I went to the Quilt Guild of Greater Houston’s quilt show… Joy of Quilts today. It was a lovely show and I had a few quilts hanging with my name attached as my own or quilted by me. A couple of these have not been blogged about yet so this is the first you will have seen them.
Let’s just start with the best. 1st place! Pieced Wallhanging – Large. Lou Ellen Hassold’s “Star Bright quilted by me! Lou Ellen had a vision for this quilt and thankfully I was able to step up to the challenge.
2nd Place – Group Quilt – Pam Heine Double 4 Patch. This one makes me really happy as this is an e2e design. I think our shows need to include a category for e2e quilts because they may be impecabbly pieced and have great color composition but if they are not quilted to death they lose points to those more elaborately quilted pieces.
3rd Place – Modern – 5th Grade Primer – by ME! I really did not expect to ribbon on this… it was a small practice piece – a challenge for our longarm group. I decided at the last minute to enter this one because it is rather interesting. Much to my surprise it ribboned! There were 6 in the category too so it was not by default. I’m happy about that.
Now I was rather hoping to maybe come in 3rd on this one… This is my quilt “Gravity” which is considered a Block of the Month. I don’t understand why these have to be in a separate category…. and unfortunately this style quilt cannot compare to the detailed applique quilt BOMS… and it appears that any applique trumps just pieced. More points I suppose. 5 in that grouping and the 3 that ribboned all had applique, the 2 that did not ribbon… were only pieced. I don’t even understand why something labeled a BOM has to be separate. I bought the pattern as a booklet… and the designer had 2 blocks a month for 9 months and a 10 month to assemble. I pieced and quilted in 3 months.
Lastly, Alice Sadeghpour entered her Thankful Thanksgiving quilt in Mixed Technique – Large. It did not ribbon either but it looked pretty hanging there. I’m not sure what this show defined Mixed Technique as… but I call that category as having applique, piecing, maybe embroidery or painting… something with 3 or more distinct techniques that make it unique. She has hand piecing, machine piecing and some panels used. That’s not really mixed JMHO. Now on my end … it WAS mixed LOL! I used a combination of computer custom designs and some hand guided quilting too but that should not have dictated entry into this category. Another odd thing, this show only splits Large Pieced quilts into 1 or 2 person quilts… everything else is judged together regardless if pieced or quilted by someone considered a professional or master or someone less skilled. Probably because this guild has so much talent that it is pointless to try to separate! Anyway… here is Alice’s quilt which also has not been blogged about by me. She asked that I wait until after the show.
Fun show, many thanks to the guild and their volunteers for putting on yet another fantastic show. You do not have to be a member to enter a quilt at this show which is held on the other side of Houston from me.
This is the 3rd annual event St Mary’s Catholic church has held and next year’s dates are already scheduled as a 3 day event instead of 2. Visit their site to learn more about the show and see photos of the beautiful grounds, the vendors, the café, the outdoor pavilion. The painted church and the quilts makes for a lovely day trip. Check their website HERE.
It has been so exciting to see that a client’s quilt graced the altar again this year at the show! Kathy Yeldezian’s Sedona Star. Not only front and center, but another client’s quilt hung off the banisters center stage as you were leaving the church. Lou Ellen Hassold’s Paradise in Blooms. Both of those quilts were awarded Sponsor ribbons (businesses donate a certain amount of money to help fund expenses with the show then they get the privilege to pin a ribbon on any quilt of their choosing as their favorite for whatever reason in the show).
My Amish with a Twist 3 debuted at this show. Lou Ellen’s Ring Cycles that I quilted was also displayed at this show.
The weather was beautiful, my husband and I went together and of course ran into many quilting friends to wander the grounds with. It’s only 45 minutes away from the city from my house. I just finished 3 “show” quilts in a row, barely getting the last one off the frame in time to headed out to the show with quilt in hand to present to it’s owner that I was meeting there. That afternoon was the perfect fix for all the hours I have put in on those past 3 quilts!
That is Lou Ellen’s Paradise in Bloom, The colors were perfect to match with the church!
My Amish with a Twist 3
Such a surprise to find an online longarm friend’s name from Canada in a small quilt show outside Houston, TX!
The outdoor exhibit this year featured Red White and Blue quilts. That is my husband Bob pointing to the quilt I made for him when he deployed to Afghanistan.
I did not take as many photos as last year! Do check out St Mary’s facebook page or their website. They will be highlighting quilts through out the next few months. They create beautiful books for purchase and this year there were cards for sale of last year’s show (I had 2 quilts on the pews and then Lou Ann’s amazing Paradise in Blooms on the altar). I had to purchase those cards too! I already own the book, of which a 2nd printing has already been done. This has become a very popular venue.
Many thanks to St Mary’s for supporting our quilting needs and providing us with this lovely show. Proceeds from the show stay right there locally helping those in need in that community through one of their programs.
