Pillowcases & Quilt Show

Most of last week was rainy, so my main focus was on sewing pillowcases. I'm trying to make pillowcases ahead so I have plenty on hand for gifts or, hopefully, a good supply for Christmas. I completed 12 cotton pillowcases and 5 flannel ones. If you need a pattern, Connecting Threads has a free pattern for Magic Pillowcases you can download. Shabby Fabrics has a tutorial you can watch if you want more instructions

I haven't prepped any more of my applique projects, but I do have an applique project to work on. Every year my quilt guild provides a quilt for the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale. The charity committee has started preliminary work for the 2018 quilt. They asked I would applique 2 of the blocks to preview the fabric choices. I've completed first block and will work on the 2nd one Sunday afternoon. 

Last Sunday, some friends and I headed to Archbold, OH to the 40th Sauder Quilt Show. This isn't an AQS quilt show, more of a hometown show but the quality is still great.

I had submitted 3 quilts and I was thrilled to see my Jane at the front, greeting people  when they came in the door. She had a 3rd place ribbon!









Red Radiance also had a 3rd place ribbon . . .

And my Grandmother's Flower Garden had a 2nd placing.

A couple other ladies from the Maple Leaf Guild also exhibited. Rhoda Troyer's Flower Garden received a 2nd place. She hand pieced using 1/2" hexies.

Lynn Nelson received 3rd place honors with her Phoebe.

Lynn was brave and also participated in the Sauder Challenge. She didn't receive a placing but it was neat to see all the challenge quilts. Here is her version.

I have a variety of quilts to show you. Some won awards and some didn't. This is a small representation of the several hundred quilts in the show. I have information on some of the quilts but not all. Enjoy the show!

Best of Show - Wall Quilt
Best Longarm/Midarm Machine Quilting - Bunnies

Made by Rita Frost

The quilting on this quilt was beautiful.

Best of Show - Bed Quilt & Best Hand Quilted - Jacobean Applique & Peacock - made by Catherine Lewis

This quilt was absolutely gorgeous. Excellent needle turn applique and her quilting stitches were perfect. Black thread on black fabric. 

Judges Choice & Honorable Mention Appliqued Wall quilt, machine quilted - Chocolate Mint Sunday - made by Melissa Lamb

This was the winner in the hexie Challenge, My Grandmother's Flower Garden by Karen Poulson.

There were probably at least 20 participants in the challenge. There was such a crowd and I only got a few of the quilts.

This wall-quilt wasn't part of the hexie challenge. This little quilt was made with 1/4" hexies by Sharon Bannister.







Other quilts I liked -

This was a row by row quilt on both sides! Somehow the quilter quilted each side individually then put it together. It only felt like 1 batt in the center. It was really neat.

The front side.

And the back side.

I can't imagine how long it took to applique all these baskets. This was a full size quilt!

The clam shell quilting was just perfect for this quilt.

This pattern is Country Roads; patterns & kits were available in the quilt shop last year. There were at least 4 quilts made from kits in the show. I'd like to see this quilt made in another colorway.

This quilt didn't win an award but I love the modern, simplicity of it. I see some quilts from this design in my future.

She had a brief explanation of how she made the quilt. 

Did I buy anything at Sauders? Of course I did! I bought some 30's fabrics for my Sweet Surrender quilt and this mug from the pottery shop. 

I also bought the pattern, My Checkered Past - Whirligig Designs. The quilt on the pattern cover is in red & gold but I like the quilt on display in the quilt shop better.

They had kits available but I have plenty of fabric to make this quilt with my own colors.

I wonder how many quilts from this pattern will be in the show next year?

I'm linking up to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching, Quilting is More Fun than Housework, Love Laugh Quilt, Em's Scrapbag, Quilt Story, Esther's Wednesday WOW!, My Quilt Infatuation, A Quilting Reader's Garden, Crazy Mom Quilts