The Wonders of Pacific Northwest Quiltfest

I was honored to be in charge of our recent Pacific Northwest Quiltfest booth. I love working at shows, but this show was really special to me. As a quilter, I find inspiration in many unlikely places, but there is nothing more amazing than seeing what other quilters do with their inspirations!

If you have never gone to/heard of Quiltfest, it is a juried show put on by the Association of Pacific Northwest Quilters (APNQ) biannually since 1994. There are vendors and workshops, but the focus is on the spectacular display of over 300 gorgeous quilts judged to be the best in the region. There are many categories, from traditional to innovative to wearable, and as an attendee, you are treated to an amazing breadth of styles, techniques and subjects. It is a show that is not only enjoyable to quilters – my mother, who hasn’t a quilting bone in her body, spent a very satisfying Saturday afternoon taking in the incredible pieces of art on display. She reported feeling frequently breathless at the beauty and power of the quilts on display.

One quilt that particularly affected my mother was Kathy McNeil’s “Last Dance in the Arctic.” McNeil’s mother polar bear clings to her melting cub, her pleading eyes following you like the Mona Lisa’s, but there is no mysterious smile at her lips – this is an expression in fabric of the dangers facing her environment as the glaciers melt. My mother is a passionate environmentalist, and reported to me that I must go look at it – when I did, my eyes welled up just as hers had. The quilt was more than an appeal to sentiment, though: the technical work was stunning, layers and scraps of fabric creating texture and atmosphere so real you would swear the quilt would be icy to the touch.

Another stunner, which I believe won first prize for the “Group” category, was “The Three Sisters” by Gail
Thomas, Annette Hendricks and Helen Godden – three women who worked collaboratively on this incredible self-portrait. They live in Canada, the US and Australia, and sent the quilt back and forth from country to country, to create a colorful expression of who they are as artists, friends and spirits. Again, the threadwork and fabric choices were magnificent.

The Best In Show winner, “Poppy Soliloquy” by Sandra Frieze Leichner, was a lovely thing to look at from a distance, but it’s true wonders were only revealed upon closer inspection – the incredible depth of the leaves, the trapunto pop of the clouds, and the incredible hand-embroidered details of the poppy blossoms were just fascinating to see. I loved this piece, and deeply admired the technique and artistry, although with the amazing overall quality, I did wonder how they were able to select a “best” in such a stunning show.

While the main focus of the show was the amazing work of local artists, it also featured several special exhibits, such as a selection of quilts from South Africa and an exhibit focused on small quilts inspired by currency. Sharon Yenter of In the Beginning had an exhibition of her collection of antique quilts. These elderly beauties reminded me of the classic role of quilting in the lives of the (mostly)women who made them. I loved this Dresden Plate – each square was embroidered with the signature of the woman who had
contributed it.

Quiltfest cannot be explained to be appreciated – pictures cannot do the quilts justice. For those of you who went – what was your favorite? For those of you who didn’t – better start planning for 2010!

- Anna-Beth

Comments

[Ducky]

The antique quilts were probably my favorite. I was raised on a farm in the back woods of North Carolina and had a very simple life. I remember my sister and I sitting on the big bed in the livingroom while Grandma and a few other ladies would take a rolled up quilt "sandwich" and begin at one end and quilt the entire quilt on their knees. I was fascinated with this process and am honored today to have 3 quilts from that time period in my family. There is common ground whenever we do anything with our hands...weaving, sewing, canning food. It is a time to share secrets, hopes, and dreams. No wonder in this age of hopelessness we are going back to simpler things!