Link to All Iron Quilter Info...and Pics of Awesome Quilts from GVQC Show

http://www.cs.rit.edu/~kar/ironquilter2011/

Since I couldn't say it better, click on this link to a great explanation of Iron Quilter and great pictures Margaret Reek's husband Ken took throughout the competition. As a participant I didn't get to look around much and appreciate being able to see what went on while my eyes were cast on my own piece in the machine!
You will also see pics of the entire 20 quilts made in 3 1/2 hours. They are very impressive. In retrospect I regret not buying at auction, to benefit Gilda's Club, a couple pieces.
I really liked this one by Kris Gedeon. She is in the Twin Cities Quilt Guild I just joined. She chose "Dreaming" as her theme. I have to find out her process. It's cool.

One other person chose "The Diet" too. I liked what Jeanne Simpson created. It stands on its own.

GVQC also had on display a small Hoffman Challenge exhibit. It was a garment/accessory challenge as opposed to the quilt display. This beaded bag was great.

And for my Crazy Quilting friends...this bag. I have some friends that do really good work. Challenge winning work!
This quilt show actually had over 1000 pieces, big and small, on display! Wow, it was overwhelming. So much beauty and creativity to take in. I know many of my friend left feeling the same way! There were traditional, art quilts, wall hangings, garments, special exhibits and attractions like Iron Quilter and a runway show of Priscilla Kibbe's intricate impressive garments. I had Priscilla come to Museum Quilt Guild last year with this trunk show.
Here are a few quilts that I especially liked.

Marcia Decamp. She is a very accomplished art quilter.

I don't know who made this. Thought I would be able to read the labels, but nope.

Pat Pauly's Diamond Ring challenge quilt. Love those screen printed circle's. 

This little quilt is so cool! The background was thin scraps of strips woven together with yo-yo's. Kate Martin was admiring it with me and mentioned how "Carnival" it looked! Yes it does! (Carnival is the guild challenge this year. Apparently some people don't understand)

I had a very small bit of fabric in this show....literally...the slice of Convulvulous at the 2-4 o'clock. My art quilt group tackled this group project last year. I used the snippet/tulle technique.

I wish I had a better picture of this. It was gorgeous. "Fire" by Caris Burton. 

My friend Martha's original design using Jane Sassaman piecing technique. I love this quilt. She should market the pattern!

I love all the little line piecing. I want to try some of these improvisational little bits.

My friend Elaine's original design using a photo printed to fabric. It has dimension and as her style, wonderful emachine quilting. It is a gorgeous piece.

My friend Mary Lee's life size picture quilt won3rd prize! Her son Jesse is the big guy. Around the left side and top Mary Lee sketchy stitched various wrestling moves. It is truly awesome. She really has a knack for capturing faces and her use of value is masterful. We have a program in September scheduled for her to share her secrets and techniques with us....workshop after. Looking forward to learning about this!

The woman that made this quilt had many pieces displayed, all using this large photo printing. I love her quilting. I want to know how she has this done. Apparently she sends images to an online company that prints them this large to fabric. So cool. What possibilities in that!

This traditional pieced quilt is such a strong graphic piece. I would love to say I made this! Beautiful.

This is for my HGTV friends that have all caught the "Twister" bug. 

The best use of ties in a quilt ever!

And this number that was in Quilter's Newsletter in 2007. Love it.

These were just a few of my favorites. It was a spectacular show. 

I have a few projects that have deadlines in the next month or so. 

1. A quilt for Alzheimer's auction. I am stitching and beading a CQ pieced bit with Kaffe Fassett fabrics. 
2.   My page for Art Quilt Group. We took a picture of our choosing and isolated a small area to recreate in a 12" x 12"(approx.) page of texture. So far I have needle felted with my embellishing machine, added some big beads and machine quilted. I still have to sew on some disk beads to finish that up.
3. Alter a book. My AFF group is moving on to our next RR. We will take an old book and begin the round by setting the them/tone of our own book. Each of us will complete the front and back cover and start the inside. Cool fun! So many idea's. 
4. Thearica, on HGTV message board is hosting a challenge to interpret in any way, the flower picture above. I have a base pieced. I have a couple idea's for the flowers. I love that this challenge has NO RULES~. Due July 4th.
5. I have signed on to Nicki's CQ Summer challenge. She will be mailing out 5 bits of lace that we all will incorporate into a CQ piece. We will be keeping them for ourselves in the end, which really allows your to think of your own aesthetic. 

So as you can see I will be busy! This with the wedding creating that will be pressing come August. I have to come up with a great fabric flower, rhinestone brooches, ribbon bouquet and corsages that will not be ordinary. No worries!