Inspirational Sunday (24) - via the 2013 International Quilt Festival in Long Beach

I have a few more flower inspired quilts to share today.  I know many of you are looking about searching for signs that spring is on its way.  Perhaps some of these quilts will lift your spirits.

First up, a quilt called "Ethereum Botanica: Bromeliads" by Deborah Beatty of San Jose, California.  It won 2nd place in the digital imagery category.  She digitally printed, machine and hand pieced, machine quilted, and hand painted this colorful quilt.  It is an original design based on her own photography.

She says, "My photography inspired this quilt.  The 730-plus pieces, as well as the borders and binding, were printed on cotton by computer and then embellished with paints.  Free-motion echo quilting followed color variances, with painted piping added to the borders and binding for a little panache."

It sounds like an interesting technique. Has anyone done anything similar?

Here is a quilt similar in look to the Dyer's Woad quilt last week.  It is called "Columbine" by Sue Reno of Columbia Pennsylvania.  It is a Cyanotype image on silk, pieced, couched, and machine quilted.  It is an original design.

She says, "This beautiful perennial plant has self-seeded in my garden and turns up in surprising new places each spring.  I am delighted by its tidy foliage, intricate blue flowers and interesting seed pods."

The columbine that I am used to seeing is a little different, but one of my favorite flowers.  I really found the border and sashing on this quilt interesting.

This fun quilt is called, "Sweet Blooms" by Pat Kroth of Verona, Wisconsin.  She used fused applique, collage, hand-dyed, and machine stitched this quilt.

She says, "There is nothing I enjoy more than the burst of new blooms in the spring after a long cold winter.  A few candy wrapper "petals" on Sweet Blooms makes it even sweeter."

I really like the mosaic effect she attained with the background.  And, she even used on of my favorite candies (well, the wrapper).

This quilt is called, "The Hummingbird" by Sue Bleiweiss of Upton, Massachusetts.  She used Raw-edge fusible applique, and machine quilted this scene.  Her design source was inspired by the colors of springtime in New England and the arrival of the first hummingbird.

Her statement, "Every year I eagerly await the sight of the first hummingbird in the garden.  It's always an exquisite moment that marks the official beginning of spring and the warm sunny days ahead."

I wish I could have gotten a little closer to this one.  I am wondering if the black outline of each applique piece is her stitching or something else.  I love the look.

Finally for today, "Weezie's Wildflowers #17" by Laura Wasilowski of Elgin, Illinois.  It won an honorable mention in the Art-Miniature category.  It uses fused applique, hand embroidery, and is machine quilted.  It is an original design.

Her artist's statement says simply, "This rare wildflower is only found in my backyard and in my imagination."

I wonder if by #17, she has made 17 little quilts in a series.

Because the quilt show had a "spring" themed exhibition, I have plenty of flower quilts to share.  BUT, I think I will take a little break from them for now and next week share some other colorful quilts that might still lift the spirits of those still surrounded by the gray and white of winter.

Thanks for reading today,

Jen