The
2017 Quilters Showcase held at the Birch Run Expo Center in Birch Run, just west of Frankenmuth, MI, is in its fifth year but this was the first time I attended.
The Stitching Well quilt shop of Bay City, MI organizes the showcase, bringing together local quilt shops and quilt vendors in conjunction with a show including over 200 quilts by Mid-Michigan artists.
Here are some of the quilts that caught my eye.
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| Carnivale by Jeannie St. John is paper pieced |
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| Rockin' Round Robin was made by Jeannie St. John and five other persons. |
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| Detail of Rocking Round Robin |
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Carolyn Pickard's Ewe-niquely Yours was her first wool applique!
The Back Street Quilt Shop of Bad Axe, MI offered this as a block of the month. |
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| detail Ewe-niquely Yours |
The wool applique is 3-D. The detail is amazing.
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| Detail Ewe-niquely Yours |
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| Star Bright by Bobbi Essex is a cheerful Modern take on a traditional pattern |
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| Carol's Revenge by Valerie Stephens was a BOM quilt, full of fancy machine embroidery stitching. |
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| Detail of Carol's Revenge |
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Hearts & Hands by Jeanne Robinson is a reproduction of a quilt from the
York County Heritage Trust collection, York, PA |
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| Detail Hearts & Hands |
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| Ladybugs for Kyler by Bonnie Gabriel and Garden Rows by Elaine Camp |
I ran into a number of quilters I know from my weekly group and the local quilt guild, including Chuck Blanchard who had several quilts on exhibit, including
Las Cruces.
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| Las Cruces by Chuck Blanchard |
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| Detail of Las Cruces. Constructed with machine applique and trapunto. |
The Raven, a pattern from Blackbird Designs caught our eye. I may need to buy this pattern book! Each block was inspired by a line from the poem The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe.
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Sue Matlock's verision of Blackbird Designs pattern The Raven
included borders with 'Quoth the Raven, Nevermore' |
There were so many great vendors with a huge variety of wares. I loved the Michigan inspired patterns and hand dyed fabrics at
Windberry Studios of Milford, MI.
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| Windberry Studios patterns |
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| Windberry encourages creativity |
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| Windberry Studios preprinted fabrics and patterns |
There were vintage quilts included in the show. Below is an embroidered Bird Life by Ruby McKim.
A 1988 Log Cabin made by Georgette Windler brought back memories of quilt fabrics and stitch-in-the-ditch quilting days.
This Depression era Wedding Quilt was made by Dora Begley for John and Margaret Gerlach's weeding.
The show had something for everyone. There was ample parking and easy access, no stairs, and all on one level in one huge room.
