MQX Dotty Challenge

Time is flying at its usual break neck speed-- thank goodness Spring has finally decided to make an appearance! 

It seems like just yesterday when I was trying to finish quilting "Dot Almighty" in between winter storm power outages... and then this happened!

It's hard to believe the Dotty challenge is behind us now-- I started it more than a year ago when it was first announced. I was so pleased to get fourth place— the winner was from Australia, second and third were from Germany— these quilt shows are getting to be as international as the Olympics!... so my fourth place win makes me top U.S. dot! :-)

(Quilts are listed clockwise, from top left-- my apologies for cropped photos, but it was hard to back up enough to get everything in!) 

Second Place, "Marble Track," Claudia Scheja; 

First Place, "Sunshine," Katherine Jones; 

Third Place, "Bubble Ballet," Birgit, Schueller; 

Fourth Place, "Dot Almighty," Yours Truly.

It it always very humbling to see some of the other entries so well crafted and so very clever as well-- twenty-eight of them, in all. I have to believe the margin of winning is very slim-- so if you don't get ribbons at show, don't give up-- you may be just a point away!

"Dotville," Suzy Webster; 
"Poltergeist," Kimberly Werth; 
"A Polka Dot Zebra," Laura Di Cera; 
"Fassett Faucet," Nancy Sullivan.

"La Belle Dame Pointillee," Darlene Orschek;
"Glam Dotz," Debra Woods; 
"Once in a Blue Moon," Debbi Borg; 
"Dots 'n Dashes on My Wall," Barbara Campbell. 

"Bubblicious Throughout," Claudia Taeubert; 
"Spin Cycle," Amy Peterson;
"Into the Dotted Future," Lynne Hartman,
"Lotsa Dots," Karen Abrahamovich.

"I Spotted a UFO-- Oh, My Eyes! Leta Wellman; 
"I See a Quilt in Your Future," Penni Barger; 
"Round, Square, Dots, or NOT," Angie Callbeck; 
"Colorful Circles," Elizabeth Wilson.

"Dotty Windows," Mary Bolton; 
"Out of Darkness Into Light," Vicki Watkins; 
Fifth Place, "Merry Mischief Makers," Nikki Hill; 
"Ambivalence," Debbi Treusch.

"Just Add Salt," Katherine Dossman; 
"DotCom," Diane Dixon;  
"Dots 'n Dashes," Leslie McSorley; 
"Caroling Kids," Gayle Pully.

The MQX Dotty Challenge was to use polka dot fabric... I really didn't have much and as I am not such a fan, didn't want to buy much, either! So I stitched up the snowball border to make dots, and bought a very little "grunge dot" fabric-- grunge makes everything better, in my mind. My "Dot Almighty" is caffeine, so the biggest dot is a cup of coffee... then the quilting told a "pretend" history of coffee in what I wanted to be the kookiest, craziest quilting I have ever done. Here are the Egyptians in a coffee worship scene...

And here's a present day scene of a rooster crowing on the farm, ready for breakfast and that all important cup... (note the dot quilt drying on a line)

And then in the future, the aliens are landing, not to conquer us, but just a stop over for a cuppa joe.

This is the steam coming out of the large cup of coffee... (note the tiny astronaut on the moon, left side--the show had a space quilt theme going as well)

 And some border fill work, with circle shaped items...

Here is the back so you can see it all.  Only a greenhorn would quilt white on a dark background, but the judges must have appreciated the chutzpah!

So that's it! It's one for the ages now... I am really pleased to have gone pretty far out of my box... My DH LOVES this piece, wants to hang it up, (wait, what?!!) and thinks it's a new artistic direction I should move in. 

What I most remember is struggling to finish at the eleventh hour-- the quilting seemed too light, so I had to go in and color with Derwent pencils to bring the quilting out a bit. I'm afraid the whole experience left me frazzled and stressed by the end.... and has sucked out my creative spirit a bit. So I made a decision... no more entering quilt shows until the quilt is completely finished, BOUND, and labeled. I had hopes of entering Fall Paducah again, with my bouquet piece, but the deadline just passed, and it's a kind of a relief... I can just work away at it, without the pressure, and more importantly, without making decisions based on what I think judges would like. As gratifying as it is to have a ribbon wall, the quilt show circuit can be a very grueling taskmaster. 

So, you will see "Dot Almighty" and all of its companions shown here at the MQX WEST show in Springfield, Illinois mid-September (they are doing the challenge again)... but you won't see me. I am heading back to my sewing room to start anew... yes, I think my mojo is finally back!

xox
Carol

Embroidery with Metallic Threads

When the folks at Superior Threads sent us a rainbow of metallic and asked if we'd like to collaborate on an educational article about it, we said, "YES!" faster than an embroidery machine can lay 1,000 down stitches. <3

Recently, we have been invited to give demonstrations at a couple of local quilt guilds. When Q&A time comes, the inevitable problem of stitching with metallics ALWAYS comes up.

We've often heard:

"My machine just doesn't like it!"

This spring, bling is making a comeback, 
and who doesn't want to throw in a little gold every now and then. Read the article here, then try, try again!: 

Read the Article: Embroidering with Metallic Thread Here

To help you along, we've posted a free spring basket to stitch... 

we used ALL metallics, but you can try just adding a little golden basket to the design.

Download the Free Basket Here

(you will be taken to our website-- 

just click on the Flower Basket photo to download)

 Superior Threads makes the titanium Topstitch #90/14 needles you need (we also use them for regular embroidery and they last for a very long time!)... plus, you can choose from a rainbow of metallic colors that will make your designs glisten! Embroidering with metallics is so easy to do, and it's so fun to look for ways to use them. We swapped out the polyester blue below for the metallic blue in our blue jay, and his feathers really shine!

You'll have everything you need to succeed!

View the Special on Topstitch #90/14 needles here

View the rainbow of metallic colors here

Happy Spring!

Carol

xox

AQS Lancaster Part 2

Here's another round of semi-finalists pictures at Lancaster-- I am celebrating the ones the didn't ribbon, because you may not get to see the pictures of them on line. And as trite as it sounds, they all deserve a ribbon! If you make it to the end, I'm also revealing my own personal favorite, "BEST IN SHOW," just because we are all entitled to our own opinion.

Don't ever come with me to a quilt show-- I tend to wander from place to place as I see things across the room that interest me. It's an approach that lends itself to getting lost and separated from friends. So here they are in no particular order! 

"Toyamo Bay"

Masako Sakagami

Beautiful 3-D flowers, and I always love when the artist disrespects the "frame" of a piece and branches out, pardon the pun.

"Prismatic II"

Toby Lischko

I'm usually not a fussy cutting fan, just because it sounds so "fussy,"but this was just so precisely and beautifully made-- worth all the fuss.

"Agua Clara (Clear Water)

Lucia Souza

A jewel like quilt-- these could be waterlilies, but I viewed them as micro-organisms in fresh, healthy water!

"De Colores"

Dolores Fegan

Love this rainbow still life-- 

and she didn't forget the white, black, and brown.

"Centered Love"

Jo Garvin

Red Rose Quilter's Guild

A beautiful, graphic image-- appealing to my graphic design training. The Red Rose Quilter's Guild, I believe, was the local guild and they did A LOT of volunteering at this show. Helped me find my way back to my friends and the parking garage numerous times! xox

"Graffiti Doodle Diamonds"

Teresa Pino and Pat Lang

I'm not a huge modern fan, which I recognize as a problem with me and not with the movement. LOVE the quilting in this one-- it's so rococo it strikes me as a bit of a paradox-- and who doesn't love ambiguity?

"Navalito"

Carmen Maria Cambronero

A Spanish hexagon beauty-- I believe they are 1", and absolutely PERFECTLY made. If you haven't already figured it out, the field of entries is totally international.

"Enchanted Daisies"

Kristi LeDuc

This was a special exhibit--I always fall for flowers. Just look at that vase! 

"Passion In Paradise"

Kristi LeDuc

While I was just posting this, I realized this is the same person as the one above-- I think I have found a soul mate!

"Wild Goose Chase in Paris"

Charlene Hearst

This was from the "New Quilts from an Old Favorite" challenge and the block this time was Flying Geese. A photo does not do this justice, but the background fabric was a map of the streets of Paris. The quilting really captured the spirit of that fabric! A really wonderful, lighthearted theme. I do love a laugh.

And now my own personal "Best in Show..." 

If you are competitive and would enjoy a challenge with a completely hopeless chance of winning, enter the Cherrywood Challenge! I have seen this exhibit in one place or another for the past few years, and it is hundreds of similarly colored and sized pieces, crammed next to each other. OK, maybe it's a focus problem on my part, but to enjoy each individual piece is impossible. How do they pick a winner???

This year's them was Van Gogh, and I found this beauty...

 This is"Montage de van Gogh"by Shelli Ricci
and it is truly a gem. First, look how she combined more than one painting into the image... sunflower, chairs, starry night...

and that lady!

I was crushing on her for a long time-- her hair was a mix of fibers that were so gorgeously blended into tiny curls and a bun. just look at the perfect placement of her barrette...

The quilting, so free and imaginative.

And so I will definitely be googling this person to see what other eye-candy she has stitched up!

So that's about it for my quilt pictures... I honestly wish I could show them all, but as I said before, to really appreciate them, you need to see them in person. Later in the week, I will show you my vendor "loot" and tell you about a couple of classes I took. And I better keep my promise, because next week, I'll have another show to visit...

MQX East!

xox

Carol

AQS Lancaster Part 1

Without too much comment, here are some promised pictures of the finalists at AQS Lancaster.

The first day of the show it snowed, attendance was down, and I had NO PROBLEM photographing anything and everything without people in front of it. Pictures never do these things justice-- you do need to visit these shows in person. I have mostly avoided showing the winners, with a couple of exceptions, in favor of ones you won't see online. My favorites. xox

"Kaboom"

Tere D'Amato

Yes, this happens to be my friend, and it is with some pride that I will tell you that she worked on it at MY HOUSE, and while we were being silly, I named it! XOX Heading off to Spring Paducah so don't miss it! That corner applique is to die for.

"Belle Ventesimo"

Christy Stephenson/ Jo Kuchera

I believe this is Judy Neimeyer's Wedding Star pattern... I made that one, and I really appreciate how this person also made it her own with this golden palette. A 50th anniversary?

"Limeberry Tart"

Lyn Crump

Hexi fans... this beauty came all the way from Australia. A lot of overseas quilts!

"Double Wedding Ring 2017"

Susan Haslett-Scholfield

Never get tired of this pattern. 

"Interwoven Puzzle 3.0"

Judy Mercer Tesher

Modern and exquisite. 

"Simple But Beautiful"

Jungsun Lee

Love the broken look of this!

"La Fleur de Glace"

Colette Dumont

So happy to finally see this in person. You need to visit these shows! Yes, it has quite a few awards, but just for the machine embroidery work, I'm showing it!

(details below)

 These beaded snowflakes are mounted in cutouts!

The color palette on this quilt is just stunning.

"Modern Movement"

Rachelle Denneny

Love the quilting pattern. Simple and sensational.

"Art of the Ancient World"

Robin Gausebeck

This had also ribboned-- not this time, but gets an A+ for originality.

"Pear Drops"

Cheryl Kerestes

Yes, this did also get a ribbon, but super original, love the color palette, and the quilting is also fresh and new. You gotta love when quilting totally disregards piecing!

"A Visit to Nana's Attic"

Pat Delaney

Hung next to my New England Album and such an honor. Pat Delaney is comfortable in any style-- this one had beautiful little embroidered flowers in each basket. Also from Massachusetts!

"Sammy's Delight"

Anne Marcelis

I usually get tired of color wheels-- in this case, I make an exception because it is just so much fun!

Well-- there are a lot more photos, and I will try to post more over the next couple of days. I hadn't been to an AQS show in four years, and I was just astonished at the quality of work- it just gets better and better. I have to wonder where this is all going to end up!

XOX

Time flies...

If you ever think that time flies, just start a blog! You decide to post once a week,  and WHOOPS... over a month goes by!

So where have I been? Mostly, in my sewing room, trying to finish the coffee art quilting in between power outs. It got so bad in New England here, that I had to ask for an extension. I absolutely hate being a problem person, but it's a role I seem to increasingly find myself in. I finally finished the quilting, with only blocking and binding to go. I know I said no more sneak peeks, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time the Vetruvian Man has ever been quilted... at least with a cup of coffee on his head. 

Then I promised to show you the state of my Bouquet quilt... and since I said that a month ago, it hasn't changed at all! 

I got a lot done in January... I didn't follow my own instructions on the first two blocks and had some pleats on the back of the crocuses and daffodils, so those had to be done over. Then I finished the border pieces... except... the one in the corner. As I was just congratulating myself for completing all of those pieces, I realized the white on white words on that one were upside down. You can't see it here, but I can't live with it. So as soon as the coffee ships to MQX, I'm rolling back in to this. I have seen some gorgeous finished customer quilts on our Facebook page-- it seems like mine should be done, too!

Then, I had to get the Cloud Club done-- to thank you for visiting my blog today, here's a peek:

I love drawing and digitizing these, but they take a lot of testing. The robin will be for sale Monday morning. 

And... I had scheduled a trip to AQS Lancaster last fall. It was on my bucket list, and I hadn't been to one of their shows in four years. As luck would have it, the snow followed us down but we made it!

The drive was really stressful at the end, slippin' and slidin' over the rivers and hills of beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch country. But I assure you that I was calm and rested by the time we got to the show, and and the look on my face in this photo is strictly because of bad lighting. :-)

No ribbon this time... I have to say, after my good luck at Fall Paducah, I'm over it. It is some one else's turn. I finally got to see Kathy McNeill's beautiful horses, and no ribbon there either. So the best reason to enter these shows remains the fact that once entered, you must go visit them at the show!

I came back with tons of photos and it's fun to post some of the ones that you don't see often on line... I will do that before another month passes, I promise!

This is "Papaver and Asplenium" by Karen Hull Sienk... stunning, and very much deserving of a ribbon. 

xox