Saturday, October 27, 2018

NNMQG Quilt Fiesta 2018

Santa Fe, New Mexico is known for its artists. The Northern New Mexico Quilt Guild annual show, Quilt Fiesta, lives up to the city's reputation.

The raffle quilt was splendid. It had all the bells and whistles: pointy compass tips, detailed avian species, and beautiful machine quilting.




I'm going to kill the suspense right now because I'm obsessed with the Best of Show and Exemplary Appliqué winner Blueberry Hill by Nancy Arseneault. She describes the techniques as invisible machine appliqué (which I'd love to know more about because I really, really don't see any stitches) and seminole piecing. She outlined the shapes with 12 wt thread. Can you believe this is the first quilt she quilted on her Innova machine? Inserted ric rack and double piped binding are special details that make  the workmanship (or workwomanship) stand out. The pattern is Diamond Hill by Esther Aliu. Keep on scrolling. I promise more quilts after the in-depth look.









 Violetta (second place) by Kathy Parker, pieced in her daughter's favorite color, was created using Diane Bohn's 6" Scrap Attack block.


The quilting is gorgeous!


Living in the southwest, this reminds me of my local botanic gardens. Susan Slusser Clay upsized the Cactus Collage Sampler by Laura Heine into a lap quilt, earning third place.


In Old Pawn Jewelry (first place), Dana Hollifield used Quiltsmart's Lone star pattern to imitate turquoise jewelry patterns. The color scheme is inspired by turquoise, coral and onyx.




 Zoe the Grayhound by Jan Avent, Honorable Mention, is based on a photograph, and was started in an Ann Shaw class.

Fiesta Halo Medallion by Joyce Triezenberg (first place) used a 2017 Block of the Month from "The Quilt Show" designed by Sue Garman with a major divergence from the original color palette inspired by New Mexico. Personally, I love the turquoise/saturated solids fabric selection.





Weave (second place) was made by Susan Slusser Clay for the Riley Blake Challenge hosted by the Modern Quilt Guild.


 Thanks for a great show, NNMQG!

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Wednesday, October 24, 2018

#CreateYourOwnAurifilCollection: Halloween-Style

I'm so excited! There's very little I like more than playing with beautiful, saturated Aurifil threads. It's even more fun to mix and match the beauties to suite my very own quilt purposes. If you've been around the Auriworld for a few spins, you know Aurifil sells collections of 10 small spools (2200 yards total) or 12 large spools (17,064 yards total). They even make a Valigia collection of 48 large spools that comes in a gigantic plastic case (bazillion yards total). It looks magical, like the talking wardrobe in Beauty & the Beast or the not-so-talkative wardrobe in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Anyhow, the important thing here is MAGICAL!

Ok, I'm going to mentally return from Narnia now and get back on topic---lovely Aurifil collections and how they are going to do my bidding! Famous, brilliant fabric designers, companies, and quilting organizations get their name and glamorous photograph on a box. Think Tula Pink, Lori Holt, Camille Roskelley, Studio Art Quilt Associates... Me? Not so much. But all that's going to change! I'm breaking into that plastic box of thread-ridden possibilities and taking matters into my own hands thread racks! I'm creating my very own Aurifil collections. You hear me? #CreateYourOwnAurifilCollection That's the hashtag. Now you know I mean serious social media business, peeps.

I'm in the holiday spirit with a week until Halloween, that cursed time of making my kids go out to beg for candy so I can take my pickings. (Even the little one who isn't actually allowed to eat candy has been assigned a black plastic jack-o-lantern container.) Therefore, while it may actually be less scary than plastering my image on a 12-spool clear plastic storage case, I'm going to make a Spooky collection. SpoOooOooky, that is. Spell check just doesn't approve.

Color names have been changed to protect the innocent, legitimate colors and numbers (shown in parenthesize). Without further ado...

I bring you (from left to right and top to bottom):
Ghost 👻 (ITBC1000 Clear Invisible Monofilament)
Brains 🧠🧟 (#2250 Red 50 wt)
Potion 🔮 (#2582 Dark Violet 50 wt)
Fuzzy Arachnid Legs 🕷 (#2692 Black 12 wt)
Glowing Eyes 💛👀 (#2120 Canary 50 wt)
Witch Toner 🧙‍♀️ (#2887 Very Dark Olive 50 wt)
Werewolf 🐺 (#5013 Asphalt 50 wt)
Pumpkin 🎃 (#2150  50 wt)
Ooze ☢️🔋 (#1147 Light Leaf Green 50 wt)
Cauldron 🥘 (#2605 Grey 50 wt)
Dem Bones ☠️ (#2021 Natural White 50 wt)
Mummified 🚽📝💀🇪🇬 (#2000 Light Sand 50 wt)


 Together Pumpkin, Glowing Eyes, and Dem Bones make the mini collection, Candy Corn.


I have more enticing news! Join me for a spot of witch's brew as I tell you what's bubbling. Aurifil has generously offered to treat one thread wizard to her very own collection. Here's what to do:
1. Pick a source of inspiration for your very own unofficial Aurifil collection. It can be your favorite colors, colors pulled from a photograph, colors to match a quilt project, a theme...
2. Match Aurifil threads to your inspiration. Your selections can be 12 wt, 28 wt, 40 wt, 50 wt, 80 wt, floss, monofilament, wool, or a combination.
3. Assemble and photograph your unofficial collection using actual spools or save and upload images from the Aurifil website.
4. Share on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #CreateYourOwnAurifilCollection and an explanation of your inspiration along with names (real or imagined), number (real ones), and wt details on your choices before November 30. You are welcome to create multiple collections.

On November 30, a random participant will be selected to receive their personally curated collection as a gift from Aurifil up to 12 large spools! Isn't that the most magical thread-related thing you've ever heard?



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Tuesday, October 23, 2018

New Mexico State Fair 2018

New Mexico has a generous quantity of quilting talent. I'm always reminded of this when I attend local shows and the annual state fair in Albuquerque. I'd love to share a few of my personal favorites. I'd share the BBQ and pie too, except you weren't quite fast enough. Don't ask my husband; he'll tell you that's a lie. I'm really terrible at sharing dessert.

Anyhow, I better get to the quilts before I head to the kitchen. The following is the Best Miniature Quilt by Carol Johnson, and I'm going to hedge a bet that the Lil' Twister Pinwheel Ruler was involved. Ah yes, you can find the pattern for Twister Shimmer at the Quilt Moments website.


This is one doggone adorable quilt, and also Lori Box's Best of Show Machine Quilt.


Sandy Portlock received Best Wall Hanging for her version of Laura Heine's Perfect Form Dress Form.


So many ribbons were placed on Sandy Greenfield's Mariner's Compass designed by Judy Niemeyer, including Best of Show Machine Quilt and Best of Show Machine Quilt, that it's a good thing it's a very large quilt.


The quilting had very detailed motifs.


I appreciate how the quilting compliments the piecing, without detracting from the intricate foundation paper-pieced elements.


Here's more because it's just so pretty.



Keeping with the theme of circular designs, Kathrin Hain presented a Minimalist perspective with her Best Modern Quilt winner.


Now we're three for three in the realm of circular quilts with Deebee Risvold's Best Professional Quilt award for her Fandango.


 Vivian Phillips took home the best Novelty Quilt award.


 Jeannie Hurt received Best Art Quilt for her beautiful three-dimensional flowers.


Sally William's sharks chomped down a first in Mixed Technique. Her other first was for the Pieced and Machine Quilted category. I also had the pleasure of seeing some of her other work in an art exhibit at the New Mexico Natural History & Science Museum recently.


If there was an award for itty bittiest pebbles, I think she'd have that first locked down as well.


Shown in the middle, Debra Colonne Huser placed third with her Empire Place Quilt designed by Sassafras Lane.


Tori Ros made this Log Cabin, which led to a third place victory in the Pieced by Machine category. I love the tiny blocks and combination of low volume and scrappy fabrics.


I adore Lori Holt's designs, especially Farm Girl Vintage; and Susan Leach's was beautifully pieced and quilted. It placed second in Pieced by Machine.



Elizabeth Hartman's Nessie is taking on a new, humorous life thanks to Juliette Tafoya Leverette, who earned second in the Innovative category.


Alexiz Drager brought home the top honor among the youth for her Red Brolly Aloha Mermaid pillow. It's nice to see all ages participating in quilting.


That's all I managed to catch from the Fair, but I'll be back soon with some more inspiration.

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