Highlights of our road trip to Fall Paducah quilt show

Mary Olsen and her quilt

Mary and I went on a road trip to Fall Paducah quilt show with 2 of our quilting friends, Carolyn and Barb.  It was our first trip to Paducah.  We were surprised at the weather – it was hotter in Paducah then where we live in Wilmington.  When we arrived in Paducah, we stopped at Hancock’s of Paducah before going to our hotel.  Talk about overwhelming – so much fabric, pre cuts and kits – but we did have fun shopping.  On Wednesday we spent the day at the show to check out all the amazing quilts and of course more vendors.  I loved looking at the interesting borders that quilters use.  I got some good ideas – I think I need to spend more time making more interesting borders and bindings.

my practice panel from Trish Stuart’s class

Flower painted with Inktense pencils

On Thursday, our group took classes.  I took an all day class with Trish Stuart who I had first met on a quilting cruise to Alaska in 2011.  I really enjoyed my class and learned about shading (“Inktensify Your Fabric: Adding Color with Inktense Pencils”).  We had a practice panel to try out shading techniques using inktense pencils.  I also started on a small flower drawing which I finished once I got home.

I got to talk with Mary Olsen about her award winning quilt – 2nd Overall Winner. Also on Thursday afternoon they served cake from Carlos Bakery in NJ and the largest quilt cake was on display.  Mario was there from the bakery to help AQS celebrate their 35th anniversary in Paducah. I heard that there were 30 sheets cakes to feed the quilters – the cake tasted awesome – yellow and chocolate cake with fudge filling and butter cream frosting.  Yum.

My tree from Marina Landi’s class

On Friday night I took a class from a quilt instructor from Brazil – Marina Landi (“Landscape Fiber Collage: Create with Wool, Thread, and More”).  This project is not finished yet.  We drove back home on Saturday.  It was a fun road trip with friends.  I really enjoyed seeing the quilts and taking classes.

Keep having fun sewing and quilting.   Donna

Sacred Threads – Eye Contact

One of the special exhibits, at the Sacred Threads Exhibition in VA, was titled “Eye Contact – making a connection”. They got 230+ entries and Donna and I both participated.   They even published a book with all the eyes.

This was an impressive art installation and really made an impact.
In these trying times, we need to put down our phones and make a connection (by looking at someones eyes).

Here are some pics of the installation.   Enjoy.

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We just got word that some venues contacted Sacred Thread and requested that the Eye Contact Installation travel.   So we agreed to have our eyes travel with the exhibit.   They will travel to multiple venues for two years.   We don’t know the locations or schedule yet, but we’ll let you know.  How cool is that?

Happy Stitchin,

Mary

 

“A Year of Hope” quilt at Sacred Threads Exhibition 2019 in Herndon, VA

Mary and I are back from spending several days at the Sacred Threads Exhibition.  We participated in the “Experience Weekend” with lots of fun activities: collage quilt class with Deborah Boschert, bus trip to DC to 3 museums (DAR, National Museum of Women Artists, and the Renwick Gallery), and Quilt Alliance seminar. Vikki Pignatelli who founded the Sacred Threads quilt show was present and spoke about one of her quilts.

The quilts in the show were awesome – so creative. The quilts were divided into 6 categories: Joy, Inspiration, Spirituality, Healing, Grief, and Peace & Brotherhood.

My quilt was in the Healing sections.  Each quilt’s story was posted next to the quilts.  It was very interesting and emotional to read the stories behind the quilts. Usually you don’t know the stories behind the quilt making so the printed stories make this show special.  Many of the quilters taped an audio recording about their quilts with additional information.  If you would like to hear my recording call: 703-520-6404 (my audio – 402#). The show ends on July 28.

If you check the website: http://www.sacredthreadsquilts.com , you can learn more about Sacred Threads and see the quilts in the “Gallery”.  There are also about 35 quilts from the show that will travel for 2 years.  There was a book with all the quilts and the stories.  The whole experience was truly inspiring.

Keep having fun sewing and quilting.

Donna

To see post on the making of the quilt, search for the word “hope” in the upper right hand corner of our blog.

 

Piecework Quilt and Fiber Art show

We live in the Wilmington, NC area and are members of our local quilt guild (Quilters by the Sea).   Last Fall, I volunteered to Chair the committee for our 2018 Quilt and Fiber Art Show (aka Piecework).    It is held at the Brooklyn Arts Center, a beautifully restored church & annex that host lots of events in downtown Wilmington.

 It was a much bigger project than I ever imagined and at times felt like a JOB (yikes….. I’m retired and don’t want a JOB).  As a result of this JOB and other family priorities, I have not had time/energy to focus on my quilting (with the exception of finishing off a piece for the show).      So, I thought I’d share some pics of the show which was held last month. 

Vendors below the quilts hanging in the Church.

Community Outreach quilts (Habitat for Humanity and Neo-Natal quilts)

Community Outreach quilts (QOV)

One of Donna’s pieces that was displayed on the fireplace mantel.

One of my pieces – ‘Snowdrops’.

More pics can be see on our Guild website.

Piecework 2018 Quilt & Fiber Art show is done and I’m happy to be back to quilting again.   The last pic is one of mine.  More about it in my next post.

Happy Stitchin,

Mary

Pictures from Crystal Coast Quilt Show, Morehead City

Mary and I went with friends on a road trip to see the Crystal Coast quilt show last weekend.  We saw many beautiful quilts and were inspired to try some new ideas. Also got some ideas for quilt challenges. And of course there was some shopping involved too.  We also stopped at a couple of quilt shops on the way home.  It was a fun day for all.  We are already planning our next adventure.  Keep having fun sewing and quilting.  See a quilt show and be inspired.  Donna

Quilts from the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival

Here is a selection of the quilts from the quilt festival.  It is a fun show to attend since there are lots of special exhibits from guilds and quilting artists.  Of course, the vendors are fun too.  Cathy Wiggins had an exhibit with her leather quilts.  It was amazing to see what she was able to do with quilting on leather.  (Horse quilt is a leather quilt.)  I am always inspired by the quilts at the show and get motivated to finish up some of my projects too.  Keep having fun sewing and quilting.  Donna

Back from Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival – Workshops

We had a GREAT time at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival.   Donna and I took in the show, spent way too much money at the vendor booths and we both took two workshops.

I first took a 1/2 day workshop with Joyce Teng on Fabric Inking 101.

Tsukineko inks

 

We used Tsukineko inks played with various methods of applying them on fabric.   This included using dabbers, brushes, spray bottles and TSC stencils.

Here is the stenciled tree that I did with the inks.

I was a fun class but it was only 1/2 day and we all wanted more time.

 

I then took and All day workshop with Ashley Nickels: Watercolor Quilting: Colorful Explorations in Free motion Quilting.   Ashley Nickels is Sue Nickels daughter (some of you may know her work).

In Ashley’s class we spent the morning painting on fabric squares with Dye-na-Flow fabric paint to make watercolor like images.

It was a blast!

My painted pieces.   Two of them in this pic have been thread sketched (free motion) with black thread.

After lunch we got out our machines and used black thread to free motion sketch our painted image.

My free form painted flower after it was thread sketched with black ink.

Close-up of my flower.

I’ve always loved watercolors and thread sketching.  This technique gave me both.

It was a GREAT class and we’ll definitely do more fabric painting.

Happy Stitchin’

Mary