Today was our last reveal of the year and it did not disappoint.  Our venue was decorated for Halloween, so some of our quilts had spooky accompaniments.  And we got a photo of all of us in front of one of the decorations!

Art Deco

Art Deco, 17" x 21"
by Sophia Day

Artist Statement:  This quilt was designed for both this reveal and the Modern Quilt Guild Artisan Cotton Challenge.  It took quite a bit of playing to get a design I was happy with.  I wasn't going to use the bright green, but the quilt needed something to make it pop.  Piecing the quilt so that the circles were round and the lines dissected them correctly was a challenge.  It was quilted with a walking foot with Superior Microquilter thread.

Macro vs Micro

It Fits in a Wine Glass, 24" x 32"
by Kathryn Madison

Artist Statement:  This features microscopic diatoms, plankton and protozoa.  The inspiration was Ernst Haekel's book, "Art Forms in Nature".  I used PFD cotton, polyester, batting, Tsukineko inks, Inktense blocks and pencils, rubbing alcohol, machine embroidery poly thread, cotton thread, metallic thread, monofilament thread and a soldering iron.  I got Haekel's book a couple of years ago and it inspired me to suggest this challenge topic.  I was thrilled to be able to feature some of these gorgeous tiny beings.  The timing was convenient that I was able to paint the elements over four weeks when I was in the sling after should replacement surgery.

Vintage Pillow Sham
by Lynda Lasich

Artist Statement:  The macro stitches in the embroidery meet half of the challenge, the micro quilt stitches meet the other half.  I bought the sham at PIQF in 2022.  I searched the internet for medallions and used several for inspiration.  The sham is likely made of linen.  Batting is wool with a layer of cotton batting.  The sham was challenging in that it would warp and needed constant attention.

Something New From Something Old

Dino Reborn, 21" x 23"
by Sophia Day

Artist Statement:  The bottom photo was the original quilt.  It was made in a Ricky Tims Convergence class and was one of my first art quilts.  I NEVER liked it.  It looked like a dinosaur to me.  This challenge was a perfect excuse to redo it.  I unstitched the minimal quilting and started cutting it up and putting it back together.  I'm much happier with the new quilt.

I Rise
by Tracy Visher

Artist Statement:  I had a badly broken back that was completely fused and repaired.  I wanted to make something as a journal of my surgery journey.  I used ice dyed cotton, tulle, netting, interfacing, paint, beads, wool felt, organza, staples from my surgery, synthetic organza, tyvek and cheese cloth.  This who quilt was a challenge finding ways to represent this history.

Gratitude, 24" x 36"
by Jan Reed

Artist Statement:  The inspiration was my appreciation for the medieval art of illumination and an image of a frame with lots of details.  I had always admired the ornate use of metals, jewels, and the swirling flourishes.  I used tea-stained muslin, commercial batiks, machine embroidery, hand beading and  prismacolor pencils.  Resorting to creating the background using traditional quilt piecing was humbling and felt almost unfamiliar.  the marking of the quilting lines in the border took more steps than I anticipated.  I which I could redo the quilting as it didn't look the way I had wanted.  

Rothenburg Ob Der Tauben, Germany, 16" x 20"
by Karin Polli

Artist Statement:  I used antique materials to make a new quilt.  The inspiration was a trip to Rothenburg with my husband in 2008.  I used cotton fabric, antique doilies, antique jewelry and key, beads and photos on cloth.  I wanted to use antiques that I got from my mom in a new and special way.  She had also been to Rothenburg and it help special memories for both of us.  

Flower Power

Flower Power #1, 18" x 40"
by Michelle Peerson

Artist Statement:  I made this to fit a space on my wall.  I enjoyed it so much that I'm making more.  

Flower Power, 30" x 42"
by Elisabeth Baratta

Artist Statement:  The golden rings above the flower symbolize the power of the sun that makes flowers group.  I wanted to feature Kaffe Facett fabrics.  It uses cotton fabrics and metallic thread.

Petalled Plumage
by Tracy Visher

Artist Statement:  I wanted to create a memory from a trip to a botanical garden in Hawaii - a Bird of Paradise.  I used cotton, batik and dupioni silk fabrics, inktense blocks, couched threads, both metallic and rayon threads and velvet.  I enjoyed figuring out how to make the "beak" look more 3-D.