At last I can share with you some of the wonderful quilts I saw last week at the Bayberry Quilters Guild show in Harwich. Years ago, I belonged to this guild, but downsizing during a divorce and lack of time found me not able to quilt as much, and not having the time. It was so inspiring to see how the guild has grown and that many of the same people are still so active.
Each year there is a challenge project, and this year the theme was a celebration of the 50th birthday of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Living here, appreciating the Seashore as a national treasure, and living daily in gratitude to President John F. Kennedy for saving this outer area of the Cape, made these miniature theme quilts very special.
The first one to draw in my eye, is this depiction of a heron, sitting on the bank of a marsh searching for food, no doubt. It is a sight seen nearly daily here, and the colors were much deeper than my cheap little camera captured.
The three sisters are three beautiful lighthouses keeping navigators safe along our outer Atlantic Coast. "My" Chatham lighthouse is there! The outer beaches of the Cape almost all have very steep cliffs, and I adored the fanciful mermaid sisters here.
The three-dimensional fun of this piece was hard to capture, but many of the tinier sea creatures - clams, crabs and other tiny creatures, were beautifully done.
One of my favorite Cape Cod walks is through the Great Atlantic White Cedar Swamp in Wellfleet....it wends its way through what feels like primeval forest with boardwalks over the swamps. This little quilt has such depth and perfectly captured the color and feel of that walk.
Now, on to the full sized quilts....this quilt was made by a grandmother for her grandchild living in Africe. The animals were so lifelike.
An old-fashioned pattern with beautiful contemporary fabrics set into a black background for effect.
We loved this quilt as it was done entirely with batik fabrics. Stunning!! The quilting was also exquisite and witness my dear friend, Sue, showing the back and the beautiful stitches.
This was one of my very favorites! The story behind the quilt made it all the more special, not to mention that it was done with circles and perfect points. A mother and HS aged son collected the fabrics over a 2 year period, then the mother sewed the quilt for the son to take when he left for college. Truly a masterpiece.
That blue quilt at the end really caught my eye
Sure enough, up close the use of color and shading was perfectly captivating!
A beautifully feminine circle wall hanging ( from a guild workshop)
This tribute to the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park was amazing and such fun. The center contained player autographs, and the baseball themed fabrics were great.
A Christmas quilt made by many, many tiny off-kilter log cabin pieces
This chicken farmer's daughter was completely captivated by this rooster wall hanging. Even the breed type was hand embroidered atop each beautifully designed bird. The feathers were perfect, too, and they each had a unique personality and their own flower.
Jenni - this one is for you....a sweet three-dimensional sheep created from a photograph. Detail was wonderful, including the piece of fine screen mesh to duplicate that in the photo.
This piece reminded me of my current type of quilting......simple with very interesting fabrics.
There were some beautiful Baltimore Album quilts....
A close up from another Album quilt....the flowers were exquisitely done with ribbon.
An old and loved Cape Cod-themed quilt
Speaking of Cape Cod, this magnificent and fun creation is the combined efforts of many guild members and was raffled at the end of the day. It has so many wonderful Cape Cod landmarks and many fun details of life here.
The Chatham area of this elbow in the ocean
The 3 bridges which cross the Cape Cod Canal (one is a railroad bridge) were so meticulously created.
As I stood close to study the work on this quilt, the air was filled with the gasps of so many. It depicts an English cottage garden and each of the flowers are created from silk ribbon. Spectacular!
Seeing the show with two dear friends was such fun and so inspiring. Lunch followed and we all felt so committed, once again, to pursue our individual artistic passions! Thanks Sue and Gini!
4 comments:
Every one of these quilts is a true masterpiece. I admire the hands of those who quilt, and the creative patience that it must take to design and complete the project. All I can say is, "Wow." I loved every single one of these, but for some reason, I really love the rooster wall hanging. That one is so fun and colorful!
I do not have words to describe the beauty of what I just viewed.
The talent is unbelievable for one who lives in the woods and digs in the dirt :)
Thank you for sharing all of those photos! I never met a quilt show that I didn't like. :) All of the quilts were just gorgeous! Esp. the Cape themed ones.
Gorgeous quilts! Such talent! Thanks for sharing them.
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