St. Patrick's Day Fun

Last weekend we went to beautiful Asheville, North Carolina.  We stayed with my husband's sister and her family.  Charlie wanted to celebrate his birthday by visiting the micro-breweries in the area, which co-incided with the St. Patrick's Day celebrations.  Lots of fun!  Asheville has a rather eclectic population...notice the Green Fairy enjoying the outdoors at The Wedge!

I love the artsy walls and fences made from rusty found objects at The Wedge, which was formerly an artist's studio.

There were lots of tutus and people of all ages playing corn hole.

Did you have as much fun as we did?



A Pretty Customer Quilt...and Art Quilts from the Mid-Atlantic

Here is a quilt I just finished for Ann.  She made it in a class sponsored by Capital Quilters Guild of Raleigh a couple of years ago.  Neither of us could remember the name of the instructor, but she figured out a way to incorporate fancy borders into the piecing of the blocks.  I think she called this inner border "Salt Water Taffy."  The long skinny shadows are from my windowpanes!  (Thanks to CQG friend Katie Greenwood for supplying the teacher's name- Sally Schneider!)

I quilted it with leafy, twirly vines all over.  Some of the fabrics had the same motif.  I love to use curving quilting designs to soften the strong points of star quilts.

On to the Mid-Atlantic again.  There were many special exhibits with very original quilts, in addition to the Art Quilt category and Innovative category.  Here are a few that I loved.

The first one is from the SAQA special exhibit, Layers of Memory.  It is called The Fern Flower, by Valentina Maximova.  Such a joyous combination of colors and scenes from nature.

Look at this exuberant pieced bloom!

From tropical foliage, let's go to snowy winter hillsides.  In The Bleak Mid-Winter is by well-known art quilter Ruth Powers.  Look at all the colors and hues that actually are used to create what the eye perceives as white snow.



In the Bleak Mid-Winter, by Ruth S. Powers





Here is a lovely mermaid napping on the ocean floor.  The maker is Eileen Williams, whose work was inspired by another fabulous art quilter named Ruth McDowell.



Shell Study #1 by Eileen Williams



In addition to the fabulous pieced seashells, there are real shells attached as embellishment (and perhaps some shell buttons?)

I love the colors and images in the next quilt.  It makes me happy just to look at it.  Not sure if it is actually an art quilt, but it certainly compels the viewer to come in for a closer look.



Traveling Sunshine, by Becky Guinn

In addition to the whimsical images, there is some very fine quilting in this piece.



I absolutely adore the next one, a very realistic rendition of an ocean wave.  It is in my favorite color.  I pulled up a chair and sat under this quilt when my friend Mary was white-gloving and I was too tired to walk any farther.  Very relaxing quilt!



The Wave, by Sandy Curran



Just one more for today.  Unusual shapes really catch the eye at a big show.  This group quilt has a series of floral quilts hung almost like banners, or perhaps a valance.



Floral Promise, by Fiber Art Friends



It is interesting how each quilter worked with the same basic daisy shape to make their own unique quilt in different colorways.

I will leave you among this bevy of blossoms, but don't worry, there are many more quilts to show another time!



More Quilts from the Mid-Atlantic

Let's look at some more quilts from the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton Roads, Virginia. 


The first one here is certainly eye-catching in shape, color, and embellishment.  It is part of the special exhibit from the 54-40 African American Quilt Guild, made by Delilah Armstrong.




Psychedelic Shack, by Delilah Armstrong



Ever wondered how to attach a 45 rpm record?

There was so much texture and fun things on the surface of this quilt that it was really a pleasure to view up close.

The next quilt is more traditional, but very pleasing in the color palette.  I can't locate the maker's name, but will add it in if I find it.



Moon Over Mountain

I was so excited when I stumbled across this beautiful quilt by my blogging friend, Vicki Welsh.  She made it from one of her hand-dyed palettes.  It won an Honorable Mention ribbon in the Traditional category!

 

Star Struck, by Vicki Welsh



Lots of intricate quilting adds to the pleasure in viewing this quilt.

Here is a gorgeous quilt that was a big prize-winner.  The red  and pink flowers on the gradient of whites, grays, and blacks is most unusual and spectacular in graphic appeal.  It won second place in the Traditional category.



Let's take a look at some of the garments that were not part of the Hoffman Challenge, but were regular entries in the festival.

 

I was captivated by the glowing desert scene depicted on this jacket.

Desert Sunset, by Wanda Seale

For bling-bling, you just can't beat this little red number that is literally covered in Swarovski crystals.  It was made for a daughter's equestrienne costume.



Fierce Intentions, by Jennifer Bernard



I thought this colorful vest was very artsy and attractive.



Hunderwasser's Pohutakawa Tree, by Barbara Lynne



The back is even more fabulous.



My art bee friend, Roberta Morgan, had two entries in the Wearable competition in the show.  Way to go, Roberta!

Midnight Garden, by Roberta Morgan

More to come...next time it will be all art quilts or innovative original quilts.