2014 AQS Chattanooga Quilt Show, Part One...

I am back in Michigan following a visit to the AQS Quilt Show in Chattanooga, TN and a trip to Alabama.  I went to the show on opening day and took as many pictures as I could to share with you.

More than my typical apologies for my photography: Either my new photo editor is screwing with me or BLOGGER is experiencing a hiccup...some of my pictures loaded sideways and I can't seem to fix them!

I hope you don't get whiplash or a pain in the neck from viewing...it seems to have trouble with the ones I made skinny by cropping.

Anyway, it was fun to see some of the quilts from the Michigan AQS show again...some that had ribbons in Michigan now without them, and some overlooked at the Michigan show adorned with ribbons.  Any given day, any given judge...

This crazy quilt made from ties really caught my eye.  I have my dad's ties and want to do something really special with them so I am collecting ideas.

"The fabric in the hearts are from vintage ties.  This project involved learning and researching several different stitches.  Many of the embellishments were contributed by friends.  Design Source: "Chatelet Quilt" pattern from Patchwork, Quilting and Applique by Jenni Dobson."

Ties are a natural for the crazy quilting style, and I like the idea of adding buttons, ribbon roses, etc. in addition to doing embroidery.  I also have some tie tacks, pins, etc. of his which would be fun to incorporate...maybe some of the buttons from his dress shirts...

The following quilt won "Best Traditional Quilt."

"Peacocks have always dazzled Cindy, so when this fabric line came out she had to make a quilt with it.  Cindy is grateful to Sally Collins and Jinny Beyer for their books on pieced borders and blocks, which were immensely helpful to her in making this quilt."

The large setting triangles (and other negative spaces) look like a printed fabric but are actually black fabric with lots of colorful background stitching.

The "Best of Show" quilt was just delightful!  So many beautiful details...I could have stood in front of at all day, but it was drawing quite a crowd!  

"Two years in the making, Marilyn did all the hand applique and embroidery while sitting with her husband during his illness. Before he passed, he was able to tell her it was his favorite quilt and he named it.  After his death, it took six months to quilt it."

The colors are just so wonderful together...

The following quilt won "Best Wall Quilt."

"Beth showcased her favorite things in this unique and original piece.  She used hand-dyed fabrics, turned edge machine applique enhanced with machine decorative stitches, mini piping to form perfect circles, lots of feathered quilting, and hand beading."

The next quilt won the "Best Modern Quilt" group.

"This is Kimberly's original design which is a variation of her pattern, Lone Sunburst, featured in her book, Jelly Roll Quilt Magic.  She loves the warm and cool colors on the crisp, white background, set off by the exquisite quilting.  Quilted by Judi Madsen."

"Big Bertha" won "Best Computer-Aided Quilt" at this show (I think it was "Best of Show" at the AQS Grand Rapids show last month...).

"Margaret took the original design of the traditional Dresden Plate pattern and modernized it with bold colors and fabrics.  It was stitched with five miles of silk thread and dedicated to Margaret's late grandmother, Bertha.  All the quilting designs are original and hand guided."

The following quilt came all the way from Japan to win "Best Innovative Quilt."

"Hiroko's dogs run at Shining Waters in PEI.  She used Cynthia England's picture piecing and original precision applique technique."

"This is a reproduction quilt from the Battle of Franklin Trust collection in Franklin, TN.  The original was made by the Graham Sisters from Thompson Station, TN, in 1854."

Very, VERY, VERY fine hand quilting on the next quilt...

"This quilt had been planned since 2011.  Pamela wanted to try something a little different than the original white background.  She really enjoyed quilting the butterflies, dragonflies, and sunflowers in the background.  See if you can find the one snail.  Design Source: The Sunflower, Mountain Mist pattern "P."

I have MANY more pictures to share, but I am going to stop with these for now.  

It was so nice to meet Sue of the Florida Farm Girl's World blog while at the show.  She was just as sweet and nice as I knew she would be!

In stitches,
Teresa   :o)

A ribbon after all...

Wow!  Look what came in the mail yesterday!  "Baltimore Rhapsody-Symphony" won the Viewer's Choice award at the AQS Grand Rapids show a couple of weeks ago.  

I did not even know until blogger friend Jill of the Happy 2 Sew blog emailed me Sunday evening and told me she saw my quilt posted on the AQS site with the other award winners.  I wanted to wait until the ribbon arrived so that I would know that it was really real!

I feel so honored and touched...there were so many lovely quilts for the show goers to choose from for their vote.  Thanks to AQS and everyone that visited the Grand Rapids show!

In stitches,
Teresa   :o)

Miss Emilie's garden in growing and growing...

I have been stabbing at a few more of the blocks for "Miss Emilie's Garden" by Lori Smith.  I can now add seven more to the pile of finished blocks!  Woo hoo!

I trimmed all twenty-three of the finished blocks down to 5-3/4 inches square after soaking these recent seven blocks in water to remove the glue (these tiny suckers finish at 5-1/4 inches square!). I usually wait until all the blocks are finished to do the trimming, but I just couldn't wait!  To heck with delayed gratification...

I only have two more blocks to hand applique.  Then I can start on the hand appliqued swag borders and cutting out the other borders and sashing.

I am liking the looks of the blocks now...at first I wondered if I had made a mistake in picking reproduction prints in such muted tones.

But now I like them...especially when I think of the brighter red repro fabric I picked for the sashing, etc.  That should add some zing.

I liked stitching the following eagle block...I can tell I've been stitching in the dark with my 'Beam n' Read' light...I see a stray thread or two...oops...

I love making these blocks so scrappy...the fabric variety makes the blocks more fun to fondle and oogle while I stitch (and I don't have to make fabric decisions...it's ALL good...).  I just love these repro fabrics.  I need to do a larger project with them so I can see more of them! The fabulous fabrics are a little lost on a tiny berry that is barely big enough to reveal the color...

Oops...I should have picked a lighter center for the posie below...

I did not think I would like the following block, but it was fun...it makes me want to do more of these "cut-out-paper-doll" style album blocks...hmmm...

This block with "princess feathers" was my favorite...my eye was drawn to it in Lori's booth at the AQS Lancaster show last year and I just had to buy the pattern...

So sweet!  It makes me want to do a little quilt with just 4 or 9 of this block alone!  The larger feather shape gives me a bigger hit of favorite fabrics...I am such a fabric addict!

I think my mojo is returning...I have been drawing again.  And doing more house work (yikes!  it is amazing what happens when you just don't care for a while!).  I have given in to the pharmaceutical help offered by my doctor for the depression I have been in since my parents' fatal accident.  I hope that every day will be better than the one before...

Thank you for you continued thoughts and prayers.  We all have difficult things to deal with from time to time, and your shared experience, strength and hope has been so helpful.

In stitches,
Teresa   :o)