American Quilter's Society

Winning Sunflower Quilts Announced

New Quilts from an Old Favorite Contest

by Jessica Byassee

Paducah, KY – The National Quilt Museum is pleased to announce the 18 winning quilts of the 2010 Sunflower-themed New Quilts from an Old Favorite contest. These innovative quilts represent quilters from 11 U.S. states as well as two Canadian provinces.

Sponsored by Clover Needlecraft Inc., Fairfield Processing Corporation, and Janome America, Inc., this international contest challenges quiltmakers to create original quilts based on a specific quilt pattern. The traditional Sunflower pattern is one of the many flowers interpreted by 19th century quiltmakers. Some of today’s brightest art quilters have modified the design in imaginative ways providing a wonderful look at the skills, techniques, and creativity of today’s quiltmakers.

All quilt finalists will be on exhibit at the museum March 19 – June 15, 2010 and then travel to various museums, art galleries, and quilt shows through December 2011.

An asymmetrical design flowing beyond the bottom border is the foundation of the first place quilt, GYPSY CARAVANS, by Claudia Clark Myers of Duluth, MN, and Marilyn Badger of St. George, UT. The rich palette of teal, turquoise, and cheddar is offset by taupe and black with sequins and faux ‘jewels’ adding a touch of the exotic.

Second place went to Geri Parker and Kathy McNeil of Coupeville, WA, for their quilt SUN FLOWER DUET featuring multiple sunflowers on a shaded purple ground. LEANING ON THE FENCE by Sharon Rotz of Mosinee, WI, took third place, incorporating eight different sunflower patterns and an abstract fence.

To take fourth place the team of Ann Feitelson and Ronna Erickson of Montague, MA, created RISING AND RADIANT, a straightforward pattern gone wild by the use of electric green, hot orange, purple, and burgundy striped fabrics. Two Canadians, Marion Perrault and Helena Scheffer, of Beaconsfield, Quebec, won fifth place for their quilt SUNFLOWER SUTRA which depicts a single large sunflower lifting its face to the sun against a vivid turquoise background.

Other quilts that will be featured in the exhibit include:

FOLLOW THE SUN (ON ROUTE 66), Kathryn Botsford, British Columbia, CANADA
CROWING FOR SUNFLOWERS, Jill Bryant and Nancy Brown, Chesterfield, MO
THE PRODIGAL SUNFLOWER, Donnah Burke, Kirkland, WA
3-D SUNFLOWERS, Martha DeLeonardis, Katy, TX
MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND NOUVEAU, Robin Gausebeck, Rockford, IL
THE DESERT SHALL REJOICE, Julia Graber, Brooksville, MS
FLORA, Mary Ann Herndon, The Woodlands, TX
TRICKSTER IN THE GARDEN, Patricia Hobbs, Macomb, IL
SOUTHERN BORDERS, Ann L. Horton, Redwood Valley, CA
WELCOMING THE SON INTO OUR GARDEN, Chris Lynn Kirsch and Wendy Rieves, Watertown, WI
NO FORWARDING ADDRESS, Theresa Reeves, Oberlin, KS
NAVAJO SUNFLOWER, Karen R. Watts, Houston, TX
GRAFFITI, SUNFLOWERS & BRICKS, Judy and Bill Woodworth, Gering, NE

A book featuring full-color photos of the 18 finalists and their award winning quilts, biographical information about each quilter in addition to tips, techniques and patterns will be published by the American Quilter’s Society and available for purchase at the museum in March 2010.

A book signing by the quilters will be held at the museum on Friday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Quilters wishing to enter the "2011 New Quilts from an Old Favorite: Orange Peel" contest can request an entry form by sending an SASE to NQM, PO Box 1540, Paducah, KY 42002-1540 or visit the museum’s website at www.NationalQuiltMuseum.org. Upcoming themes are Baskets in 2012 and Jacob’s Ladder in 2013.

Designated as The National Quilt Museum of the United States, this non-profit institution is located in downtown Paducah, KY. The museum is open year-round Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. CST and also open on Sunday 1-5 p.m. from April – October. The facility is ADA compliant.

 

The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, supports The National Quilt Museum with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

 

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