Inspiration and Appreciation

WARNING -- lots of pictures -- few words!  While cleaning up my iPhoto files, I came across a lot of pictures from quilt shows and I just love the variety of quilts and techniques.  Since I don't have a lot of progress to show from this week, I thought I'd share some quilts that I think are lovely -- and that provide inspiration to me.

Check out the first quilt.  If this doesn't prove that all kinds of disparate fabrics can be used to create a spectacular quilt -- I don't know what does!  There are calicos, florals, lame', plaids, etc.  And the design works -- at least for me.

Striking!!!!  Colors, design, values all work.

I hope you can see a close of up this quilt.  It was amazing.  I would never ever consider undertaking a piece like this - but I can certainly admire it!

This was a close up of the trapunto and quilting.  Check out the threads used for the quilting as well as the embroidery that was used to enhance it.

Hollis Chatelain.   Need I say more?

Loved the quilting on this one.  Check out that detail...

Just loved this one!  Process is not hard -- but the choice of fabrics is spectacular.  Notice how the motifs flow from one block to the other in a positive-negative way.

Beautiful, right?  Guess what...it's the BACK to the quilt below.....

Jaw-dropping!

These little babies finished at 1.5", I think.  Isn't this something?  I know some of you have made this or a similar quilt before.  Kudos to you!!!

Same here.  Different quilt -- different year.  Same amount of detail....  Wow!

I couldn't leave this quilt when I saw it.  These little logs are satin and finish at 1/2" each.  This is from the late 1800's I think (won't bet my first born on that) and had been put up and was perfectly preserved.  The light just shimmered off these fabrics.  I can't tell you how many times I kept coming back to this.  I bow to this quilt maker.

I loved this.  I keep thinking about what I want to do with my ethnic (particularly African) fabrics and I keep coming back to this.  I think the string blocks were brilliant and a great counterbalance to the ovals.

Just love it.

This was a striking quilt.  From a distance, it appeared to be simply a blue/white quilt.  But up close, the "blues" were all over the place and they worked.  This is definitely on my "to do" list.

I love quilt shows. I like the samples.  I love the vendors!  I like seeing the "in" techniques/colors/fabrics (can you tell that small intricate pieced quilts were vogue one year?).  But I get most of my inspiration from walking around the exhibits and marveling at the creativity, patience, color sense, and talent of quilters when I see the finished product.  As you can imagine, this is just a little sampling of pictures I've taken -- and doesn't include all those wonderful quilts where photos aren't allowed.

What about you - what do you enjoy most at quilt shows?  I hope this has been a week of great inspiration for you!