Final Thoughts on AQS

It's been fun looking back over the pictures I took last Saturday at the Daytona AQS Quilt Show. It was as much an art show as it was a quilt show. These quilts will never be used on beds. Rather, they will be displayed on walls in formal settings or in businesses or libraries or art galleries.  I showed you quite a few of these beauties yesterday and have just a few more to share today.

Because I am currently working on a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt, I was interested in quilts using hexies. This one is quite a work of art.  

Eobuba by Jinyoung Lee

Combining mediums in such an artful way just amazes me. The applique of the woman and child has so much movement. The uneven edges enhance that movement and the overall effect creates a breathtaking experience.

Hextesela-El Camino Azul by Carmen Maria Cambronero

The design in this quilt simply takes my breath away. The massive medallion is gorgeous, and I love the color combination. So impressive; and no, a quilt similar to this is NOT in my future. I will be satisfied to get my GFG done; plus, I must get back to business on Lake Effect, so no. No. No.

Super Moon and Tokyo Tower by Noriko Misawa

This incredible quilt was hard for me to photograph satisfactorily because I couldn't get close enough to really zoom in on the hexies. The bottom picture zooms in on a 3-D part of the reddish 'swish' across the quilt. Those are hexies and they are INSIDE OUT! Yeah. They are stitched onto that quilt upside down. Strange, but such a cool way to add dimension to a quilt. The color variations are so artistically handled, especially in the dark border, which I zoom in on in the middle picture. Really lovely.

The AQS and their sponsors host various sub-categories of contests or specialty efforts. For this show (and possibly more; I don't know the typical methods they offer), one sub-catgory that captured my interest was the Cherrywood Challenge: Poppy - The Petal. Cherrywood is apparently a maker and/or seller of hand-died fabrics. This was a popular challenge with dozens of entries. 

And some close-ups:

 

Other special challenges or categories included "Name That Tune," Medallion Inspirations," (I actually shared a couple of those yesterday) and the AQS Creative Challenge: "My Dream ____ Cabana." Quilters made a very small wall hanging and filled in the blank - like my beach cabana or my farm cabana or my mountain cabana. Here's the link to all the challenges.

One last specialty exhibit in the show featured quilters Pat Holly and Sue Nickels who happen to be sisters! Their quilts were beautiful! I took a few pictures of their quilts. All of their quilts had QR codes on the labels which sent viewers to a YouTube program in which the sisters are interviewed about the quilts. I have found and added the links to three of the videos which are enlarged under three of the pictures below.

Blue Tips on Pink Skies by Sue Nickels

 

Tea at Tenby by Pat Holly & Sue Nickels

Paisley Peacock by Pat Holly

 

Le Panier de Fleurs by Sue Nickels

Saffron Splendor by Pat Holly

The YouTube videos are all done by AQS on their channel. I will watch for the remaining videos and share them if/when I find them.

I need to make a couple of additional notes to yesterday's post. Several of the quilts I shared yesterday were actually winners in various categories of judging. Click this link to see all the winners, including the handful that I included. 

And best of all, the Best of Show for this whole event was Heartwarming Days. AQS has posted a YouTube interview with the quiltmaker, Aki Sakai which I think you will enjoy. She reveals how long it took her to make her award-winning quilt - she was certainly dedicated in her efforts. Watch to find out. *grin*

And now, my friends, I believe I have shared the AQS quilt show at Daytona in about as much detail as I can. It had been many years since I last attended a national quilt show, and I hope I can plan on going again next year.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Quilt Week at Daytona Beach

Don't think for a minute that I spent a whole week at the AQS quilt show. No, that was the name of the show - Quilt Week. 

Here is the website for AQS where you can learn which other cities across the US are having Quilt Week shows. I learned from a reader that one will be in Grand Rapids, MI, in August. Of course, there are others.

I went to the Facebook page for Daytona AQS and found that many of the quilts I took pictures of are also shared on their page. So I won't put as many on this post as I could. Believe me - I took over 80 pictures! So many gorgeous quilts and absolutely stunning, meticulous craftsmanship! I am totally impressed by the exquisite level of perfection, and at the same time, absolutely not inspired to do anything similar in my own quilting. I remain content to crank out 9-patch quilts, churn dash quilts, Ohio star quilts, and so on with the same level of completion as I've always had.

Let's being the parade! On to the pictures!

Birdsville by Judy Ballance

This struck me for two reasons: one, it reminds me of Sue Spargo-like quilts; two, my cousin Marilyn would totally be up for making a quilt like this. 

Filigree Calligraphy by Janet Stone

I have to add a close-up of this one. The detail is amazing. Click on the picture; that will probably enlarge it for you.

 

Supraspinatus's Swan Song by Margaret E. Solomon Gunn

Again, a close-up is necessary. Dense quilting; beautiful design; spot-on color choices; embellished to perfection.

Watermelon Sugar by Amy Pabst

The close-up for this one will show you how thin the sections of the log cabins are; in addition, it's worth noting that the fabrics are silks. 

 

Millefleur by Jan Hutchison

This is thread work, not applique. Amazing.

 

And There Is More by Inger C. Blood

Of particular note on this close-up: the blues in the log cabin blocks are all Kaffe Fassett fabrics (I believe), the quilting is exquisite; the border has both prairie points and 3-D loops of some sort. A-maz-ing.

Heartwarming Days by Aki Sakai

 

Noteworthy in this close-up: the tiny applique; the tiny yo-yos; the 3-D elements (there's a fridge at the upper right edge with a door that opens and food inside); the decorative outer border. I cannot fathom the time it took for this woman to make this quilt.

Six Hours in Arles by Ruth Ohol

 

This appeals to me for the incredible quilting, that impressive swirly border, and the skillful blending of neutral colors.

Coming up next are other quilts I liked, but did not get ribbons.

Cabin on the Beach by Mindy Skinner

 This quilt simply speaks to me of all things Florida. I'd make something like this for a bed here at our winter house.

Coral Reef by Penny Powell

Zoom in on this one, if you can, to see the amazing quilting done in all these rings. I thought of my pals in the Frankfort Girls group; we have had an ongoing discussion about Double Wedding Ring quilts; Jan has even made one; the rest of us are leery or downright opposed to making one.

Twilight Garden by Patty Nelson

Amazing applique and it's done on a black background, which I found interesting. Not something I would have thought to do, that's for sure.
 

Flower Carnival by Naomi Otomo

This was such a unique, happy design; I love the way it is bordered; I love the sprightly nature of the swags and the bursts from each point. It suggests lots of movement - sort of like a May Day celebration.

Enchanted by Dawn Siden & Joyce Grafe

Another quilt using a black background. I particularly like the vivid, almost electric blue ribbon effect encircling the design and how that same color is used in the corners and the borders.

Enough for today. I have one more post about the AQS Daytona show to share. I'll have it ready in the next day or two.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne