's mine:

3rd place small/medium hand quilted

Close up of the hand quilting

I volunteered to be a hostess at the show and enjoy the quilts at my leisure.  Here are some of my favorites:

1st place hand quilted small/medium by Maureen G.

2nd place hand quilted small/medium by my friend, Sandra S

Surprisingly, the only 'modern' quilt in the show, by my friend, Sue L

She realized she was never going to finish her hex quilt, so she chose a different setting, by Maureen G

The colors of this grabbed me, by my friend Joan W

This one is also by Joan W.  Can you tell she doesn't do muted colors?

Isn't the quilting fabulous?  Quilted by my friend, Gail C.

Best in Show by Cynthia A - I love traditional quilts!

Close up of Best in Show winner

The quilt I'd most like to snuggle up with.  My friend, Gail C, always includes so many fabrics and fun details in her quilts.

Isn't it fun?  Stars & circles & butterflies & ric rac & yo-yos & buttons, oh my!

I admire Judy Niemeyer quilts so much, probably in part because I know I'd never be brave enough to attempt one.  This one was made by Gwyn C.

I love color!  This one by my friend, Helen W. 

When I first saw this one, I thought it was a photograph!  By Lori H S

I love minis, and the scrappier, the better!

And finally, Judge's Choice was this wonderful crazy quilt.

Can you see those wonderful details?  I could study this quilt for hours!

Ah, finally, I can free up some room on my phone for more photos, yet still enjoy this year's quilt show here online.  I'm already hoping to submit TWO quilts next year, including a mini.  I love them, but have never made one.  I think it is time!

County Fair Time!

It was close, but I got a quilt finished for the county fair.  The quilts were due by noon on a Monday, and I finished stitching on the sleeve at about 11:45 am.  In truth, it I wasn't as done as I had hoped - there is no quilting in one of the inner borders - but it was done enough.  Turns out, it was done enough to win a second place ribbon in the small/medium hand quilted category.  Woo hoo!

I enter a quilt every year in part for the objective, impartial feedback.  For years, I've been "dinged" for my binding not having square enough corners or plump enough or whatever.  This year I got highest marks for my binding, with "Binding is well executed" underlined twice.  That made me so happy!!  The devil is in the details! 

Thank goodness for the fair, it gives me a hard and fast deadline to help me with my finishes.  This quilt is the one I chose to give to a friend of mine's baby, and even though the baby was born in April, I was still struggling to finish.  I swear, the closer I get to finishing a quilt, the slower I move.  Anyway, I sent a photo of the finished quilt to my friend, and she and her family went to visit it at the fair this week.  She sent back this wonderful photo of her husband and her baby checking it out.  I love giving quilts to people who will both appreciate and use them!

This baby has the most wonderful parents!  I'm so glad to have them all in my life.

 I also love going to quilt shows.  The talent is so inspiring!  But I noticed that what draws me to a quilt is rarely that which makes it a ribbon winner.  I took photos of some of my favorites, and most have no ribbons, and those that do aren't the blue ribbon winners.  It is pretty obvious what attracts me when you look through these photos - lots of colors and fabrics.

Rarely am I drawn to batiks, but this little quilt SINGS to me!

Scrapalicious!!

This quilt is ENORMOUS!  So simple, yet so striking.

This was one of our retreat projects.  I love these blocks set on point.

Not my usual quilt preference, but this little beauty called out to me.

I feel like I am underwater with those fish!

I could happily while away the afternoon on that porch, quilting or knitting with that view!

Again, not my usual style, but just neat!

I love miniatures.  And scraps. Again, simple, but I love it!

Stunning, right? I see a colorwash quilt in my future.

Whimsy makes me happy.  The fact that she pieced and appliqued the back also makes me happy.

Just looking at these makes me want to run down to the sewing room and start creating.  But first things first.  I've been commissioned to make 2 pair of baby booties for a woman's grandsons who are about to be christened.

One down, three to go.