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Rosemont’s International Quilt Festival: Trends & Hot Topics

June 27, 2014 by AllFreeSewing

Last week AllFreeSewing and FaveQuilts were able to make it to the International Quilt Festival in Rosemont, Illinois. To put it in a word, we were ecstatic. As one would imagine, we’re pretty happy when it comes to seeing what can be pieced together with a needle and thread. Browsing through the amazing finished quilts and cutting edge products had us absolutely giddy.

Janome

Paddycakes

Quilt Display Products

But to keep all of our discoveries and newfound treasures to ourselves would be selfish, so after a few days of calming ourselves down from the madness, we’re here to report the top trends from the International Quilt Festival.

Top Trends from the International Quilt Festival

3D – This is an age of innovation in the world of free motion and hexie quilts. No longer are we confined to keeping things flat with fabric. Ladies and gentleman, it’s time to go big, bold, and home with dimensionality in your quilting projects & products.

 

Handy Caddy

International Quilt Festival Display
Color! Now you might be thinking, “Duh, AllFreeSewing and FaveQuilts, color is always at a quilt festival,” but we’re here to tell you that it was like a color explosion in Rosemont. Brights prominently made their way into every kind of quilt and fabric available at the show.

Fabric Display at International Quilt Festival
Novelty Fabrics – Along with wild colors were uninhibited prints on tons of fabrics we saw available. Movie characters, animals, and even popular Pins made their way to the show this year.

International Quilt Festival Fabric

Robert Kaufman Fabrics
Embroidery – Designs and long-arm machines made our mouths water at the International Quilt Festival. We were particularly excited to see a lot of fabrics that made use of sparkly thread as a detail, similar to inlay thread.

BERNINA         Linda Z's Sewing Center

Needless to say, we’ll be returning next year. Watch out, 2015! Here we come!

International Quilt Festival

 

Have you ever been to a quilt festival?

 

Filed Under: Quilting Tagged With: crafting news, FaveQuilts, industry news, International Quilt Festival, Quilt Show, quilting fabric

Fall International Quilt Market 2013 Recap #2: Talking Trends with Our Favorite Companies

November 7, 2013 by FaveQuilts

Quilt Market Recap 2

During our time at Quilt Market, we found that some of the best source of inspiration, as well as the most helpful look into current quilting trends came from companies. You’ve seen many of their bundles on our site, so don’t miss this recap of what our favorite companies are doing this year:

Birch Fabrics

birch-fabricsBirch Fabrics

Any time we get our hands on something from Birch Fabrics, we prepare ourselves to take a trip to a beautiful place, and their booth was no exception. We met up with the very talented Melissa Lunden, who did an amazing job on patterns like Window View and Break Dance. Woodland creatures were a big trend at Market, and Birch is surely in the forefront with patterns that popped on everything from full patterns to clothing to some of the funnest furniture we’ve ever seen.

 

Shannon Fabrics

Shannon Fabrics  Shannon FabricsShannon Fabrics

If there was one booth we never wanted to leave, it had to be the fun, rustic farmhouse set up by the talented team at Shannon Fabrics. Their one-of-a-kind cuddle fabrics were transformed into plants, animals, and quilts that looked absolutely perfect for a snuggle. Our readers are big fans of strip quilting, and Shannon shows that the method is going to be a big part of 2013 and 2014.

RJR Fabrics

RJR FabricsRJR Fabrics

During our visit to RJR Fabrics, we were delighted to see more adorable animal prints with our favorite creatures like foxes and owls brightened up with pastels and delicate florals. There was purse patterns and dress designs ladies of many ages will surely fall in love, and we felt inspired by the innovative ways their designers used these collections to make graphic quilts with real modern appeal.

Aurifil

AurifilAurifil

We didn’t win anything, but it was a real pleasure playing this thread golf course showing off the versatile polyester and cotton threads offered by Aurifil. The creative look of their booth exemplified just how large their collection is, so quilters can really focus on embellishment and detail.

Camelot Fabrics

Camelot Fabrics

Another booth that was so hard to walk away from was that of Camelot Fabrics who put their own twist on the animal trend with sweet bird patterns. These fabric lines are going to be a big hit in the world of baby quilts.

Anna Griffin

Anna Griffin

When it came down to elegance in all forms, Anna Griffin is one of the best choices. They gave the animal fabrics trend a chic upgrade and mesmerized with fabrics that had feminine flair and an adventurous sense of exoticism.

Timeless Treasures

Timeless Treasures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One booth that really got attention was that of the fun team at Timeless Treasures. Not only did they offer a wide variety of designs, but showed some of the amazing ways these fabrics could be used to make incredibly designs. It’s no wonder they won the Best Booth Award for Creativity (and they sure know how to entertain)!

Riley Blake

Riley Blake DesignsRiley Blake DesignsRiley Blake DesignsRiley Blake Designs

There was a collection for every quilter here. The Riley Blake Designs team showed off patterns filled with bright colors. Their designers took the fabric to the next level and used it to make just about anything with a stylish balance between prints and solids.

Art Gallery Fabrics

Art Gallery FabricsArt Gallery Fabrics

Art Gallery Fabrics

A group of amazing designers interpreted each of the colorful collections from Art Gallery Fabrics into stylish booths that will inspire your inner home decor designer. It was like we were taking a whole series of vacations just by walking down a row!

 

What’s your favorite fabric collection or style?

 

P.S. Don’t forget to enter to win our Quilt Market swag bag! You have until the 12th. See here for more details.

Filed Under: Quilting Tagged With: fabric company, FaveQuilts, Kathryn Wright, Quilt Show

Fall International Quilt Market 2013 Recap #1: Catching Up with Our Designers

November 6, 2013 by FaveQuilts

Quilt Market Recap

 

Team FaveQuilts was given the pleasure of attending International Quilt Market Houston 2013, and while we were enjoying some gorgeous quilt patterns and plenty of amazing fabrics, we also had the pleasure of running into some designers we feature right on our site!

Lindsay Conner

Lindsay Conner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our first stop was at the booth from our friends at C&T Publishing where we ran into Lindsay Conner, who you will recognize from both Lindsay Sews and Craft Buds. She’s promoting her brand new book, Modern Bee: 13 Quilts to Make with Friends, an incredibly helpful look into the world of quilting bees and how to successfully participate in one. We were even able to get a signed copy!

Our favorite projects from Lindsay:

 

Christina Cameli

Christina Cameli

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were also very excited to find out another one of our favorite designers was working with C&T Publishing; Christina Cameli of A Few Scraps has released the must-read First Steps to Free-Motion Quilting: 24 Projects for Fearless Stitching, which includes everything both beginner and advanced quilters will need to become free motion fanatics. Like Lindsay, Christina gave us our very own signed copy.

Our favorite projects from Christina:

 

Natalia Bonner and Kathleen Whiting

Natalia Bonner and Kathleen Whiting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our last meet-up through C&T Publishing was with this duo at the signing for their new book Modern One-Block Quilts, which demonstrates how easy it is to make amazing quilts simply with one block design. You can read more about it and find some Natalia and Kathleen’s amazing patterns on their site Piece N Quilt.

Our favorite projects from Natalia and Kathleen:

 

Sara Lawson

Sara Lawson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another designer we’re a big fan of who was really popular at Quilt Market was Sara Lawson from Sew Sweetness. We couldn’t have been more excited to see some of her fashionable bags and hear about her new book with Martingale/That Patchwork Place called Big-City Bags. We know our readers love bags, so don’t miss it!

Our favorite projects from Sara:

 

Jeni Baker

Jeni BakerJeni Baker 2
Though we didn’t get to run into the very busy Jeni Baker of In Color Order, we got the chance to take a look at her amazing Dreamin’ Vintage collection with Art Gallery Fabrics. Like all of the patterns our readers love, everything looked colorful and so perfect!

Our favorite projects from Jeni:

 

Phyllis Dobbs

Phyllis Dobbs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During our stop at the Gutermann booth, we were very lucky to catch up with Phyllis Dobbs, owner of the Phyllis Dobbs Art & Design Studio. Her designs were really grabbing attention, and it’s not hard to see why!

Our favorite projects from Phyllis:

 

Vanessa Christenson

Vanessa Christenson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another blogger who we saw getting a lot of attention was one of our favorites too, Vanessa Christenson from V and Co. Her gorgeous new fabric line with Moda Fabrics entitled Color Me Happy certainly put a smile on our faces when we got to see an entire booth decorated with colorful designs.

Our favorite projects from Vanessa:

 

Kelle Boyd

Kelle BoydAnn Kelle Designs

It was hard not to just stare at the adorable and creative wonderland that came from Kelle’s fabric lines with Robert Kaufman. We’ve seen Kelle’s work through our friends at AllFreeSewing, and we hope to have her sharing her bright and colorful inspiration with us soon too!

Kelle’s project on AllFreeSewing:

 

Stay tuned for more of our Quilt Market Recap!

 

What’s your design style?

 

P.S. Don’t forget to enter to win our Quilt Market swag bag! You have until the 12th. See here for more details.

Filed Under: Quilting Tagged With: FaveQuilts, Kathryn Wright, Quilt Designer, Quilt Show

Win a Quilting Swag Bag from Quilt Market!

November 5, 2013 by FaveQuilts

Team FaveQuilts just got back from quite the adventure.  We flew in from Houston, Texas, perused hundreds of Quilts at the annual Quilt Market show, and brought home a bag full of goodies.  Now, there are plenty of blog posts about the show in the works, but in the meantime, we have an exciting announcement. (Keep reading!)

Aside from meeting with tons of wonderful bloggers and fabric companies, one of the best parts about Quilt Market is seeing firsthand all the new fabric collections and new quilting gadgets.  Of course, another plus is collecting tons of free fabrics, books and free quilt patterns!  That’s where you guys come in.  One lucky winner will get to take home this incredible Quilting Swag Bag!  Are you excited, yet?

Enter to Win: Quilting Swag Bag

Quilting Swag Bag

What you’ll win:

  • A signed copy of First Steps to Free-Motion Quliting by Christina Cameli
  • A signed copy of Modern Bee: 13 Quilts to Make With Friends by Lindsay Conner
  • Fabric bundle from Dear Stella
  • Fabric bundle from Art Gallery Fabrics
  • Ten quilt patterns from Quilt Woman
  • Eight quilt patterns from Shabby Fabrics
  • Six cell phone cases for iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy III
  • An assortment of quilting-related stickers and temporary tattoos

Want to win this amazing collection of quilting swag?

Leave a comment below and answer our question to be entered to win. You have until November 12, 2013 to enter, so get your comment posted today to ensure that you’re in the running to win this exclusive one-of-a-kind SWAG bag from Quilt Market!

 

Giveaway Rules:

  • Contest open to US and Canada residents 18+
  • One comment/entry per person per blog post.
  • Contest closes November 12, 2013 at 11:59p CST.
  • Leave a comment on this blog post answering the question below to be entered to win.
  • Winners will be posted on FaveCraftsBlog.com and notified by email.

 

Leave a comment by answering this question and you’ll be registered to win our Quilting Swag Bag Giveaway:

What’s on your quilting wishlist for the holidays?

 

Filed Under: Quilting Tagged With: book giveaway, fabric, FaveQuilts, giveaway, Quilt Show

International Quilt Market Trend Report

December 1, 2012 by FaveQuilts

As many of you quilters may know, last month brought thousands of quilting professionals to Houston for International Quilt Market. This exciting trade show gives fabric companies, pattern designers, and others in the industry to show off their best products for the new year. Quilt Market is a time to find out the hottest trends for the upcoming seasons. Since most of our FaveQuilts and AllFreeSewing readers aren’t able to attend Quilt Market themselves, I thought I’d share some of the trends we’re predicting for the next year!

Food Novelty Prints

We saw all kinds of tasty novelty prints at Quilt Market! Seafood, Italian food, tropical fruits, and coffee shop treats were all featured in fabrics for the coming season.

Crab Bake from the Cookin Outdoors line from Michael Miller

Crab Bake from the Cookin Outdoors line from Michael Miller

Coffee Time Collection from Newcastle Fabrics

Coffee Time Collection from Newcastle Fabrics

Gerdie's Grove collection by Debi Hubbs for Studio E Fabrics

Gerdie’s Grove collection by Debi Hubbs for Studio E Fabrics

Top Nosh collection from RJR Fabrics

Top Nosh collection from RJR Fabrics

 

Glamping (i.e. Glam Camping)

The glamping trend is running amok. The Real Housewives are doing it, TIME magazine featured it, and now it’s come to Quilt Market. Glamping provided the theme for an elaborate display in the Moda Fabrics booth, as well as designs for a few fabrics.

Glamping display in the Moda Fabrics booth

Glamping display in the Moda Fabrics booth

Cot quilt in the Moda Fabrics booth

Cot quilt in the Moda Fabrics booth

Glamper in the Moda Fabrics booth

Glamper in the Moda Fabrics booth

Camp Sur fabric collection from Birch Fabrics

Camp Sur fabric collection from Birch Fabrics

Camper Rally from the Camp Sur collection from Birch Fabrics

Camper Rally from the Camp Sur collection from Birch Fabrics

 

Gothic

A few fabric companies already had their spookiest fabrics available. We noticed a decidedly macabre tone in some of the new lines for next year.

A sneak peek at the Halloween 2012 line from Cloud9 Fabrics

A sneak peek at the Halloween 2012 line from Cloud9 Fabrics

Urban Grit & Glam Collection from Michael Miller Fabrics

Urban Grit & Glam Collection from Michael Miller Fabrics

Nevermore collection by Gillian Fullard for Michael Miller Fabrics

Nevermore collection by Gillian Fullard for Michael Miller Fabrics

Mourning Grays by Carrie Quinn for Newcastle Fabrics

Mourning Grays by Carrie Quinn for Newcastle Fabrics. This collection was designed with the mourning clothes of Victorian ladies in mind.

Mourning Grays by Carrie Quinn for Michael Miller Fabrics

Mourning Grays by Carrie Quinn for Michael Miller Fabrics

 

Hexies and English Paper Piecing

English paper piecing has seen a huge comeback in recent years, and fabric designers are catching on. New fabrics feature hexagon cheater patterns and hexagon prints.

Hexies from the Textured Basics collection by Patty Young for Michael Miller Fabrics

Hexies from the Textured Basics collection by Patty Young for Michael Miller Fabrics

Hexie cheater fabric from the Scamper collection from Birch Fabrics

Hexie cheater fabric from the Scamper collection from Birch Fabrics

Honeycomb Multi print from the Grove Cottons collection from Birch Fabrics

Honeycomb Multi print from the Grove Cottons collection from Birch Fabrics

Yellow Hexagons print from the IHaus Collection from Cloud9 Fabrics

Yellow Hexagons print from the IHaus Collection from Cloud9 Fabrics

 

Robots

Robots are all the rage for boys’ fabrics this year. We also love fabrics with gears, tools, and other machine parts!

Mr. Roboto collection from Studio E Fabrics

Mr. Roboto collection from Studio E Fabrics

Spacebots print from the Robotic collection by Rebekah Ginda for Birch Fabrics

Spacebots print from the Robotic collection by Rebekah Ginda for Birch Fabrics

 

Mermaids, Whales, and Sailboats, Oh My!

Nautical prints couldn’t be more popular for the coming year. Even the quilt artists featured in the quilt show jumped on board!

Belle Rose de la Mer quilt by Beverly Powell

Belle Rose de la Mer quilt by Beverly Powell

Storyboek 2 collection from Birch Fabrics

Storyboek 2 collection from Birch Fabrics

The Siren's Song quilt by Thoma Atleins

The Siren’s Song quilt by Thoma Atleins

Out to Sea by Sarah Jane for Micheal Miller Fabrics

Out to Sea by Sarah Jane for Micheal Miller Fabrics

Set Sail from Birch Fabrics

Set Sail from Birch Fabrics

Swim Free from the It's A Boy Thing collection from Michael Miller

Swim Free from the It’s A Boy Thing collection from Michael Miller

Set Sail from Birch Fabrics

Set Sail from Birch Fabrics

Woodland

An oldie but a goodie, the woodland theme has been popular for a few years now, but it shows no signs of going out of style! Plenty of fabric companies have woodland collections planned for the next year. Those adorable mushrooms, deer, foxes, and owls are here to stay!

Scamper collection from Birch Fabrics

Scamper collection from Birch Fabrics

Mod Basics 2 collection from Birch Fabrics

Mod Basics 2 collection from Birch Fabrics

Mod Basics 2 from Birch Fabrics

Mod Basics 2 from Birch Fabrics

In the Forest from Cloud9 Fabrics

In the Forest from Cloud9 Fabrics

Les Amis by Patty Sloniger for Michael Miller Fabrics

Les Amis by Patty Sloniger for Michael Miller Fabrics

 

Of course, these are just the trends we saw across several fabric companies. There are plenty of exciting new fabrics coming out that we think will be trendsetters for next year! Look for llamas from Monaluna, Vikings from Michael Miller, faux-Fair Isle prints from Studio E Fabrics, and peacocks from Newcastle Fabrics!

 

Filed Under: Craft Trends Tagged With: Craft Trends, fabric, FaveQuilts, Jessica Nichols, Quilt Show, Quilting, Sewing

International Quilt Festival + 4 New Quilt Projects!

December 23, 2011 by FaveQuilts

Remember how I told you all that we went to the International Quilt Market in Houston way back in October? Remember how I showed you all the awesome quilts I saw? And remember how you wished you were there, just a teensy bit? (Don’t try to deny it, some of you told me you did!) Well, in case you didn’t know, you can go next time! You may not be able to attend Market, but International Quilt Festival is where you want to be if you’re a savvy quilter. Festival is open to consumers, and most fabric companies and designers from Market attend Festival as well.

The best thing about Festival is that you can buy any quilting goodies your heart desires right on the show floor. Quilters come from all around the world to attend Festival and build their stashes at nearly 1,000 different booths. Quilts, Inc., the producers of International Quilt Festival, reported a record-breaking attendance of over 60,000 quilters at the Festival in Houston this November. And when I say quilters come from all around the world, I don’t just mean there are a few people from Canada and Britain. Quilters from 35 different countries attended the last International Quilt Festival. This diverse attendance makes Festival the perfect place for quilters from different cultures to mingle and share ideas, techniques, and designs. Over 350 quilting classes offer an amazing opportunity to learn new skills and make new quilting friends in a more intimate atmosphere.

I think one of my favorite things about Quilt Market and Festival is seeing all of the new fabric lines and quilting books and collecting new patterns to make at home. Many of the fabric companies and quilt designers who attend International Quilt Market/Festival provide quilt patterns as free handouts at the show, and even more of them offer free quilt patterns online. While I was at Market this year, I met a whole bunch of fabric companies and designers, and I got some great free quilt patterns to share with you on FaveQuilts.com.

One of the major international fabric companies featured on FaveQuilts.com is Lecien. I got to meet several of the sweetest women from Lecien at Quilt Market, and now we are featuring these free patterns from Lecien on FaveQuilts.com:

Tudor Bouquet Throw

I really like this quilt in the brighter color scheme, but you can also use more muted tones for a monochromatic throw that goes with anything.

 

 

Sugar Flowers Throw

Piecework and floral appliques show off fabrics from the Flower Sugar collection from Lecien.

 

 

 

I also met a lot of quilt pattern designers, like Jen Eskridge of ReannaLily Designs. Jen wanted to share these two patterns with FaveQuilts.com readers:

Floating Squares Stroller Blanket

This baby blanket is a disappearing nine patch pattern, but you’d never know it with the illusion of a white background!

 

 

Ginormous Quilted Beach Bag

This quilted beach bag is super easy, and I love that it’s big enough to hold a towel!

 

So what do you think? Do you want to attend the next International Quilt Festival?

Spring Festival will take place in Cincinnati this year from April 13th – 15th. Don’t miss it!

Filed Under: Quilting Tagged With: Jessica Nichols, Quilt Patterns, Quilt Show, Quilting

Girl Meets Quilting World: Quilt Market Fall 2011

November 22, 2011 by FaveQuilts

“So this is your first Quilt Market?” I can’t tell you how many times I got that question from complete strangers at the International Quilt Market in Houston last month. I found myself constantly wondering How do they know? It’s possible that I put off a distinct greenhorn vibe, but it’s much more likely that people were reading the obvious signs. I was told to wear comfortable shoes; I interpreted this as “wear your plainest three-inch heels.” So teetering around with swollen ankles asking questions like “are you a distributor or a manufacturer?”, breezing obliviously past quilting celebrities, and staring blankly when demonstrators asked about my favorite quilting tools might have given me away. Just maybe.

Yes, it was my first Quilt Market as editor of FaveQuilts.com, and I was not prepared, neither for my obvious inexperience nor for the sheer scope and size of the show. When I told my parents I was flying to Houston for a quilting trade show, my father incredulously asked, “people come from all over the country for this show?” “No, Dad,” I said with an air of condescension, “they come from all over the world.” Little did I realize, the world is a pretty big place when it comes to quilting! I couldn’t help but gasp as I arrived in the press room on October 29th and looked out through giant circular windows at the expansive show floor below. The booths stretched on forever like a small city, and the labyrinthine aisles of the gallery next door ambled across two entire halls of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

View from the Press Room at Quilt Market

View from the Press Room at International Quilt Market

The fall International Quilt Market is a mecca for professional quilters worldwide, hosting nearly 600 exhibitors and thousands more attendees this year. As I began to walk the floor, I was overwhelmed by the number of people and the endless corridors of booths. I couldn’t have visited every single booth if I had been there for an entire week! Many Quilt Market veterans told me that the show felt more subdued than in years past, but I had trouble imagining how there could have been more of a hubbub in the convention center. The large fabric companies seemed to have their desks filled with quilt shop buyers from morning ’til night, and even the smallest booths were constantly buzzing with demonstrations of new gadgets and quilting techniques.

One of the aspects of Quilt Market I had not expected was the breadth of quilting styles and fashions represented on the floor. As I have developed FaveQuilts.com in the past 6 months, I have found the online quilting community remarkably sensitive to fads, almost to its detriment. In contrast, the variety of exhibitors at Quilt Market proved the diversity of the greater quilting community. Companies like Leilani Arts and Royal & Langnickel peddled such unlikely quilting products as novelty yarns and fabric paintbrushes to adventurous art quilters, while small booths like Geoff’s Mom Pattern Co. ensured that beautiful examples of primitive applique maintained a presence amid the abundance of modern quilts.

primitive applique quilt

Primitive applique quilt from Geoff’s Mom Pattern Co.

I had seen many art quilts on the Internet but none in person before attending Quilt Market. After seeing and photographing award-winning quilts myself at the show, I became a quilt evangelist. I insisted that our entire staff peruse my album and bargained with friends and family members about how many quilt photos they would be forced to sit through. In my attempt to convert my entire social circle into quilt lovers, I thoughtfully chose which quilt photos I would show to each person, pinpointing motifs and techniques would capture their artistic sensibilities before they lost interest. I am now convinced that we should all have quilts hanging on our walls instead of paintings!

At Fall Quilt Market, I learned so much about the quilting world and about Market itself. I learned to wear flats, to bring twice as many business cards as I thought I needed, and to surreptitiously infer what a company does before embarrassing myself with the question. I also learned how wide the quilting world is, how creative quilters are, and how beautiful quilts can be. Finally, I feel like I know how to walk into a quilt show prepared, and I can’t wait for Spring Quilt Market. Kansas City, here I come!

 

Filed Under: Quilting Tagged With: Jessica Nichols, Quilt Show, Quilting

Award-Winning Quilts at Quilt Market

November 11, 2011 by FaveQuilts

I know it has been almost two weeks since Quilt Market and I promised you all photos last week, but I have been so busy putting new projects on FaveQuilts.com that I’ve barely had time to blog! I’m finally getting a moment to sit down and organize more photos. This week, I want to show you photos from the galleries of award-winning quilts. Next to the hustle and bustle of the booths on the main floor, the galleries were quiet, peaceful, and breathtaking.

I’m one of those sentimental dorks who positively weeps at the least bit of emotion, so I wasn’t at all surprised to find my eyes glistening as I looked at many of these quilts. I’m awed not only by the vision and beauty in these quilts, but the time and devotion it takes to create one of these masterpieces. Quilters are a brand of crafter known for absurd dedication to their art, and it shows. I have passed by many highly regarded paintings and sculptures in my time, but a beautiful quilt is something that makes me stop and stare.

 

Aegean Memories by Karen Eckmeier

Aegean Memories by Karen Eckmeier

 

 

Black-Eyed Susans and Yellow Mexican Hats by Mary Ann Vaca-Lambert

Black-Eyed Susans and Yellow Mexican Hats by Mary Ann Vaca-Lambert

 

Twilight

Steampunk by Robbi Joy Eklow

Steampunk by Robbi Joy Eklow

 

Spring in the Heart of California by Barbara A. Daniel

Spring in the Heart of California by Barbara A. Daniel

 

 

Sentinels fo Fall by Peggy Spitzer and Lori Olek

Sentinels fo Fall by Peggy Spitzer and Lori Olek

 

 

Nine Vases by Karen Setla

Nine Vases by Karen Setla

 

Monet's Garden by Eun Sook An

Monet’s Garden by Eun Sook An

 

Mint Chocolate Chip

Mint Chocolate Chip

 

 

Just Because It's Pretty by Maureen O'Doogan

Just Because It’s Pretty by Maureen O’Doogan

 

Harmony in Nature by Harumi Asada

Harmony in Nature by Harumi Asada

 

 

Great Blue Herons Joann Baeth

Great Blue Herons Joann Baeth

 

Grand Canal by Nancy Sterett Martin

Grand Canal by Nancy Sterett Martin

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kindergarten by Tadako Nagasawa Showa-Ku Nagoya

Kindergarten by Tadako Nagasawa Showa-Ku Nagoya

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Quilting Tagged With: Art Quilts, Jessica Nichols, Quilt Show

Quilt Market in Photos

November 4, 2011 by FaveQuilts

So I came home from International Quilt Market four days ago already, and I still feel like I’ve barely had a chance to catch my breath! But I wanted to take the time to show all our FaveQuilts readers the wonderful things I saw there, (or at least the wonderful things I remembered to photograph). I’ll have a more detailed recap posted next week for your reading pleasure, but for now, let’s see the awesome quilts!

I have to make a confession though: I forgot to keep track of the booths where I saw most of the quilts. I remember some of them off the top of my head, but others are completely wiped from my memory. If you remember where you saw any of these gorgeous creations, feel free to comment and credit the designer!

I saw this quilt early Saturday morning in the Kaleidoscope Kreator Software booth. The quilt looks time-consuming and complex, but the blocks in the center were actually created with the Kaleidoscope Kreator and printed on fabric (although the quilt is still impressive regardless of the printed kaleidoscopes!).

From Kaleidoscope Kreator Software booth

 

This stunning peacock quilt was a staff favorite! Check out the thread detail up close to have your mind thoroughly boggled.

Peacock Quilt

Peacock Quilt Close-Up

 

This gorgeous patchwork dress I saw in the Singer Viking Pfaff booth is so edgy and quilty at the same time. As soon as I saw it I wished I had been wearing it!

Teal and Black Patchwork Dress from Singer Viking Pfaff

 

This bright and beautiful quilt hanging in the Pellon booth was done by Robbi Joy Eklow. She created the whole quilt top with fusible applique!

 

I also saw this wonderfully textured quilted pillow in the Pellon booth. The designer created the three-dimensional quilting with Texture Magic from ByAnnie.com.

Sunflower Pillow in Pellon booth

 

I’m so drawn to this art quilt from Bigfork Bay Cotton Co. that depicts wild horses (or who knows — they could be tame horses, but wild horses sound more romantic).

Horse Quilt from Bigfork Bay Cotton Co.

 

This animal alphabet quilt was just the cutest thing for a kids’ room at the Don’t Look Now booth. Her swirly quilting style always looks perfect!

Animal Alphabet from Don't Look Now

 

As a native Chicagoan I just had to stop and take a picture of this Chicago postage stamp quilt from Zebra Patterns.

Chicago Postage Stamp Quilt from Zebra Patterns

 

I was stunned by the rich colors in this autumn rainbow quilt outside the Starr Design Fabrics booth.

Autumn Rainbow Bargello Quilt from Starr Design Fabrics

 

I could NOT get over the mosaic quilts at the B.J. Designs and Patterns booth. I took so many pictures I think they thought I was going to steal their designs!

Steer Mosaic Quilt from B.J. Designs and Patterns   Reindeer Mosaic Quilt from B.J. Designs and Patterns

 

This quilt by Patchwork with Busyfingers cracked me up. It was title “Patience” — oh so fitting when you realize how much work it took to piece thousands of tiny hexies.

Patience Quilt from Patchwork with Busyfingers

 

The last quilt I photographed was this beautiful three-dimensional fish quilt in the Clover booth. I photographed it before, the last time I visited the Clover booth at a trade show, but I couldn’t resist snapping a picture again. To be honest, it wasn’t just snapping a picture — it was more like standing and gazing at it for a full five minutes and then breaking down and pulling my camera out. One of the sales reps in the booth suggested that I make one if I liked it so much. I just chuckled and said I’d get right on it.

Fish Quilt from Clover

 

That’s all for now folks! Stay tuned for a photos of the award-winning quilts from the galleries next week.

Filed Under: Quilting Tagged With: Art Quilts, Jessica Nichols, Quilt Show, Quilting

Talking Quilts

August 27, 2011 by FaveQuilts

As editor of FaveQuilts.com, I see hundreds of quilts every day from the isolation of my computer desk, but I have to admit it’s been a long time since I’ve actually been in the same room as a quilt that isn’t mine. I don’t know many quilters in my area, and my semi-rural hometown in the north Chicago suburbs is too small to host a train station, much less a quilt shop. But it just so happens that right down the street from me, tucked into a forest preserve between a few farms and cycling paths, is the Lake County Discovery Museum, which is currently hosting a quilt exhibit as part of Northern Illinois Quilt Fest.

Monkey

I would never have known about the quilt exhibit (or even the museum) if I hadn’t made a friend who works there and sent me this blog post about the Benwell Crazy Quilt. I was intrigued to find out that the quilt was made over a century ago just a mile or two from my home. I can’t help but get shivers just thinking about it! The quilt incorporates pieces of buckskin that were used to carry treasure back from the 1848 gold rush.

Benwell Crazy Quilt

Once I had seen the photos of this quilt and I knew there was a whole room full of fabric bits steeped in history waiting just down the road, I had to visit. Although the Quilt Treasures exhibit was small, it made me think a lot about the way quilts speak to us. The simplest handmade quilt is like a love note from the quilter to the recipient — a tactile greeting card that transmits comfort and care from one person to another. From this point, a quilt can grow exponentially in its potential for expression. I was struck by how much the quilts in the exhibit talked. The plain quilts that were simply pieced together and quilted seemed hushed compared to the lively chatter of the signature quilts and crazy quilts the museum had collected. I particularly enjoyed this simply constructed quilt put together by the Lake County Homemakers Extension Association nearly half a century ago.

Lake County Homemakers Extension Association

The block quilt, which reminds me of a modern t-shirt quilt in a way, features embroidered squares representing the many communities in the Association. These blocks are more than just impressive embroidery samples; they talk about the ways that each community is pictured by its inhabitants. As a lifelong Lake County resident, it surprises me to see the enduring qualities of each village as well as the natural beauty of the region represented faithfully in each square.
I was also fascinated by the signature quilts, which functioned as petitions and charity drives that allowed women to voice their opinions and campaign for causes. One of the signature quilts even includes important information like marriages and deaths. These quilts are not just domestic crafts; they are a form of media and a record of history.

Lady's Aid Society Signature Quilt Carroll College Signature Quilt   American Red Cross Signature Quilt

While the signature quilts represent a community effort, like a newspaper, the crazy quilts read like personal journals. The collections of novelty fabric and bits of clothing and other textiles carry significance for the women who created them. As you trace the bright patterns of embroidery, you can’t help but think about how much time the creator spent with the quilt. Day in and day out she held the quilt in her hands, working through every mood. This dedication to the craft becomes even more apparent when you look even closer at the scraps in the quilt. Some of the hand embroidered patches are so obviously time consuming, and in the Benwell quilt there is even a hand-painted scene of the family’s farm in Lake County. The haphazard piecing and mixed media of crazy quilts allows quilters the freedom to imbue their quilts with their own personality, emotions, and sense of design.

Unknown Crazy Quilt       Waukegan Crazy Quilt

In the quilting community, we often talk about the importance of labeling a quilt for posterity, but I begin to wonder why we put bylines on quilts that haven’t said anything. If I piece a few yards of fabric together in an established pattern, I can certainly credit myself as the creator, but does it make any difference if I or another quilter ran it through the sewing machine? I’m inspired by this exhibit to speak through my quilts about my family, my thoughts, and my daily life. It’s not an itch to express metaphysical truths through art; it’s a plain desire to be known, to connect, and to tell a story in a form of communication that is tangible, visible, and meaningful.

What would your crafts say if they ended up in a museum some day? Have you ever thought about it?

 

 

Filed Under: Quilting Tagged With: Jessica Nichols, Quilt Show, Quilting

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