PIQF 2011 10-16-11

I thought I would drive home today, but I was too tired from yesterday's marathon session at PIQF.  By the time I drive the (up to) 6 1/2 hours I get into the LA basin traffic which is stressful and I am tired from the drive.  It isn't wise to start out tired.  It was a day to rest and relax and visit and work on the computer.  I worked on the pictures I took of the current exhibit at Back Porch Fabrics in Pacific Grove, but they are not for publication - just as a record for the artists in the group that is presenting "More Designing Minds."  If you are nearby you should try to stop by before November 9th and admire the quilts made by these talented women.

More quilts from PIQF:

This beautiful Baltimore Album style quilt is covered with BLING.  But it seems they don't show up in pictures - at least not the pictures I take.  Every year there is one new BIG thing and this year it was BLING on many of the quilts.

You see there are many dots on the appliqued pieces - those are mostly crystals that glitter in the light.  The blue ribbon bow at the bottom shows the crystals very prominently.  And you can see some on the quilted ecru background.

Here the fruits are dotted with crystals and the cornicopia outlined.  Very precise machine applique.

I tried this picture at an angle and the crystals show up a bit more - see the stars on the lower right.  But when seen in-the-fabric it is very flashy.

I don't find a website for Joan, but there are many references if you Google her name.

Gorgeous color - my picture doesn't do it justice  I took four pictures, including one with a flash, but they all showed different color values.  I think this is the most accurate of the four. 

This year I only saw this one quilt that identified Ruth B. McDowell as the designer.  Several other quilts appear to use her piecing technique, but they were not her designs.  This quiltmaker used a clever 'correction' when the quilt was not the correct size. 

It isn't indicated on the label, but this quilt is made with both cotton and wool.  I took the image below to show the very nice wool applique flowers.  There is a very different look to quilts using wool since wool doesn't reflect the light, making the color seem richer and more dense. 

Nice shading on this piece.  Notice the unusual edge finish - a loopy trim. 

I never pay much attention to prizes because I usually don't agree with the judges!  At PIQF the big prize winners are groups in several sections and it is difficult to get good pictures with all the people straining to get a look.  This is the first year I have seen a display of photos of the Best of Show winners - great idea.  I remember when.................!

http://www.ruthpowersartquilts.com/

Ruth Powers had only one quilt in PIQF 2011, but it is a powerful one.  Several years ago on a teaching trip she saw this longhorn steer jumping a creek and eventually made this quilt based on that sighting. 

Wonderful image of fog along an Oregon headland.  And look at this charming little gal trying to sneak up on a seagull.  I don't quite understand the white flange, but perhaps it is supposed to resemble a frame.

More quilts - most of which I did not photograph - http://piecedgoods.wordpress.com/2011/10/15/2534/

PIQF 2011 10-15-11

Today I was at PIQF from 10am to almost 5pm and I am completely exhausted.  How lovely to come back to Mary's where she had dinner ready to put on the table and even fetched the frozen peas from the freezer to put on my poor abused ankle.  What a friend!

I'm not sure I saw all the quilts, but I did my best.  I visited a few vendors that I know, but, as usual, I didn't do much shopping.  However, the vendor area seemed packed whenever I went close and an abundance of bags was being carried out the door.

 The list of all the prize winners is at: http://www.quiltfest.com/activities_detail.asp?id=56

 

www.judymathieson.com/

I love this quilt - like Judy's other doggy quilts it is very unassuming, but full of details that pull in the viewers and keep them looking at each little vignette.   I guess "bekow" should read "below".

Cats and dogs and rats and....

...birds and hamsters and turtles...  beloved pets whose human beings mourn for all the rest of their lives.

They all rest within sight of the great Golden Gate Bridge.   Thanks, Judy, you make great quilts.

 

I don't find a website for Kathy, but if you Google her name you will find many references.

Blue and yellow, yet again. 

Such nice hand stitching and that one red square to make an enriching contrast.

Also, no website for Ruth Bloomfield, but Google her name for many references.

The "vignettes" do look like photos when viewed from a few yards away.

It is amazing to look up close and see the tiny pieces (less than a baby fingernail) that were used.

 

http://nancybrownquilts.com/

This is the other quilt that Nancy had on display.   Her "take" on the animals is so true and her hand applique is simply the very best.

 

The bright reflections in the eyes are placed to give a soulful look. 

I'm beyond the point of seeing accurately.  Gotta get to sleep.  More tomorrow.

PIQF 2011 10-14-11

Continuing with photos taken at PIQF on Thursday.  We did not go to Santa Clara today, but instead visited Back Porch Fabrics in Pacific Grove and had lunch at The Red House.  Both were wonderful, as always!

Click on images for enlargements.

Gorgeous trees on an equally gorgeous background.   Lovely color and excellent work on the fir trees.  The branches are done with FMQ on net (and presumably Solvy or some such material). 

As you can see, they are very three dimensional.

Along the bottom edge they are also very thick.  Great effect.

Simple machine applique with straight stitching very close to the edge of each piece gives hard edges to the trees in this work.  I am somewhat bothered by the trees lean to the center, but it is a peaceful quilt.

Odd place to put a fat T-pin - right in the middle of the quilt name.  Who hangs these quilts anyway?

This is a delightful "modern" quilt with nice color - but I would call it pastel, not bright.

I was not familiar with the work of Holly Casey until I saw a raffle quilt from the King City quilt guild on display at PIQF yesterday.  But many of my friends up here know her gift with a long-arm machine and take her their quilts to be quilted.  The raffle quilt struck me especially because the quilting has something to do with the design of the quilt instead of being a completely different "layer".  Then I saw that Holly has other quilts at the show and I looked for them in particular.

This is another good example of the quilt design and the machine quilting design relating to each other.  This quilt shows uniquely New Zealand motifs and.....

...so does the quilting.  Lovely.

This crazy quilt by Cathy Hoover won first place for Embellishment.  Like the crazy quilt made in the late 19th Century it includes ribbons, buttons, and charms, along with other trims and the great Koi border.

An amazing tour de force in support of the people of Japan whose lives were changed forever in the earthquake and tsunami. 

The white diagonal chain is to keep footprints off the bottom edge of the quilt.  It is very large.

I had a few more quilts here, but Blogger declined to post them.  I am going back to Santa Clara tomorrow, so there will be many more pictures - at least through next Saturday.