Houston ’23: the Traditionals

So… If you’ve read our Show Reviews in the past, then probably know that my absolute favorites are generally the “Art Quilts” but that sure doesn’t mean that I don’t have an appreciation for those in the “Traditional” category!

And here’s the deal… MANY of these quilts below are what I would characterize as

“Traditional… With Something a EXTRA”!

“Mama Said to Choose Just One”

Created by Mary Randall of Millbrook, AL who added that when she wanted to learn to quilt, her mother told her to “just choose a block and get started”, and forty years later, with 14268 pieces, 366 pieced blocks, and 944 different fabrics… she’s come to the conclusion that it was impossible for her to choose just one!

“Beauty in the Broken”

Kathy K Wylie of Whitby, ON, Canada created this beauty, saying that in the same way that stars can only be seen at night, and beauty that can only be experienced in hardship. She added that this quilt was inspired by those profound moments of love amid our suffering, laughter in our sorrow, and hope in our despair… the beauty in the broken.

“Wild and Goosey”

As Diana Mahrenholz of Poseyville, ID created this quilt she said that she remember the old adage, “If you have a lemon, make lemonade!” She’d taken a quilt class but didn’t like the technique, so she took all the pieces and used them in the flying geese squares, then set them with a contemporary gray and white background to make them POP!

“Reflection in Blue”

Eriko Kubo of Nagoya City, Aichi, Japan said she wanted to express warmth while only using cold blues and whites. She added glamour to the tranquility with a variety of materials. The cloisonne pattern quilted all over the sky is one of the unique Japanese auspicious patterns and represents happiness, so I wished for peace in the world and happiness for ALL people!

“Rough Cut”

And finally, Peter Hayward of Javea, Alicante, Spain wanted to combine different triangular designs into shifting hexagons to create a constantly varying depth across the whole quilt. He played with ombre fabrics and juxtaposed primary colors, which progress logically around the center which resulted in a cross between a stained glass window and a multi-faceted but irregular diamond whence the title was born!

And now, it’s YOUR turn

Do YOU have a favorite genre of quilts and which one of these quilts is YOUR favorite? And did you enjoy hearing the stories behind these quilts?

And remember, we love reading your comments and answering your questions too, so please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

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Kat

2 Comments

  1. MaryB on November 27, 2023 at 4:30 pm

    Now I’m curious. 1. ‘Rough Cut’ makes my eyes feel odd when I look at its two dimensional photograph. Did it do anything like that to you in person? 2. ‘Is ‘Beauty in the Broken’ quilted onto a black background or is it just hanging in front of a black background? If it is the latter, then it’s the first time I’ve ever seen something that looks like quilted lace. Lovely.



    • Kat on November 28, 2023 at 6:35 am

      Thanks for commenting Mary, I cant say that “Rough Cut” made my eyes feel funny, but there’s a LOT going on there, so I can see how it could. and the coolest thing about “Beauty in the Broken” is that the border was open lattice work. SO DIFFICULT! it was hung on a black background. I’ve never seen a border quite like this, ever! It was spectacular! 🙂