Sunday, April 23, 2017

"Spring On The Straits" Carquinez Strait Stitchers Quilt Show, Benicia



We so enjoyed our guild's show this weekend -- along with friends who came to visit! My Mom and I had six pieces in the show:

1) This year I finally made a quilt for my own bed. I collected these luscious tropical-green batiks for a number of years, and then arranged them in 5" squares. I got the idea for the light-toward-the-center arrangement from a magazine pattern. I adore Hawaii's plumeria flowers, and used machine applique to add them. The long-arm quilting was done by Anna MacAllen, echoing the flowers and adding a wandering vine reminiscent of Maile Lei. For binding, I chose a fabric with a color and pattern like lauhala mat.
Plumeria quilt, by Holly Jessop
Holly's new bed quilt -- "Hawai'i Flowers"
2) Holly's wedding quilt for Carla and Joe deVille:
1920's quilt made as a gift for a coworker who got married last May.
Close-up of Carla's quilt, by Holly Jessop







































3) Holly's "Molly Bag":
"Molly Bag" by Holly Jessop



















4) Holly's "Bodega Bay Memories": This is a wall-hanging art quilt that incorporates pictures (printed onto fabric) from some of our many trips to Bodega Bay. We'd had this set of coordinating beach fabric for a long, long time ... and when I saw it used in a book on bargello quilts ("Instant Bargello", by Susan Kisro) I thought it was the perfect project.

But, when I made the quilt it did not come out straight (I think because I made the mistake of not alternating my seam sewing and pressing direction)! Also, it seemed kind of plain (I wasn't confident enough to do more than just stitch-in-the-ditch quilting). So, I turned a mistake into art: I separated the lower half from the upper, and rejoined them higher up such that it would hang straight, and incorporated a piece of drift wood decoration along the join.

I still felt the piece needing something ... and I happened to flipping through one of the books that we got at a C&T Publishing warehouse sale (held annually near us in Concord, CA) entitled, "Innovative Fabric Imagery For Quilts", by Cyndy Lyle Rymer. Her "Virtual Family Reunion" quilt was the perfect inspiration! So to make the piece more interesting I added the pictures and embellished them. There's ribbon, beads, shells, rocks, drift wood, and a sailor's knot that my Dad tied for me.

My other lesson from this piece was regarding use of fusible for the pictures -- with it, they show the quilting seam that's beneath. Instead, it would have been better to sew the pictures pieces on around the edges. I'd also like to press the piece a bit before it gets hung in our family room.

I was honored that they put this quilt at the top of the stairs, at the entrance to the show.
"Bodega Bay" wallhanging art quilt by Holly Jessop
"Bodega Bay" close-up. The picture is my Dad with our Ginger when she was a puppy.




 5) Anita's Ocean wallhanging:
Ocean wallhanging art quilt, by Anita Jessop
























6) Anita's Sunshine & Flowers wallhanging:
Sunshine & Flowers wallhanging art quilt, by Anita Jessop




















Anita showing her Sunshine & Flowers quilt.















2 comments:

  1. Holly & Anita,
    Those are all just gorgeous!

    I love how you saved your Bodega Bay Memories quilt from crookedness!
    --Mek

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  2. A very fun quilt show. Our quilts and wall hangings were beautiful if I say so myself.

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