We just enjoyed a picture perfect autumn weekend - crisp temperatures, lots of sunshine, and blue, blue skies - the kind of weekend that's ideal for a stroll in the woods. So why not enjoy enjoy ogling lots of beautiful quilts hung from said trees at the same time?
On Saturday, Jane and I drove to Stittsville to check out
Mad About Patchwork's Outdoor Quilt Show, and it did not disappoint. Set along a beautiful wooded .6 km loop trail that is adjacent to their shop, we got to admire over 200 quilts. Apparently this is the largest outdoor show of its kind in Canada.
Where to begin? There's lots of eye candy to share so this may well roll over into a few posts. We arrived at 10:15 am thinking that we'd be early but the lot was already full and cars were being parked across the road. A collection of quilts were hung in front of the shop which I believe had been made in classes offered by the shop, all very fun.
This past summer the shop hosted its inaugural online Summer Sew-Along. For 7 weeks, 1,500 makers around the globe stitched hexies, admired each others work, debated basting styles and cheered each other on.
All of the participants were invited to send in a flower (it was amazing to see how much of the globe they covered!), all of which will be stitched together into a commemorative quilt.
So, how about I share a few quilts that caught our eye?
Postcards From Sweden, the bright HST quilt on the right side of this pic, is a lovely pattern and one that really appeals to me - it did not disappoint in person. And that horizontal banner? There were several of them throughout the show, all different and all made by the shop, and they added even more interest.
As I was explaining to Jane just how much Roberta loves this
Sparrows pattern and hopes to make it one day, she leaned in to look at tag with the quilt details. It was quilted by none other than Roberta! Turns out she had quilted several of the works on display.
It took me a minute to register what I was looking at with this one. It's
Miss Penelope, made up in a much darker palette than
mine but equally impactful. The maker did an excellent job of selecting her fabrics.
These bunnies really caught my eye. I think that it's an Elizabeth Hartman pattern and I think it's just adorable. Can you imagine sleeping under this as a child? How special.
I am not a paper piecer but it was difficult not to admire the work in this mermaid.
The piecing was incredibly complex, to say nothing of the quilting. I can't imagine how long it took to make. Thinking that if it had been made at my hand Jack the Ripper would have been a busy guy.
The shop caters to more to a modern vibe so most of the quilts were very contemporary, but there were a few more traditional ones tucked in for good measure.
And being able to easily see both the front and back of each quilt meant discovering additional tidbits and details, like this strip of tiny bright squares running through that gorgeous green up the back of a quilt. I was so enthralled with this idea that I didn't think to check and see what was on the front!
That's it for now but I will have lots more to share in my next post. Inspiring, isn't it?....M
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