PIQF 2015

I was looking forward to visiting PIQF this year. It ended up being a mixed bag. TFQ couldn’t come down, but Julie and I went together. I didn’t have a lot of time to look at everything, but I also didn’t spend a lot of money. So both good and less good.

I was excited about the changes that the Mancusos said they were making. Last year they said they would make changes to freshen up the show. I didn’t see many changes and that was disappointing. They added a Modern category and there were a few quilts I would classify as modern, including some from BAMQG.

Historic quilt from SJMQT
Historic quilt from SJMQT

Of course I saw quilts, which always makes me want to run home and sew. One I saw was in the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles special exhibit. This historic quilt from SJMQT is double anonymous (1915 with no named maker and an anonymous donor). It is a very modern design in the sense of the modern quilt movement aesthetic. I am sad that I don’t know who made this because I want to know what she was thinking when she (he?) designed the quilt. This is a good reminder to LABEL YOUR QUILTS!

TQS put up some posts about winners at PIQF. I didn’t look much at the award winners, because the area was always mobbed, so…

TQS PIQF Winners pt. 1

TQS PIQF Winners pt. 2

TQS PIQF Winners pt. 3

You may need a subscription, but I don’t think so. The videos look like they are just on the blog. There may be ads.

Song of the Sea by Kathy McNeil of Tulalip, Wash
Song of the Sea by Kathy McNeil of Tulalip, Wash

After manning the BAMQG Opportunity Quilt booth, I did stop and snap a pic of Song of the Sea. I love this quilt. I love the colors and the movement. Kathy McNeil of Tulalip, Washington did a wonderful job. The design looks inspired and if you have ever seen an octopus, it does look like they are dancing when they move. I was on my way out after the show closed so I had to be quick.

Manning the booth was fun. People stopped by and said hello and I got to invite people to the meetings while trying to sell them tickets. I left the booth with about $140 of sales. Some were from earlier in the day, but that was a good day’s total.

Julie and I did a quick circuit on Thursday of all of the quilts except for some to the left of the entrance. I only had 4 hours that day to see the quilts, because of my schedule for the rest of the weekend, but we had a good time and were pleased to see the quilts we saw.

Cherrywood had a Wicked Quilt Challenge and the quilts were at the show. I really enjoyed looking at them. There is something very appealing about quilts that are made with all of the same colors. I also like the gear and clock details.

Crazy Time (The Clocks Quilt) quilt by Alethea Ballard of Walnut Creek, California
Crazy Time (The Clocks Quilt) quilt by Alethea Ballard of Walnut Creek, California

Gears and clocks appeal to me, I think, because I saw the Crazy Time (The Clocks Quilt) quilt by Alethea Ballard of Walnut Creek, California right when we walked in. This quilt could be a hot mess, but it really works and I love the clocks. I also like the cascade of flowers. I am sad that I didn’t have time to study this quilt, but am glad I snapped a photo, so at least I can study the photo.

I really didn’t take many photos. There were a lot of the same looking quilts that I have seen in previous years.

The few I did photograph really appealed to me or inspired me in some way.

Caroline Wilkinson of the UK did a fantastic job on Not Much Sunshine, Plenty of Shadows.  I stuck my nose right up to the quilt and must have looked at it for 5 minutes. I love the grid (do I have a geometric thing going?) and what the artist did with the stitching over the grid.

Caroline Wilkinson, UK, Not Much Sunshine, Plenty of Shadows
Caroline Wilkinson, UK, Not Much Sunshine, Plenty of Shadows
Caroline Wilkinson, UK, Not Much Sunshine, Plenty of Shadows detail
Caroline Wilkinson, UK, Not Much Sunshine, Plenty of Shadows detail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t have much time to look at the vendors, but I did pick up FOTY 2014 from Colleen who was vending there. Normally, I stop and chat, but her booth was mobbed and she was rushing around cutting fabric, so I said I would catch up with her later.

I also stopped at Deb Tucker’s booth, which happened to be right across from Colleen! I wanted to see the Square2 ruler, which was recommended in the Fons & Porter show I watched that got me on the Carpenter’s Wheel bandwagon. Her booth was also mobbed and there was no chance of me getting to talk to her. Deb was demoing away like a crazy woman. Makes me wish I had gone to the preview. Oh well.

Anyway, I looked at the ruler and just couldn’t see how I could use it for more than the Carpenter’s Wheel block. Also, I like the way I am using two Flying Geese units rather than the Diamond Square unit. The FGs add more interest to the background, IMO. So I passed, but being the ruler junkie that I am I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I remembered the YM’s scout patches and how I want to put the patches that don’t go on his uniform on a block and make it into a quilt. Lots of work! I realized that I could use that ruler to make Diamond Square units in a lot of different sizes that would work with his patches. I had a friend buy the ruler for me and I will pay her back. I better start thinking about that scout quilt. 😉

Of course, Russian Rubix was on display, so Julie snapped a photo of me standing in front of the quilt. I was pleased to see it hung for the first time, especially when I saw how flat it hung. Hooray!

Russian Rubix and the artist
Russian Rubix and the artist

Author: Jaye

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

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