At our recent Bainbridge Island Quilt Fest, there was a display of quilts made by members of the Bainbridge Island Modern Quilt Guild who participated in their challenge. The challenge was to make a quilt inspired by the traditional Log Cabin block. There was a size limitation of a maximum of 24″ x 24″. The great variety of interpretations was wonderful. I stood as a docent in this area for a couple of hours and people were delighted and intrigued by the different artistic outcomes. It’s fascinating to see the results of this type of challenge, and I encourage you to participate in challenges. It definitely stretches us and encourages original thought and expression. 

On Saturday 8th September, the Bainbridge Island Modern Quilt Guild hosted the 6th annual Quilt Fest in downtown Winslow. A couple of weeks ago, I posted some overview pictures. Last week’s blog and this one highlight a selection of quilts which particularly appealed to me. Marybeth O’Halloran’s New Hexagon Millefiore quilt was absolutely magnificent. I posted pictures of this in February when Marybeth was the featured artist at our Kitsap Quilters Guild, but it deserves airing again.

This was a block of the month English paper piecing pattern designed by Katja Marek to go along with her New Hexagon block.. It was constructed using both hand and machine sewing and took Marybeth almost three years to complete. The attention to detail and fussy-cutting of animal motifs such as the bees and poodles shown make this quilt all the more remarkable. Marybeth is a master at her long-arm machine so the whole quilt is enhanced by her beautiful quilting. Visit her website here.

On the left is another of Marybeth’s quilts, Corona, made using the Tula Nova pattern by Tula Pink. Marybeth made it into a color wheel and enjoyed doing the English paper piecing by machine. The colorful quilt on the right is It’s Always Wine O’clock in Napa made by Monca Guckenheimer and quilted by Dionne Matthie-Buban. It was started in a workshop by Denyse Schmidt in Napa. Students took sample blocks and experimented with the shapes, sizes and placement.

Here’s another vibrant and colorful quilt. Behind the Waterfall was made by Kendra Allen and quilted by Marybeth O’Halloran. It began as Total Chaos by Karla Alexandra, but it wasn’t chaotic enough so Kendra cut it into 2-1/2″ strips, sewed it back together again and added sparky crystals. I love the strongly stated star quilt on the right. Starfish was made by Dand Dimmick Scarp and quilted by Gladys Schulz. The pattern is Under the Sea by Barbara H. Cline. It uses a template that works with diamonds. The diamonds connecting the star elements add so much to this quilt.

On Saturday 8th September, the Bainbridge Island Modern Quilt Guild hosted the 6th annual Quilt Fest in downtown Winslow. Last week, I posted photos of an overview. In this blog and my next one, I will highlight a few quilts that particularly appealed to me.

Off to Work, was made by Liz Walters who upcylcled thrift shop finds, using a wonderful selection of ties set on a background of men’s shirts. The pattern came from the 2016 Art of the Quilt Calendar by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr. Liz opted to arrange the tie blocks vertically rather than horizontally.

I love this double sided quilt, Color Play, by Katie Wilson. The two sides are so different but they work together. The back is playful and fun. Katie’s quilt is based on the Power of Nine pattern by Sheri Noel using Sheri’s quilt as you go tutorial.

On the left, 680 Nanometers, (which is the wavelength of red light), was made by Erica Page Johnson. Erica challenged herself to work with a dark, low-contrast palette, but could not resist adding the pop of bright red. The quilt is the result of a Katie Pedersen’s Psychedelic Baby workshop. The large stitch quilting is by hand. On the right, Desert Knock Off, was made by Honora Dunkak and quilted by Marybeth O’Halloran. The pattern is by Valerie Wells and Honora found it when visiting Valerie’s store, The Stitchin’ Post, in Sisters, OR. Honora diverged from the pattern, choosing different colors and placements of the blocks. This is a spectacular quilt.

Last Saturday, the Bainbridge Island Modern Quilt Guild hosted the 6th annual Quilt Fest in downtown Winslow. For the sixth year in a row, we were blessed with dry weather. It was a grey day, but the display of over 200 quilts made a colorful splash along our main street. The event was well attended and much appreciated by locals, and folks coming from further afield. Here’s an over view showing just a sampling of these beautiful quilts. The first quilt is one of two of mine displayed, Easter Morning, made from my original 16-piece Bargello blocks and featured in my book, Bargello Quilts with a Twist.

The show was started in 2013 by local fabric store owner Barbara Kirk, modeled on the outdoor annual quilt show in Sisters, OR. Guild members work with local merchants and landlords to accomplish the logistics of hanging all of the quilts with clothespins or clips from lines or poles. This is becoming an annual tradition which we hope will continue. In subsequent blogs I will highlight some individual quilts.