On My Design Wall.... 3-25-2013

I took two classes at Mountain Quiltfest which, of course, means I started two new projects :*D

When I walked up to my first class, I saw this sign on the wall over the ironing stations.... 

.... what in the world?  Do people really try to iron on walls???  Apparently the wall paper was some sort of plastic, and someone really had melted it with an iron in the past.  Go figure!!!

My first class was with Klaudeen Hansen, AQS author and editor of the ever popular Quilt Art Engagement Calendar.  As her picture may suggest, she was very bubbly and happy and a joy to meet.  Her half-day class was a quilt project called "Fall Strip Stacks" - this was her quilt sample:

Quilt sample made by Klaudeen Hansen

One of the reasons I chose her class was because it seemed like a simple design that I could finish up pretty quickly - I have enough UFO's already!!!  (I know none of you have that problem, right?)

Another reason to take this class was that I didn't have to purchase any fabric for it - NOT EVEN A FAT QUARTER!!!  I had a lot of this cool blue batik that I had purchased for another project several years ago which did not work out...

And then I had a lot of 2-1/2" strip pieces in warm oranges, yellows, and reds left over from my Runaway to Bali.  Here is a closeup of some of these yummy batiks.....

I managed to get 3 blocks completed in class and then left a little early.  

This is a really fun quilt that I will enjoy playing with :*)

My second class was all day Saturday, the last day we were there.  I was lucky enough to find a cancellation for one of Paula Nadelstern's classes a few days before the show.  Paula is queen of the kaleidoscope block!  I will share more about her and the class in another post, but for today, let me just show you the fabulous fabric Paula designed and the amazing block I made from it that is currently on my Design Wall.

Dragon Feathers - Orange & Turquoise colorway

This amazing fabric comes in several colorways, but this particular colorway is the fabric she used for her quilt, so she brought some of it with her for us to purchase.  I signed up so late that I had no chance to look for other colorways online beforehand, so even though these colors were not my first choice I was happy to have some of it.  After playing with it for a while, I found that the colors really grew on me.  However, I must confess - I did go to the Cotton Club site and bought some of the green/blue colorway after I got home *sheepish grin*  One girl was working with the olive/pink colorway - oh my, you should see that fabric in person!!!  I would have bought some of that too but it was sold out! :*D

At first I wasn't crazy about this border fabric either, but wait until you see what it does for the block .... at the end of class I grabbed this up in the blue and hot pink colorways as well.

Scribbles - Black & White

For my class block, I focused on just this particular section of the Dragon Feathers fabric to cut my kaleidoscope sections ....

And here is my block....

Wow!!!  I love it!!!

And yes, I only finished one block in class :*)

Do you see how that border fabric echoes the lines of the inner designs?  What movement and interest!!!  Of course, each block will be different.  Paula's quilt has 12 blocks, but I may only do 6 for a smaller wall hanging.  I really haven't decided for sure yet.  This is a very intricate block, and very time consuming, but it was so much fun playing with the templates to see how to get the most exciting designs from the kaleidoscope effect.  I am going to enjoy working on this one!!!

As I said, look for a more detailed post on Paula, the class, and her fabrics later in the week =^..^=

Be sure to go to Patchwork Times to see all the amazing Design Walls!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

Promised Quilt Show Photos!

So I promised you some eye candy from the Mountain Quiltfest Show in Pigeon Forge, didn't I?
Warning!  This is a very picture-heavy post!!!

There were some absolutely GORGEOUS quilts in this show.  I'm sharing a few of my favorites.  It was a smaller show compared to some of the AQS and International shows, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to go again regularly :*)

I posted about this quilt - my favorite - in an earlier post HERE.

Circle of Curiosity by Anne B.G. Armour

You can click on the link to see more closeups and details of this wonderful quilt.

Here are the other photos I took, in no particular order.  I was a very bad girl in that I neglected to get the names of the quilters for most of them.  I hope you enjoy!

Talk about pineapples!!!  Wow!!!

Interesting quilting motif here....

I loved the scrappiness of this row quilt!  It was much brighter and very colorful :*)
                                                                                                   

Closeup details.....

Now this quilting took time!  But it was very effective.
I like how the quilter split some of the squares up diagonally.
(Sorry, no pictures of the actual quilt - apparently I just loved the quilting LOL)

Gorgeous quilting - and those birds in the corner are machine embroidered!

Paula Nadelstern's Caribbean Blues.  There was a special display of some of her quilts - YUM!!!
One of my classes was with Paula and I'll be sharing more about her later :*)

I have this one ear-marked to make one day from the AQS Magazine

I just LOVE mandalas!!!

My camera does not do this quilt justice!!!  It was simply GORGEOUS!!!!

The quilting on it was just as gorgeous!

Can you see the shape of the edge?  Just one more special touch :*D

Lots of couching with metallic threads :*)

Very visual impact - and this was in the Teen Quilt section!
Can you see the musical symbols quilted into the black area?

This looks like a fairly simple art quilt from a distance, but......

Move in a little closer and you begin to see all the details quilted into it!
Can you see the hummingbirds?

How about here?  This was absolutely beautifully quilted!

This quilt hung in the lobby of the Convention Center

The details were amazing!!!

All sorts of extra needlework details were lavished on this beauty!!!

 

This one is for all of us strip lovers!!!  It was ablaze with color... I loved it!!!

Botanical Fantasy by Lorilynn King

What can I say?  Words can't begin to describe this masterpiece!!!

These next ones are for my fellow cat lovers!!!
(You may notice that I never got a photo of the complete quilt - just the kitties LOL!!!)

And finally, I saw this lady standing in line next to me to have our scissors sharpened.  Her necklace just fascinated me, so I asked if I could take a picture to share with you all.  Isn't it FUN????

I hope you enjoyed the Show!

I still have to share the classes I took, as well as a few fun things I encountered during my travels,

so stay tuned =^..^=

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=