Quilt Con 2015

 

Sarah and I traveled together to Austin two weeks ago for QuiltCon 2015. The whole experience was overwhelming in the best possible way. I think I'm still in recovery mode and my inspiration and urge to sew is at an all time high right now.

Because we didn't take any classes, we spent most of our time looking at quilts, attending lectures and buying everything in sight at the vendor booths. Looking back, keeping myself busy in classes probably would have been a great way to channel my creative energy and reduce my shopping haul! Of the lectures, Yoshiko Jinzenji's Simple Quilts, Bill Kerr's Details Matter and Susan Beal's Modern Quilt Documentation lectures were the highlights for me.

It was so nice to meet long time blog friends, Shea, Liz and Krista and to connect with so many other people who share my love of quilting. We also had fun catching up with our guild members for meals and drinks each night. For someone who would rather be home binge watching TV shows with Jon or listening to an audiobook and crafting away, I was exhausted after being out and about so much!

Unfortunately we didn't get out and tour much of Austin, but we did catch a few food trucks, the infamous Gourdough's donuts, Hill Country Weavers, Home Slice (home of the Mr. Roger's mural), and the adorable sewing shop, Stitch Lab.

Sarah and I with our hilarious Aussie friend, Melanie. We met on the first night in our hotel lobby and became instant friends. (Melanie is holding Happypotamus The Happy Hippo)

You'll have to trust me that the donuts were more tasty than they were photogenic.

 

Here are a my favorite quilts from the juried show. You can see my full album here.

 

Refresh by Anna Boenish

Bird's Eye View by Nathalie Bearden

 

Arne by Rossie Hutchinson

   

Coral Reef by Marla Varner

   

Do Good Stitches-Sunset Stripes 

   

Facets by Liz Harvatine

  Flyaway by Heather Jones

   

Full Bloom by Latifah Saafir

  Fuzhou Fujian by Patricia Lutteral

   

Grand Pineapple-Dichotomy by Alison Lee

   

Improv Double Wedding Ring by Natalie Sabik

 

Letting Go by Andrew Steinbrecher

  Mahjong by Leslie Schmidt

   

Paint Chip by Sarah Lowry 

   

Phased Circles by Michelle Wilkie

   

Pickle Jars by Jamie Gonce

   

Rocket88 by Latifah Saafir

  Spirography by Matt Macomber

    Steps by Carrie Strine

   

Welcome to Colorful Colorado by Katie Larson

   

The Knit Stitch by Dorie Schwarz

 

Smithereens by Emily Cier

   

Somewhat Herringbone by Dorie Schwarz

   

The New New by Amy Anderson

   

Tidy Towns-Irish Houses by Andrew Steinbrecher

   

Tiki Dilema by Jodi Robinson

   

Primary by Elsa Albury

  Lite Brite by Maria Shell

   

Las Ventanas by Kristin Shields

   

Knit Snippet by Lotje Meijknecht

   

Balancing Act by Amanda Hohnstreiter
 
Half SquareTriangles by Tara Faughnan

  iQuilt by Kathy York (winner of best in show)


Akhaten by Shannon Page

...

Modern Quilt Guild chapters were invited to design and make quilts with a predetermined color scheme using an alternate grid. Here are some of my favorites from the charity quilts. I wish these had been labeled with guild names and participants!

Dana, from the Detroit Area Modern Quilt Guild created this pattern and divided the sewing up between several members. I helped by piecing the backing and making a few blocks. Dana worked so hard to coordinate this and I love the design she created! The quilt was quilted by our guild's resident longarmer, Barb.

Quilt 1 from the Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guild - designed by Jenna

Quilt 2 from the Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guild - pattern by Debbie of Esch House Quilts

Pyramids, by the Edmonton, Alberta MGQ. Designed by Stacey Lee O'Malley

I loved the giant pebble quilting on this one. I'm going to try this sometime.

I love these pieced x's and also want to give this a try.