Apples and a quilt show

Friday was a beautiful day for a drive to pick up apples in Hendersonville, NC.  Of course, the added bonus was a quilt show there by the Western NC Quilt Guild.  In today's quilt world of machine quilting, it was wonderful to see so many hand quilted quilts.  This one didn't win any awards, but the quilting was wonderful and I really liked the mix of traditional pieced and applique. 

But this is the one I wanted to bring home with me...there is nothing more wonderful than a log cabin quilt!  The placement of the blue to green in the dark logs created a twisted ribbon effect that was outstanding.  Sorry my photo doesn't do it justice.  This was professionally quilted---one of the winners in the category--and it was great.   

This small quilt caught my eye for a couple of reasons.  First the colors and the shapes of the trees, especially the blue one.  We don't always have to play by the rules!    And second for the quirky setting using the checkerboard squares....that even went into the border to separate the 2 different border fabrics.   Just my kind of ending--waste not!
 There were 2 or 3 quilts that were done using a pattern called "Aussie".  It is very simple, great for featuring large focus fabrics, and  creates a shadow effect.  I plan to play around with it for my next evening sewing project, so more on it later.
  Finally, the vendors......lots of them.  I visited Brenda from School House Quilts and picked up a new book on landscapes  and a roll of pattern paper.  I found a couple of beautiful landscape fabrics----sky and trees--at the Cotton Quilt.  Guess you can tell I am preparing for a new adventure.
   I was really inspired by Gail Sexton, who spoke at guild this week.  She does beautiful applique, and machine quilting, but when she ended with her small landscapes.....I was inspired.  My mind has been reeling with ideas all week.  No way to resolve it, but give it a good try.....when I get my current big project done.  Or at least that's the plan ;)

Happy Stitching....Debbie