Quilt Odyssey 2014 - Hershey, PA

I met my girlfriend and fellow quilter, Dawn, yesterday at the 2014 Quilt Odyssey quilt show in Hershey, PA.  It was so good to see her and spend the day totally immersed in what we are all so passionate about - quilts and vendors!!! LOL.  So grab a cup of coffee.. or maybe hot chocolate is more appropriate since this was held at Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, and I will take to you to some of the most dazzling quilts of the show.  There are a lot of quilts to see.

Turtle Bay by Claudia Pfeil - Krefeld, Germany  79 x93  Best Pictorial by Machine

I am going to start with my show favorite.  This quilt was magnificent and my photos don't do it justice.

Close up of turtles.

Look at the quilting in the background and those bubbles!

Best of Show - Creation Springs Forth by Betty Ekern Suiter  - Racine, WA  80 x 80.  Inspired by a 16th Century rug.

Hand appliqued, hand quilted.  3000 yards of quilting thread, 3630 hours to complete.

Judge's Choice - Jingle Bells by Kathy McNeil - Tulalip, WA  74 x 66

First Place, Large Quilt Predominately Applique - Heralds of Spring by Joann Webb - Grain Valley, MO  90 x 90.  Machine piece, hand appliqued, hand quilted.

The center of this quilt was unbelievable.  Appliqued on one background piece.

The lilly of the valley were dimensional - beautiful!

As were the centers of the daffodils.

Third Place, Large Quilt - Zeruah's Legacy by Barbara Korengold - Chevy Chase, MD  78 x 78

Also based on a rug; originally made in the 1830s. Machine pieced, hand appliqued, hand quilted.

Best Innovative Quilt - Breaking Wind by Peggy Kragnes - Felton, MN  88 x 56

Very creative!  Notice one of the quilts on the line, is a mini of the whole quilt.

Third Place - Large Quilt Mixed Techniques - Tulip Serenade by Barbara Clem- Rockford, IL  84 x 84.  Machine pieced, hand appliqued, hand quilted.

First Place - Large Quilt Mixed Techniques, Claudia Pfeil - Krefeld, Germany  71 x 79.  This is the same artist who did Turtle Bay (pictured above).  Very talented lady!

Machine pieced and appliqued, long arm quilted.

Close up of Fern Rising.  

Background is 1 1/2" squares of hand dyed duponi silk.  27,000+ Swarovski crystals to represent the elusive fern flower.

This must be one heavy quilt!

God's Greatest Gift to Me Was Dad by Cindy Garcia - Racine, WI.  42 x 54.  Taken from a photo of her dad.  Beautifully done.

First Place - Group Quilt, Majestic Mosaic by Karen Kay Buckley & Renae Haddadin  87 x 87

Machine applique (Buckley), Long arm quilted (Haddadin)

Third Place - Wall Quilt  - Plainly Not Simple by Denise Havlan - Plainfield, IL  52 x 70

Machine pieced, hand and machine appliqued, home machine quilted.

Baby Tigress by Pat Durbin -  Arcata, CA

Machine appliqued, home machine quilted.

It was a great day.  I wish I could show you all the quilts!  There is nothing better than a quilt show to rejuvinate the quilting spirit and reconnect with a quilting friend!

Of course we also had to do some shopping....

Here is some of what I bought.  A mix of modern and traditional fabrics - just like my taste in quilts!

I think I have quilting to do! 

Happy Stitching!

Deb

Summer Break

I have taken a bit of a break from blogging the last few weeks.  In fact I have been staying off the computer at home (no such luck at work!!) pretty much.  But I wanted to get back into the swing of things and show you one of the projects I have been working on in my 'blog silence'. LOL

So...... what is this you ask?

Here is the start of some liberated star blocks I have been making out of  Anna Maria Horner fabrics.. along with others in my stash.

The liberated star blocks are fun!  They come from Liberated Quiltmaking II by Gwen Marston.  No templates, no matching points - just FUN!

What is really exciting is that with the large funky Horner prints it is hard to tell exactly what the blocks will look like until they are done. In a few cases I realized that there was not enough contrast.... but no worries!  It's all good!!

This is a little table topper I made out of just four of the blocks.  Not sure what I will do with all the others......  but they are addictive!!!  Like chocolates... you never know what you are going to get!

 

 

On a more serious note.  Thoughts and prayers to the people of The Netherlands and their recent loss.  The world mourns with you.

 

Deb

A Finish! - Blackbird Designs Stitch Along

I have finished the sampler from the Blackbird Designs Stitch Along. (See previous post on this subject!)  It was fun to do something different and re-ignited my interest in cross stitch. 

So here is the finished sampler.  Love the color combination and I only changed a few parts of the design.  Originally the antique sampler said "her Sampler 1796".  I personalized it with my name and year.  I also decided that preferred lavender rather than blue for my name and date.

I also used a Smyra stitch rather than the eyelet stitch the pattern suggested.

I did raise the last number on the date, like the original piece.

I do have a collection of antique samplers.... Two is a collection, isn't it? LOL

And I have made a few myself.  Yikes - this is practically an antique itself! (made in 1981 before I was married.. or quilting.)

But the weekend was not totally devoid of quilting.  I felt some patriotic inspiration on Friday and put this little wallhanging together that I am calling Flag Day.

Happy Stitching

Deb

Happy Independence Day!

Just a quick post to wish all of you in the USA a very happy July 4th!!  I hope your day is festive with family and friends - and most of all a celebration of our freedom!

I made this wonderful American Flag pie this morning.  I found this on Pinterest and just had to make it!  You can find the recipe at the Winthrop Cronicles blog.  

I'll give you a hint on how it is made.....

That blueberry pie filling sure was good!!

I even had enough left over to make a little pie. Quilters never let anything go to waste!! LOL

Happy 4th of July!

Deb

RSC2014 Half Way Mark - It's a Party!

Angela at So Scrappy is hosting a linky party to celebrate the mid-point of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  Yippee!  I love parties! 

 So this morning I threw the blocks on deck for some quick photos.

Here is a closer look.  This is the first time I have set them out together.  They look good so far!!

 

Thanks Angela for the "come as you are party"!!!!

 

Happy Stitching

 

Deb