Inspirational Sunday (8) - via Road to California 2015

Welcome back to Inspirational Sunday.  I have a few more art quilts to share this week and then we will shift to another genre for a while.

First up is "Cock-a-Doodle-Dandy" by Gigi Kandler of Arroyo Grande, CA.

Gigi says of her quilt, "This quilt is based on a photography I took of a rooster that lives in the Village of Arroyo Grande, CA.  I started the quilt under the wonderful guidance of David Taylor in a workshop at Asilomar.  The background is reminiscent of a whole cloth quilt."

I think that yellow background really makes this rooster stand out, and also think of chickens at the same time.


Here is a close up.

Feathers seem to be a great place to show off some really tight quilting.

Next up is, "Rainbow Bridge" by Renee Gannon of Ukiah, CA.

She says, "Seven years amid the Southwest's natural beauty left invisible yet indelible lifemarks on me, amount them a memorable hike from Navajo Mtn to Rainbow Bridge in 1981.  Its sandstone structure a lifemark of the water, sun & wind that created this natural arch, the streaks of desert varnish further mark the effects of those forces on its surface.  Based on a photo taken by the quilt maker, made for the Mendocino Quilt Artists 2013 theme, "Lifemarks".

Here is a close up so you can see the quilting.

This next quilt won second place in the "Art Critter" category.  It is called, "One Fine Day" by Laurie Britt of Bakersfield, CA.

Laurie says a little about what she used to make this quilt, "I was inspired to make this quilt after seeing these majestic beauties on a road trip to Colorado.  Fussy cut Raw edge Applique, Mistyfuse, inks, pastels, shiva paint sticks, textile paints."

Sometimes it is difficult to get a good close up of these types of quilts....

Last but not least is another fabulous quilt by Joanne Baeth, "The End of the Line?" by Joanne Baeth of Bonanza, OR.

Joanne says of this quilt, "While Salmon Fishing on the Oregon coast, I have become intrigued by the fate of old fishing boats that have been taken to boat yards to be repaired, sold or scrapped. Is it the end of the line?"

As you can see it won first place in the Art Naturescape category.

I really like this one.  I reminds me of several scenes I saw in Prince Edward Island, Canada while visiting my family.  I don't know about you, but I would love to have it hanging somewhere in my house!


Next week, we will shake things up a bit and look at a different genre of quilts.  I hope you will come back.


Thanks for reading today,




Jen

Inspirational Sunday (7) - via Road to California 2015

Welcome back to Inspirational Sunday.  Today's quilts will have you doing a double-take.  I was so struck by how much these looked exactly like a high resolution photograph (no doubt one was used to assist the making of these quilts).

First up is, "Dazzling Dahlia" by Andrea Brokenshire of Round Rock, TX.

Andrea says, "I am constantly taking photographs of the beautiful flora I encounter on my travels.  On a trip to Oregon, I took a number of photographs of the many beautiful Dahlias that grown in the Willamette Valley.  I was amazed at the variety of shape and size of these magnificent flowers.  This is one of them."

Here is another lovely quilt.  This one is called, "Larger Than Life" by Carol A Kolf of Sheridan, WY

Carol states, "A class with Jennifer Day inspired the technique I used for this moth.  I had taken the photo several years ago and always thought it would be a great design for a quilt.  More than 80 different thread colors were used to create "Larger Than Life".  I used the grain in my sewing room floor as a model for the grain design in the frame."


Here is another.  This one is called, "Aggregating Anemones" by Carla Stehr of Normandy Park, WA.

Carla says, "This piece was inspired by a photograph I took of Aggegating Anemones in a tide pool near Port Angeles, Washington.  I used painted silk organza to represent the green and pink transparent tentacles."

I wish I knew how she used that organza, the effect is amazing!

I have a few more remarkably realistic quilts to share next week, but then we will move on to another genre.


Thanks for reading today,



Jen

Inspirational Sunday (6) - via Road to California 2015

Today, and probably next Sunday, I thought I would share a few of the quilts from the Art Pictoral category at Road to California.  I think you will agree they are stunning.

First up is the winner of the category, a quilt called "Beneath My Wing" by David M. Taylor of Steamboat Springs, CO.

David says, "From the moment I saw Inge's stark, dramatic photo of a mother swan protecting her cygnet beneath her wing, I knew I had to recreate the moment with Applique and quilting, and lots of "white" fabrics."

The details on the feathers are just amazing!


Second place went to this lovely quilt, called "The Landing" by Joanne Baeth of Bonanza, OR.

She says, "The challenge was to create Canadian geese in different positions of flight as they came in for a landing.  Over 1500 pieces were cut out, shaded, fused, and stitched-one feather at a time."

I think she did a marvelous job of capturing the geese in flight, even down to the awkward way they stick out their feet to slow themselves down.


Third place went to this stunning quilt, called "Fancy Shawl Dancer" by Linda C. Anderson of La Mesa, CA

She says, "Having seen local Indians dance with this eye-stopping dress and mesmerizing movement reflecting a butterfly, I knew I had to capture that feeling and motion.  The dark sky makes me think of dream catchers in the southwest, as well as starry, starry night by Van Gogh.  I used 100% cotton and hand painted all the fabric used.  I machine stitched the raw edged applique."

Here is a close up.

I do like those circular motifs in the background, and I think she did an excellent job on the shadow (silly, I know).

Next week, I will share a few quilts that will make you do a double-take wondering if they are actually photographs!


Thanks for reading today,



Jen

Inspirational Sunday (5) - via Road to California 2015

Hi everyone!  I've been busy designing and testing paper pieced block patterns for an upcoming class I am teaching to my guild, and I guess it has me in a bit of a paper piecing appreciation mood.  So...here are some lovely paper pieced wonders from the 2015 Road to California show.

This first one is just amazing!  It is called "Outta the Loop" by Karen Machetti and Eyvonne Smith of Port St. Lucie, FL.

It's a shame that the table was in the way!  The bottom of the quilt is equally amazing.

Here's a closer look.

Check out that wonderful quilting too.

Here is gorgeous star quilt called "Going Green" by Patricia C. Robertson of Reedley, CA.  I love the addition of the appliqued leaves.

The stars themselves are Carol Doak's patterns, but Patricia designed the rest.  So lovely.

And then there is this tiny wonder!  Sea Breeze by Pat Kuhns of Lincoln, NE.

Yep! That is some tiny piecing, and as you can see it won 1st place in the miniature category.  The Mariner's Stars and the sashings are both foundation pieced, and then the Mariner's Stars are appliqued onto the background.  I like tiny, but this is really tiny!

And now for something a little less intricate, but equally as lovely.  Floating Jewels by Tanya Heldman of Los Angeles, CA.

I just love the quilting and modern look of this quilt.

What about you?  What kind of paper piecing do you like best?


Thanks for reading today,



Jen

Inspirational Sunday (4) - via Road to California 2015

Another special exhibit that is usually seen at Road to California is the Hoffman Challenge.

Hoffman Fabrics is located here in Southern California and they have some lovely fabrics.  Each year, they choose one fabric and challenge the community to create with it.  There are several categories for quilts of various construction methods, but there is also a "doll" category and clothing and accessories categories - just in case quilts aren't your thing.  If chosen as part of the travelling exhibit, your item will see the halls of many a quilt show during the year!

What I like about this challenge is that while you have to use a recognizable portion of the fabric, you can mix in other fabrics from other manufacturers.  This really allows you to create what the fabric inspires as your masterpiece as you envision it.  Several of the challenges I've been a participant of in the past have limited which coordinating fabrics you are allowed to use.  This does make it challenging, but sometimes you just have an idea that needs to be realized and requires another fabric.

This is the fabric for the 2014 Hoffman challenge.

2014 Hoffman California Fabric Challenge

Here are some of the quilts from the 2014 challenge.

This one is called" Circles in the Mist" by Sonia Reed, and is of her own design.

And for those of you that still haven't finished your One Block Wonder quilt from the Quilt Along a couple of years ago, perhaps this will inspire you to get it out again and finish it up!

It is called "Here Come the Blooms" by Penelope Harris.

Perhaps one of my favorites of the challenge is this one called "Segovia" by Deana Steel.  She let her love for Spanish guitar music to inspire this lovely quilt.

In case you are interested in trying your hand at the 2015 Challenge, the challenge fabric is:

2015 Hoffman California Challenge Fabric

I'm not sure why, but this one reminds me of flying carpets and the movie, Aladdin.

All the details of the challenge are listed here at the Hoffman Challenge website.  Entries are due in July!

I've heard it said several times that the Hoffman Challenge is a great place to get your feet wet in the quilt show circuit.  I was considering entering last year and planned on making a coral reef scene, but alas, that summer deadline is a tough one for me.  By the time I found the fabric, I just didn't have time to make the actual quilt.  Perhaps one day....If you are worried about sourcing the fabric, Equilter.com seems to usually carry the challenge fabric.  I have ordered from them in the past with good results and they have the 2015 challenge fabric.  So go for it!

Who is going to enter?


Thanks for reading today and Happy Easter if you celebrate!



Jen

Inspirational Sunday (3) - via Road to California 2015

Welcome to another Inspirational Sunday courtesy of the Road to California quilt show for 2015.

I'm continuing with special exhibits today.  The next several quilts were part of an exhibit highlighting many of the wonderful State Parks we have in the US.


This one depicts Antelope Valley California State Poppy Reserve by Dorinda Goff.

Mid-February through May acres and acres of California poppies bloom just outside of Lancaster.  Dorinda's quilt focused on the poppies.  They are quite lovely, aren't they?

This next one depicts Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park by Barbara Blake.

Pigeon Park is located on the California Coast about 50 miles south of San Francisco.

This one is for Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park by Linda Molter.

Bale Grist Mill is 3 miles north of St. Helena, CA.  Built in 1846, and restored in 1925, this water-powered grist mill was operated by the Bale family in the late 1800's.


This lovely quilt depicts the Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park by Kimberley R. Heaps.

I can tell you that there is nothing quite like walking through a redwood forest, and it is difficult to capture its beauty,even on film.  Kimberley did a fantastic job though!

This one shows Tomales Bay State Park by Julie Harris.

Julie decided to focus on the tranquility of the park's picnic area.  Tomales Bay State Park is located about 40 miles north of San Francisco.

This last one depicts a park a little closer to my home.  It is Malibu Lagoon State Beach by Karen Griffith.

I love how simple this quilt is with the strips of color.  Lovely!


That's it for this week.  I hope you return again next week for another installment from the Road to California quilt show.


Thanks for reading today,



Jen

Inspirational Sunday (2) - via Road to California 2015

Hello!  For today's inspirational post I thought I would dive right into some of the special exhibits at Road to California, because they are my favorite to look at.

First up, the Wicked Cherrywood Challenge.

In this challenge, the participants had to complete a 20 x 20 mini quilt, with the theme from the Wicked musical, oh, and a very limited color palette (using Cherrywood fabric).

The results are dramatic!

And I love how different they all are!

The next group of quilts are just a couple from the "Celebrate the Day with Quilts" exhibit.  In this exhibit 53 artists came up with 72 quilts that interpret some "special days" that might make it onto your calendar.


This quilt is called "National Tooth Fairy Day" by Bunnie Jordan.

Who wouldn't want to celebrate losing a tooth by getting a quilt like this?

I only snapped a few of these as the crowd was thick on the day I went to the show.

This one is called "DNA Day" by Renelda Peldunas-Harter.

I learned that April 25th is a significant day in the history of DNA discoveries, and here I just thought it was a few days after tax day.

This one is called "Nerd Pride Day" by Kathy Lincoln.

So the next time May 25th rolls around, make sure to hug the nerd to your right and left.  I just love the pocket protector included in the quilt!


Thanks for reading today,

Jen

Inspirational Sunday (1) - via Road to California 2015

Based on my little poll last week, it sounded like you guys would like to see Road to California first, then QuiltCon second.  I hear ya!  QuiltCon did get a lot of social media attention, so perhaps a little break is in order.

So here they are....the first quilts I am sharing from Road to California 2015 have a rainbow theme.  I guess I just feel rainbowish at the moment since I am working on a few rainbow items (none as gorgeous as these!).

The first quilt is called "Color Fondue" by Swan Sheridan of Vail, AZ

She says, "This quilt was an opportunity to use simple applique in a study of color and value.  The goal was to create a piece that was exciting both for the interaction of a variety of fabrics and the experience of texture achieved through a dense quilting process, changing thread throughout the project to better emphasize the value change. The quilting of each block is tied together by the connecting "rivers" that draw the viewer through the quilt."

Check out the cool quilting in the borders.

The next quilt is called "Starlette" by Cheryl L. See by Ashburn, VA.  I waited for about 10 minutes for the crowd to thin out enough to snap one picture!

Cheryl says of her quilt, "Starlette was inspired by a larger quilt I made called Star Struck.  It is entirely made by hand using English Paper Piecing, applique, trapunto, embroidery, and hot fix Swarovski crystals.  It is reversible with the back having woven appliqued bias strips in a triangular pattern.  Includes 4,582 hexagons, 335 circles and 192 ovals."

I'm not sure if it was "Starlette" or "Star Struck" that I've seen on Pinterest, but I can tell you, seeing this quilt in person is just amazing.  Pictures do not do it justice.  It won "Best Use of Color"

The next quilt is called, "Square Dance" by Marge Holtz of Alexandria, VA.

Marge says, "I love color...bright, bold, daring color.  Color is beautiful.  Color makes me happy.  Color is joy.  Color is like a magnet; it draws me in; it demands to be used.  It is enticing; it is inspiring.  I willingly submit to the energy color emits.

"Ideas comer from anywhere and everywhere.  Color will likely be the spark that demands my attention, but after color, shape, design, and motif beckon.  The heart of it all is color - vibrant, breathtaking, joyful color.  Color is my muse.

"I dare to dance with color."

Okaaay...

Here is a close up view.

I do love the color.

I hope you will come back next Sunday to see more quilts from Road to California 2015.  Does anyone have a specific request for a type of quilt for me to share?


Thanks for reading,


Jen

Inspirational Sunday (15) - via the 2013 Road to California Quilt Show

Alas, this quilt show must come to an end today.  I am all out of pictures.  But as I mentioned in an earlier Sunday post, there is another big quilt show coming up in August.  I plan on taking a few Sunday's off between now and then, but hope to sprinkle in a few book reviews before the next show.

Today I want to share some applique and embroidered quilts.  I do not do a whole lot of applique and embroidery myself, but I really appreciate looking at the quilts completed by others.  I just can't imagine all the hard work (and hand cramps) that must go into some of these quilts.  Of course, there are machines now that do a lot of embroidery, but usually someone is still drawing the subject matter by hand.

The first quilt today is called "Roses for Mary" by Ken Berg of Port Orchard, WA and quilted by Joyce Ross.  It is the 3rd quilt that they have made together. The design basis was "Roses for Mary" by Jenny Haskins.  Densely embroidered rose stems and flowing ribbons adorn Jenny Haskins'.  Background roses were drawn and quilted freehand using embroidered flowers as examples.

I really like the quilting.  Here is a close up.

And now for one of my favorites (probably because of the color).  This one is called "A Pocket Full of Paisleys" by Lorilynn King of Longmont, CO.

She says, "I decided to really learn my embroidery software.  All the paisleys are my own design.  My private name for the quilt is the LOUD quilt.  It originally was to be multiple bright colors but it was easier to do single colors when testing the embroidery.  I did a turquoise paisley, it told me THIS IS WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO BE!  It kept doing that through the whole construction process.  The end result is nothing like what I had in mind when I started!"

Well, have you ever had a quilt speak to you that way?

Thanks for reading today, I hope you were inspired.

Jen

Inspirational Sunday (14) - via the 2013 Road to California Quilt Show

Today's quilts are "innovative" in some way.

The first quilt started with a challenge fabric that was Oriental looking.  It is called Grandma's Stellar Array by Ann L. Petersen of Surprise, AZ.  She only used the green areas [of the challenge fabric] and added a mix of Civil War reproduction and fabrics that looked like that era to make a traditional quilt.  She says, "This was very far out of my comfort zone, but lots of fun."

I found it to be a pretty innovative use of fabric all around.  That cheddar in the center gives it so much texture, I thought she quilted the design.  And those tiny little star pieces are amazing, then you throw in the appliqued vines.  It's a pretty cool little quilt!

This next quilt is called "Determined to Use Those Scraps" by Claire Victor of Palm Springs, CA.  This quilt was started with scraps left over from another projects.  She was determined to use them all and only use other scraps and fabric from her stash.

I really love the color (even the orange!), and I wish I could be as determined to use my scraps to make a show-worthy piece like this!

It seems no show is complete without a quilt made from unusual materials.  This one is called "YoYo 11" by Helen Remick and was part of the Reflections on Changing Technology exhibit.  She says, "As one technology replaces another, some things are preserved, others lost.  CD's in yoyos hold manuscripts, family history, rituals, and vacations."

Talk about reuse/recycle!  There was also a collage on the back made from some of the images on the CD's, but darn it if I didn't get a picture of that!

Have you been innovative in some quilty way recently?  Tell us about it.

Next week, we wrap up this show with some embroidered quilts.

Thanks for reading today.  I hope you are inspired.

Jen

Inspirational Sunday (13) - via the 2013 Road to California Quilt Show

Happy Mother's Day!  I hope you are all celebrating in some special way.

I can't believe it, but I am nearly out of pictures to show you from the Road to California Quilt Show.  But don't despair, the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach is right around the corner in August!

Today, I promised to show you some paper pieced wonders, and they truly are amazing.

This first one is called, "Mistaken Identify" by Gail Stepanek and Jan Hutchinson of New Lenox, IL.  This is their original design, but it came about by trying to identify a block from an antique quilt labeled as a Mariner's Compass.  They found the block to have 21 spires and be more like a Sunburst pattern.

The blackish background makes the quilting hard to photograph, but here is a close up.

Amazing, right?

This next one is called "Euphoria" by Marilyn Badger of St. George, UT.  She paper pieced this using silks, hand-dyed cotton sateen, cottons and Sew Batik graduation fabrics.  It was quilted with Superior Kimona Silk and Floriani polyester.  Couched with Superior Razzle Dazzle and embellished with jewelry findings and hand-sewn crystal beads.  Original design was inspired by Jacqueline De Jong's Circle of Life with the makers own applique, border and quilting designs.

It was nearly impossible to get a shot of it from the front as there was always someone looking at it up close (the woman in blue managed to get into 4 of my attempted shots of this quilt, she even bumped me on the next one).  Here is a close up of that amazing quilt work.

Up next week, how about a little innovation?

Thanks for reading today.  I hope you are inspired.

Jen