The Marilyn Smith Award for Excellence in Quiltmaking

Indiana Starburst, by Judy Laval Morton, Lydia Stoll, and Miriam Graber of Newburgh, Indiana was photographed at the 2010 AQS Show at Paducah.  This beautiful Lone Star and applique quilt is based on the Rising Sun Quilt by Mary Betsy Toren, ca 1830, the Smithsonian Collection.  Amazingly beautiful!

The Marilyn Smith Award for Excellence in Quiltmaking

This beautiful quilt, Monstera by Betty Busby of Albuquerque, New Mexico was photographed at the 2010 AQS Show in Paducah.  I loved the colors and the simplicity of the leaf motifs.  Do you see the little frog?  I especially love the fabric used in the binding because it creates movement.  Not an award winner here, but an award winner in my opinion.

The Marilyn Smith Award for Excellence in Quiltmaking

This beautiful quilt,  Sunflowers, by LuAnn Kessi of Eddyville, OR, was photographed at the 2010 AQS Show at Paducah.  I love the scrappy background of sky blue fabrics and various small sunflower fabrics.

This is a closeup of the large applique sunflowers.  Again, no award here, but I would have loved to take it home with me.

 

The Marilyn Smith Award for Excellence in Quiltmaking

This magnificent quilt was photographed at the 2009 AQS Show at Paducah.  It did not win a prize at Paducah (I thought it was totally outstanding) but went on to win a major award at the 2009 Houston quilt show.  Garden of Dream was made by Fusako Takido Shizuoka of Shizuoka, Japan.  I loved the way she hand appliqued the flowers in the form of a star.  It was just exquisite. The quilting in the white frame around the star was very beautiful.  This quilt was completely hand made.

The Marilyn Smith Award for Excellence in Quiltmaking/ "Son Compass"

This beautiful quilt, entitled "Son Compass" was photographed at the 2007 AQS Show, Paducah.  It was made by Elizabeth Spannring of La Center, WA.  It is just so beautiful, it is hard to describe.  The background fabric is a mottled white/ecru and the spiky pieced motifs are various blues.  The most outstanding feature of this quilt is the spectacular feather quilting.  This didn't win a prize at Paducah, but in my opinion, it is one of the most beautiful traditional quilts I have seen.

The Marilyn Smith Award for Excellence in Quiltmaking

This beautiful quilt was photographed at the 2010 AQS Show in Paducah.  It is entitled, "Vision of Horses" and was made by June Jaeger of Prineville, Oregon after she attended a Ruth McDowell Workshop.   I loved this quilt and immediately thought of Shea.  Perhaps I will make a similar one for her one day.  She loves horses.  I love the dark horses against the "dusty" background.  Can't you just see the cloud of dust that surrounds them?

The Marilyn Smith Award for Excellence in Quiltmaking

Bullseye!   

This magnificent quilt was made by Cassandra Williams of Grants Pass, Oregon and is made of many different fabrics to form this wonderful Brahma bull.  I photographed this quilt at the 2007 AQS Show in Paducah.  Again, not an award winner, but I would hate to be a judge.....their task must be daunting.

The Marilyn Smith Award for Excellence in Quiltmaking

Mille Fluers This beautiful pieced (Orange Peel Pattern) and appliqued quilt was exhibited at the 2007 AQS Show,  Paducah, by Valli Schiller of Naperville, Illinois.  I love the scalloped border --------notice there is a tiny blue bias strip, a narrow border, the pieced border, the scalloped white border with binding and applique and the striped wide border-------5 borders.  No wonder it is so beautiful.  It only received an Honorable Mention Award, but it deserved more than to be "mentioned".  Just beautiful!  All of these quilts are just breathtaking when you see them for yourself.............the pictures don't do them justice.

The Marilyn Smith Award for Excellence in Quiltmaking

Aunt MiMi's Flower Garden

This beautiful applique quilt was photographed at the 2008 AQS Show  Paducah.  It was made by Elsie M. Campbell of Dodge City, KS.  It did win an award and so much deserved it.  The applique and quilting on it were fabulous.  Hope you enjoy seeing this. 

The Marilyn Smith Award for Excellence in Quiltmaking

Grandmother's 

Legacy

 Today I am showcasing a quilt from the 2010 Paducah Quilt Show called "Grandmother's Legacy" by Gail Thomas of  British Columbia, Canada.  She made it from a photo taken of Alex Anderson ( The Quilt Show), her sister and her grandmother teaching them to sew.  I just loved it.  I don't understand why it did not win a prize.  It was beautiful and touching.