MQX recap - Part 1

As promised and as I did for the past 2 years, here pictures of some of the quilts from this year's MQX East.  The gorgeous work again at this year's show was just awe inspiring and really makes me want to practice more so that maybe someday I can do this kind of work.

First up is "Magical Moments in Time" by Lois Podolny of Tuscon, AZ.  The card says that the largest kaleidoscope has 800 individually cut pieces.  Unimaginable!

I love the subtle color she used for some of the quilting that makes it stand out without overwhelming the overall design.

Next is "Impermanence" by my friend Valerie Smith of Ashtabula, OH and it won a pretty green  Faculty Award ribbon.

Until you get up close to this quilt, you don't see all of the exquisite detail of the quilting.

Valerie added just enough bling to the center mandala.  It is really stunning.

This is "Against All Odds" by Jane Hauprich of Centreville, MD and her initial goal was to use up the leftover Flying Geese she had from another project.  I'd say that this idea is very successful.

Oh such pretty quilting!

Because this quilt was not hanging on an end of a row, I couldn't get a good straight photo of it but it really is breathtaking.  It is titled "Exuberance" and it is by the seriously talented Marilyn Badger of St. George, UT.

This quilt won the Solo Artist Third Place ribbon. It was well deserved.

Pictures just can't do this quilt justice.  It is Sue McCarty's "After Hadrian" and it won the Solo Artist First Place ribbon.

Can you imagine what it took to add in all this wording in the borders that explain the center panels of the quilt?

The tiny, tiny quilting details she used are fabulous.

Cathy Wiggins of Macon, NC is well known now for her quilting with leather and this piece is just one of the fabulous creations she has made.  It is "Western Roundup" and it sports the Solo Artist Second Place ribbon.

From the response I heard during the MQX days, many people are becoming interested in trying this technique themselves.

This year one of MQX's special exhibits was the Alfred Shaheen panels which were quilted by quilters from all over the US and Canada.  These are a couple of my favorites.

This one is "Deco Garden Delights" by Deb Levy of New Orleans, LA.

And this one is "Poppies" by Mandy Applebee of Port Byron, NY.

I love how each quilter put her own personal and unique spin when she quilted her designs.

Next we have "Compass Fire" by Melissa Heys of Pepperill, MA.

The subtle color of the contrasting thread highlighted the center of the quilt nicely.

My friend Andrea Brokenshire of Round Rock, TX won a number of ribbons with her "Beauty Is In The Blues".  I saw her immediately after the awards ceremony and she was so happy she was practically floating on clouds.

Her gorgeous quilt won Wallhanging Small First Place, the Surface Design Award and a Faculty Award ribbon.  Her creations boggle the mind with the immense subtle details she incorporates into every piece.

This next quilt garnered a ton of astonished comments from everyone that saw it.  It is "Magical Toys" by Flora Joy of Johnson City, TN.  Depending on which angled you viewed it at, you saw a different image. 

I don't think anyone could figure out just how she did this.

Such a fabulous idea and so well executed!

The pretty pink Wallhanging Small Second Place ribbon is hanging on "Luminous Splendor" by my friend Heidi Merrill of Clifton Park, NY.  I can't imagine the amount of time it took her to create this masterpiece. There are 888 pieces in the center star.

Just look at all this pretty quilting.

While viewing this stunning quilt, I got to speak to it's creator and learn a bit about her dad, who is the person depicted.  This quilt is titled "Dad" and it is by Ree Fagan of Bow, NH.

It won both the Wallhanging Small Third Place and the Best Use of Thread ribbons. 

The Wallhanging Large First Place ribbon was awarded to Margaret Solomon Gunn for her "Illuminations".  She hails from Gorham, ME.

I love the dragonflies she incorporated in the outer border areas.

As always, Margaret's work is intensely detailed and well done.

One thing I've learned about attending MQX this year is that I'm not as intimidated as I was even just a year ago.  I've learned more over the past 12 months and am becoming more confident in my current skills why still wanting to work even more to get better.  That is what MQX does for me....shows me what is possible.

I have a lot more photos to show you so stay tuned for Part 2.