Wins, Waters and Wisdom (Math)

Let's start with the good news. Shall we?  Here are the winners of the American Hustle? Orphan Adoption Event.

American Hustle Top - Cindy
Pigma Micron Pens - PK_Sews
Mini Wacky Web Template - Shelley

I will send you emails asking for your postal address, so that I can ship your items to you.
Karen, even though you did not win the quilt top, I will send you another quilt top to finish.  The cause of Marine mothers giving up their babies for adoption touched my heart.

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The theme of the 2016 Quilt Show challenge is "Virginia's Beautiful Waters".  
Here is my entry.

Skipped a Stone

The challenge - Create a quilt that best expresses your idea of the theme - Virginia's Beautiful Waters.  It can be an art, pictorial quilt or a quilt in "theme related" colors such as blues for ocean, white & green for waterfalls in the woods, green & brown for "Dismal Swamp", etc. 

Texture in the Sun (Wood Grain quilting near the bottom right)

The quilt uses 2.5" strips of blues/teals/aqua with white strips.  The blocks were created using the 
Missouri Star Quilt Company's tutorial - Summer in the Park.  

Walking Foot Quilting

I loved the blocks and the various possibilities of arranging them.  I started with placing four blocks making a colored square (at 45 degrees) in the middle.  That became the focal point. After that, I placed blocks all around as if they were rippling out from the center.

Gentle Curves

It did take a few iterations to get it right here.  In the end, everyone who saw it said nice things about it.  Either they really liked it, or they are being incredibly kind :-)

Sunny & Rippled (May favorite picture)

I believe that the slightly off-center design creates more interest.  The layout of the blocks creates concentric waves, but more angular than circular.  When it came to naming the quilt, I did not want to go with the obvious - Ripples or Waves.

Radiating outwards

Fortunately, that night Paul was watching the French movie "Amelie". When I saw Amelie skipping stones, I found the name - Skipped a Stone.

Blue, Aqua, Teal & Navy = YAY!!!

The choice of the border was definitely tricky.  Wanted to make sure that it was neither blue nor white, so as to keep the focus in the main quilt.  Any color from the warm side of the color wheel would be too distracting. A medium gray (thin) and a wide batik (navy+aqua) worked just perfectly.  Did you notice that the batik print looks like aqua droplets on navy background.

Off Center Focus

I love the navy and aqua grouping. I am sure you will be seeing it a lot more :-D right here.
The quilt top finished at about 57" by 70".  A wide backing acquired from Connecting Threads (on the 40% off sale day YIPPEE), was my choice. Yes it is very Christmassy.

Winter/Christmas Backing

This way it is Summer in the front and Winter in the back.
The batting is Warm & Natural.  Quilted in gently waving lines, with a few wood grain like curves.  Someday, I will learn FMQ. For now, thanks to Jacquie Gering, I do not have to send my quilts to a longarmer.  I can do this.

Finished!!!

The binding is aqua solid which works beautifully with the front and does fine with the backing.

You make me happy!

One more picture.  When I was piecing and squaring, while trimming the pinked edges, I noticed a tiny heart shaped bit of fabric.  Had to capture that picture :-)

Yes, I love this one.

I heart YOU!!!

The Quilt Show is June 3 - 5, 2016 in Chantilly, VA.  I will be volunteering a couple of the days, just so that I can stand near my quilt and watch folks react to it.  Is that too self-absorbed?  Please let me know.

I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties!!!
 
Here is a peek into my loot.  Acquired these Good Neighbors (Amanda Jean Nyberg) fat quarters and the supercute cows fabric yardage from Connecting Threads when it was a whopping 40% off.

This blogpost contains affiliate links.

It was my first time...

...and it was a terrific experience.

I met Jennifer only last week and we bonded instantly.
It is my first and I am so excited, I told her.
She gave me a big smile and we decided that we would do it together.

On Saturday morning, I wore my pretty dress and arrived at her house at 9:30 and she took me to my very first Quilt Show!!!

Quilters Unlimited of Northern VirginiaVirginia is composed of 11 chapters including Annandale, Arlington, Burke, Centerville, Fairfax, Haymarket, McLean, Mt. Vernon, Reston, Springfield, and Vienna. The following pictures are a small sample of the quilts displayed at the 41st Annual Quilt Show of Quilters Unlimited.

This was the first quilt that made me take out my iPhone. The name of this quilt is Moon Glow. The bonus - I got to meet the quilter :-) 

This was one of the quilts from Reston Chapter's Challenge Quilt. The theme of the challenges was - "My mother always said...". 

The title/explanation that came with this quilt read - My mother used to say - Always wear clean underwear just in case of an accident. The quilter creatively shows an explosion of underwear at the scene of the crash.

The next two pictures are of the quilt that Jennifer made. She chose a difficult pattern with inset seams and then added complexity by placing it on point.

This chilli pattern had me smiling - how playful!!! Because you are so hot!!

Look at the quilt - colorful and playful. But don't miss the little guy who is hanging by a thread - literally!!!! 

This was one of my favorite quilts at the show

Why do I like this quilt so much? Because the pattern, the colors and the paisley fabric all work so well together and more importantly - It reminds me of India!!!

If the quilter was aiming at Perfection, consider this quilt as Mission Accomplished!!!

Fractured Rainbow - it is not just art. It is Patchwork Engineering.

This is the BEST specimen of quilting I have ever seen!!! Enough said.

Wheels of Time - Reminds me of Stone Carved Hindu Temples in India!!!

And then again, I am drawn to the simplicity of this one...

How can you create an intricate pattern with a simple block? It takes GENIUS!!! Another one of Jennifer's Quilts

Maypole Dance by Jennifer!!!

Rail Fence with a Simple Twist

Starburst

Simple and Stunning. Why do I like simple designs so much?
They are the ones that encourage me and other new (younger) quilters to take up Quilting. Yes, it is simple so you can do it. It is beautiful so you want to make it.

And now we come to the Show-stopper of the Show. This is just my opinion. If I were the judge this quilt would win First Place.

Blue and White - Fractured Log Cabin.

This is the most amazing quilt I have ever seen. Because it is two colors and that is it. It does not rely on any exquisite piecing techniques. The quilting is pretty straightforward too. The only trick here is the color gradation and fabric placement. With just that, the quilter has created such a luminous quilt that it is a Shining Beacon for all Quilters!!!

Block Detail

 Simple Design, Two Colors and the Most Extraordinary Quilt!!!

How can you make fabric look like it is lit from within? This is how...

As this show comes to an end, I want to share just two more of my favorites.
Trucks - So simple Piecing, addition of applique circles and the result is cute and clever!!!

Trucks!!!

This is the kind of quilts that I want to make - that bring a smile to your face!!!


And lastly, this quilt composed entirely of HSTs. So much thought and work has gone into this. Every triangle in every block was placed with intention and purpose!!! It is not that I don't want to make something so spectacular. I just don't think, I can. It is much too involved and that is why I bow down to the quilter in awe and admiration for their labor of love!!!

Color Wheel in HSTs

Quilting Detail

 Look at the quilting detail - I am speechless.

So how was your first experience of the Quilt Show, I was asked. What can I say when I feel speechless!!! I came back enriched and humbled at the same time. It was like being in the presence of something that is almost Spiritual - I felt so infinitesimally small and yet I felt like I was a part of the Universe.

I have marked my calendar. Same time, same place, next year.