Gallery - QuiltCon 2016 Fabric Challenge (Michael Miller Fabrics)

This quilt was inspired by a canvas art design created using masking tape by Marji Roy. Marji in turn was inspired by the art of Victor Vasarely. Unintentionally, I seem to have chosen a shade of blue similar to painters' masking tape -- hence the name Masquerade.

The reason why I love challenges is they take me to places I might not otherwise venture towards - specifically appliqué and free motion quilting! My design rules were to use circles and maximize the inspiration fabric (Micheal Miller Platinum Quarter dot). After spending time with various sketchbook doodles, the offset geometric pattern filled the bill completely. Using paper templates, each turned circle was machine appliquéd. With minimal casual echo quilting, the piece was completed using a faced binding.

I immediately thought of the moon when I saw the Michael Miller fabric. I outlined the traditional friendship star block as the background quilting to represent the night sky.

Celebrate I Do! Designed and sewn by Pamela Gavin. I was inspired by the fabrics to celebrate the merging of families with the couple say I Do!

I started with two design goals; improv piecing and gradual color change from white to black. Playing with altered grids on EQ7, I liked the X grid and thought it reminded me of a vortex. I changed the improv block from churn dash to stars to represent white stars passing through the vortex and changing to black. To increase movement toward the vortex, I added the rays of light with fused applique and used diagonal grid quilting. Domestic machine quilting in two different shades of aqua thread adds depth.

Shattered is a quilt inspired by all the large and little challenges that surprise us in life. When first broke, life can feel torn to pieces, unbearable. But with time, mending and help, those challenges have the possibility to come together to create something new and a different kind of beauty. To all who have hurt and are willing to heal.

"Mount Monadnock 3,165 feet of granite rock. Ascended as I was welcoming 50. Most Ambitious Hike I have ever completed. It took a lot longer than we planned, my sister and I. Such a Grand Adventure! Mount Monadnock 3,165 feet of matchstick quilting. Attempted as I was welcoming 50. Most Ambitious Quilting I have ever completed. It took a lot longer than I planned, my machine and I. Such a Grand Adventure! True Stories."

I was inspired by the Michael Miller Glitz fabric to make something fun and happy. I used my favorite improvisational piecing technique and some Michael Miller solids and just went crazy. So much fun!

For this quilt, I used a simple circle design, with improv strip-piecing. I made freezer paper templates for the circle and background, then randomly cut strips and sewed them together to cover the freezer paper templates. The circle shape was machine appliqued to the background. I quilted straight, randomly spaced lines on the diagonal, somewhat following the seams in the circle. I liked the subtle plaid effect on the background, so in two of the corners I added a couple of lines of quilting in the opposite direction. I finished the edges with a facing.

I selected flying geese to maximize the fat-eighth cuts of Michael Miller's Glitz collection. I densely hand quilted in black, white and metallic silver thread.