2012 Vermont Quilt Festival: Through the Eyes of a Child

My daughter and her American Girl Doll thoroughly enjoyed our time at the 2012 Vermont Quilt Festival. Here are their favorites from the day.

My Daughter says, "Marie Grace (the doll) likes this quilt because she thinks the pink and purple go well together."

"Zen Garden" earned maker, Margaret Solomon Gunn of Gorhom, ME the Best Mixed Media award as well as a second place red ribbon. Margaret calls this a carpenter's star "surrounded with Asian inspired floral vines and whimsical butterflies." It was an original creation from stash fabrics.

"I like this quilt because I really like duckies. They go 'Quack, Quack, Quack.'"

"Just Ducky" by Patti Adams Wadsworth of Parish, FL is a pattern adaptation from the American Patchwork and Quilting magazine, December 2009. It earned a third place yellow ribbon.

"We like this quilt a lot because the bee in the middle is the Queen Bee. We like honey and bees too."

"Mind Your Own Beeswax" is, as maker Hope Johnson from Shelburne, VT explains, "an original design showing the layers of the beehive. Starting at the four corners and moving inward are capped honey, open honey, capped larvae, open larvae, open pupae, and egg cells." It was the Judge's Choice from Kimberly Einmo.

"Marie Grace and I like this picture because it looks like a pretty garden. We like the butterflies, sparkles and the palm tree too."

"A Punny Thing Happened on the Way Through the Garden" is Karen Viega of North Millerica, MA, "a fantasy garden where the flowers are all literal interpretations of their common names." You will notice little tigers in the lilies, small hands in the palm tree and, my favorite-- the little trumpets in the Trumpet Vine climbing the fence!

"We LOVE this one............because the little fairies are children who eat cupcakes like us."

Dominique Ehrmann's creation, "Sweet Memories" come from Ste. Sophie, QC.  It is a fantastic three dimensional creation from the double challenge: "to create a whimsical chocolate cake factory and piece a third quilt that was within the quilt show general rules." This was the result! WOW!

"My brother likes fish because they swim a lot and he can say 'Fishy, Fishy, Fishy'," comments my little quilt enthusiast.

Jo Digg's "A Full Tank" comes from the VQF 2012 Instructor's Showcase.

"Marie Grace likes this quilt because the bunny looks funny rolling upside down when he tries to get his carrot."

Lastly, "The Best Things in Life are Free" won the award for Most Whimsical Quilt at the 2012 Vermont Quilt Festival. Janet Cohen and Linda Vizi from Moorestown, NJ wrote this about their fun quilt, "This original design was inspired by a continual vigil to keep our crops safe from local rabbits who believe in the motto 'The Best Things in Life are Free'".

Special thanks to Marie Grace and my little quilter for being with me at this wonderful show. Maybe next year we will have a "Mommy and Me" quilt entry!!!

Vermont Quilt Festival 2012

This past weekend I traveled to Essex Junction, Vermont to attend the 2012 Vermont Quilt Festival. My daughter and I had a great time.

Upon arriving we meet up with my Mother-in-law who said, 

"Do you want to see your quilt?" 

"Yes, yes!" So off we went to the miniature quilt section. At first I couldn't see the tag with a bright blue ribbon, just my quilt. Then I saw it!  What a thrill! 

I believe I stood there and repeated over and over again, "It's blue! It's really blue!"

"Little Hospitality" (featured with great details in my October 2011 post) earned 95 out of a possible 100 points in the areas of Visual Impact, Design and Workmanship at this show.

There were a total of 16 miniature quilts in the competition this year. Of the group there was one purple ribbon for Exceptional Merit (a quilt earning 98 points or above), 6 First Place blue ribbons (earning 94-97 points), 2 Second Place red ribbons (earning 90-93 points) and 3 Third Place yellow ribbons (earning 85-89 points).

What awesome company to keep!

This is "Duffer" by Patty Williams of Plessis, NY.

He earned an Exceptional Merit ribbon and the Best Miniature Quilt award.

In the Vermont Quilt Festival, miniature quilts are defined as those which "reflect miniaturization and have a perimeter equal to or less than 113 inches."

The quilt above is called "Pachisi Galaxy" by Gail B. Frenz of Brant Lake, NY. She comments that it is an original design and once on paper reminded her of the childhood game Parcheesi. She originally drew it to be a 40 inch square, but enjoyed the challenge of making it miniature.

This earned a Second Place ribbon.

 

This is the "Lost Luggage Blues." Janet Jaffe of Westford, VT commented, "This is what happens when you and your sewing machine arrive at a quilting retreat but your clothing and fabric don't!"

HA!  It earned a Third Place ribbon.

"No Slices! Fuggedaboutit!" was a Empire Quilters Guild Challenge: Landmarks of New York by Betsy Vinegrad of Short Hills, NJ. She writes, "No visit to New York is complete without a visit to a "landmark" pizzeria." This stunning piece has over 800 pieces in it. WOW!

"Mirror of Galadriel" by Tess Ellwood of Proctorville, VT is a stunning First Prize winning foundation-pieced mandala. Amazing!!

The miniatures on display were just lovely. Here are two photos of the layout.

"From the Garden of the Giants" by Anne Standish of Cambridge, VT comes this stunningly rich piece. Anne writes, "The dark brown vintage Marimekko backing inspired a deep tropical jungle image; it is an original design utilizing silks, bead, and foil."

Stunning and well deserving of that First Prize ribbon.

So sorry that I couldn't photograph and feature every quilt.

There will be more to come as inspiration from the 2012 Vermont Quilt Festival.

Can you tell This Quilting Mama is excited?!