I was fortunate to recently attend the 2013 Quilt & Fiber Arts Festival sponsored by the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum. The Museum hosted its usual exhibits and a couple of vendors. Most of the show was in Maple Hall where photography was not allowed, but I got permission to take a general view of the hall from the stage. What really struck me about this wonderful show, was the variety of art quilts including some that were 3-D, and the breaking of the boundaries between quilting and other fiber arts. It was inspiring to see such an array of exhibits in this juried contest with entries from 17 states and 7 different countries.

At the Civic Garden Club, just across the road from the Museum, were the quilts in the “Open Traditional Bed” category and the garments. This was my first port of call and I enjoyed the exquisite beauty and workmanship of these quilts. Here are three that particularly struck me.

Pretty as a Peacock, 80″ x 80″, a first place winner, was made by Cindy Rainy of Kenai, AK who was inspired by the beautiful focal Oriental peacock fabric. Her machine quilting is absolutely gorgeous. Cindy also made this lovely Double Wedding Ring quilt, 72″ x 80″, winning second place. Again the machine quilting is fantastic and really complements the quilt. Cindy chose fabrics to give this traditional pattern more of a contemporary feel.

Barbara Root of Ladysmith, BC hand appliqued and hand quilted this spectacular quilt, Anything is Possible, 91″ x 91″. She saw a quilt, Expression of Morris, by Katie Friesa  hanging in a quilt store in Manitoba and purchased the pattern. The pattern sat for a couple of years before she had the courage to begin the quilt. This is the first bed quilt she has hand quilted.

Each day of the Festival, I arrived a little early before opening to take a look at the quilt show beyond my exhibit area. I was so busy during the show hours, that there was little time for this. Star quilts always seem to grab my attention and there were several there that I found inspiring and admired. There were some Judy Niemeyer quilts resulting from classes sponsored by the quilt guild. I thought the ones shown below, made by Audrey Campbell, Charlotte Collier and Rayni Lambert were particularly attractive with pleasing color combinations.

Charlotte Collier also made this spectacular circular quilt. She took a foundation paper piecing class for Christmas Celebration, a Christmas tree skirt. She liked the pattern, but didn’t need a tree skirt and wanted to use different colors. It makes a beautiful wall hanging kept rigid and circular by the insertion of tent poles around the circumference. The machine quilting was by Marlene Oddie and really enhances the quilt.

Here are a couple more star quilts that I liked. On the left, a lovely backdrop for the musicians who played during the show – Eddie Walker made this quilt to test a new pattern designed by Colleen Blackwood. On the right, an attractive Lone Star medallion quilt with very nice black, grey, cream and orange coloration, Two + 2, designed and pieced by Jacqueline Mings, and machine quilted by Brie Clearwater.

My picks would not be complete without Jess Berry’s beautiful hand appliqued and hand quilted quilt, Purple Scrolls, which he designed. Jess has been quilting for over 30 years and typically spends three to four hours a day on his hand stitching. Another quilt he made was auctioned off as a Festival fundraiser.

These triangle quilts were fun, and how different they look in the chosen color pallets. The design is by Julie Herman and employs the use of the Hex n’ More ruler by Jaybird Quilts. Rhonda Lineberger pieced the purple one, Painted Toes, and it was quilted by Teresa Silva. Teresa also made the cream one, Toes in the Sand.