Karen Kay Buckley

Our first day in Webster, New York, working with the guild I only had to present a lecture around lunch time and the rest of the day was ours to goof off.  I like it when we have a little time to goof off!  So we drove along Lake Ontario.  How beautiful.  The first photo is of the lighthouse in Sodus Point.

Here are some other things we saw during our drive:

The coast is beautiful.  I’m wondering just how cold it gets during the winter……..  If I lived in the area during the winter I think I would like to stay inside and sew.  And I would like my sewing chair to be in such a place that I had a view of Lake Ontario……..dreaming……

Check out the happy ladies from the Webster Quilt Guild.  For more information about the guild go to http://www.websterquiltguild.com/

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.  I know I have a lot for which to be thankful!!

Until next week……

“Disappearing Bees” was made by Christine Alexiou from Canada.  She won third place in the “Embellished” category.  To see more of Christine’s work visit http://christinealexiou.com

In the “Traditional Applique” category, Barbara Korengold from Maryland won first place for “Ben’s Midnight Garden”.

Andrea Perejda from California won 2nd place for “Arroyo Grande Album”.  For more information on Andrea, go to her website http://www.andiperejda.com/

Beth Nufer and Clem Buzik from Oregon won 2nd place for “Barbara’s Circle”.

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I visited the Chambersburg Quilt Guild this past weekend.  It’s great to be invited back to a guild and for it to be so close to home.  One of the guild members, Kathi Stoner, brought along her version of my Majestic Mosaic pattern.  Kathi took the class from me in July at Quilt Odyssey.  Thanks for sharing Kathi.  Looks good.  Kathi did some fun fussy cutting of her fabrics for her little circles.  Time well spent.

Until next week…..

I love the Houston Quilt Festival and all of the quilt exhibits. One of my favorite pieces this year was made by Peter Haywood. He is a quilter from the UK now residing in Javea, Alicaste, Spain. Peter’s quilt entitled “White Holes” won the Koala Studios Master Award for Innovative Artistry. When I first saw it, it took my breath away.

Here is a close up

I thought the quilt was pieced, at first. But, on closer inspection and speaking with Peter, I learned it was interwoven strips of interlining covered with fused pieces of fabric. The piece was inspired by the art of Victor Vasarely and is AMAZING!!

Janet Stone of Overland Park, Kansas, who won Best of Show, also won First Place in the Merit Quilting Machine for her quilt “No L”

“Ad Libbing”,  a wonderful modern quilt, was created when Lora and Linda made blocks. Lora Douglas then pieced the top and Linda Hungerford quilted it. They are from The Villages in Florida.

Great quilting!

The following Modern Quilt entitled “Pixels”, was pieced and quilted by Ashley Nickels, daughter of Sue Nickels.

I love greens and Ashley’s color choices were fabulous.

Nancy Rehab of Ward, Co received a second place in the Merit Quilting Machine for this exquisite piece, “Tea for Two”.

“Long Winter Flower Basket Sampler” by Eileen Daniels of Brodhead, WI was awarded First Place – Embellished.  To find out more about Eileen, visit her website http://danielsstudios.com/

“Little Pumpkin” by Maria Elkins of Beaver Creek, OH just makes me smile. Her quilt won third place in the Art Miniature category.  To find out more about Maria visit http://mariaelkins.com

Another quilter whose work always brings a smile to my face is Laura Wasilowski from Elgin, IL.  Laura’s piece, “Bird on a Branch # 6”, won second place in Art Miniature.  For more information about Laura’s quilts visit http://artfabrik.com

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Student’s Work

Karla Zadnik took my “Kansas Rose”, machine applique, workshop this past week while I was teaching for Quilt Trends in Columbus, Ohio.  Nice job Karla.  Fun fabric choices.

Until next week…..

Joe and I just returned from Quilt Festival in Houston.  As always, the quilts were incredible!

Janet Stone won Best of Show.  At the awards ceremony when they announced her name I immediately said “It’s about time.  I love her quilts and her workmanship is impeccable.”  Here is Janet standing beside her lovely quilt.

“Brilliant Rose” made by Junko Fujiwara from Japan won the Founder’s Award.  Impressive.

Here are some close-up shots.

“Eager to Learn-Afghanistan” was made by Gillian Shearer from Australia.  She was also one of the big prize winners.  She won the World of Beauty Award.

The Robert Cohan Master Award for Traditional Artistry went to Ayako Kawakami from Japan for her quilt entitled “My Sweet House with Kiara”.

Melissa Sobotka from Richardson, Texas won the Gammil Master Award for Contemporary Artistry.  I got to talk to  Melissa on the opening night of the show and she explained how she worked from a photograph she had taken of these old wooden spools.

More from Houston in upcoming blogs….

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BOOK REVIEW

On the plane ride home from Houston I finished reading “After You” by Jojo Moyes.

This is a sequel to her book “Me Before You”.  Apparently a lot of us wanted to know what happened to Louisa Clark after losing the love of her life.  Louisa is certainly in a transition phase of her life.  She then has a terrible accident and ends up back home with her family while rehabbing.  Some very interesting people come into her life.  The book kept my interest and I look forward to Jojo Moyes’ next book involving this character because again, I need to know more.