1/26/13

Stitches in Bloom Quilt Show 2013


As I told you yesterday, I went to the 2013 Stitches in Bloom Quilt Show at the Oregon Garden yesterday.  This is about the fourth year running that I've gone.  This year's show was just so-so compared to years past.  Nevertheless, I have plenty of pictures of quilts that caught my eye.  I spent a good portion of the show kicking myself for not entering my Day in the Life of Mr. Bear quilt.



Despite a good deal of consideration, I told myself that it wasn't good enough, that nobody would like it, that it wasn't my original design, etc., etc., etc.  There were a lot of reasons for not entering it that all amount to one reason:  I was chicken.  (Insert clucking here.)  It would have fit in nicely with the other quilts I saw.  In fact, there was a dearth of embroidered quilts, and so it might have been well received.  Maybe next year.

So who was brave enough to enter their quilts?  Well, note to self:  I need to be better about taking pictures of the little cards accompanying the quilts.  To be honest, it was such a small and crowded venue that it was difficult to get pictures of any of the quilts, let alone hanging out to take pictures of the accompanying cards.


This is the actual structure where the show is held each year.  It appears large enough, but the quilts and vendors are all housed only in the tall center section of the building.  On the right and left sides there are other things going on, classes, and the like.  So all of that to say, smack my hand for not having more information about the quilts.  My apologies to the quiltmakers.  Does it help if I promise to do better in the future?

So with that, I'll just get to it.  I don't have a lot of commentary, but I'll chime in if I think something needs explanation.  Here are the quilts that caught my eye.

This first one was unusual for its texture.  Such a pretty fall wall-hanging.


This next one was just an image for you needle-felting fans.


I really loved the creativity in this next one.  I took quite a few detailed pictures of the quilting.  It was elaborately quilted, and very effectively.  None of the quilting looked terribly difficult, and I found myself saying, even I can do that!






This next one was very creative and unique.  It is a representation of the words "Quiltmakers Create Memories with Fabric" in the American Braille alphabet.  Fun, huh?



The name of the next quilt was "My Mother's Perspective".


 Here's some detail:


I'm not usually a big fan of modern quilts, but this next one caught my eye.


I loved this next one.  It doesn't have very much color, and only a few fabrics, but the quilting was very effective.


Look at this detail of the water rushing against the cliff.


I also liked this representation of the element of fire.  


It's a realistic representation of the sparks flying off a fire, and when you see how simple the quilting is, it's amazing how well it works.  Here's a detail.


 This next one is traditional piecing, but lots and lots of it.


Look at these tiny little pieces in this next image.  The woman standing beside me was heard to say, "I throw away pieces that small."  I do too!


This next quilt wasn't a part of the show.  It was hanging at a vendor's booth and the sign says that it is an "upcoming pattern".  Cute, huh?  There's a little detailed image below.



I really liked this next one with so many iconic scenes from Oregon.  I've followed it up with several detailed images.





Here's my own image of this scene:


This next place is less well known, Crown Point.  I'll see if I can find an image of it on the internet.  I liked the way she quilted the little trees.



Okay, more quilts now. 


The quilting created a lot of texture in this quilt.  Very nicely done.


This is one of my favorite filler designs, especially because I think even I can do it!


This next quilt was very cute.


It had bunnies quilted all around the edges!


I really like this next one.  Very interesting.  I would like to quilt the Acoustic Montage quilt that I just started kind of like this.  


The quilter used a contrasting thread and a long stitch.


I really like the textures created by the quilting and the piecing in this next one.



And I loved the embellishing on this next one.


Plain old washers in various sizes from the hardware store!


The multicultural representations always draw my eye.



And for some reason, I'm very fond of quilts that include a clothesline with clothes hanging on it somewhere. Don't ask me why.  I can't tell you.



Those are all the images I have from this show.  After I left the show, I visited a quilt shop, but I'll save that for another post.  I hope you enjoyed the show!

Oh, I almost forgot.  I've been wanting to try this recipe for a Dutch Baby for about a week now, and I finally did it this morning.  A Dutch Baby is a German pancake...sort of like a crepe batter.  It puffs up high in the oven, then deflates when you cut into it.  It was remarkably simple to make, and very yummy.  The recipe called for a mix of fresh raspberries and fresh blackberries.  Fresh aren't available this time of year where I live, and so I used all frozen blackberries, which is what I had on hand.  You could use any berry, fresh or frozen.  Here's the link to the recipe if you want to try it yourself.  Honest, it's so simple, and very elegant.  You can amaze your friends and family.  They'll think you cooked all morning, and it only takes about ten minutes of preparation, then about 20 minutes in the oven.  Yum.


It's a sewing day for me, so I'm going to get to it.  How are you spending your Saturday?


20 comments:

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

Can't you enter yours next year? Go for it! I'm sure you are way to hard on your own quilt. Your work looks lovely!

WoolenSails said...

What a wonderful show and beautiful art pieces, love seeing art in quilting and something that inspires me to try them.

Debbie

Lyndsey said...

Barbara I think you underestimate the beauty and expertise in your quilts. Mr Bear would have fitted right in as would several others.

The quilts are nice. I love the water and fire ones. The rabbit quilting around the edge of the rabbit quilt is so cute. Maybe in several years time with lots of practice I might be able to do that.

Thanks for sharing your photos and I'm looking forward to the quilt shop. Hope you didn't spend too much but I'm pretty sure there may have been some cute fabric that needed to go home with you.

Kate said...

Some very cool quilts, lots of eye candy. Thanks for sharing.

Quilting Babcia said...

Thanks for the virtual quilt show! And YES, you should enter your quilt in an upcoming show!

Janet said...

Beautiful quilts! What a fabulous show you got to attend. So much inspiration and loveliness.

Anonymous said...

Barbara, thoroughly enjoyed the show!! And, yes, you MUST enter next year's show!! Your selections were awesome examples.....the quilting is incredible (not complex individual motifs but the way each was used!). Drooling needle felter here!!!! The roving is a rainbow and inspiring. Hugs, Doreen

Vroomans' Quilts said...

We are all going to beat you with wet FQs - you certainly have lovely pieces that could go in this show - or any show. Just a wonderful variety you showed us.

Jilly said...

Oh, I did enjoy the show. thank you so much for taking us along with you. I also think you should enter you little bear quilt next year. I love it.

Teresa in Music City said...

Your quilt should definitely have been there! Thanks for the quilt show - it was fun :*)

Lynne said...

Wow! There were some amazing quilts there, and what great variety!

I spent my Saturday buying lots of metres of fabric while on a rare shopping trip with DD, followed by a barbecue to celebrate Australia Day, with MIL, DD, SIL, the Grandboys and WM.

sophie said...

Deciding to enter one's creative effort into a Juried show for the first time isn't easy (I haven't). I hope you do enter something in the show next year because you are a wonderful quilter.

I really loved the quilting on that row quilt, too. Thanks for sharing the detail photos.

I'd love it if you would share your post on the linky list on the Block Loto Weekend Update.

Diane Wild said...

I'm with all the rest of your fans in that you must enter your quilts in more shows. Your work is beautiful. I'm always so humbled when I see images of quilts in a show. Thank you for sharing. The recipe looks like something I have to try even if it's just for me to eat. Yum. I managed to cut out a bear and make a valentine for my daughter and then I got company. The rest of the day was giving Minnie a lot of TLC.

Judee said...

Thanks for the great photos of the show. There is some amazing work there. I know what you mean about being chicken. Me too.

Rachel said...

Beautiful quilts. Thanks for sharing.Love the comparison photos!

Angel, Kirby and Max said...

Beautiful Quilts. I like the crater lake one. We actually go to stop there on our last trip out of Washington. Interesting mix of quilts and quilting.

Anonymous said...

Your quilt is beautifull, I think you are your own worst critic. Next time you are in doubt, show your blog followers the quilt and we will all cheer you on :-))

Thank you so much for sharing pictures of the show, I've already looked twice and certainly will have a look again, they are fantastic.

The 'Dutch baby' made me laugh, I live in the Netherlands and had never heard of it LOL.
Sounds nice though.

I'm glad I found your blog recently and became a follower, so I'll be back (sounds like a treat but it's not, I promiss LOL)
Dutch hugs
Dea

Dana Gaffney said...

Thanks for this, I think you should enter your quilt next year, it's definitely good enough. Those landscape quilts are wonderful, are you thinking about making one? You have a beautiful view right outside your door that you could make.

Linda Big D said...

Thank you for the virtual trip to Oregon . We had a great vacation there in 09 and our daughter made 2 Girl Scout wider Opprtunity trips there in 02-03. The Oregon quilt v
Brings back great memories.

quiltzyx said...

Thanks for the trip to the quilt show. I think we have rather similar taste in quilts!
And yes, no clucking allowed next year. I enter a quilt every other year in my in my guild's show, but I'm going to shoot for either the Glendale Quilt Show or Road to California one of these days.