Asheville Quilt Show

I just got back from attending the Asheville Quilt Show at the North Carolina Arboretum, and it was wonderful. One of the best things is that the show is open to any quilter in the U.S., so it attracts a lot of national talent. (But the local quilters are plenty talented, too.) This year, there were 240 entries by 169 quilters from 15 states. Total money awarded was $8,300.

A few miles away, the Rotary Quilt Show, held in conjunction with the Asheville Quilt Show, but in a different location (Biltmore Square Mall), boasted quilts by the Shady Ladies of Waynesville and the Fiber Arts Alliance, as well as more wonderful vendors.

My quilt “Lepidoptera” took a Merit Award for Outstanding Use of Color, and the Pandora’s group quilt “Motherhood” took an Honorable Mention ribbon in the Group category (yea, us!).

Here’s a look at some of my favorites at the show:

Chicory by Ruth Powers of Carbondale KS.

I love Ruth Powers’ work, perhaps because I cannot fathom how she pieces it, or how she manages to make so many different fabrics work together. Here is another:


Lazy Afternoon by Ruth Powers of Carbondale KS.



Lazy Afternoon (detail) by Ruth Powers of Carbondale KS.


Red Art Festival by Deborah A. Morgan of Waynesville NC.
This beauty featured fabric beads tied in each rectangle. Simplicity and repetition, and a very nice color sense.


Rocky Mountain Memories by Wendy Bohen


Baskets in Bloom by Holly Greene and the Foothills Quilters Guild of Shelby NC
This is by the Foothills Quilters Guild. A great bunch of women I met last year when I spoke to them. Beautiful applique, quilting and trapunto!


Abundant Life by Susan Webb Lee of Barardsville NC
I love how Susan Webb Lee broke through the black borders of her quilt with bits of color.


Sun Bonnet Sue Does Hollywood by Linda Cantrell of Fletcher, NC
Crowds were gathered around this quilt by Linda Cantrell, as everyone tried to guess which movies were portrayed. In each scene, Sun Bonnet Sue is standing in for the heroine. What a riot.


Murphy’s Law by Linda Nichols of Waynesville, NC
According to the program, Linda persevered through many obstacles to make this quilt: “First block was lost, border ran when washed, cockscomb block caught on fire. I didn’t know when to quit but friends encouraged me on!”


Glorious Survivor #1 by Maureen Kampen of Asheville NC
This quilt chronicles the journey of a survivor of domestic violence. The portrait pulls you in, and then you start reading the details and understanding the pain. Beautifully done and very thought provoking.


Icing on the Cake by Linda Roy of Knoxville, Tenn.
Linda’s intricate, hand-stitched quilts are a wonder. This one was inspired by antique wool coverlets. I know Linda has won Best of Show in Asheville at least once before.


Swamp Hibiscus by Judith Heyward of Hendersonville, NC
Amazing thread painting, intricate borders and beautiful machine quilting won Judith Heyward the Outstanding Machine Workmanship award.


Amazing Arcola by Elizabeth T. Miller of Charlotte NC
Many of Elizabeth’s recent quilts feature antique quilt blocks she has purchased at antique stores (in this case, the stars around the outside). She made this quilt after a trip to Arcola Illinois. Elizabeth, who is a quilt judge, has a great sense of humor; I love how she uses commercial novelty and conversation prints.


Room to Breathe by Elizabeth T. Miller of Charlotte NC
Here’s another of Elizabeth’s recent quilts, very different in style and tone from Amazing Arcola above! Those are slices of actual stone in the water (under the blue heron). It is dedicated to her friend and fellow artist, Joan Colvin (1933-2007).