2013 Northwest Quilters Show

The Northwest Quilters group is putting on their annual quilt show this weekend. Mom and I dragged the kids to the Portland Expo center for the show. I took a few shots with my phone while there – many much more blurry than I’d like, but I thought I’d share in case you’re still on the fence about going.

Zoe was not thrilled…

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Owl made with strips. Pretty clever.

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Quarter circle pattern with batiks…

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A “Hazel Quilt” – certainly her style.

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One of Alex’s favorites…

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There were a few in this optical illusion style…this was by far the simplest version and in that, I preferred it.

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I’m really bummed this is blurry however with the blurry it’s easier to see the ribbon effect the colors of the half square triangles produced. Makes me start singing, “Cinderelly, Cinderelly…”

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This hexagon pattern quilt…well, again, my photos don’t do it justice. The boarder alone is fantastic…and what you can’t see is each diamond/rhombus/flower/whatever you want to call it around each yellow hexagon was fussy cut and/or arranged so each one has a design…it was truly one of those quilts where you keep on noticing new details.

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I dunno…tiny triangles got me…this was not the tiniest or the most tiny triangles in a quilt there…I just thought it was a neat concept.

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This was Alex’s favorite quilt.

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I have a thing for late 60s/early 70s aesthetic.

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This is a popular Tula Pink alphabet pattern done, I think, exceptionally well. The background quilting was truly impressive and oh, my, really fine taste in fabrics.

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Oh, come one. You have to appreciate it. It’s cute. See the bombers in the triangles?

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This….this I love. Simple, clean, yet surprising.

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A few others in the same series…they were color studies…

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I’m bummed this one is blurry. This has been a prediction of mine – more die cut, 3 dimensional quilts will be getting popular. I’m not in love with it…but it will happen all the same.

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I’m a sucker for Bavarian and Swedish folk art stylings.

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Fabric as painting…

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Fun with wearable art…

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I should have gotten a better photo of that Baltimore appliqu̩ in the background. Oh well. Also a weakness Рgood indigos and sashiko.

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I didn’t get a photo of the kids doing the crafts available at the show because I’m easily distracted (long story), but there was a Build A Block for Habitat for Humanity in the back of the Expo, and station set up for the kids to learn how to tie a quilt. They also had these little passports they had to answer questions in as they toured around which made it a little less boring for them (see green hint sign on brown optical illusion quilt at top). We were there for 3 hours without any major meltdowns.

There were also a few vendors, including the show sponsor, Montavilla Sewing, that had machines up for trial including long arm free motion quilting machines by Gammill, Juki and BabyLock. Many small quilt shops had booths with lots of goodies for sale and the volunteers were infinitely kind and helpful.

It’s only $5 if you use the coupon on the Montavilla site, and children under 12 are free, so there’s really no reason not to go and support our many fine, local quilt shops (like Boersma’s). There are booths specializing in imported fabrics, embroidery, chenille and anything else your heart desires….even iron-on crystals if that’s your thing.