Inspired by…. 2014 Annual Contest

Our 2014 contest theme was Inspired By… What’s your inspiration?

Our inspiration is the vast history of quiltmaking, which runs right up through today. Our mission is to document, preserve and share the stories of (all) quilts and (all) quiltmakers. We encourage everyone who makes quilts to enter our annual contest regardless of their style (traditional, modern, art) or technique (longarm, hand quilting, applique, pieced…) — all are welcomed and valued!

In 2014 we gave you simple instructions: Pick a quilt. Find your inspiration. Make your own.

We asked you to pick an inspiration quilt from The Quilt Index or the Quilters’ S.O.S. — Save Our Stroies (Q.S.O.S.) projects. Browse and explore the projects to find your own inspiration quilt. Find something(s) about the inspiration quilt that inspires you, like color, line, texture, subject matter, or anything. Finally, make your own quilt–work your magic–all techniques, materials, and styles are welcome, but no replicas or copies are allowed.

See the 2014 Quilt Alliance contest quilts on the Quilt Index.

Strings and Bars, Michele Muska, Enfield, Connecticut

Split Rail Fence, Michele Muska, Enfield, Connecticut

Renee's Country Quilt, Renee Hynes, Pooler, Georgia

[Gifts #22] Like Michael James, Luke Haynes, Los Angeles, California

Eye Candy, Veronica Haley, Farmingdale, New York

Raw Clams at the Shore, Deb Hathaway, Hunter Ocean, New Jersey

Gazzie's Secret, Michelle Flamer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Summer Garden, Jennifer Rodriguez, West Jordan, Utah

Ashley Selfie with Dr. Pecker, Rhonda Denney, Canon City, Colorado

Inside View, Jean Djirlic, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

Neon Kitty in the Window, Laurie Russman, New York, New York

Yellow Rose in My Mosaic Garden, Charlotte Noll, Lauderhill, Florida

Inspire, JoAnn Hoffman, Hill City, South Dakota

SHATTERED, Broadway Gentlemen's Quilting Auxiliary: Christina Cocchiara, Cat Domiano, Michael Michal

Through the Eyes of a Child, Jennifer June, Whispering Pines, North Carolina

My Baltimore Album Style, Amy Munson Bismarck, North Dakota

The Moon and the Sky, Susan Flick Ewing, New Jersey

Peace and Calming, Annie Smith, The Woodlands, Texas

Hexad #One, Margaret Cibulsky, Port Washington, New York

May Basket 2014, Maggi Gordon, Sierra Madre, California

Quasi-Stellar Object, Rita Connolly, Bray, Ireland

Neon Blizzard, Victoria Findlay Wolfe, New York, New York

Vintage Garden, Janet Bergman, Ottsville, Pennsylvania

Sew Peaceful Doves, Debra Mack, Harrison, Nebraska

ART Quilt, GiGi Connolly, Phoenix, Arizona

[Ego of Pythagora's Theorem] Unveiled, Esther Muh Albany, California

Purple Pansy, Esther and Elizabeth Muh, Albany, California

Summer in the Forest, Sarah Lykins Entsminger, Ashburn, Virginia

Amish Modern, Jan Harmon, Costa Mesa, California

A Robin's View of CBOT, Robin Buscemi Ringoes, New Jersey

Cherish Joy, Erin Anheier, Holley, New York

Strings II, Barbara Parsons Cartier, Enfield, Connecticut

FAN-tasy, Beth Shibley, Los Alamitos, California

Perils of the Birth Canal, Karin Miller Stony Point, North Carolina

Inspired By Pain, Karen Mowinski, Tucson, Arizona

Log Cabin Fun, Nanette Fleischman, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Monkey See - Monkey Do, Phyllis Campbell, Rockford, Illinois

Shoreline Series, Doreen Prakshot Sevierville, Tennessee

Like a Bird, Marisa Marquez, Madrid, Spain

Naupaka Flower, Alice Helms, Asheville, North Carolina

Oak Leaf Sky, Paula Entin, Fairview, North Carolina

Octagons, Monica Hayden, Black Mountain, North Carolina

Whirlwind, Mary Puckett, Cullowhee, North Carolina

French Country, Renee Pasquale, Wappingers Falls, New York

Spring's Beauty, Joan Emerson, Biddeford, Maine

Zippy Zinnias, Susan Bleiweiss, Pepperell, Massachusetts

Snowflake Sampler, Karen Bennick Oceanside, California

Meilleurs Voeux (Best Wishes), Christina Strickland, Asheville, North Carolina

Resurrection, Susanne Miller Jones, Potomac Falls, Virginia

Renaissance Treasure, Marilyn Fromherz, Calimesa, California

Feedsack Quilt, Ann Bordeau, Arden, North Carolina

About Time, Janice Stone, O'Fallon, Missouri

Hungarian Medallion, Allison Aller, Washougal, Washington

Tucks, Julie Dugas, Asheville, North Carolina

Mod, Julie Dugas, Asheville, North Carolina

Crazy Log, Julie Dugas, Asheville, North Carolina

Eight Hexagons, Jen Eskridge, Helotes, Texas

I'll Follow the Sun, Mary Kay Davis, Sunnyvale, California

Elizabeth Meets Jinny, Sandi Goldman, Annandale, Virginia

Sixteen Grands and Greats, Pamela Allen, Kingston, Ontario,

Lighten(ing), Audrey Hyvonen, Baltimore, Maryland

OMG Dn't Txt n Wlk, Ramona Bates, Little Rock, Arkansas

The Best, Yvonne Porcella Arnold, California

Modern Mini, Jodi Scaltreto, Hillsboro, New Hampshire

Checks and Chinese Balances, Annedore Neumann Moenchengladbach-Wickrath, Germany

True Love, Jamie Fingal, Orange, California

Echoing Footsteps of Ancestors, Susan Buckwalter Henyon, Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Blue Crossing, Sherri Lipman McCauley, Lakeway, Texas

Grandmother's Garden Flower, Kay Koeper Sorensen, Salem, Wisconsin

Fractured Light & Water, Skywalker, Burley, Idaho

Pathways (We Are Here), Amy Anderson, Asheville, North Carolina

What World is This?, Lori Harrah, Huntsville, Arkansas

The Darwin Quilt, Jean Van Bockel, Boise, Idaho

Layers of Nine Patch, Alicia Sterna, Surprise, Arizona

Streaking North, Callie Lavoie, Wells, Maine

Kaffe, Klimt and the Cosmos, Ellie Flaherty, Falls Church, Virginia

Pineapple Log Cabin Renewed, Jane Hall, Raleigh, North Carolina

Country Home, Margarita Korioth Lakeland, Tennessee

Typical Dutch, Janneke Van Der Ree, Pennington, New Jersey

Silk, Julie Dugas, Asheville, North Carolina

A Different Path, Mandy Munroe, Ashford, UK

Rip Van Winkle Sunbonnet Sue, PJ Howard, Denver, North Carolina

Interlocking Chevron, Diana Ramsay, Asheville, North Carolina

Listen to Your Mother: The Universal Mother Speaks to Quilters, Eleanor Levie, Philadelphia, PA

Lollipop Garden, Lisa Ellis, Fairfax, Virginia

Dahlia, Leslie Ferrell Kauffmann, Brussels, Belgium,

Going Dotty, Aunt Sarah! Ellen Hernandez, San Antonio, Texas

Study in Right Triangles, Esther Muh, Albany, California

Granny Loves Her Crazy Flower Garden, Erin Anheier, Holley, New York

And Shoes Complete the Ensemble, Sue Rook Nichols, Riverside, California

Strings I, Barbara Parsons Cartier, Enfield, Connecticut

Pink Pineapple, Anita Karban-Neef, Cary, Illinois

News Hounds, Pauline Salzman, Treasure Island, Florida

Organic Trees, Carol Esch Pittstown, New Jersey

Jambalaya, Frances Holliday Alford, Grafton, Vermont

Strings and Bars, Michele Muska, Enfield, Connecticut

Commercial cotton fabrics, embroidery floss, thread, batting. Machine and hand sewn.

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*This quilt is not eligible for voting (Alliance Board Member)*
Split Rail Fence, Michele Muska, Enfield, Connecticut

Commercial cotton fabrics, embroidery floss, thread, batting. Machine and hand sewn.

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*This quilt is not eligible for voting (Alliance Board Member)*
Renee's Country Quilt, Renee Hynes, Pooler, Georgia

Cotton fabrics, Aurifil thread, traditional pieced. I used fabrics that I had at home which were scraps left over from other projects

Author's statement: I chose Mary Kay Batte's quilt as my inspiration because I loved the blues and the tiny diamonds. Due to the economy, I feel any true quilter that quilts from their heart can use whatever they have available and make a beautiful quilt out of it. I quilted and pieced this on a domestic Brother SQ 9050. The quilt was traditionally pieced and each square unit finished at 1.5 inches and 1 inch sewn. Since I love triangles and geometric shapes I wanted to incorporate them into the design. The quilt was designed, pieced and quilted by me. I am a self-taught quilter, I have difficulty reading patterns and understanding the math, so I started designing my own in a way that I could put them together. I am a visual learner. I like to design things that are unorthodox but use traditional piecing methods.

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[Gifts #22] Like Michael James, Luke Haynes, Los Angeles, California

Cotton, wool batting, cotton thread. Pieced.

Author's statement:I wanted to learn from Michael James and to introduce a new stitch style into my making. I used this contest to pull an aesthetic and make those stripes work for me!

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*This quilt is not eligible for voting (Alliance Board Member)*
Eye Candy, Veronica Haley, Farmingdale, New York

The fabric was assorted cottons from the stash, thread was Aurifil, batting was an 80/20 cotton blend, pellon fusible for the shades.

Author's statement:Eye Candy is the title of my quilt inspired by Luke Haynes' creation Whale Eye. Colorful recycled fabrics and off center placement of the image prompted me to make my own version. Online research has revealed that in addition to being a prolific quilt maker, Mr. Haynes has studied architecture at Cooper Union. Pretty impressive. The title Eye Candy refers to the many magnificent quilts that Luke Haynes creates, his fabulous collection of eye wear--another online discovery--and, of course, to the artist himself!

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Raw Clams at the Shore, Deb Hathaway, Hunter Ocean, New Jersey

100 percent cotton solids (mostly Kana), Aurifil thread, warm and natural batting; raw edge applique, beading, free motion, echo quilting

Author's statement:I woke up from a dream and had the image of this quilt in my head. I couldn't shake it … so I made it! This quilt represents so many 'firsts' for me. Raw edge quilting, beading embellishment, free motion quilting, making a hanging sleeve, submitting to Quilt Alliance, and yes … even making a label! Plus it was the most fun quilt I have ever made!! Raw edge quilting is so liberating!!!

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Gazzie's Secret, Michelle Flamer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I used Gazzie Hill's secret alphabet to create stamps which I monoprinted onto cotton - I used her color palette of primarily pink!

Author's statement:Gazzie Hill's quilt and index record inspired me in an unexpected way. The record mentions a secret to Gazzie's quilt of many blocks: her quilt contains a crudely pieced scrap alphabet. Crude? I don't believe the comment was intended to be pejorative but it struck a raw nerve. I never heard anyone describe any aspect of a Nancy Crow or Gwen Marsten quilt as crude. Gazzie's quilt sings of a freedom never enjoyed by her enslaved parent. The luminosity of her quilt rivals the finest work of Paul Klee. Gazzie's quilt was Modern before a new generation of quilters claimed this as their style. Thank you Miss Gazzie Hill for inspiring me to think a bit deeper.

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Honorable Mention: Members' Choice Awards
Summer Garden, Jennifer Rodriguez, West Jordan, Utah

Fabric, batting, perle cotton, seed beads; needle turn applique, hand quilted, free motion sketched, hand beaded

Author's statement: While creating my quilt, I worked solely with scraps and tried to emulate the multitude of flowers without it becoming a replica. This quilt was largely created on my back deck with my children playing in the yard – many of the details were done by hand. The applique as needle turned with thick perle cotton. After hand quilting this piece, I embellished with see beads in an effort to create more depth.

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Ashley Selfie with Dr. Pecker, Rhonda Denney, Canon City, Colorado

Turn edge and raw edge applique, commerical cotton fabric, fabric inks/paint, color pencils and pastels, thread sketching

Author's statement:When browsing the Quilt Index for inspiration, I found one with appliqued children playing with chickens. My niece Ashley, typical of youngsters today, sends me Selfies (a self-portrait photograph taken by her camera phone) of her and her pets. One selfie in particular captures her personality and that of her chicken Dr. Pecker. That was my inspiration for this quilt. In this age of portable technology one can truly capture interesting, whimsical, wonderful moments.

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Honorable Mention: Members' Choice Awards
Inside View, Jean Djirlic, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

All cotton, machine appliqued, free motion quilted (domestic)

Author's statement: Libby's ribbon work inspired this piece. The ribbon like focus fabric had been waiting forever for just the right project. The hardest part was choosing the coordinate so each section could stand on its own.

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Neon Kitty in the Window, Laurie Russman, New York, New York

Commercial batiks, polyester and cotton threads, fabric ink; raw-edge applique, machine quilting

Author's statement:Felines are omnipresent in the lives of most quilters I know: as companions, assistants, and muses for art quilts! When I saw Alice Williams' Puss in the Window, it reminded me of a picture I had taken of my studio helper...and I decided to interpret it using my neon kitty palette. The alternate title could be, How Do I Open This Darn Window?

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Yellow Rose in My Mosaic Garden, Charlotte Noll, Lauderhill, Florida

Cotton fabric fused to background using mosaic technique. Raw edge machine appliqued and quilted with silk thread. Edge finished with facing technique

Author's statement:I love flowers and especially love a quilt challenge. While pursuing your wonderful Quilt Index, I saw Yellow Rose of Texas and knew it would be my Inspired By quilt. I used my mosaic method to create Yellow Rose in My Mosaic Garden.

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Inspire, JoAnn Hoffman, Hill City, South Dakota

New York Beauty Block - batiks, paper pieced and applique

Author's statement: I was inspired by Cynthia Mumford's quilt Cats in the Garden. She made her quilt in 2007. In her Q.S.O.S. interview in 2011 she said she was inspired by Jean Wells' quilt, Paradise in the Garden which was featured in the book Garden Inspired Quilts by Jean Wells and Valori Wells in 2002. I would love to know who inspired Jean Wells to make her quilt.

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Grand Prize Winner
SHATTERED, Broadway Gentlemen's Quilting Auxiliary: Christina Cocchiara, Cat Domiano, Michael Michal

Commercial cottons, leather, ribbon, beads, sequins, texture magic; chenille, smocking, applique, piping, cording, hand and machine embroidery

Author's statement:Our initial inspiration was the Quilt Alliance logo, then all hands searched the Quilt Index to find something suitably starburst like. We settled on Light of Liberty by Carol Anne Grotrian. Where she did a study in transparency we did our study in texture. Our quilt drawing was shattered and the shards distributed, everyone went home and tried some new techniques. A little glue got them all back together and voila, a new quilt is born!

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2nd Place Winner: Members' Choice Award
Through the Eyes of a Child, Jennifer June, Whispering Pines, North Carolina

Machine pieced, hand applique, embroidery

Author's statement:I sketched this portrait of my grandson many years ago and saved it thinking some day I might use it. When I read about this contest I thought I might like to do something with flowers. This portrait fell out of my stash of scraps, one thing led to another and this evolved. I used hand applique, raw edge applique, thread painting, machine quilting, and hand beading.

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My Baltimore Album Style, Amy Munson Bismarck, North Dakota

Raw edge applique, beads and embroidery

Author's statement:I started quilting over 20 years ago, and have admired the beauty and design of the traditional Baltimore Album Quilts always day dreaming that someday, maybe, I would create one. With the announcement of the Inspired By contest, I knew I had to give it a go and create a Baltimore Album Quilt my way. My entry was created using traditional Baltimore Album quilt block designs with raw edge applique, machine and hand embroidery stitches, highlighted with beads and novelty fibers.

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Honorable Mention: Members' Choice Award
The Moon and the Sky, Susan Flick Ewing, New Jersey

Cotton fabric; cotton, polyester and nylon thread; polyester batting. Fused fabric, machine stitched and quilted

Author's statement: I have always found the bold lines and brilliant colors of Piet Mondrian's art to produce feelings of joy and excitement in me. It has been my aim to create a quilt that produces those same feels for the viewer, to clearly reference his art while producing something quite original. I'd like to think if he ever put a moon in one of his paintings it might look something like this.

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Honorable Mention: Members' Choice Awards
Peace and Calming, Annie Smith, The Woodlands, Texas

Cotton batiks and hand dyed fabric; hand applique and machine quilting

Author's statement: While browsing the landscape section of the Quilt Index, "Why I Like Michigan" by Ingeborg Mazza captured my attention. Besides being a lovely quilt, it reminded me of why I like a setting other than the Coast Plains of Teas where I have lived my entire life. With folds, hand applique, and machine quilting I created my own peaceful, calming place away from city life.

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Hexad #One, Margaret Cibulsky, Port Washington, New York

Cotton, machine pieced and quilted, applique, hand quilting

Author's statement: This mini was inspired by a vintage silk quilt dating back to the decades between 1850-1870. My goal was to put a contemporary spin on the dominant overall design of this quilt. After selecting a limited color palette, each hexagon was cut from contemporary fabric and framed using an assortment of commercial prints. These hexagons were pieced around a center hexagon featuring a star just like the original, but then nestled inside one large hexagon which was then appliqued to a grid-like background fabric. There is machine in-the-ditch quilting within the large hexagon and the background is quilted in grid fashion. The final step was using perle cotton to embellish the piece with angled lines that hint at the hidden star in the original quilt.

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May Basket 2014, Maggi Gordon, Sierra Madre, California

Cotton fabrics/ploy batting/beads and sequins; machine piecing and quilting, embellishments added by hand

Author's statement: It was already May, and I love baskets and basket blocks. I've tried many and particularly liked this one, called Grape Basket by its original nineteenth-century (and almost without saying, unknown) maker, for its simplicity. And I'm passionate about red with black and white prints. It all came together nicely but cried out for some bling. Hence the deep dive into my bead and sequin boxes. I sewed while Nikki, my beloved daughter-in-law, sorted colors!

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Quasi-Stellar Object, Rita Connolly, Bray, Ireland

Commercial cotton fabrics, yli nylon thread, aurifil thread; paper piecing, stitch in the ditch quilting and cable quilting

Author's statement:When I saw Mary McKenzie Caldwell's log cabin quilt the unusual setting really caught my eye. It made me think of the possibility of setting log cabin blocks in a star formation. Each of the logs finished at one quarter inch I did not want to have dark triangles in the corners so I pieced four dark/light neutral blocks. The blocks were paper-pieced. The quilt was quilted with a walking foot. I used monofilament and Aurifil thread.

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Neon Blizzard, Victoria Findlay Wolfe, New York, New York

Cottons, wool and cotton batting, Aurifil #12 wt thread and 50 wt thread; paper pieced and machine quilted

Author's statement:This quilt was inspired by the beautiful quilt made by Mariette Pierce. I stumbled upon it two years ago and had always hoped to make the quilt. This challenge finally got me to tackle the design. Paper piecing those tiny points was so addicting! Not being fond of winter, I thought the neon pink spruced it up a bit!

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*This quilt is not eligible for voting (Alliance Board Member)*
Vintage Garden, Janet Bergman, Ottsville, Pennsylvania

Piecing, quilting, re-making/redesigning existing item

Author's statement:The quilt I chose for my inspiration was a re-make of a finished quilt. I decided to finally re-make' a vintage crazy quilt piece that I had been studying for a while. I cut it up (yikes!) and used it to applique a trapunto butterfly. Then the butterfly needed some flowers so I used a tiny part of my ever growing vintage collection of doilies, lace, buttons, etc. to create a garden. Not exactly what my inspiration artist did but it is a re-make using items from the past!

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Sew Peaceful Doves, Debra Mack, Harrison, Nebraska

Elizabeth's Studio number 369 sky fabric and Stonehenge number 3956 by Sunshine Cottage; hand applique, two layers cotton batting, free motion quilting

Author's statement: When I see a blue and white Drunkards Path quilt, I immediately see white Doves in flight. I searched to find the perfect sky fabric with vibrant blue hues to present the best contrast for White Doves. Doves are a symbol of Peace. Adelaide Janine Sund Gulsing is listed as the quilter for the top that so inspired me to create Sew Peaceful Doves circling in the sky.

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ART Quilt, GiGi Connolly, Phoenix, Arizona

Assorted cotton fabric scraps and full pieces, warm and natural batting, silky, cotton and embroidery threads, Printed Treasures Sew On fabric; Trapunto quilting and free motion quilting, fabric sculpting, embroidery, applique, printing fabric with photos and words on inkjet printer

Author's statement: Geisha Dancer in the Evening Garden with Sacred Datura is a marriage of my interest in gardening, Asian Arts, poetry, and storytelling. Quilt like people have two sides. There's the public side that everyone is invited to know and enjoy. Then there is the private side which is shared more selectively and only when the time is right. The writer/storyteller side of me leaks onto and into my quilts with the backsides often doubling as journals.

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[Ego of Pythagora's Theorem] Unveiled, Esther Muh Albany, California

Cotton fabric and batting, fabric paint, machine sewn, two plastic buttons

Author's statement:Haynes' title Study in Squares [Ego of a Quilter] was what inspired this second pythagorean theorem quilt spin-off. The first quilt, Study in Right Triangles, as the title indicates is a study, with numbers proving how the equation works. In this second quilt I wanted this notable equation a² + b² = c² to speak for itself--for the ego to shine on its own.

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Purple Pansy, Esther and Elizabeth Muh, Albany, California

Scrap fabric, machine sewn and some English paper piecing, pansy block from Historically Modern Quilts, 783

Author's statement:My (3 year-old) daughter's favorite color is purple. So that was what we searched under in The Quilt Index. She was immediately drawn to Hunsicker's purple patchwork pansies. We pulled out all the purpley pieces from our scrap bag and made our own purple pansy quilt (I did the sewing).

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Summer in the Forest, Sarah Lykins Entsminger, Ashburn, Virginia

Cotton quilting fabric, vintage button; machine appliqued and machine quilted

Author's statement:As I scrolled through many of the quilts on the Quilt Index, I was struck by the incredible variety of colors and patterns used in the older quilts. I decided to use as my inspiration a quilt that I kept returning to each time I looked at the Index, a quilt entitled Tree of Life made in 1835. While the record indicates that the primary colors of the quilt are gold, red and black – the image reflects a great deal of green. I was also drawn to the many different patterned or chintz type fabrics used in the quilt, no large expanses of solid color to be seen anywhere. As I looked at the quilt, I was reminded of all the colors in nature, particularly those in a garden or woodland setting. I used primarily patterned fabric to replicate the feel of the original quilt and arranged the pieces in my own idea of a peaceful forest walk in the summer sunshine.

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Amish Modern, Jan Harmon, Costa Mesa, California

Wool, solid/plain; machine pieced, hand quilted

Author's statement: I Love Amish quilts. In the Quilt Index, I saw several Amish quilts made by the women of the Yoder family from 1875 to 1910, I had just received a goody bag from our local quilt show with squares of Kona fabrics, squares of wool, some buttons and an 18" square batting sample. All I had to add was some black fabric, some thread and my quilt, Amish Modern, was born.

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A Robin's View of CBOT, Robin Buscemi Ringoes, New Jersey

Fabric - cotton; Threads - silk, cotton, polyester; Batting - silk/cotton/bamboo/tencel; Techniques - hand appliqué, hand and machine piecing, hand embroidery, machine quilting, oil pastels à la Baltimore quilting technique.

Author's statement: This miniature quilt is a modern interpretation of the Chicago Board of Trade building, a beautiful treasure, appliquéd and embroidered on the Chicago flag, to give homage to Chicago and its architecture. Some colors were used from the special designed Sears Quilt contest quilts (World's Fair/Exposition 1933) Century of Progress theme. Features from the inside of the CBOT building, the now obsolete trading pits (clouds), and small pieces add the detail to express movement of art deco and time.

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Cherish Joy, Erin Anheier, Holley, New York

Fusible and machine applique, beads br>
Author's statement:We recently lost our eldest son in a tragic accident. When I realized it was time to stop wallowing in grief, I looked for an intellectual way to draw myself out. I tried to think of something positive I had learned from the experience: to cherish joy. I listed words and expressions regarding what I hoped I had learned. When I saw the inspiration quilt, I knew that my list would become a quilt.

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Strings II, Barbara Parsons Cartier, Enfield, Connecticut

Cotton strip scraps, Hobbs Poly batting, cotton quilting threads; quilted on home sewing machine - Janome Memory Craft 6600

Author's statement:I have been thinking about string quilts lately. Edith and Edna Monteith's Stringtop was just the inspiration I needed to finally explore string quilt design. It was so much fun, I made two! Strings I is a selection of strips placed randomly with little concern for light and dark values. Strings II has definite light and dark placements. The spiral quilting design is a reminder to look within.

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FAN-tasy, Beth Shibley, Los Alamitos, California

Paper piece sew and flip method

Author's statement: My quilt FAN-tastic began with a fan quilt from the Connecticut quilt search project. I cut some paper fans and used a paper piece sew and flip method to get my unusual wonky fans. The classic color combo of red and white is not as common in fan quilts, but it does create a GREAT pattern here.

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Perils of the Birth Canal, Karin Miller Stony Point, North Carolina

Commercial cotton, crystals, embroidery, beads; machine pieced, machine quilted, machine applique, metallic thread

Author's statement:My inspiration quilt was Star-Sunburst found on the Quilt Index. This quilt actually made me dizzy looking at it. I wanted to create a project that had this two-toned tunnel-type affect. The title of my project is Perils of the Birth Canal. I've always wondered if new souls looked upon the universe with a little trepidation. Maybe that is why we need a push or two before we begin our earthly excursion.

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Inspired By Pain, Karen Mowinski, Tucson, Arizona

Cotton, muslin, hand pieced and appliqued, hand quilted

Author's statement: Pain a dirty four letter word. I won't let it stop me, though. Give me needle, thread, a few yards of fabric and my sewing machine; I'll show pain who's boss. Pain has inspired me to seek creative ways to rise above the nocuous nerve stimulus; fibromyalgia degenerative disc/joint disease and stroke threaten. A positive attitude, a purposeful life, and inspiration of fellow quilters; pain you don't stand a chance.

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Log Cabin Fun, Nanette Fleischman, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Cotton fabric, applique-fused, machine quilted

Author's statement: My inspiration for this year's quilt is Yvonne Porcella. Not only this year but from the very first quilt I made. I saw her a long time ago on Alex Anderson's TV show and I was hooked. I love her work and what she has done for the quilt world. The log cabin pattern is my favorite so the quilt I made is a log cabin that was inspired by Yvonne's quilts. She uses a lot of bright colors and shapes. The sky is the limit.

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Monkey See - Monkey Do, Phyllis Campbell, Rockford, Illinois

Socky cotton fabrics by Windham Fabrics, machine pieced, machine quilted

Author's statement: Browsing the Illinois section in the Quilt Index, I came upon Anna Yoder's Monkey Wrench Quilt, c.1900. That quilt was the inspiration for my Monkey See – Monkey Do entry for the Quilt Alliance's contest. I chose sock monkey fabrics because the home of the original sock monkey is my hometown, Rockford, Illinois! In 1800, the Nelson Knitting Company created the machine that produced the red heeled socks of which sock monkey dolls are made, and treasured.

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Shoreline Series, Doreen Prakshot Sevierville, Tennessee

Batik fabrics, rawedge applique, free motion stitched with bead, lace, yarn and shell embellishment

Author's statement: Doreen Prakshot is an artist who knows how to handle color with an endless palette in either fiber or paint. Her use of bold colors and original designs creates a fresh approach to contemporary work.

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Like a Bird, Marisa Marquez, Madrid, Spain

Hand painted, machine quilted

Author's statement: The quilt is inspired by the works of Linda Gass. I have always wanted to do a birds eye view style. I opted in using applique and painting. The water is painted and all of the green is applique. I had alot of fun making this wall hanging and hope you all enjoy looking at it.

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Naupaka Flower, Alice Helms, Asheville, North Carolina

Cotton batik fabric, cotton batting, cotton thread. Hand applique, trapunto, machine quilting

Author's statement: Hawaiian quilting was something I knew very little about before I interviewed Elaine Zinn for QSOS. I was amazed when I learned how these quilts are made and wondered if I could make just a small section of a very simple Hawaiian quilt motif.

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Oak Leaf Sky, Paula Entin, Fairview, North Carolina

Cotton fabric and batting; machine pieced and quilted. Leaves constructed separately, machine piced and quilted

Author's statement: As a child, I did lots of leaf raking. Red maples were the flashiest, yellow beeches were lovely, but I was drawn to the rich russet orange color of the oaks and all the shapes an oak could take. When I discovered quilting, I loved the oak leaf applique patterns, but wasn't fond of applique. So here is my oak leaf pattern, which just may inspire me to embrace traditional applique.

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Octagons, Monica Hayden, Black Mountain, North Carolina

100 percent cotton fabrics and batting; machine piecing and quilting

Author's statement: The thought of this design came spontaneously into my head after perusing some of the quilts contained in the Quilt Index. Although several caught my attention, I was mainly taken by the simplicity and geometry of the octagons depicted in some of the quilts. So when I saw the quilt that ultimately served as my inspiration, Garden Twist, I knew I had found it.

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Whirlwind, Mary Puckett, Cullowhee, North Carolina

100 percent cotton fabric, improvisational piecing with paper-pieced star

Author's statement:One of my earliest memories is of sitting with my grandmother while she hand-pieced scrap quilts, so I chose a scrap quilt as my inspiration for this piece. The quilt is constructed from true scraps, left over from another project. Although I love improvisational piecing and the modern quilt aesthetic, much of the history of quilting involves precisely pieced designs, which is why I chose this little star as my focal point.

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3rd Place Winner: Members' Choice Awards
French Country, Renee Pasquale, Wappingers Falls, New York

Cotton fabrics, cotton batting, synthetic metallic fibers, swarovski crystals, cotton and decorative threads; machine raw edge applique, free motion machine quilting

Author's statement:Hollis Chatelain's work has always inspired me. I chose Terraced Landscape by Hollis as my inspiration piece because it evoked two areas that interest me. The first being color, the second being movement. Terraced Landscape packed a punch of color that reminded me of France and her lines made me feel movement with the flow of the piece. In my version, I created a realistic setting, with some abstract fabrics and again punches of color. I added the bling of crystals and metallic textiles for added spark. I enjoyed creating French Country and again thank Hollis for her vision, talent and inspiration provided in Terrace Landscape.

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Spring's Beauty, Joan Emerson, Biddeford, Maine

Raw edge, machine applique for the Brodiere Perse and free motion quilting. All 100 percent cotton fabrics, fabric dye.

Author's statement:Since seeing a Broderie Perse exhibit at the New England Quilt Museum, I've been inspired to use the technique myself. My inspiration quilt uses Broderie Perse in a medallion style quilt. Spring's Beauty uses a Broderie Perse mother bird and nest as the center of the medallion quilt. The bird, nest and flowers show the beauty of spring awakening from a cold New England winter.

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Zippy Zinnias, Susan Bleiweiss, Pepperell, Massachusetts

Hand dyed cotton, Mistyfuse fusbile web, polyester zippers; raw edge fusible applique, machine quilted, hand made zipper flowers

Author's statement: Making a piece based on someone else's quilt is just not the way I work so I decided to approach the inspired by theme from a different direction. Rather than taking inspiration from the imagery and pattern I took my inspiration from the materials – specifically the use of zippers in Jamie Fingal's Metal Measures quilt. I used zippers to make the flowers around the border and to outline the vases.

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Snowflake Sampler, Karen Bennick Oceanside, California

Commercial fabrics, metallics and sheers, crystals, modeling cream with stencils and hand cut snowflakes; machine quilted

Author's statement: 1991 was the first year I made quilts. My story is in Quilter's SOS. Paper dolls were a favorite activity when I was young. In my second childhood, I have enjoyed designing and hand cutting three snowflake quilts this year. Two will be donated to organization I belong to for fund raisers and the third, representing the word cold, will be exhibited in Word Power with the Free Spirits Art Quilts group in July 2014 in Vista, CA.

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Meilleurs Voeux (Best Wishes), Christina Strickland, Asheville, North Carolina

Commercial quilting cottons and batting; machine washable

Author's statement:A modern take on a timeless motif: Double Wedding Ring. The perfect gift for that special couple. Personalize it as you wish.

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Resurrection, Susanne Miller Jones, Potomac Falls, Virginia

Raw edge applique, machine embroidery, cotton fabric, Isacord thread

Author's statement: I was inspired by Donna J. Deason-Rehman's quilt, Transformation. The dormant tree on her quilt seems to explode with butterflies. The tree returns to life after the long winter. My Inspired By version was created while on a fiber art retreat in Florida on the first day of spring. The butterfly is a joyful reminder of the renewing of life and is the symbol of resurrection. As a Christian, my hope is in His Resurrection.

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Honorable Mention: Members' Choice Awards
Renaissance Treasure, Marilyn Fromherz, Calimesa, California

Machine embroidery, hand and machine applique, beading - cotton fabric

Author's statement: I was inspired by the wonderful beading Tom Russell adds to his quilts. The sequins he uses were a new element for me and I love the sparkle they project. This tapestry style quilt was made from a scrap of medallion fabric. I hand appliqued it to a pieced background of blocks made on my embroidery machine. Quilting is my passion; I receive so much joy from the process of creating each quilt.

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Feedsack Quilt, Ann Bordeau, Arden, North Carolina

Bird seed bags, felt, cotton, traditional piecing, machine applique, embroidery, beading

Author's statement: Resourceful women in the early 20th century reused printed fabric feedsacks to create utilitarian quilts. Many great examples can be seen documented in the Quilt Index. I suggest Friendship Chain, a 1930 quilt by Elsie Simpson, as a good example of a quilt using this fabric source. As a 21st century quilter, I was inspired to use the feedsacks I had on hand, bird seed bags that are made of a durable woven plastic-type material, to create my submission to the annual Quilt Alliance contest. To give homage to the useful prints of last century's feedsacks, I included art from my bird seed bags. And it seemed fitting to embellish with a few seed beads. I hope you enjoy my current interpretation of the Feedsack Quilt.

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About Time, Janice Stone, O'Fallon, Missouri

Cotton fabrics, hand quilting, machine quilting, machine pieced

Author's statement:Next Time by Yvonne Porcella was the inspiration for my quilt About Time. I was inspired by the use of red, the crayon like colors and free form pattern. The inspiration quilt was saying to me it's About Time to take the leap. Using bits and pieces of fabric from past quilts, both hand and machine quilting I completed About Time. I enjoyed the process and will make more free spirit quilts.

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Hungarian Medallion, Allison Aller, Washougal, Washington

Silk, cotton, fabric flowers, silk ribbon, embroidery floss and covered wire, vintage Hungarian embroidery, velvet ribbon. Machine appliqued and quilted; hand embellished

Author's statement: I love Broderie Perse and medallions quilts, so the quilt I chose for my inspiration was the perfect jumping off point. Because I am a crazy quilter, I am used to working in three dimensional surface design, so including such embellishment was inevitable! The colors of course came from the happy Hungarian embroidery that is the focus of the quilt. It is bound in vintage velvet ribbon.

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*This quilt is not eligible for voting (Alliance Board Member)*
Tucks, Julie Dugas, Asheville, North Carolina

Hand dyed and commercial striped fabric; machine sewn/quilted

Author's statement: I am a self-taught fiber artist and create quilt wall art using my hand dyed fabric. Through the art quilt, I express my feelings and share my experiences. I use a freeform approach to a new piece, not having complete control over the outcome as I layer, create line, shape or pattern, add color, machine and hand stitch, embellish with beads, trims, yarns, ribbons and buttons, using all types, colors and textures of thread.

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Honorable Mention: Members' Choice Awards
Mod, Julie Dugas, Asheville, North Carolina

Tonal white cotton machine quilted with rainbow piping

Author's statement:I am a self-taught fiber artist and create quilt wall art using my hand dyed fabric. Through the art quilt, I express my feelings and share my experiences. I use a freeform approach to a new piece, not having complete control over the outcome as I layer, create line, shape or pattern, add color, machine and hand stitch, embellish with beads, trims, yarns, ribbons and buttons, using all types, colors and textures of thread.

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Crazy Log, Julie Dugas, Asheville, North Carolina

Ribbons and trims sewn as a log cabin block with decorative stitching

Author's statement:I am a self-taught fiber artist and create quilt wall art using my hand dyed fabric. Through the art quilt, I express my feelings and share my experiences. I use a freeform approach to a new piece, not having complete control over the outcome as I layer, create line, shape or pattern, add color, machine and hand stitch, embellish with beads, trims, yarns, ribbons and buttons, using all types, colors and textures of thread.

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Eight Hexagons, Jen Eskridge, Helotes, Texas

Machine pieced, appliqued and quilted. String style piecing with faced-hexagons

Author's statement:The piece, Eight Hexagons, is created in the free-cutting, string-quilt style of Anna Williams. I first saw Ms. Williams' quilts on display at Louisiana State University in the '90s. Her mix of every-fabric-cut-to-every-size is such a refreshing approach to today's quilts-with-structure. I decided to mix a hint of geometry into my piece, continuing to use "strings" in my machine appliqued shapes.

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I'll Follow the Sun, Mary Kay Davis, Sunnyvale, California

Cotton fabrics - machine appliqued, pieced and quilted

Author's statement: I'll Follow the Sun was inspired by Mary Gasperik's Star Arcturus quilt. I liked the heavenly theme and choice of bright colors with a pale background. The quilt looked "modern" to me. Instead of a star, I made a sun. I'm a California girl. It's great to be where the sun shines 'most' the time.

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Elizabeth Meets Jinny, Sandi Goldman, Annandale, Virginia

Cotton fabric, cotton batting, hand pieced, hand quilted with cotton and rayon thread

Author's statement:Elizabeth Briskey Mast's "Scrap Baby Quilt" spoke to me with its geometric shapes, simple piecing and unusual color choices. The quilt has a very contemporary feel even though it was made circa 1890. The quilter seemed to work intuitively with what was available to her similar to the way I often work. I limited my fabrics to using only those designed by Jinny Beyer and that's how they got to meet each other.

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Sixteen Grands and Greats, Pamela Allen, Kingston, Ontario,

Recycled and commercial fabrics, raw edge hand applique, machine quilting

Author's statement:I have no children of my own. But I was lucky to marry a man with six grown-up children and in the last 33 years they have given me 16 grandchildren and great grandchildren. When I was interviewed for QSOS for the Alliance I chose my quilt Grandmother's Lullaby for the example of my work. For this small work I began the composition with a fragment from that quilt printed on fabric. From that I built a new composition showing all 16 of them.

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Lighten(ing), Audrey Hyvonen, Baltimore, Maryland

Cotton, block pattern, mix of fabric patterns

Author's statement:Being smitten with Streak of Lightning, I knew where to start when looking for "Inspiration" for this challenge. The brilliance of combining a visually striking pattern with an anchor of the classic nine-patch sealed the deal. I had my idea. Sketching, selecting, cutting, manipulating and piecing was quickly followed by the fun of twisting and turning the rigid pattern into something new. I especially like the end conversation I discovered between the light blues.

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OMG Dn't Txt n Wlk, Ramona Bates, Little Rock, Arkansas

Cotton fabric, warm 'n natural batting, hand applique, fused applique, machine quilting

Author's statement:I was inspired by several quilts in the Quilt Index: Drunkard's Path Variation, Drunkard's Path and Snake Trail. I drafted my pattern. I hand appliqued the "path way" onto the background fabric so the animals would remain intact as "hidden" dangers. The fussy cut flowers are fused along the path. The foot prints hopefully are reminiscent of distracted walking while texting. OMG Dn't Txt n Wlk is printed along the pathway.

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The Best, Yvonne Porcella Arnold, California

Silks, cottons, fused, buttons, machine stitched

Author's statement:I used the Quilt Index search function to find my crazy quilt inspiration. From there I navigated over to alphabet quilts. Documented by the Kentucky Quilt Project Anna Marie Schmidt Steinbock 1876-1900 stitched family names on her crazy quilt scraps. With modern tools I added stitching and words onto my crazy background.

See my inspiration *This quilt is not eligible for voting (Alliance Advisory Council Member)*
Modern Mini, Jodi Scaltreto, Hillsboro, New Hampshire

Commecial fabrics. EQ Stitch. Fabrics scanned into EQ and laid out then printed paper piecing templates and paper pieced the top. It was quilted on Bernina 440QE sewing machine using the walking foot as a guide to do the grid patterns.

Author's statement:When I saw the inspiration quilt I liked the string pieced look. I played with my quilt program EQStitch and using one of the blocks in the program I modified it to my liking with the string pieced look. I also like the modern quilt movement and the colors I chose were a bit of modern and old with the setting and quilting.

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Checks and Chinese Balances, Annedore Neumann Moenchengladbach-Wickrath, Germany

Hand-dyed viscose-silk-cotton, “Color Bars“ fabric; fused; quilted by machine with variegated thread.

Artist's Statement: My optician gave us a Tangram as wedding present – to while away the hours in the commuter train to work (as if newly married needed distraction !? ). Many resulting figures lent themselves to be used in a quilt someday.... now! At QuiltExpoEurope 1992 in The Hague, Caryl Bryer Fallert’s work pushed open a door to unexpected creative possibilities. In 1995 and 2003 I had the pleasure and honour to take two of her encouraging classes. Caryl's elegant dancers inspired me to this spiky interpretation.

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True Love, Jamie Fingal, Orange, California

Commercial cottons, fused, free motion machine quilted, zipper trim, text fabric from artist own line, felt.

Artist's Statement: Based on the time honored traditional quilt pattern, the Double Wedding Ring, I created my own version. Using Sizzix dies and text fabric from my own line, I inserted words into the rings that to me encapsulate the story of true love in my own life. The quilt is inspired by "Two Weddings and an Amish Quilt" 1955 by Elizabeth Ann Miller Bontrager.

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Echoing Footsteps of Ancestors, Susan Buckwalter Henyon, Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Cotton, 100 wt silk and polyester thread, machine pieced, machine quilted, fused raw-edge applique

Artist's Statement: I've long had a fascination with Amish quilts, especially after visiting the Lancaster Quilt Museum in Pennsylvania, then finding my maiden name on a street sign in Intercourse, PA. I've quilting ancestors on the maternal and paternal sides of my family. Looking through the Quilt Index, I found an 1835 quilt named "Bars" for inspiration. Ancestors' thoughts echo and pave the way. Andree helped me draft the design, offered suggestions and encouragement, a great collaboration!

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Blue Crossing, Sherri Lipman McCauley, Lakeway, Texas

Honorable Mention: Judge's Choice Award (Judge: Paula Nadelstern)

Black paint squirted onto fabric, circles appliqued with Mistyfuse, machine stitched and quilted.

Artist's Statement: I like to work extemporaneously and in the abstract. Bright colors tend to excite me, as well as geometry and asymmetry. I typically work in the moment, working with paints and dyes on fabric, creating serendipitous designs. The simple line of a geometric shape, the blast of a colorful line or the contrast of black against white makes my canvas sing.

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Grandmother's Garden Flower, Kay Koeper Sorensen, Salem, Wisconsin

My hand dyed fabric, machine pieced, machine quilted.

Artist's statement: After years of quilting my personal style is serendipitous. When I created this piece of hand dyed fabric I realized the hexagon design was perfect for this quilt. Hexagons are a favorite shape for quilts, especially Grandmother's Flower Gardens. While I was never quite sure where I was going next, I always found my way. The fabric guided me as I created the square shape, let the quilting flow and finished it on time.

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Fractured Light & Water, Skywalker, Burley, Idaho

All fabrics used were 100 percent cotton, white and various colors, plus purple ombre' for the narrow border and binding. Threads used were gold Sulky Metallic, Gutermann colors and white. Fantastix paints were also used for the arc. Bat was Hobbs poly down.

Artist's statement: From the inspiration of Anna Mary Millrde's quilt in The Quilt Index. This woman lived in Germany then immigrated to the US; her quilt was made between the years of 1930-1949 a time of great upheaval, yet her quilt was alive with color and optimism. She inspired this quilt called Fractured Light & Water. When I looked at her quilt, in my mind's eye this is what I saw.

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Pathways (We Are Here), Amy Anderson, Asheville, North Carolina

Honorable Mention: Judge's Choice Award (Judge: Marianne Fons)

Cotton, machine piecing and quilting

Artist's statement: Vintage quilts are often strikingly modern in appearance. As a modern quilter, I often think about my place in the long history of quilting. All quilters share one path – albeit one with dead ends, side roads, loops and forks, twists and turns. The inspiration for this quilt is a labyrinth, but for me the practice of quilting is truly a puzzle with no beginning or end.

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What World is This?, Lori Harrah, Huntsville, Arkansas

Cotton and polyester organza; pieced, appliqued and machine quilted.

Artist's statement: My piece, "What World is This?" tells a story about our place in the universe. Imagine if we were discovered for the first time by another being. Would we be considered insignificant, beautiful or strange? I speculate that upon first finding our world, one would be in awe at the complexities that comprise the earth.

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The Darwin Quilt, Jean Van Bockel, Boise, Idaho

Honorable Mention: Members' Choice Awards

Cotton fabric, hand appliqued and embroidered, machine quilted

Artist's statement: From the DAR collection there is a beautiful appliqued quilt made by Josephine Miller Adkins in 1874. Her family called it the Biblical Stories Quilt. It was made right after Darwin's theory of evolution was published, This shocking new concept stirred up controversy around the world and is still debated 140 years later. I took design ideas from Josephine's quilt but used bright colors, added a Darwin fish and put a monkey on the tree of knowledge.

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Layers of Nine Patch, Alicia Sterna, Surprise, Arizona

Batik fabrics, applique and free motion quilted

Artist's statement: Drawn to contemporary design, I explored ways to use a nine patch concept in a circular setting, inspired by round nine patch blocks of Ethel Verena Naegle. There are multiple layers of nine patches in the quilt; the background blocks, the nine circles, and the nine patches within each circle, either pieced or stitched, and those within the pieced circles.

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Streaking North, Callie Lavoie, Wells, Maine

Cotton fabrics will all cotton threads; machine pieced, reverse hand applique and stars hand appliqued. Hand quilted with pearl cotton couched for streaks

Artist's statement: Streaking North is an inspiration of "North by Northeast". Choosing my inspiration led me to a quilt from Maine, quilts in our New England Quilt Museum, and a memory of a quilt donated by Evergreen Quilters, my own quilt chapter. It was made by members then, 1995, and some still members now. It spoke of Maine to me.

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Kaffe, Klimt and the Cosmos, Ellie Flaherty, Falls Church, Virginia

Commercial cotton fabric, fused appliqué, machine quilted

Artist's statement: My inspiration was the simplicity of the Postage Stamp/One Inch Square design and our quilting mothers’ gift of turning bits of fabric into works of art.

I love the fabric designs of Kaffe Fassett, the art of Gustav Klimt and the dazzling special effects of the recent Cosmos television series and wanted to use all three in a quilt. The one-inch ‘mini-quilts’ were fused onto the stitched grid and machine embellished with thread and bits of gold lame fabric. The ‘cosmos’ was handmade from fused silk fibers, Angelina, tulle, and machine quilted with holographic thread.

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Pineapple Log Cabin Renewed, Jane Hall, Raleigh, North Carolina

Cotton batiks, cotton-poly batting;Machine pieced and machine quilted.

Artist's statement: Inspired by an antique Pineapple Log Cabin quilt (#47-7B-E8 in The Quilt Index), I reduced the block size to 3" and searched for fabrics to create the feeling of the color spans in the original. This pattern was one of the most popular then, and continues to be so today. Pieced on foundations for stability and precision, the resulting quilt has the aura of that time period. See my inspiration.
Country Home, Margarita Korioth Lakeland, Tennessee

Infuse newsprint on silk, trapunto, applique, machine and hand embroidery, beaded. Newsprint, magazine clippings, beads, paint, embroidery threads

Artist's statement: Printed materials were combined with cloth to create art by using messages from old news articles and media pieces and transform them into something new through my techniques. In this quilt, the house has been made with my own method of infusing newsprint on cloth to image the words spoken in that home.

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Typical Dutch, Janneke Van Der Ree, Pennington, New Jersey

Fabric painting, embellishments, beads, handstitching

Artist's statement: Although I love all her landscapes, After the Gold Rush by Linda Gass, struck my eye. Working at a series of Dutch aerial landscapes, and especially the flowering bulb fields of the Netherlands, they really appealed to me. What can I say about my quilt…you can take the girl out of Holland, but you can never take Holland out of the girl …

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Silk, Julie Dugas, Asheville, North Carolina

Silk, hand embroidery

Artist's statement: I am a self-taught fiber artist and create quilt wall art using my hand dyed fabric. Through the art quilt, I express my feelings and share my experiences. I use a freeform approach to a new piece, not having complete control over the outcome as I layer, create line, shape or pattern, add color, machine and hand stitch, embellish with beads, trims, yarns, ribbons and buttons, using all types, colors and textures of thread.

See my inspiration.
A Different Path, Mandy Munroe, Ashford, UK

Cotton fabrics from my stash, machine quilted.

Artist's statement: Inspired by the simplicity and colours of the “modern” quilt by Edith and Edna Monteith 1950-75. Mostly grey and pink with blue paths running across, the original looks like it was made from salvaged scraps and lost blocks.

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Rip Van Winkle Sunbonnet Sue, PJ Howard, Denver, North Carolina

Vintage quilt block appliqued by unknown maker, borders, yo-yo's, printed story

Artist's statement: Resurrecting someone's patient work can be rewarding even if that someone is not known to you. Here's to all quilters having a future rejuvenation of their work!

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Interlocking Chevron, Diana Ramsay, Asheville, North Carolina

Interlocking chevron. Machine piecing using partial seams. Machine quilted with holograph thread. Quilters Dream Request cotton batting.

Artist's statement: Chevron is one of my favorite quilt patterns. I also like to make quilts that invite viewers to question, "How did she do that?" This design brings the two concepts together. Hand-dyed fabrics in eight gradations of aqua and of red provide visual shading. Sulky Silver Metallic quilting thread adds a touch of sparkle.

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Listen to Your Mother: The Universal Mother Speaks to Quilters, Eleanor Levie, Philadelphia, PA

Applique, photo transfer (text), machine quilter's cottons/quilting.

Artist's statement: For almost 50 years, Jean Ray Laury was an inspirational, pioneering, rule-breaking heroine to quilters. The gentle humor behind her folk art gave special resonance to her messages. Who doesn't hear her own mother echoing from the nine patches of Jean's silk-screened "Listen to Your Mother"? Or recognize the love behind such neurotic exclamations? Forced to choose only one universal mother, I borrowed Whistler's and directed her admonitions to quilters. All rules I frequently break! Here are the exclamations included in my quilt:

It takes how much guilt 'til you finish that quilt?

What about the label?

The baby is due any day! How are you going to get that thing done in time?

Pull up that bobbin thread! You've got little nests all over the backing.

Better needle-turn; you don't know what fusible web will do after 50 years.

What?! You didn't preshrink before lumping that new fabric in with the others?

Get those new rotary blades while your coupon is still good.

If you're not going to quilt, then you should be cleaning your house.

You're going to use that for the binding?

Move that needle position back to center! You're going to break that needle!

Check your tension! Loosen up! Go faster! Keep to an even pace!

Relax! No pressure!

See my inspiration.

Honorable Mention: Members' Choice Awards
Lollipop Garden, Lisa Ellis, Fairfax, Virginia

Cotton fabrics, fused applique, machine pieced amd machine quilted

Artist's statement: Lollipop Gardens was inspired by the whimsical round shape flowers found in Tom Russell's piece, Scrap Bag Bouquet, on Quilter's Save Our Stories. The background was inspired by the wonderful work of fellow board member Allie Aller's crazy quilts. I loved working with the contemporary fabrics and designing this playful piece.

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*This quilt is not eligible for voting (Alliance Board Member)*
Dahlia, Leslie Ferrell Kauffmann, Brussels, Belgium,

Cotton fabric, low-loft cotton batting, cotton embroidery thread; hand applique, hand embroidery, hand quilting.

Artist's statement: My inspiration for this quilt was the "Bird of Paradise" quilt by Alice Mahelona from the 1920s taken from the Quilt Alliance Quilt Index. Her quilt is done in lovely colors with a bold, eye-catching design. I noticed that many of the Hawaiian Quilt Research Project quilts were named after flowers. My quilt is called "Dahlia," a flower that often has eight petals, grows beautifully where I live, comes in fabulous colors and was one of my mother's favorites. (The colors are favorites of mine!) The hand embroidery gave me a chance to learn some new stitches and practice some old familiar ones as well. I had been wanting to try to make this style of quilt ever since a friend sent me a link to a blog describing the tivaevae, embroidered Hawaiian-style quilts made in Rarotonga. The Quilt Alliance Inspired By... contest seemed the perfect opportunity with so many gorgeous Hawaiian quilts in the Quilt Index and in Save Our Stories to use as inspiration.

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Going Dotty, Aunt Sarah! Ellen Hernandez, San Antonio, Texas

Cotton fabric, buttons. Machine pieced, machine and hand applique, machine quilted, yo-yo embellishment.

Artist's statement: My inspiration account turned out to be an exciting family history discovery. Searching by Longbottom, my (Knox Co, TN) grandmother's maiden name, there was one item – a 1915 red, blue and orange Lone Star quilt by Sarah Jane Longbottom Davidson, from the Quilts of Tennessee project, Knox County. Thanks to the personal information included on the Index and my genealogy records, I was able to confirm that this was my great grand aunt Sarah, sister to my great grandfather Benjamin Longbottom. What a small world, after all!

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Honorable Mention: Judge's Choice Award (Judge: Mark Lipinski)
Study in Right Triangles, Esther Muh, Albany, California

Cotton fabric and batting, puffy paint, machine sewn.

Artist's statement: I was drawn to the gallery on ¨Quilts and Mathematics in Education.¨ I remember using the pythagorean theorem over and over again in many of my math classes. So I was inspired to extend the use of the pythagorean theorem onto a quilt and in the process discovered that I can arrange 10 of the same 3:4:5 right triangles perfectly around the three different squares.

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Granny Loves Her Crazy Flower Garden, Erin Anheier, Holley, New York

Vintage quilt pieces, machine applique

Artist's statement: I can't resist buying orphan quilt blocks when I see them. I admit that mostly they just sit in storage but this gave me an opportunity to use some vintage quilt pieces as well as vintage crochet work. The abstract flower shapes seem to go well with the crazy quilting and I love the variety of the old fabrics.

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And Shoes Complete the Ensemble, Sue Rook Nichols, Riverside, California

Artist's statement:

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Strings I, Barbara Parsons Cartier, Enfield, Connecticut

Cotton strip scraps, Hobbs Poly batting, cotton quilting threads; quilted on home sewing machine - Janome Memory Craft 6600.

Artist's statement: I have been thinking about string quilts lately. Edith and Edna Monteith's Stringtop was just the inspiration I needed to finally explore string quilt design. It was so much fun, I made two! Strings I is a selection of strips placed randomly with little concern for light and dark values. Strings II has definite light and dark placements. The spiral quilting design is a reminder to look within.

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Pink Pineapple, Anita Karban-Neef, Cary, Illinois

Hand dyed cotton, 100 percent cotton batting, foundation paper pieced, raw edge applique-fused, machine pieced and machine quilted

Artist's statement: The quilt I chose for my inspiration was a medallion style quilt done in what appears to be printed cotton chintz of pineapples and floral motifs, though it is listed as a while cloth quilt. I chose to interpret the pineapple inspiration two ways – classic foundation paper pieced blocks and raw edge fused applique, using updated tropical bright colors and hand dyed cotton fabric.

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News Hounds, Pauline Salzman, Treasure Island, Florida

Cotton fabric, wool felt batting; fusbile applique, free hand quilted on a Bernina.

Artist's statement: Since there are very few original ideas and most of us learn from someone else, I have to credit Yvonne Porcella for making me think of simple shapes, Susan Shie for making my quilt informative and Jamie Fingal for techniques that make it all very easy. Using those ideas and techniques I added my twist. Thank you one and all.

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1st Place Winner: Members' Choice Awards
Organic Trees, Carol Esch Pittstown, New Jersey

Cotton fabric, shibori-dyed

Artist's statement: Mainly, I love trees, especially birch and aspen. This small quilt was made organically from fabric I buried in the dirt for three weeks, fabric I dyed and fabric shibori-dyed. I hope it has an organic feel to it with the quilting and uneven binding and raw edges.

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Jambalaya, Frances Holliday Alford, Grafton, Vermont

Quilting cotton, embroidery floss, brocade ribbon, Timtex. Embroidery, raw edge applique.

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