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.
