This week Eureka is having their annual Fair and Rodeo. I never go. Not a fan of rides that just go 'round and around. But I did volunteer to sit in the quilt display room for a couple of hours. There weren't an awful lot of entries maybe 50, but there were some good ones worth sharing.
I love how manly this one is. I mean; even a lumberjack wouldn't feel foofy having it around. Right down to the tied bits being made of jute! I also like that it's a form of recycling, using all the old suit jackets.
This one puzzles me for sure. How on earth did she sew it all together? One ginormous paper piece?
Pat Durbin is probably our most famous local talent.
The tree trunk and leaves are all done with what she calls "thread play". Boggles my mind. And it's hard to tell in my photo but there's twinkling crystals all over it.
I really enjoyed watching this quilt (also by Pat) reach out and GRAB people's attention. They just couldn't hardly believe it was a fabric quilt. And check out her machine quilting.
She teaches classes locally for both 'thread play' and machine quilting, but I know darned well I'd never be that good so I just don't even go there. But I sure can appreciate her work.
Here's a fun mini-group project. Four ladies took a photo of a pixelated rose and each created a small quilt of it.
Then they each cut their quilt into quadrants, and shared one piece with each other (each person has one 25% piece from each of four different quilts). Then they sewed the four blocks together to create a completely different quilt. Clever, creative, and captivating, for sure! That fifth one on the far right was done by one of the women 'just for fun'. Probably had the idea while she was working on the assigned quilt and just had to do it. You know how that goes, right?
Here's one more that I feel is very inventive--
Love the movement in this.
I had my somewhat crappy pocket camera that day. Next month at our guild's bi-annual show we will have 350+ quilts! I'm really looking forward to that. I'll get better photos with the good camera.
OH--the older lady I sat with for those two hours--I was somewhat complaining to her that my Bernina's been in the shop for a month (waiting for parts) and I was really getting concerned about time constraints as I still had to quilt my selvage quilt before the July 11 deadline to turn it in for our guild show. Even tho she'd never really met me before, she offered use of her quilting machine and brought it to my house the next morning! I was blown away by the trust and kindness. Really restored my faith in humankind, you know? Only trouble is, I LOVE that machine and now I think I need one! It's a Brother 1500 and ONLY does straight stitch. Not even zigzag. But man, the efficiency in which it performs that straight stitch. 1500 stitches per minute. I'm here to tell you; not many people could handle that kind of speed. I sure can't anyway. It has a nice long 'arm' and even a push button to nip your thread (so you don't have to look under all that quilt for where to cut your thread off). It's nifty, for sure.
Hope you have a great weekend! I'm heading back out to the studio for some more machine quilting now.
Thanks for that very inspiring post..
Posted by: Boracay beach resort | July 08, 2009 at 05:53 PM
Those quilts are SO inspiring, thanks for posting pics! LOL about the machine, don't we always need one more tool? Quilters are very good peeps, it's like a sisterhood don't you think? There's a quilt show here in late July, I just love to look around and be inspired by the phenomenal work of others, lots of lightbulb moments.
Posted by: Sue McGettigan | July 03, 2009 at 07:00 AM
Hi,
Just a test. I did the above post that has the name of nanette, and when you click on that name, you go to her site.
I made the above post dated June 29, 2009 at 01:45 PM.
I'm Cathy at http://bellacrafterella.blogspot.com
Perhaps it was a simple mix up because I was not logged into my blog account! I hope this comment works properly, and states that it is indeed, from me, Cathy! :)
Posted by: Cathy | July 01, 2009 at 08:43 AM
I'm constantly amazed at the talent and tenacity that is required to create beautiful quilts. If I choose to work on a quilt project, I make sure it's a "short and sweet" small scale quilt project.
Just gotta say: Isn't it great fun to be a grandmother! :) It was fun visiting a blog of another fellow grandparent, because I find that there are so few of them.
Posted by: Cathy | July 01, 2009 at 08:30 AM
Very interesting quilts. Really like nothing I've seen before. Especially the roses. The thing that strikes me is they trusted each other to cut and incorporate them all into their quilts. That is pretty amazing. What a great story. I'll have to retell that one. I've been thinking pixilated roses myself. It wont' get further than that but on the way to work I saw this huge rosebush with the most amazing roses and the leaves so dense you couldn't see through them. I was thinking what a great quilt that would make. Always on my brain I guess. For having a smallish show these are all pretty great quilts.
Posted by: nanette | June 29, 2009 at 01:45 PM
What an amazing and worthwhile experience in many ways!
Posted by: dotti white | June 29, 2009 at 01:12 PM
Jen, I clicked on each picture to make them as large as possible. The intricate work on some of these is just mind boggling. Thanks for this post. Looking at the quilts is always inspiring.
♥, Susan
Posted by: black eyed susans kitchen | June 29, 2009 at 06:01 AM
I really enjoyed looking at all of those quilts! Thank you so much for showing them. What's the name of the "thread painter"?
I have a Mega Quilter that sounds very similar to the Brother 1500. I think you can get used for around $200 - $300. Pfaff has one that's the same as the MegaQuilter - but I can't remember the name.
Posted by: MichelleB | June 28, 2009 at 09:07 AM
I love the "Scene" quilt, if you hadn't taken a pic of the close-up I too would have thought it was a painting.
Posted by: Heather | June 27, 2009 at 09:29 PM
The quilts are amazing Jen. Alot of work went into those.
I was laughing when you said that gal loaned you a machine and then you said only one problem........after you said she trusted you I thougth you were going to say.... I dont want to give it back. LOLOL!!!!
Posted by: Sharon | June 27, 2009 at 08:08 PM
Ohhhh! I love all of the photos! What amazing quilts... :) I just went to my first quilt show, Friday, It was awesome!
Posted by: Taiya | June 27, 2009 at 07:58 PM
What a nice quilter! I have to agree with BrendaLou that quilters can be extraordinarily generous sometimes.
Posted by: Di Jobbins | June 27, 2009 at 07:58 PM
I've always said it, Quilters are the NICEST people!
Posted by: BrendaLou | June 27, 2009 at 04:38 PM