More From MAQF

Today we want to share some of our favorites from the quilt show.  In addition to the show entries, there are numerous special exhibits.  Our favorite of these is by an art quilt group called Fiber Artists @ Loose Ends. Their new exhibit "Wind Chimes" debuted at the Mid-Atlantic show.  It is a very clever depiction of the Elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire.  Each of the 10 members of the group created a vertical panel for each of the 4 parts of the installation.  The segments are hung from bicycle wheels so that each fiber piece can rotate with the air currents.  It's a different experience to walk among the fiber "chimes" versus viewing art hung on a wall.  Very effective and immersive.   We really enjoyed this exhibit.

The center panel shows the whole exhibit.  The top photos are water and earth.  The bottom are air and fire.

Another favorite was this heavily embroidered crazy quilt called "Elisabeth's Garden: A Tale of a Thousand Threads" by Elisabeth Frolet of Atlanta, GA.  It won Best Use of Embellishments in the Traditional Category.  The embroidery is exquisite, and each block has different sewing and quilting tools stitched into it.  Each square also had a needle and thread positioned in it somewhere.  You could spend a lot of time marveling at the workmanship and discovering the many images.

The quilt above was one of Sue's favorites.  It is called "Craig's Pond" and is by Tina R McCann of Depoe Bay, OR.  It won Best Use of Color in the wall quilt category.  The upper left shows the whole quilt, and the other 3 are close-ups of various parts, but the pictures really don't do it justice.  Click on the photo for a larger view so you can see the quilting.  The stitching with variegated thread adds so much to the coloration.  Also hard to tell in the photo is that the main panel is detached on the sides from the background, only attached top and bottom.

Some other favorites included these above.  Clockwise from top left:
Urban Systems by Paula Golden of Blacksburg, VA, in the Instructors' Row.
Blue Ridge Meadow by Jane Fellows of Batesville, VA.
Quilt it Wright by Mary A Menzer of Virginia Beach, VA. It won for Best Use of Color in the Modern category.
Modern Reflections by Pat L. Delaney of Abington, MA.  This piece is made with silk and has some unique quilting.
The Lookout is by Barbara McKie of Lyme, CT and won a Judge's Choice ribbon.