Back at the Sewing Expo in Atlanta, I enjoyed the SAQA exhibit called “THE OTHER FLORIDA”, which explored the beauty and fun of the state.

I am up early each morning, enjoying my coffee while sitting quietly outside on the patio. If I go back into the house for something, I’m likely to find one or more frogs snuggling up to my warm coffee mug!

How FUN!!

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This piece has an amazing 3-D quality, even though it is entirely flat!!

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Much texture was achieved by using Blanket Stitch around each of pieces.

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I particularly liked the quilting…..

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I love the structure of this quilt as it emphasizes the functions of mangroves: protecting the land from coastal erosion, providing a nursery for marine life, and filtering toxins from the water.

However, I tend to have a volatile reaction to Mangroves….

Back in the 90’s, we took a family vacation to Florida and the Bahamas, spending several days on a sailboat in the Keys. At dusk one night, we went lobster fishing, and the skipper sank the small boat we were in. We were in a cut through between two islands and thought for a while that we would have to spend the night in one of the Mangrove forests. Fortunately, we used a light I grabbed as it floated past, and signaled to a fishing boat that came to rescue us.

So, talking about Mangroves puts me back in the ocean!!

This was a fun exhibit at the Sewing & Quilt Expo called….

I was drawn to how she portrayed the crowd…..

Not a lot of detail but the idea comes across perfectly!!

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She used the same idea in…

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Another poignant reminder of the times was this quilt….

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This corner was my favorite……

“Devil with a Blue Dress On”…… “Girl from Ipanema”……. “Tan Shoes & Pink Shoelaces”

In each case, she used wondeful three-dimensional details to add to the flavor!

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This was a fun exhibit, taking me back to the sounds of my childhood!!

Keep coming back…..more next week!!

At our guild meeting, someone mentioned that the Atlanta Sewing & Quilt Expo was happening later in the week. Since things on the accounting front are pretty much in hand, I made a last-minute decision to check it out.

The Expo is designed as a vendor’s market, but there are always a few quilts that travel with it.

Over the next few weeks, I will show you some of my favorites from the different exhibits.

These are from the SAQA exhibit “Abstraction: Textural Elements…..

I love how the quilting adds so much to the structural design of the quilt.

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I was interested in this next one as it was made from overlays of sheer cottons and organzas…..

Her artist statement said…. “I particularly like the moment when the sun rises over the city. Before that, everything is dull and time is on hold. And then the magic happens….

I think she did an amazing job of rendering these thoughts into fabric!

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Again, I appreciate how the straight-line quilting adds so much to the design.

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I admire the big-stitch quilting…..

It adds so much to the piece, and is something that I long to try in the future!!

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This simple top was painted with broad brushstrokes, using a Broom Plant across a plain white field…..

It is very simple, but carries an excitement as well.

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If they were going for texture, this quilt certainly fit the prompt….

The hand-dyed and hand-painted background is the perfect backdrop for the quilting!!

Here is a closer look at the stitching….

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Come back tomorrow, and we will look at a fun exhibit entitled “The Beat Goes On”!

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In this blog, I post stories about creativity, techniques, tools of the trade, and lots more about the wonderful art of quilting. If you are enjoying these posts, please subscribe to be notified of each new blog as it becomes available.

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