Visiting quilts from the past 03-24-18

The screen on my lap top is still broken and I have not ordered a new one.  Procrastination is me!  One reason I keep putting it off is the length of time it will take to download all the files I have backed up.  I need to go through and delete about half of them.  But it is an extremely boring job and I have not made a lot of progress.  Recently I was looking through some picture files on Picasa (which is no longer supported by Microsoft) and came upon some treasures from years past.   One quilt I found is by Jan Hirth who I have gotten to know in the past ten years.  Especially since the beginning of Surfside Quilters Guild in May 2009.  Jan is an expert quilt maker, both hand and machine work, and I greatly admire her talent.  When I took these pictures at the 2008 Pacific International Quilt Festival I did not know her well although we were both members of Beach Cities Quilt Guild in San Juan Capistrano.  I love this quilt.  It is so inventive, bright, and fun.  So, I am showing it again after all these years.  There is no KoKo here, but I'll bet he would love it too.

"Puppy Picks"  Jan Hirth - Laguna Niguel, CA  39" L X 32.5" W

Commercial cotton prints.  Machine pieced and quilted.

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Another quilt from TCQC 12-14-08

If you see a quilt you would like to buy and it doesn't have a "for sale" sign or a price, just track down the artist and ask. She can say yes or no - you don't know until you ask. She also might offer other similar quilts that are not currently on display and you might like one of those better!

"Durban Dreams" Rosalie Dace 2006 33" square

I saw this quilt in a special exhibit of Rosalie's work at Pacific International Quilt Festival 2006 in Santa Clara. Rosalie was teaching that year, so I went to her classroom during lunch break and asked about this quilt. Fortunately, it was available and I could afford it. She had already promised it for another exhibit, so I had to wait until it was available and she shipped it to me. Her work is unlike that of any artist I know and reminds me of the Hmong applique work, only much richer because Rosalie uses silks and adds beads, rings and other doodads. Interesting quilting.

Here is a detail of the center of the quilt. The square w/the pastel 'log cabin' outlined in rose/violet is a loose flap hanging down over the half circle of yellow.

Rosalie's website: www.rosaliedace.co.za/home.html

Her work can also be seen at: www.fireworksart.com/dace.html

a site showing works by So. African fiber and textile artists.

A few more from PIQF 11-01-08

I am a great fan of Pamela Allen's, I think one reason is that she does wonderful things that I cannot - because I am too structured in my thinking. I will have a class with her in the spring and I hope I don't get an "F". Maybe I should practice!!

BUGS AND OTHER LIVING THINGS - Pamela Allen 2006 , 57"x42"

"A sort of micro view of the garden, one that I learned to enjoy once the grandchildren explored our backyard with me. Little people see the little things!"

Shown at Aullwood Audubon Museum 2006, Chandler Art Center 2006 /07, PIQA 2008. This quilt is covered with bugs, including gold metal snakes, grasshoppers and fish (not a bug, I know).

 

Notice that Pamela put a little box in the fairy's left hand - for the teeth or for the money? Gotta be the teeth, all that money wouldn't fit in there.

I guess I was so impressed with the traditional quilt below that I forgot to photograph the sign, so Jackie kindly e-mailed a copy of the sign info.

“Nearly Insane” Jackie Seidell - Walnut Creek 90”W x 90”L

"This quilt is a reproduction of an 1870’s Pennsylvania quilt made by Salinda Rupp. Liz Lois drafted each block from a picture of the original quilt that she found in a book at a friends garage sale. There are 98 six-inch blocks that are all different. Some were quite simple, but some were very challenging (block #18 has 229 pieces). I was inspired to make this quilt because of the challenge of piecing the intricate blocks. Each square was like a miniature quilt. I also wanted to try using the original color combinations which I find fascinating."

I think the colors are brighter 'in-the-fabric', but I still have the problem of photos getting darker when I transfer them to Blogger. Awesome workmanship and it hangs square and flat.

 

This quilt is 64"W x 65"L.

Both Mary and I think this is another knockout quilt. It was in the "New Quilts from Northern California" so there isn't much information about it. The colors are wonderful - perhaps even brighter than this. I'd like to take a class with Angie Woolman, I see so many great quilts from her students.

Sandi's choice of quilting pattern may have been inspired by the great Marimekko cherry fabric in the top middle of this photo. If you click to enlarge you can see that the pattern is vertical rows of big cherries, each attached to the one below with a long stem. Whimsical.

More PIQF 10-31-08

Three more wonderful quilts and why I like them! Tomorrow I will post the last of the PIQF quilts unless someone I asked on e-mail responds and says it is okay to post their quilt. Then I get back to my mundane life, but I will still post a quilt from TCQC each Sunday night.

I have always admired Charlotte Patera's work. She introduced reverse applique in the style of the San Blas Indians to the quilting world. She has had five books published, all are out of print. The two in my library are: "The Applique Book" was published in 1974 and "Mola Making" came out in 1984. One of Charlotte's quilts is touring with Quilt National. When I saw it at the Quilt National opening in May 2007 I had my checkbook out fast, but, alas, someone beat me to it. I still mourn.

http://charlottepatera.com/ http://www.jigzone.com/

This is the first picture I took at PIQF this year, it is a delight of color and I, also, am fond of Iris. The Iris are done with soft edge applique, giving them a textured surface that seems so right for this garden scene
You can see about twenty tiny thumbnails of her work at:

http://canvasfire.com/search?q=artist:Coni%20Hendry

Terry Waldron had several quilts at PIQF this year. She lives and teaches in SCalifornia and is a member of guilds that I belong to. So, I have seen her work over the years and watched it get better and better.

I like the colors and think the balance is perfect. I didn't look close enough at the grass to see how she did it, but it is very effective, especially against the two textures of blue in the background.

From a distance the developed seed head could almost fool you into believing it is real.www.terrywaldron.com

You also might be interested in looking at the website of the group 12x12 which challenges its twelve members to create a 12" square quilt on a certain subject. Their first challenge was the dandelion.

http://twelveby12.blogspot.com/

3 more from PIQF 10-30-08

What these three quilt makers have in common is that they are all my friends. Jean and Aileyn are sisters, who I met at Asilomar some years ago and both Nancy and I are members of Beach Cities Quilters Guild.

This is a quilt with the tension and motion of a tiger. And the quilting adds to that. I like the irregular border and the "opening" at top right and lower left which add even more to the feeling that the tiger is moving.
You may have heard me mention the Calla Lily quilt that Aileyn designed in Jane Sassaman's class in 2002 - I felt that she was the most successful student at stylizing their drawing. This is another Calla Lily she did recently.The curling shape of the ironwork complements the curve of the Lily and the leaves. The stonework really looks like stonework without being 'pushy'.
Her applique and quilting are the best - the blue ribbon that hung on this quilt was for hand workmanship. Congratulations, Aileyn. Notice that she has deepened the throat of the lily with just a bit of colored pencil.

This tight closeup shows the stitching even better.

There are two problems with signs, they are sometimes hung too high for my 5' 4" body and the light reflects off either the paper or the print. So, I try to take a picture that one can read, rather than one that is straight.

Everything Nancy makes is beautifully done. She is an expert at applique, quilting, piecing, designing, etc. and her quilts are flat and squared up. I have a tiny angel she made a few years ago, but someday maybe I will have a larger quilt for the TCQC.

Click on the photo and see how tiny and even the quilting is. You can't see her applique stitches at all. A fabulous piece, Nancy.

Now that I know why some pictures won't enlarge I worked out the order beforehand when I put these on my blog. I had to make a little diagram and had to redo them twice, but finally it works. Seems safe to move them up or down, but not out of the sequence in which they were posted.

The Alliance for American Quilts auction opened today on eBay at: http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=The+Alliance+for+American+Quilts&category0=

1Innovative+1Traditional Both beautiful 10-29-08

There were so many wonderful quilts at PIQF it would be impossible for me to choose a favorite. But there were two quilts I went back to visit several times.

To my eye this is a great whole cloth quilt design. I think the imagery is lyrical and the hand quilting amazing. I have not been able to contact the quilt maker and am posting this without her permission. If you know her please give my e-address.

"Whispers of Hope" Pat Durbin - Eureka, CA

I missed the sign on this one (too busy looking at it?) but I estimate it is about 58"W x 48"L.

A detail shot showing how the pink flowers are done.

And another detail shot of the stones at the lower right. There are real pebbles trapped under the illusion netting. But I could not decide what color the netting is. Looks like grey to me - maybe she dyed it.

I am still waiting for permission from some people. If I don't hear from them I will post the pictures and then remove them if they contact me and say "No, you can't post pictures of my quilt."

"Mosaic Picture Quilts" by Pat Durbin Publ by Martingale Dec 2007 http://www.patdurbin.com/

One giant quilt from PIQF 10-28-08

In the tradition of Japanese quilters this quilt is expertly pieced by machine and quilted by machine. I wish there had been more information about it. Where is it going from here, will it be installed at Nagoya Castle, how much does it weigh? And I wish there were enough room to take pictures from more of a distance so you could get the impact of such a piece.

There are four separate panels and I managed to photograph only three.

Left two panels.

Left and right center panels.

And a closer photo of the panel that shows the mama tiger nurturing her baby.
If any of you took a picture of the far right panel I would like a copy of it. Let me know by making a comment. Thanks.

Picture added to past post 10-28-08

I have added a full picture of Nancy S. Brown's quilt "Pup Art" to my blog of 10-19-08. This quilt won Viewer's Choice at PIQF '08.

More PIQF quilts 10-27-08

These quilts were photographed by Chris who traveled with us to PIQF on Thursday. She is mostly interested in traditional quilts, so I thought perhaps some of you would be also. These are all quilts she admired, but unfortunately she didn't take pictures of the signs. I have been able to find some information, but not all.

"Stars of Numenor" 66"W x 81"L

Made by Jean Smith, quilted by Norma Riehm (Wisconsin). Machine pieced and quilted. The sign also says it is an original design.

From the World Competition this is "Les Etoiles Colores" by Kathryn Botsford of Canada. 60"W x 70"L Machine pieced and quilted

"My... That's a Lot of Yella" Fay Pritts & Merl Pritts - Mt. Pleasant, PA. This quilt won a blue ribbon for Best Hand Workmanship and a Judge's Choice ribbon from judge Judy Taylor.
You can see another quilt made by the Pritts ladies at: http://www.smokymtnquilters.com/2007QuiltShow/140-wreathandstar.JPG

More quilts from PIQF 10-25-08

More quilts from the World Competition. If anyone knows the websites for any of the artists for whom I don't show websites, please let me know so I can post them. I'm surprised more are not members of SAQA!

The work of Laura Fogg is justifiably awarded prizes and admiration. She creates very realistic views of landscape and nature, give each a depth that draws the viewer into the scene.Laura always includes some three dimensional aspects in her work and when I see one of her quilts I always look to see if I can find it. She doesn't hide it, mind you, but most people just don't look.

Lfogg@mcoe.usmendocinoquiltartists.com

 http://www.pameladruhenthreadscapes.com/

This is one of my favorites from PIQF 08. The crispness of the foreground and the fuzziness of the background make the viewer feel they are looking through a window on this winter scene. I longed to sit in a comfortable chair with my quilting on my lap and just enjoy the peacefulness.

Pamela uses a piecing technique similar to that of Ruth McDowell. Then she adds lots of thread painting to shape and accent the objects in the quilt.

Another triptych, they seem to be increasingly popular. This one is nicely made, but to me the middle panel is out of sync with the two side panels. I can just imagine it as a diptych!

This is a great nest, it has the illusion of being cupped to hold the eggs - nice color.

The nest is balanced on the third panel with these lovely trees. There is calligraphy on the backgrounds throughout the quilt, but under the nest and trees and other things it is very difficult to read. http://www.haddrickonfabric.com.au/