Can you believe a week has gone by?

Where does time go? I can’t believe a week has gone by already since I came back from the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara. I have been taking it easy this past week, to tell you the truth.

Now that the deadline has gone by for the exhibit, I find myself not knowing exactly what to do or where to start again. So I’ve decided to be good to myself and take it easy for a bit. Things are starting slowly to get back to normal and I have a lot of plans for the next few months.

I’ve been watching the Olympics. I’m an Olympic fan – I watch it all: swimming, rowing, track and field, cycling … they show it, I watch it. :) And while I do that, I’m thinking of new projects, working on small stuff, making videos, and finding inspiration in what I watch.

Today, though, I want to show you some of my favourites from the Pacific International Quilt Festival. No particular order.

First, is the piece that won the Yuko Watanabe Best of Show Award. The quilt is called “Royal Treasure” by Marilyn Badger of St. George, UT. 83″ x 83″. She said that it is another one in her series of doily quilts using doilies by Wendy Richardson and fabrics by Paula Nadelstern and Cherrywood. Machine pieced and appliquéd, longarm machine quilted and an original design.

The next one is Mary Anne Fontana’s piece called “Keukenhoff Gardens” – 36.5″ x 73.75″. She won Best Machine Workmanship in Innovative. Lots and lots of stitching on this one. It is an original photograph taken in Keukenhof Gardens in Holland in 2022. This photo attempts to capture the beauty of millions of tulips in bloom at one time! The colours and variety will take your breath away. Digitally touched up in my computer and enhanced with fabric markers. Commercial printed on wholecloth 100% quilters cotton, then thread painted using nearly 8,000 yards of thread in 35 different colors. Longarm Machine quilted and an original design.

Below is “And there is More” by Inger Blood of Camino CA. 84″ x 84″. She said that this piece gave her the opportunity to make a two-sided quilt. The back is a whole cloth embellished with beads and crystals. The edge treatment was fun to make and a good learning experience. It is machine pieced and machine quilted. And an original design. She won the Best Sewing Machine Workmanship in the Traditional Category.

“You Don’t Bring me Flowers Anymore” – 54″ x 54″ by Robyn Gragg of Lee’s Summit, MO. She wrote: In the language of flowers, many species relate to grief, sorrow, and remembrance. My husband enjoyed surprising me with fresh flowers, but he has gone to Glory and I am lost in my grief. It is hand pieced, machine appliquéd, long arm machine quilted and an original design. She won 1st place in the Traditional Category.

I really enjoyed this next one. A fun piece by Tami Graeber of Klamath Falls, OR. It is 66″ x 93″ and it is called “Retro Living”. She said she has good memories of growing up in the 1950s and 60s. Biggest art quilt I ever made. The black and white Hawaiian print used on the binding is vintage. It is machine pieced and machine appliqued and longarm machine quilted. An original design. It won the Best Mid-Century Mod Quilt in the mid-century mod quilt competition.

Hiroko Fukawa had three pieces in the show (that I found) and I loved all three. This is “Playing with Water” – 30″ x 43″. In her artist statement, she wrote: This piece was inspired by Maurice Ravel’s piano piece Jeux d’Eau. The water splashes on a summer day are expressed with gradation circles, and the sparkling reflections on the river surface are expressed with golden beads. In the middle of the beaded circle, I embroidered a poem about the origin of life in the ancient Japanese Katakamuna script. It is machine pieced and machine appliquéd, machine quilted and an original design.

“Tiger Longwing Butterfly” is 32″ x 26″ and was made by Sandra Mollon of Lincoln, CA. She wrote: Surely summertime is filled with butterflies, pictured here is a graceful moment in which one butterfly stops to rest on a leaf. Raw edge fused, hand dyed and commercial cotton. Machine quilted and an original design. She won Best Interpretation of Theme in the Wall Quilt Competition.

This next one was by Sandra Mollen of the Mountain Art Quilters. It’s called “Valley View, Yosemite.” Not a lot of information but the card read: This quilt was the director’s choice award winner at Road to California this year. It is a raw edge collaged art quilt derived from a photo by Rick McGrath.

“In Perfect Harmony” by Sandra Mollen from the Mountain Art Quilters. Derived from a photo by Deb Simon. It is raw-edged collage quilt.

Below is “Tears of Rage” by Deborah Ryan of Salinas CA. It is 49″ x 35″. She wrote: I learned of my brother’s passing in early summer. I hadn’t spoken to him in 7 years. I grappled with my emotions as the summer sun shone its bright light on our relationship. Machine pieced and machine quilted. Original Design.

I hope you have enjoyed these beautiful and inspiring works of art by different artists. I will share a few more next week. Until I write again, have a wonderful week,

Ana