Detail, Wellfleet Waves, by Kate O'Leary, a member of my quilt guild DH and I went to A Quilter's Gathering, an annual four-day festival of quilts, classes, vendors and special events held at the Radisson Hotel in Nashua, New Hampshire, http://www.aquiltersgathering.com/index.htm
I like this show particularly, as the adjudicators balance classic and innovative quilt-making, and there's usually lots of sophisticated use of color, as in the image above.
A highlight of the show was a display of quilts made by long-time Chelmsford quilter and teacher Sally Palmer Field, constructed using antique and commemorative fabrics she's collected. The fabrics are just extraordinary.
Old Lowell quilt, detail. A sampler style quilt made exclusively of antique fabrics made by mills in the Lowell area
Old Lowell quilt, detail 
A piece of centennial fabric Ms. Palmer collected
World Columbian Exposition of 1893The center of this quilt is a commemorative handkerchief from this event
the Cocheco Mill in New Hampshire
A close-up of the handkerchief, with views of the exposition in each corner
Tribute to Teddy Roosevelt The center is a commemorative handkerchief
Detail, Tribute to TRClick on image to enlarge.
Note initials TR quilted in corners adjacent to center square
Ulysses Grant; another rare commemorative handkerchief forms the center panel
Note initials TR quilted in corners adjacent to center square
Ulysses Grant; another rare commemorative handkerchief forms the center panelThe commemorative handkerchiefs and bandanas of the type found and incorporated by Ms. Palmer into her quilts are seldom exhibited, so this display was a rare opportunity to see them, as well as the other vintage fabrics in the quilts.
Back to the contemporary show quilts; there were many to admire.
Blowin' in the Wind, Nancy Egan Vogel
Off Shirley's Rocker, Rose Orr
Off Shirley's Rocker, detail
The pineapple blocks in the corner add interest to the lone star pattern
Marilyn's Rooster, Barbara Beaumont
The box label was printed digitally and then tea-dyed for an aged look
I couldn't resist posting this sign - antiquated indeed!Back to the contemporary show quilts; there were many to admire.
Blowin' in the Wind, Nancy Egan Vogel
Off Shirley's Rocker, Rose Orr
Off Shirley's Rocker, detailThe pineapple blocks in the corner add interest to the lone star pattern
Marilyn's Rooster, Barbara Beaumont The box label was printed digitally and then tea-dyed for an aged look
It's hard to see in my photo, but the rooster's feathers are skillfully machine-quilted. I'm not usually a big fan of representational quilts, but this quilt is a great marriage between image and technique.
Impressive technique is also show-cased in the quilt below, which the artist began in a piecing workshop with Ruth McDowell, http://www.ruthbmcdowell.com/
Maple in Fusion, Valerie Daniels, detail
Elin Noble's stall, with her hand-dyed fabrics
Impressive technique is also show-cased in the quilt below, which the artist began in a piecing workshop with Ruth McDowell, http://www.ruthbmcdowell.com/
Maple in Fusion, Valerie Daniels, detailFinally, there were the vendor displays.
Elin Noble's stall, with her hand-dyed fabrics
