PIQF 2015 ~ International Quilts

Since I am not posting pix of the quilts I am currently working on until after our guild's quilt show, here are some pix I took yesterday at Pacific International Quilt Festival. Yep, I took the day off and went to PIQF. I've never been and my friend and customer Sandy (Sandra E) took me for my birthday along with Mo, her friend in Orland, CA and we had the best time! It was a very long day however so worth it. Thank you Sandy, love you!!!

Posting a few this morning and more tomorrow for my Saturday Morning Post. It's a mix of quilts that I was drawn to, some were ribbon winners, some not. Starting with some of the International quilts that were grouped in one part of the building... amazing quilts and quilters from around the world, starting with this one...

Deco by Lee Vause, Australia  64 x 72

I love Art Deco and of course, machine quilting so I was drawn to this quilt and it's quilting... wow. This is my first visit to PIQF and a big quilt show... ever! I was on sensory overload all day!!! Next is a quilt also made by an Australian quilt artist...

 Data Garden by Belinda Betts   67 x 67

Also a favorite because of the Tree of Life blocks in the center and again, the machine quilting... wow! Machine quilting has grown, check that, exploded! into it's own art form. The bar keeps getting set higher and higher with amazing workmanship. Inspiring most of the time and also humbling, reminding me of how far I have to go with my own skills. 

 Triple Feathered Star by Yvonne McKee 

from the United Kingdom  75 x 75

 Center star

This one is more traditional both in piecing and quilting however, WOW for the piecing!!! The second pic shows the center star which is made with teeny tiny HSTs, 1/4 inch at best as the second layer are 1/2 inch HSTs! The piecing was amazing, I know how challenging a feathered star is. The next pic is of the border, love the gold and red combined with purple plus the artist added beads along the edge of the binding. Below is one of the cornerstones with it's teeny tiny HSTs. The machine quilting, traditional and beautifully done!

There were several from Germany that had allot of embellishments as the one above, with crystals and lots of bead work. More on that later. For now here are two more from New Zealand quilt artists. The first is a whole cloth on a dark fabric with different color threads...

 Kowhai by Ross Munro  60 x 59

The detail and color is lost with my poor photography skills 

and old camera plus it was hard shooting the dark fabric. Still amazing!

 The second from another New Zealand artist... traditional and modern...
with straight line quilting

 Simply Red and Grey by Maree LeComte  71 x 71

and one more from a different part of the show (not international) 

that I really loved because it also combined Modern with Traditional

These are but a few of the quilts plus vendors... didn't have time to cover that part of the floor. Allot! I did, of course visit Jim and Nicky at ABMs Innova booth also representing their quilt store Sew So Shop in Yuba City, CA. Filled an order of thread at Superior Thread's booth. Chico's local quilts shops that are there... Sandy at the Rabbit Hole in Chico, Marsha and Morning Star Quilts in Paradise, and of course Honey Run Quilters in Chico...

Ronda, Lauren and Terri working the booth.

Kathy was there too doing a demo :0( my pic didn't work out)

and we just missed Carmen and Amanda who left following their morning shift.

PIQF goes on thru the weekend. Yesterday was the first day, If you have the opportunity... go! It's amazing.  Be prepared for sensory overload! 

I had fun this morning going over my pix plus The Quilt Show posted a slide show that Mary Kay put together of Part One of the ribbon winners at PIQF. Check it out with this link. The very first quilt in the slide show is made by Betty Sweet, from Magalia and a member of our Chico quilt guild, Annie's Star Quilt Guild. This same quilt won Best in Show at our last guild quilt show. It was great to see it again at PIQF let alone that she won a big ribbon there. We have some pretty amazing quilters in the Chico area. 

Enough fun, I have to get to work! and finish the quilt on my frame that will go into this year's show... coming up Nov. 7th and 8th. Have I mentioned that? yes, yes, so ignore me but come to the show or go to PIQF and get inspired! 

Tot Ziens, Jo