Thursday, August 15, 2013

The Grand Rapids Quilt Show


Today I spent a few hours at the DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Each year, the American Quilt Society hosts a major event in seven cities: Phoenix (AZ), Lancaster (PA), Chattanooga (TN), Paducah (KY), DesMoines (IA), Charlotte (NC), and Grand Rapids. I had never been to a national quilt show before, so I talked my writing partner Stephanie Michels into going with me. We're finishing up the second in our Stitching Post romance series, set in a quilt shop in suburban Grand Rapids, so we thought we'd go and get inspiration for future books in the series.
We were totally awed by the sheer talent displayed in the quilts, sent in from around the world! My phone camera got a workout, and it was difficult to choose my favorites. I put several up on my facebook page, so if you've seen these pictures there, I hope you don't mind seeing them again.
These two were award winners. I love the workmanship in both, but the one on the left, "Capturing Brittany" really impressed me with the intricate and realistic detail.


There were quilts that used variations of traditional patterns:


And other quilts that were quite whimsical.


There were some that were so realistic they reminded me of photographs,


And others that made me smile for other reasons.


But what they all had in common was that each one was a testament to the dedication and hard work of the person who created it.  I think it's the same kind of dedication an author has when he or she spends hours upon hours crafting a single work. I only hope my books show a fraction of the same dedication as these wonderful creations.
     



14 comments:

  1. So beautiful. You're right about the time going into these. I have a family member who quilts. It's a huge undertaking. But some of these are just so breathtaking. So much more than just an ordinary quilt.

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    1. I agree, Melissa! I can't imagine using any of these to sleep under, or worse yet having a picnic on one! They're made to simply look at.

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  2. Lovely quilts. I love the one with the piano keyboard and notes. How interesting. I'll bet you two had a great time!

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    1. The musical one was one of my favorites, too! It was a great way to spend an afternoon.

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  3. As I scrolled down, I said, "Oh, that's my favorite!" Then I moved to the next pair and said, "Oh, no, this one's definitely my favorite!" Sigh. They're all so beautiful, and the artists who made them so very gifted. Amazing!

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    1. I was amazed at the intricacy of these quilts. Each piece has to be cut and placed with such precision. Awesome.

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  4. Wow. I am in awe! Such gorgeous quilts. Thanks for sharing them with us!

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  5. wow, those are fantastic. particularly the street scene at top left. I had an aunt who quilted and she made, for each of us siblings, a quilt for a single bed. We don't have any single beds anymore, but I still treasure the quilt. It has suffered a few stains and a tear or two in these 50+ years, but I still love it.

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    1. The street scene was one of my favorites, too. And you're right to treasure the quilt from your aunt. Heirloom quilts are a very special, and I'm envious of people who have things like that from previous generations.

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  6. Lovely quilts, and how lucky you got to go. I went to a show here a couple of months ago, all ready to spend a little money on some fat quarters, but there weren't any vendors! I don't know if a free, vendor less show is better than a paid admission one with vendors. I like to do some shopping and check out the newest whatever. Did you buy anything?

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    1. Grand Rapids is so fortunate to be part of this nationally sanctioned show tour. Yes, of course bought some fabric, even though I need more of it like I need a hole in the head! But I couldn't resist these asian-inspired panels. I also bought some needles and some plastic sticky things to go on the back of my ruler to keep it from slipping when I cut.

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  7. Such creative handwork! Reminds me of when my grandmother(we weren't allowed to call her Grandma)lived with us and had a quilt frame in her room. She worked on quilting every day, but I was only five or six and was more interested in playing outdoors than sitting still. :(

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    1. It's very rare that a child appreciates artistry like this. My grandma lived with us too, and she taught me to sew and knit.

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