1 Kaye Moore models a denim coat featuring a quilted back. Artists Piece Creativity In LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Fanning Staff LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) Lancaster County is often thought of as the quilt capital of the world with its prolific array of quilts primarily made with those of Amish and Mennonite heritage. But the 11th annual Quilters’ Her itage Celebration held recently at the Lancaster Host Resort and Conference Center, Lancaster, reveals that quilting is not only a local but an international art. The four-day event featured an awesome array of quilts made by quilters around the world. Quilters from Australia, Belgium, Japan, Korea, Norway, Portugal, Israel, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom intermingled with thou sands of people across the United States. Quilts on display were not the traditional patterns most often dis played in the county. Instead most of the quilts were like paintings with quilt artists piecing together the subtle shadings adding detail and dimension. Many quilt artists dye their own fabrics. Fabric used to create these works of art were pieced, layered, stitched, and stuffed using innova tive techniques and color combina tions. Some used vinyl cloth, ink, and photography techniques to show the possibilities fiber artists are able to create. A special exhibit by Quilt National featured 21 pieces of a traveling exhibit These works of art were an original design of the entrant not a variation of an origi nal design of another artist Quilt National was organized as a show- Crazy quilt embellished with hand embroidery. My Plaid Garden by Susan Knight of Ohio placed third out of 500 entries In the wall quilt category. Together Fabric, Stunning Display case for art quilts and is housed in a renovated dairy barn. The Dairy Bam Southeastern Ohio Cultural Arts Center is open 12 months at 8000 Dairy Lane, P.O. Box 747, Athens, Ohio 45701. But intriquing designs woe not only those on display. Many of the crowd wore hand-crafted coats, shirts, sweaters, dressers, and skirts that showed their own indi vidual ingenuity in incorporating quilting into their wardrobes. It was an informal fashion show just to watch the crowd that gathered at the Host for the show. A planned fashion show was also part of the special events. Organized by the Fairfield Pro cessing Corporation’s Diamond Celebrity Fashion Show, it show cased 950 original, one-of-a-kind wearable art garments. While many come to admire the displays, others come to learn. Classes, complete with sewing machines, were held for hands on learning. Participants could exper iement with sewing machines with 13 different quilting stitches to give a hand-quilted look. How to draft patterns and innovative ways to construct, and embellish quilts. Trapunto, pattern stippling, cord ing. and tips for successful hand quilting, diagonal seam techniques to transform squares and rectan gles into complex patchwork units. Compliments and Columbines by Karen Hull Slenk of Colden, N.Y., featured a crazy quilt block background with thread enhanced 3-D flowers. and many other unique designs for novices to accomplished art quilters. Lectures about historical quilts and present-day quilts. Merchants selling quilting sup plies, fabrics, patterns, button jewelry meet every need and stitchery-related fantasy imaginable. Denim coats designed with an actual quilt insert on the upper back was one of the eye-catching fashions for sale. The coats were designed by Kaye Moore, 7609 Grecnlawn Rd., Louisville, KY 40241. A special exhibit called the Bovine Challenge included quilts with patches titled “Moo Juice,” “Holy Cow.” “Cow Pie,” “An Udder Failure,” and other “udderly bovine captions.” Cash awards totalling $12,000 were distributed to top winners in the juried and judged show. Perhaps you missed this year’s show. To make sure you hear about next year’s event, request your name be added to the mailing list More than 20,000 names are on the list. For additional informa tion about the Quitters’ Heritage Celebration, P.O. Box 503, Carlin ville, EL 62626. Phone (217) 854-9323. Fax 217-854-2209. Shirley Stevenson of Texas captures the beauty of barm and the rural landscapes that surrounds them. The magnificent quilt below Is almost as realistic as sitting in the flower garden.
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