International Quilt Market, Houston 2013, #7

The IQA judged show was a feast for the eyes with so many wonderful quilts. The award winners were not announced until after Market, but all the quilts were on display. It’s hard to select my highlights, but here are a variety that particularly appealed to me.

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These two quilts are both original designs, hand appliqued and hand quilted and the workmanship is outstanding. On the left is Crest of Tulip, by Takido Fusako, Japan. Takido writes, “A spring flower, the tulip blooms proudly towards the sky. We can get energy from it as it flutters in the wind. I made the tulip like a crest in the oval using trapunto.” Linda Roy, TN made Primitive Web. I’ve enjoyed seeing Linda’s beautiful award-winning work over the years since were were both beginning quilters when we lived in Arkansas and were taught to applique by Irma Gail Hatcher. The design for this quilt was inspired by an antique all-hexagon quilt. The feathers are embroidered and the stuffed Yo-yos in the flowers add dimension.

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These two hexagon quilts are both hand pieced using the English paper-piecing method and are both machine quilted. They are awesome. Roo Garden was made by Vicki Bohnhoft, AZ. Vicki writes, “Returning to Australia in 2009, I began collecting Australian Aboriginal fabrics. On our cruise, I became addicted to 3/4″ hexagons, eventually making over 5,000. This contemporary Grandmother’s Flower Garden was designed in five weeks using 4,125 pieces depicting a running kangaroo, rays of dawn and flowers everywhere.” Together in a Friendship World was made by Geta Grama and Quilt.Ro Group, Rasnov, Brasnov, Romania. I was blown away when I saw this hexagon globe and returned to the quilt several times to look in more detail. I think the 3-d effect is amazing.

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I love star quilts and the Feathered Star is a favorite. This gorgeous quilt, Celebration of Feathered Stars & Wildflowers, was a collaboration by 22 members of the Veriens Quilt Guild, Frederickson, TX and is their 2014 raffle quilt. Helen Rode, Jan Graetzel, Joanie Wyall and Colleen Zabrenick masterminded and coordinated the project and the design was inspired by an antique quilt.

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Here’s another absolutely gorgeous Feathered Star with Prairie Points in all the feathers and embellished with thousands of Swarovski pearls. A Truly Feathered Star was made by Karen Sivert, NC. Karen writes, ” I believe quilt making is a journey, one that teaches us much. Sometimes we take detours, hit bumps in the road, even construction zones! The trapunto beading and Prairie Points all lend dimension to the quilt, but to achieve them, I had to learn new ways to get to my destination.”

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The picture doesn’t do Jack by Sandy Curran, VA, justice. Sandy concentrates her work on the emotion and expression in eyes, both human and animal. Jack Nicholson has such expressive eyes and this quilt was extraordinary in the likeness and the 3-d effect. I just loved these two parrots, Ricky and Lucy, by Nancy Sterrett Martin and Karen Sistek, KY. They are painted on silk and brought to life with the quilting stitches. The design is based on a various photos of macaws and parrots.

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