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.