And now for the quilts (IQA Long Beach 2011)…

I love this fun tree quilt from the West Coast Wonders 2011 exhibit. It’s neat how you can peek through the leaves. Scroll down to see the wildlife on the back side.

California Beauty
by Felisa C. Lyons
La Habra Heights, CA

From the Hands All Around 2010: International Quilts is a candy-colored applique picture quilt. What a yummy stash Rachel must have!

Village in Galilee
by Rachel Covo
Ramat Hasharon, Israel

And here’s an amazing yo-yo quilt from the Festival Gallery of Quilt Art: Wonders of the World. Be sure to take a look at the detail below the quilt. Painting a picture with yo-yos would be a fun and challenging technique to try. Making all those yo-yos would also be a great take-along project.

Grace
by Shin-hee Chin
McPherson, Kansas

This year I white gloved at the SAQA exhibits, Creative Force 2010 and Sightlines. On my two-hour shift it was my privilege to not only share these beautiful quilts with visitors, but also to get to know the quilts better myself.

Sometimes at quilt shows we get so caught up in seeing everything that we don’t really see what we’re looking at before we snap a photo and rush on to the next wonderful thing so we can take it all in and finish our shopping before the bus leaves. It’s refreshing to take a deep breath, relax, slow down, and examine each detail with your own eyes.

Here’s a video from Luana Rubin of eQuilter.com showing some highlights of these two SAQA exhibits when they were at IQA Houston 2010. See more quilt show videos on the eQuilter video webpage. Or you can check the SAQA exhibitions webpage to find out if these exhibits are coming to a venue near you.

And finally a quote from quilt artist Desiree Habicht, whose quilt was displayed in The Space Between exhibit (Like the SAQA exhibits, no photography was allowed, but the quote is almost as lovely as her quilt).

“In art, the space between allows us a place to rest our eyes. In life it can be the calm between the storms or events. The space between can refer to a positive or negative or a reflection of what is really there.”

Summer and IQA Long Beach go hand in hand for a terrific time. And this year’s Festival of Quilts did not disappoint. More on the fabulous quilts later. First, the shopping: mola shoes from Kuna Prints. These vibrant, one-of-a-kind shoes are hand made by the Kuna Indians using recycled mola fabrics.

Comfortable and stylish enough for a hike through the largest of quilt exhibits, they’re fair trade and vegan too. The only problem is … which pair to choose?

Find out more about mola shoes, sign up for a newsletter, or order your own fab pair of mola shoes on the Kuna Prints website. Or follow Kuna Prints on Facebook and Twitter.

What’s your favorite pair?
More about molas

Seven Steps To…..
by Lora Libigs Colby

Each of the double-sided leaves were first stitched around the outside edge, then sewn down to the quilt through the center vein, giving the quilt a wonderful touch of dimension.

Sunny Side Up
by Timna Tarr

This quilt was inspired by an 1840s quilt. I love the lively color palette and the attention to detail in the binding.

Rooted Series VII: Aquifer
by Kristin La Flamme

This quilt has a deeper meaning about home and roots, but it’s also just plain fun to look at with all the hand-painted details.

I Pray
by Harumi Iida

With some careful planning and piecing, a Log Cabin block becomes a Shinto shrine. Very artistic, and anything but ordinary!

Thanks for joining me on my virtual quilt show tour of red quilts. Have you ever made a red quilt? Please share a link, I’d love to see it!

]]> http://blog.laurawestkong.com/2010/08/13/long-beach-2/feed/ 0 http://blog.laurawestkong.com/2010/05/14/virtual-fiber-art-show/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=virtual-fiber-art-show http://blog.laurawestkong.com/2010/05/14/virtual-fiber-art-show/#comments Fri, 14 May 2010 23:15:18 +0000 laura west kong http://blog.laurawestkong.com/?p=1762 Continue reading →]]> It’s a beautiful weekend for an art show. If there are none near you, you’re not out of luck. Here’s part two of your virtual tour of Fiber 2010. (Click here for part one)

Destinations – 2007 (Fiber, 25″x21″)
Cindy Rinne

Destinations – detail
I love the way Cindy’s poetry and fiber art go hand in hand!

Earth, Air, Fire, Water – 2007 (Fiber & wood, 50″x72″)
Regina Vorgang

Awaken – 2009 (Fiber mixed media, 13″x23″)
Maureen M. Cox

Midnight – 2008 (Wool, indigo, 12″x19″)
Michael F. Rohde

Possibilities – 2008 (Art quilt, 24.5″x19.5″)
Charlotte S. Bird

Entwined Copper Midnight – 2009 (Woven wire & copper, 24″x66″x5″)
Susan McGehee

Entwined Copper Midnight – detail
It’s amazing how fabric-like the copper and wire becomes!

Salt Wells – 2009 (Textile, 40″x14″)
Deborah Weir

Burnout Sampler – 2009 (Cotton; pieced, burnt, hand & machine stitching, 14″x15″)
Susan Lasch Krevitt

Burnout Sampler – detail
Check out the way the fabric is mounted on the gallery canvas, so lovely!

And now for some really non-traditional art materials:

Sorry Try Again – 2008 (Mixed Media, 18″x18″)
Susan Lasch Krevitt

Bound to Happen – 2009 (Metal, 24″x24″)
Meredith Strauss

Bound to Happen – detail
Clever use of binder clips, one of my all-time favorite office supplies, now art supply!

Thanks for joining me on my virtual fiber art show. I hope you enjoyed it. Don’t forget to sign the virtual guest book.

Have a creative day!

]]> http://blog.laurawestkong.com/2010/05/14/virtual-fiber-art-show/feed/ 5 http://blog.laurawestkong.com/2010/01/18/muse-monday-road-2-ca/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=muse-monday-road-2-ca http://blog.laurawestkong.com/2010/01/18/muse-monday-road-2-ca/#comments Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:36:50 +0000 laura west kong http://blog.laurawestkong.com/?p=1331 Continue reading →]]> While I enjoy the big picture looking at paintings and quilts, what I am most intrigued by are the close-up details: the brush strokes and stitches, the weave of the fabric and the facets of the embellishments. So direct from Ontario, California, I bring you a close-up look at the details of a few of my favorite quilts. I hope you are as fascinated and inspired as I am by these intricate works of art from Road to California 2010.

Vases by Suzanne Marshall, MO

What I love most about Suzanne’s prize-winning quilt is the way she outlined each applique piece with hand embroidery.

The Sky’s the Limit by Linda MacDougall, CA

Linda MacDougall pays such attention to each exquisite detail in all her quilts. (Her Garden Party quilt won 2nd place in the Innovative Traditional category. You should be able to see it and the other winners soon on the Road to California website.) Notice the beads and crystals she used for the tiniest ice cream scoops.

I also like the way the iridescent sheer changes the colors of the fabric underneath it.

Flowers Galore by Cindy Shoop, CA

These pieced center circles look like stacked cover buttons or dimensional applique. It really makes a difference compared to plain circles.

Inner Beauty by Cathleen Miller, NM

Look at how the trapunto flowers and leaves tie the appliqued borders into the rest of this magnificent quilt.

When you take a closer look, you’ll see that it’s details like these that take a great quilt and make it a fantastic quilt! Visit the Road to California website to see photos of the rest of this year’s winning quilts.

At most quilt shows, the quilts are hung on draped black fabric. What might those same quilts look like in an art gallery or museum setting? Take a look and find out! (Gallery/Museum backdrops by Photofunia)

The Line Between Warm and Cool
by Joanell Connolly

Edge of Information: A Cityscape of Paper and Cloth

Leaves of Grass
by Betty Amador

Pointless Possibilities
by Jamie Fingal

The Cubist’s Edge
by Frances Holliday Alford

19th Century Patchwork Divas

Spiraling Geese
by Arlene Heintz

Hawaii Sunset – 1845
by Linda Wilkey
quilted by Dana Goyer

Reincarnated
Recycled double bed quilt by Lois Cowan
A true quilt … made from clothing to create a useable quilt. Made from two pairs of jeans and four shirts. The maroon is a sheet. The batting is a mattress pad. Backing is a duvet. I needed another dark color so the gray around the border. I dug out the gray plaid shirt and began cutting, when my husband said … “But I still like that shirt.” “Oh well, now you can really enjoy it.”

Days of Wine and Roses
Wall quilt by Marguerette Tate
Grandmother’s Mother’s linens (napkins/small tablecloth) background/backing. Used ribbons for grapes and binding. Mother’s scarf for roses. Lace center from old lampshade. Family jewelry for beads. This challenge was fun! Corks from “2 Buck Chuck”, not from gifts.

Literally Green
Wall quilt by Violet Vaughnes
Made from my collection of men’s neckties. Batting is necktie interfacing and a baby’s receiving blanket. Backing is a shirt from Salvation Army Thrift Store. Pattern is “Boston Lettuce” from Pieced Vegetables by Ruth McDowell.

Pizza & Coke
Wall quilt by Lily Marie Amaru
This piece came from my love of pizza and Coke. The idea started with collecting Coke cans and etc. from around the world for about 15 years. My favorite pizza is from Pizza Hut. The ideas kept coming and being refined until this piece Pizza and Coke materialized.

In the Garden
Wall quilt by Marguerette Tate
So much fun — old linens, coasters for wine glasses (flowers), cuff links, earrings, pins and family jewelry — beads, old cheesecloth (flowers). I used fabric ink for dye.

Sewing Room Floor Massacre
Wall (floor) quilt by Donna Gaston
Often times while sewing in my room the dogs are playing. But when it’s been quiet for awhile I realize something’s up. And usually this is what I find.

Jean Jacket
Recycled pair of jeans by Lois Cowan
Made from just one pair of jeans. Everything, but the front pockets were used. While attending Chaffey College fashion classes, we were assigned to design a wearable garment from a pair of jeans. This was my design and it placed second in the California State Community College Fashion classes Denim Deconstruction Contest.

I Love Coke
Wearable by Lily Marie Amaru
Working with Coke cans and other fun ideas I have made several of these vests. My collection of Coke memorabilia is displayed throughout my home and this vest is my wearable to display my Coke pins and caps that have been collected from all over the world.

Grandpa and Grandson Matching Outfits
Child’s shirt and jeans by Lois Cowan
Taking the idea from the Fons and Porter ad … the two women that are always cutting up the husband’s shirts and pants. I made Grandpa and Grandson matching outfits. But I don’t think Grandpa is going outside in his outfit.

Turn Me Over — One More Time
Shopping bag by Marlene Padavick
Using the socks with holes (my husband’s) and the gardening gloves (mine) was the start. The denim pockets from granddaughter’s discarded jeans sent me on to pieces of beach towels, dish towels, and plastic bag from our travels. Then lastly the single earrings, bottle caps and a broken watch completed it.
And of course, my upcycled quilt:
Quilt-cycle Sampler
Wall quilt by Laura West Kong
Quiltmaking has a long tradition of reusing materials. In Quilt-cycle Sampler I used a variety of old clothing and linens. I couldn’t resist adding some fun and unusual recycled materials as well: plastic grass sushi garnish, a souvenir keychain, pieces of old jewelry, broken baby sunglasses, buttons off the old clothes, fused plastic shopping bags, part of a juice pouch and clear vinyl packaging, used stamps from around the world, and a painted dryer sheet.

Finally, instead of challenge ribbons, I made cell phone charms out of recycled vintage fabric and beads as souvenirs for each participant.
Quilt green! =(^_^)=

This lively portrait quilt is Hanging by a Thread by a group of 10 quilters (Penny Abnet, Audrey Prothero, Norine Jones, Ann Zabriskie, Margie Smith, Phyllis Lund, Nanine, Bonnie Keller, Marie Kaiser and Mary Fran McClure). Yes, it is done in Kaffe Fassett fabrics

—what a fun way to use your Kaffe collection! Below is a detail showing how the quiltlets were connected, solid black fabric strips with novelty yarns for embellishment.

Sorok by Melisse Laing has 40 blocks connected by torched chain. Sorok is 40 in Russian. I love how the light yellow fabric glows. Below you can kind of see the chain connectors.

Finally something new for me … yarn at quilt shows! Maybe it’s always been there and I’d just never noticed before, or maybe it truly is new. Either way, finding delicious fabric, beads and yarn all in one place, what could be better?

This Olympus Silk Bijou Saya is a yummy hand-dyed silk-cotton-rayon blend. It even shimmers in the photo. The 3 mini balls of yarn were too cute to resist. It is a little thinner and shinier than regular sashiko thread, thinner than sock yarn, and says “Knitting Yarn” on the package. I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do with them, since “knitting” in Japanese could mean anything from actual knitting, to crochet, to embroidery, basically anything you might do with yarn. I don’t think it’s thick enough for amigurumi, but you never know. Maybe I’ll try it out and make a really tiny doll. Or I could use it for big stitch quilting. Any ideas?