Desert Quilters Annual Quilt Show

The annual quilt show is always one I look forward to attending.  This year, I had the opportunity to assist during judging and learned more about what a professional judge looks at when evaluating the art of quilting.  Volunteering to assist in the set up of the quilt show seems to bring the quilting community together.  It is a time to work together, enjoy each others company, and share a common goal.

Having entry deadlines provides the extra motivation needed to complete pieces. I had three pieces in the show.  Happily each took a ribbon. 

The circle quilt, called Enso, was a collaboration with a friend and professional quilter, Linda Natale.  The process was seamless.  Linda is also an art quilter, which provided common ground for discussions on the best ways to quilt this piece.

Enso ~ Full View, 34 by 44

Enso ~ Detail

Look at the detail of Enso (double click on the image).  Linda Natale free motion quilted the entire quilt. Her skill and design sense enhanced this quilt beyond what I had imagined.  The quilt is an original design which was machine turned edge appliqued.

Enso is the Japanese word meaning circle. In Zen Buddist painting, enso symbolizes a moment in time when the mind is free to let the spirit create.

In The Garden 18.5 by 26.5

In The Garden was inspired by a piecing technique creating the frog.  So, welcome to my garden.  The sun flower represents warmth, the frog symbolizes creativity, and the dragon fly represents new beginnings.

The quilt was machine quilted and appliqued, hand beaded and hand embroidered to add different textures.  Each petal on the sun flower was fussy cut to create a repeating pattern.  The background was created using various lite value beige batiques. Each dragon fly was hand beaded and then sewn onto the quilt.  The frog was draw first. Separate pieces were cut to form the the frog' body and fused together.  A sheer netting covers the frog muting the overall colors and protecting the intricate piecing.  The frog was attached to the quilt prior to quilting.

Sheila ~ 21 by 21

A friend took one look at this quilt and named the lizard Sheila. In Australia the slang word for woman is Sheila. Although this bearded dragon originates in the Australian dessert, she fits comfortably into our Red Rock landscape here in Las Vegas.

The landscape was raw edge appliqued and then free motion quilted.  Shelia was thread painted, smile and all.  The border is stab stitched to add movement and texture around the paisley prints.