QuiltCon 2015: Pieced with Love

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Plaid Portico

I love that the “modern quilting” movement is rich in the traditions of charity. Not only did QuiltCon 2015 prominently feature all the quilts from their charity quilt challenge, but they also choose to highlight an online charity bee with the exhibition Pieced with Love: The Quilts of do. Good Stitches.

From the Modern Quilt Guild: ” Fueled by social media and emerging technology, the legacy of compassion, generosity and good will lives through the time-honored tradition of making quilts for those in need. Rachel Hauser, of Stitched in Color is the founding force behind do. Good Stitches {a Charity Bee}. She and hundreds of generous souls participating in this online community give back by doing something they love: modern quilting. This exhibit showcases a small selection of the nearly 200 quilts do. Good Stitches donates annually to organizations both near and far.”

Eclipse. Bellevue, Kentucky. Pieced by Hope Circle: Afton Warrick, Cath Hall, Christie Kline, Ellen McKee, Heather Pegel, Kim Soper, Kimberly Swick, Melanie Hughes, Suzy Lampman. Quilted by Ellen McKee. Use of curved blocks in spired by “Log Cabin beads” by Kathy Hamada.

Pixelated Pinwheels. Lee, New Hampshire. Pieced by Sarah Thomas, Brandy Yingling, Amber Dawson, Wendi Hodgson, Wendy Robards, Gina Ferraro, Christina DiMarco. Quilted by Mary Gregory. Inspired by Postcards From Sweden by Kelly Liddle @jeliquilts

Rainbow Triangles. Silver Spring, Maryland. Pieced by Kat Drinkwater, Jennifer Ferriss-Salter, Mai Flourry, Briawna High,Lisa McGriff, Dhia Peach, Gabrielle Robles, Kari Stewart, Carla Voorhees, Jouise Wackerman. Quilted by Carla Voorhees.

Icicles. Portland, Oregon. Pieced by Cath Hall, Ellen McKee, Suzy Lampman, Melanie Hughes, Nicole Boone, Kimberly Swink, Natalie, Weaver. Quilted by Cath Hall. Design Source: Paper piecing pattern Icky Thump by Julie Hirt of 627Handworks.

Birds on a Line. Austin, Texas. Pieced by Jeannette Day, Lindsey Rhoads, Leah Newman, Alison Robinson, Alex Duenkel, Tamara Hampton, Diane Stanley, Christine Horlbeck, Alexis Day. Quilted by Jeanette Day. Using McCalls Quilting bird block.

Watercolors. Attleboro, Massachusetts. Pieced by Ara jane Olufson, Jacey Gray, Rachel Hauser, Daisy Aschehoug, Jenelle Clark, Cat Downs, Deb Aspuria, Amanda Hohnstreiter, Jessica Rider, Natalie Sabik. Quilted by Natalie Sabik.

Geese in the Round. Raleigh, North Carolina. Pieced by kelleigh Bland, Kelly Cole, Erica Jackman, Stephanie Jacobson, Alyssa Lichner, Rene Martinez, Kristen Spears, Rebekah Thompson, Caitlin Topham, Lynn Wood. Quilted by Caitlin Topham. Design Source: Block pattern by Piece by Number, inspiration from Christina Lane of Sometimes Crafter.

Sunset Stripes. Seattle, Washington. Pieced by Daisy Aschehoug, Deborah Aspuria, Jenelle Clark, Cat Downs, Jacey Gray, Rachel Hauser, Amanda Hohnstreiter, Ara Jane Olufson, Jessica Rider, Natalie Sabik. Quilted by Ara Jane Olufson.

Ascent. Thorndale, Texas. Pieced by Toni Lovelady, Heidi Grohs, Andy Knowlton, Bobbi Brekke, Jennifer Worthen, Carie Jo, Rachel Booth, Lindsay Connor, Jennifer Pelecchia, Amanda Hohnstreiter. Quilted by Amanda Hohnstreiter. Block Design by Deborah Aspuria. Quilt Design by Amanda Hohnstreiter.

Trellis Crossroads. Florence, Colorado. Pieced by Jessica Kerkhoff, Carla Fawcett, Elizabeth Adle, Claudia Pate, Mary Gibbons. Quilted by Sandra Smith, Vickey Hughes, Brittney Selby, Jaime Penrod, Tiffany Searle. Quilted by Sandra Smith, Vickey Highes, Brittney Selby, Jaime Penrod, Tiffany Searle, Collaboration quilt created by the Humility Circle of Do. Good. Stitches. Patterns from the book “Modern Bee”.

Gradient Patchwork. Peabody, Massachusetts. Pieced by Robin Correa, Melissa Devenney, Donna Swain, Jana Dee, Irelle Beatie, Elizabeth Jones, Kristen Russell, Laurel Krynock, Laura Collins. Quilted by Laura Collins.

Flocks & Blocks. Indianapolis, Indiana. Quilted Amy Garro.

QuiltCon 2015: The Improvisation category quilts, Part 1

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Plaid Portico

One of my favorite categories, here are half of the quilts from the Improvisation category this year at QuiltCon 2015. The other half, including the prize winners will be up next post. Several of these quilts were also test quilts from Sherri Lynn Wood‘s new improvisational quilting book, The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters. We’ll be giving you a preview of that also here on the Plaid Portico in a few posts. It’s really wonderful.

Please enjoy all the joy in these quilts!

You Can’t Rush Art by Amanda Jean Nyberg. Clearwater, Minnesota.

Sunburst Quilt by Tara Faughnan. Oakland, CA.

Score for Modern Block Improv: Flying Geese by Sherri Lynn Wood. Oakland, California.

Entropy by Elisa Albury. Salt Lake City, Utah.

Lite Brite by Maria Shell. Anchorage, Alaska.

Bird’s Eye View by Nathalie Bearden. The Woodlands, Texas.

Spiraling Out of Control by Christa Watson. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Folded Flock by Jenna Brand. Dexter, Michigan

I’m a Fan of Fabric by Rachel Kerley. Hillsboro, Oregon.

Tidy Towns: Irish Houses by Andrew Steinbrecher. Cincinnati, Ohio.

Shifting Impressions by Marianne Haak. St. Albert, Alberta, Canada.

Mahjong by Leslie Schmidt. Brooklyn, New York, Quilted by Cami Cress (aaquilting.com)

Tune in Next Week by Chawne Kimber. Easton, Pennsylvania.

Pickle Jars by Jamie Gonce. San Mateo, California.

Through the Open Window by Amy Anderson. Asheville, North Carolina.

Shades of Grey by Terry Aske. New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.

Emerald City by Charlotte Newland. London, England. UK.

Off Centre by Andres Rosales. Ventura, California.

The White Quilt by Shannon Page. Dallas, Texas.

Modern Sunset by Lauren Palmer. Lexington, Kentucky.

Wild Geese by Penny Gold. Galesburg Illinois.

Blocks from the Crayon Box by Carolyn Griffith. Abilene, Texas.

Las Ventasas by Kristin Shields. Bend Oregon.

Arne by Rossie Hutchinson. Manchester, Michigan.

Transposition by Anne Hammond

Primary by Elisa Albury. Salt Lake City, Utah.

Rainbow Remix by Rebecca Bryan. Wildwood, Missouri.

Gradient by Alys Gagnon. Mount Waverley, Victoria, Australia.

QuiltCon-Modern Traditionalism

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Plaid Portico

Now we have quilts from the Modern Traditionalism category from the QuiltCon exhibition. We will follow in the coming weeks with all the categories, and then the special exhibits. I’ll be putting the prize winners for each category at the end in case you’re wondering! The rest of the quilts are in a random order.

These quilts are as described– modern but incorporating a traditional quilt block pattern. Entrants to the show could submit as many quilts as they wanted, and after they were selected, the quilts were put into categories by QuiltCon. What makes them “modern”? Always a good discussion. For this purpose QuiltCon describes modernizing as “applying design elements such as alternate grid work, asymmetry, color, scale.”

Next up after this, we will have all the quilts from the Improvisation category. While you’re waiting, feast on Modern Traditionalism:

Half Square Triangles by Tara Faughnan, Oakland, California

Freeflow by Lee Heinrich, Mequon, Wisconsin, quilted by Anne Books

Spiderweb by Leslie Schmidt, Brooklyn, NY. Quilted by Cami Cress, aaquilting.com

Under the Sea by Barbara Cline, Bridgewater, Virginia

Steps by Carrie Strine, Forest Hills, New York

Harlequin Star by Ara Jane Olufson, Seattle, WA

Absent Minded by Lauren Palmer, Lexington, Kentucky

Melon Ice by Amy Friend. West Newbury, Massachusetts.

Modern Amish II by Mickey Beebe. Santa Cruz, California. Quilted by Toni McAuliffe.

Modern Chevron Remix by Cynthia Whitten. Ladera Ranch, California. Quilted by Helen Baczynski.

Apples Stars by Amy Garro, Indianapolis, Indiana. Quilted by Emily Sessions.

Color in Flight by Cynthia Whitten. Ladera Ranch, California. Quilted by Helen Baczynski.

Wavelength by Lee Heinrich. Mequon, Wisconsin.

Modern Lily Bean by Claire Jain, Austin, Texas

Anni by Jaime David. Roeland Park, Kansas.

Woodcut by Holly DeGroot. Iron Mountain, Michigan.

Prill by Rossie Hutchinson. Manchester, Michigan.

Gypsy Wife by Catherine Mosely. Cameron Park, New South Wales, Australia.

Fifty Shades of Geese by Patricia Roche, Chandler, AZ

Sunset by Corinne Sovey, Austin, Texas

Spiced Chai Quilt by Katie Blakesley, Portland, Oregon

Improv Double Wedding Ring by Natalie Sabok, Attleboro, MA

Back to Basics by Melissa Corry, Cedar City, Utah

Grand Pineapple Dichotomy by Alison Lee, Raleigh, NC

Untitled by Lindsay Stead, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Sunrise Sunset by Katherine Dithmer, League City. TX. Pieced and quilted by Christina Powell.

Ducks in a Row by Rebecca Bryan, Wildwood, MS. Quilted by Angela Walters.

LeMoyne Mum by Melinda Bazzelle, Lewisville, TX. Quilted by Dina Dye.

Star Bright by Faith Jones, Lisle, Illinois

Aqua by Nathalie Bearden, The Woodlands, Texas

Fly Away by Heather Jones, Springboro, OH

Refresh by Anna Boenish, Seattle, WA. 3rd Place, Modern Traditionalism Category, QuiltCon 2015

Deconstructed Lonestar by Amy Struckmeyer, Oak Park, Illinois. 2nd Place, Modern Traditionalsim category, QuiltCon 2015.

Long Island Modern Sampler by Kim Soper, Centerport, New York. 1st place Modern Traditionalism Category. QuiltCon 2015.

QuiltCon Charity Quilts Part 1

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Plaid Portico

Well, I am back from QuiltCon with enough shots of quilts to last for weeks, and weeks it will take to process them and load them up. So hang on for a fun and inspiring ride. QuiltCon was great–REALLY enjoyed it personally and thought it was very well done and well organized. The excitement was palpable. This IS a movement.

If you don’t know what QuiltCon is, this was the second conference put on by the national Modern Quilt Guild, which included workshops, lectures, a huge exhibition and events, all for the modern quilter. The first two, this year and 2013, years ago were in Austin, Texas. Next year it will be in Pasadena, California, and 2017 will be in Savannah, Georgia.

Normally I curate exhibitions and only take photos of the quilts that really speak to me. In this case I took photos of all the quilts, partly because the majority of them I did like, and partly because I really think the modern quilt movement needs to be documented.

The first thing we all saw were the QuiltCon Charity quilts which were lining the ballrooms that were the site of all the keynotes and lectures throughout the conference. The charity quilt challenge required “Modern Quilt Guilds to work collaboratively to create quilts using a pre-determined color palette and alternate grid design work.” The quilts were twin size and were sewn entirely by each guild from design through finish quilting, and will be donated by each guild to a children’s shelter in their area. The challenge was sponsored and fabric provided by Cherrywood, Pink Castle Fabrics, Rock Paper Scissors, Sew Modern and The Intrepid Thread.

The quilts were hanging uncredited which I do think is in the spirit of a charity challenge, but for this venue I am glad to credit the guild who created them. So if anyone contacts me or comments with the guild info, I would be glad to add the credit information. Inquiring minds might want to know! And please forgive some of the photos. It was hard to get an unobstructed view of some quilts to take a whole quilt shot and some photos turn out better than others. But rest assured all the quilts could be viewed quite well in person!

Over the next 4-6 weeks I will be posting all the rest of the quilts in the exhibition by category, so stay tuned!

QuiltCon charity quilt

QuiltCon charity quilt by Central Jersey Modern Quilt Guild. To be donated to the annual fundraising for SAVE, a local animal shelter.

QuiltCon charity quilt

“Silly Goose, Catch Me if You Can” a QuiltCon charity quilt and collaborative effort by the Jacksonville Modern Quilt Guild. Will be donated to a children’s charity to be auctioned off to raise the most money possible for the charity.

QuiltCon charity quilt

QuiltCon charity quilt by the South Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild in California.

QuiltCon charity quilt

QuiltCon charity quilt by The Lake Superior Modern Quilt Guild in Duluth, Minnesota. Bridge motif inspired by Duluth’s iconic Aerial Lift Bridge, and is also a replica of the guild’s logo designed by their president Deb Westerberg.