Quilt family....

Every year, when the Quilt Festival rolls into town, quilters unite with their friends and families to enjoy the fabulous show.  Myself, I eagerly look forward to my good friends M.B. Hayes, the creator of Thangles, and her sister Wanda Hayes Eichler, of Graywood Designs, publisher of quilting and knitting patterns.

Here is the 2010 Graywood Designs team, starting with Wanda herself on the left, next to Lori, myself and Danielle.  We kept busy selling both our quilt patterns, knitting patterns and yarn and multiple bolts of Daiwabo and batik fabrics.

Here is Patrick busily demonstrating the easy, efficient technique using Thangles to make half-square diagonal pieces.

Somehow I never snapped a photo of Mary Beth this year, but here she is examining various quilts as she and I wandered in the exhibits before the show's closing on Sunday.

A view of one of the Japanese quilts - sadly, I cannot remember the maker's name ...

Viewing Bohemian Fireworks, by.... hmm, another missing quilter's name.

Examining Fantasy in Lace by Mary Buvia of Greenwood, Indiana.  The battenburg lace is most intriguing!




I always look forward to seeing my friends every year here in Houston during the International Quilt Market and Quilt Festival!  Of course admiring new displays of quilts is fabulous too and I won't even mention the shopping!

Happy Veteran's Day

Today, November 11, is Veteran's Day in the United States so this post is in honor (and in memory) of the many Military women and men who have served our country.  

 detail of the quilt below

Thank you to all the USA Military Veterans, and especially to my Sister-in-law Mary, my brother Garry, my dad Louie, and my Papa Herb (may he rest in peace).  Here a few quilts inspired by the USA flag.

Betsy Ross Never Imagined This

 by Nancy McLerran of Santa Rosa, CA

This lovely crazy quilt was exhibited in the Mixed Technique category of the International Quilt Association show recently in Houston.  In her statement, Nancy says "I wanted a quick Independence Day crazy quilt"  (hmm, quick and crazy quilt don't seem to go together in my mind!)  Originally planning to finish in one month, Nancy's quilt turned into "a three-year odyssey" with this lovely result.  Her design was inspired by a Sisters, Oregon poster titled "Patriot's Needle". Nancy won an award in the 2010 Road to California quilt show.

 Other flag quilts have been exhibited in previous Festival Shows.  The quilts shown above and below are from the 2008 Festival show in Houston.  I wished I recorded the name and maker of both quilts ... but sadly, I did not.

Flag patterns and kits are abundant.  Below is a pattern available through Embellishment Village.

I have not made a flag quilt ... yet.  But thought I would share the fleece flag I made in 2007, even if it is inspired by the Texas state flag rather than our national Stars and Stripes.

Texas flag blanket

made with the students of Mrs. Williams' 4th grade class of 2007-08

currently in a private collection

Students in my son's 4th grade class helped design and create this flag.  Each student decorated one of the puzzle pieces, inspired by things special to Texas.  The flag was in the annual school auction, helped to raise money for the PTO and now is in a private collection.  I discovered something fun about the dimensions of the Texas flag while making this blanket ... did you know that the three rectangles of color are all the same size?  and that the longer side of the rectangle is exactly double the shorter side?  Of course today, you can find ready-made fleece blankets in the Texas flag design ... or be daring and design your own!

Best of Show

The 2010 International Quilt Festival has been and gone, but the memories linger on and I hope to share a few here.... and thought I would start off today with a view of the Best of Show.

Mystique

by Sharon Schamber

of Payson, Arizona  USA

Here is Sharon Schamber standing proudly by her gorgeous quilt, Mystique.  The quilt took her four years to finish and it is wonderful!  Sharon is quite an accomplished quilter, as she has one the IQF Best of Show award two times before this year, making this her Third Best of Show award!!!  Congratulations to you, Sharon. 

 A detail view of her quilting -- the thread adds dimension as well as design.  It is no wonder that she is a master quilter!

 Showing her admiring fans a closer view of the unique border edge treatment.

Note:  If I can track them down, I'll add peeks at Sharon's two previous IQF Best of Show....

Quilt Art ATCs

One fun event at the International Quilt Festival last month was the huge ATC swapping board hosted by Pokey Bolton and her mighty Quilting Arts team.
Pokey planned a special Birthday Swap honoring the 35th year of the Quilt Festival.  She encouraged Festival attendees to make 35 ATCs, bring them to her swapping board, and trade with others.  I made 20 (just plumb ran out of time) that I swapped ... and here they are ... oops, I swapped mine without snapping photos first!

Texas Art Asylum

The Texas Art Asylum is a gathering  place for overflow items (donated from individuals and businesses) and all is available for purchase for creating new recycled art or perhaps is stated more clearly on their home page:

Cool stuff for creative reuse!

This crafty enterprise is located at 1230 Houston Avenue, in Houston, Texas 77007 (conveniently close to I-10 and 45).
Hours are posted on their webpage, and so is a lot of other fun information (such as what artifacts they are accepting, what classes are on the schedule, and FAQs). 

A great new discovery and one that I can hardly wait to see in person!  I believe I that there is a special rate for teachers too -- gosh, this could be the best reason for returning to the classroom!  Woo-Hoo!

"Which Dress ..."

The winners have been announced for the 2010 Heart, Hands & Heritage: The Patchwork Soul of Women quilt competition.

The quilt receiving the most votes is:

"Which Dress Would You Like?"

by Laura Casmore

The second place quilt is:

"Starry Nights"

by Catherine Waltz

Third place is by a friend of mine:

"Craft and Soul"

by Patricia A. Hinojosa

There are many other great quilt in this exhibit and you can see them by clicking here or by visiting the exhibit while it is  open at Rice University (open Oct. 21 through Nov. 19, 2010).   Click here for more information in this exhibit.

Hearts, Hands and Heritage

I have just learned of a new quilt exhibit at Rice University here in Houston.  The exhibit is called ...

Hearts, Hands & Heritage

The Patchwork Soul of Women - 2010

Exhibit: Thursday, October 21 - Friday, November 19, 2010
Awards Ceremony & Panel Discussion: Friday, November 5, 2010
This quilt exhibition is produced and curated by Rice University Ph.D. student, Aundrea Matthews. A reception and panel discussion consisting of leading scholars and practitioners of the art of quilting represent two of the event’s primary offerings. The exhibit will introduce visitors to a collection of powerful works of art that illuminate both the spiritual and personal experiences of women. Our goal is to illustrate a broad range of artistic techniques and inspirations, shed light on the lives and experiences of quiltmakers, and examine the role women have played in education, politics, religion, the arts, business, the family and much more.

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At the moment, there is an online voting process going on to determine which of the entered quilts will actually be accepted into the exhibit.  You (as a member of "the general public") can vote for the quilt of your choice from September 20, 2010 (noon cst) to September 26, 2010 (noon cst).  So, let's take a break from whatever you are doing and click here to look at the entered quilts and select your favorite one.  Then vote!

You can also click here to learn more about this exhibit at Rice University.  This exhibit is part of the H.E.R.E. Project -- Houston Enriches Rice Education --which was founded in 2007.

Just another reason to come visit Houston!