Nellie"s Needles

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Quilt Show Winners

I've been delinquent in posting about the Smoky Mountain Quilt Show that took place recently on the Maryville College campus here in east Tennessee recently.

It's a pleasure to report that my three entries were each awarded ribbons.

"Lavender Haze" 31"x 30"
It won 2nd place in the special category for the Smoky Mountain Quilt Guild challenge pieces made for this year's AQS Guild Challenge. If our guild's entry is accepted, you'll see this one exhibited in Grand Rapids next August.


"Smoky Mountain Sunrise" 20"x 16"
It won 3rd place in the Art Quilt category. To see the beginnings of this piece as well as others that present variations of my favorite view in the Smokies go here.


 "Unraveled VII" 24"x 40"

This piece got one of the special award ribbons, the one for Innovative Design (its rosette designed by Tone Haugen-Cogburn). I pretty much knew this piece would be controversial ... and it was. I had entered it in the "Modern Quilt" category because it fit the requirements:

— An interpretative quilt using elements which are simple, yet sophisticated. This hybrid form may include: improvisational techniques; an emphasis on negative space; a minimalist approach; simple shapes, patterns and quilting designs; clear, crisp colors with white or gray neutrals; graphic or large scale prints and/or an abundance of solids; asymmetry.

I was aware the texture of this piece was not what the "modern quilt" movement expected. There was doubt expressed by several viewers that this piece was even quilted. Granted it has the look of a woven tapestry piece. However, there's quite a lot of stitching and all of it functions as quilting.


I'm especially pleased with how the length of yellow rick-rack worked in at the top. A piece of the raw silk stripped from the background fabric anchors the rick-rack by being carried across it and stitched back into the base fabric.

To read more about this piece scroll back a few posts. The first post was February 8th.


7 comments:

Heather said...

Many congratulations Nellie. It is easy to see why the judges awarded your quilts those ribbons. I love them all.

Kay said...

Congratulations! I love the way the last piece turned out with the contrast in textures. I had been wondering what kind of reaction you got from the modern quilt people.

June Calender said...

Congratulations -- well deserved acknowledgement! I love the innovative quilt -- the other two I love too but the innovative one is what "art" means to me. Bravo!

Barbara Strobel Lardon said...

Three ribbons...that is outstanding. I always think controversy is a good thing. Makes people sit up and take notice. This art quilt just oozes texture. Love that rickrack technique too.

Bravo Nellie!

Quiltdivajulie said...

Congratulations!!

p.s. Please tell Tone hi from me (JCCFS former student)

p.p.s. Did you see the special award ribbons I made using your tutorial? Thanks for sharing it!!

Colleen Kole said...

These are all beautiful Nellie! You have been busy creating wonderful pieces, once again.

Congrats and hugs to you!

Unknown said...

Outstanding! Love how that last piece turned out and that it was recognized with a ribbon! XOX