More SMQ Show Wall Quilts

The First Quilt ribbon is awarded to "What I Love About Christmas" by Danette Gilbert of Knoxville, Tennessee.
The squares were machine embroidered with Christmas themes. This was Danette's first attempt at trapunto as well as being her first quilt.

The Surface Embellishment award is sponsored in the name of Amber by her grandmother who is on our guild board. She and her grandmother came to meet me and see my quilt.
I hope that my sense of playfulness and the fun I have in creating quilts came across to Amber while touring my and some of the other quilts in our show. Oh, to think of the possibilities that lie ahead when you can begin so young. Lucky her that she has a grandmother to expose her to them.

"Northern Lights" made by Tone Haugen-Cogburn of Maryville, Tennessee entered in the Group Quilt category.
This is one of three quilts finished by our group that participated in the block exchange from which my above quilt grew. Tone's theme was northern lights.

"Home, Sweet Home" by J.C. Werkhoven of The Netherlands entered in the Group Quilt category.
Another quilt that resulted from that block exchange. J.C.'s theme was funky houses. Her presentation is most clever.

"Best Wishes For Africa" by J.C. Werkhoven of The Netherlands entered in the Small Art Quilt category.
J.C. says, " Made with African and Indonesian fabrics. By applying these, my thoughts go out to all people in Africa, who are touched by all the conflict that is going on there at the moment. It is pieced and quilted by hand."

"All Buttoned Up" by Judi Hoffman of Knoxville, Tennessee awarded 2nd place in the Large Art Quilt category.
It really is all buttoned up, allowing for the interchange of designs and the size of the quilt to suit one's mood. Judi already has other pieces that can be interchanged with these and plans for more. This could possibly be a never ending project.

"Mood Swings" by Pat Kumicich of Naples, Florida awarded 3rd place in the Large Art Quilt category.
Pat says, "Being a woman of a 'certain age' I have many mood swings - just ask my husband." You can imagine there are quite a few viewers at our show that "get" this one immediately.

"Transparency" by Tone Haugen-Cogburn of Maryville, Tennessee entered in Other Techniques category.
Tone is taking a City's and Guild course. This piece comprised of her own hand-dyed fabrics was her solution to one of the course exercises. The first panel is "pojagi" a Korean wrapping cloth. The second panel is Japanese folded block technique, and the third panel is a variation of the cathedral window. See-through cottons and silks are used for the transparent effect.

"Thangka: Summer Grace" by Sue Spurlock of Carbondale, Illinois entered in the Small Art Quilt category.
She says, "A thangka is a Buddhist image on which to meditate: to center and awaken. It emerged from a painful time in my life when I was struggling to accept loss, change, and betrayal. Each color and stitch evolved from my rising and falling emotions and thoughts, helping me to feel and accept my losses and forgiveness as acceptance emerged. All work by hand."

That is a most exquisite piece with shimmering silks and extensive beadwork in complex patterns. Gazing at it makes me feel centered and still. If I were the judge, this quilt would've received the Embellishment ribbon.

"Night Falls on the Feng Shui Gargen" by Diane Rhea of Loudon, Tennessee awarded an Honorable Mention in the Large Art Quilt category.
Diane says," I started this quilt because I wanted to experiment with circles, angelina fiber, metallic thread, lame, and beads. This quilt 'evolved' as I worked on it. The circles became flowers in my Feng Shui Garden." I can't help but feel this piece could be rotated one turn to the right ... but then, it's not mine and I don't know much about Feng Shui... just an opinion based on my sense of balance.

"Miss Pansy" by Debbie McMurray of Alcoa, Tennessee entered in the Pictorial category.
This originated as a photo transferred to the center fabric panel. Thread play expands the image and gives it sparkle and life. Twists of wool roving are couched at the edges to frame the flower.

"Falling Leaves" by Ann Rushing of Maryville, Tennessee awarded an Honorable Mention in Small Art Quilt category.
Ann says, "This quilt began in a Judy Simmons class in 2006. I used real leaves and transferred them to image paper and then to fabric. The leaf edges were finished with a wood burner." The leaves are tacked with just a few stitches to hang loosely on the surface. It's the pure essence of fall in a small patch of color.

"South Port" by Dena Bauer of Wadesville, Indiana entered in the Pictorial category.
Dena says, "This live oak tree root photo was reproduced on fabric and machine quilated. The root was so detailed that the photo needed only to be cropped." The quilting patterns and colors add richness and depth to this piece. It's oh so much more than a photograph. What I want to know is where does one get this large of a photo transfer. It's about the size of four standard (8 1/2 x 11 inches) sheets of paper.

I'll share more of the quilts that capture my attention tomorrow.