2017 CAMEO Quilt Show: Quilted Treasures

The local quilt guild, CAMEO,  held its biannual show the first weekend of June. With under 60 members, the guild was able to put on a wonderful show that showcased these talented ladies and offered a wonderful vendors mall.

several Joe Cunningham workshop quilts

Two traveling shows from The Great Lakes Quilt Museum out of Michigan State University were included. The Michigan Quilt Block Project includes 30 oversized traditional quilt blocks.

Michigan Quilt Block Project, Detroit News pattern

Michigan Quilt Block Project, crazy quilt

Coloring With the Masters from the Aussome Study Group, consisting of five Michigan quilters, created quilts inspired by artists including Peter Max, Louis Tiffany, and Dr. Seuss.

Coloring with the Masters, Peter Max

Coloring with the Masters, Tiffany

Here are some of my favorite quilts in the show.

The Megiddo Quilt by Linda Ibbs is an original design, quilted by Arlene Redman. It is a copy of a mosaic floor in one of the earliest Christian churches in Israel, dating to 230 A.D.

The floor was inscribed, "Offered...to God Jesus Chris as a Memorial. Gaianus, also called Porphrius, Centurion, our brother has made the payment at his own expense. Brutius has carried out the work."

Rosemary Spatafora designed Adventure is Out There for an 'UP' themed wedding. She created the paper pieced house pattern. It is quilted by Barbara Lusk.

Black White & Bright by Pat Balduf of Sharon Tucker-Grass Root Quilt Studio is so much fun! Pat did the piecing and machine quilting.

The Chicken and the Eggs applique is an original design by Theresa Nielson. 

A Rock and Roll Storm by Jean Schlegelmann is a two fabric bargello quilt, quilted by Barbara Lusk. I love the luminosity!

Lucy Lesperance created Lucy in the Sack with Sapphires, quilted by Barbara Lusk. It won Best in Show!

Linda Watkins used a Quilter Girl Designs pattern which she calls Rick's 'Stache. Quilted by Barbara Lusk.

 Sybil Derderian's Unraveled is machine pieced and quilted.

Janene Sharp is involved in dog rescue. Her Doggie in the Window quilts was designed by Leanne Anderson and quilted by Barb Lusk.

Tabacco Road was a postage stamp exchange. Machine pieced by Cindy May and quited by Barbara Lusk.

Rosemary Spatafora's Modern Sunrise is inspired by the work of Jacquie Gering. Machine quilted by Barbara Lusk.

Rosemary also made the Vista Maria Quilt, an original design. Quilted by Barbara Lusk.

Linda Pearce's First Snow is a pattern from Tina Curran in the Quilter's Newsletter. It is paper pieced, embellished, and quilted by Barbara Lusk. It won Best Wall Hanging.

Lennox by Laurie Johnson modified a pattern by Jen Kingwell. Quilted by Maggie Smith.

Bee-utiful Embroidery was a MODA Bakeshop pattern which I also worked on last year. This quilt by Kathy Debien was quilted by Quality Quilting.

 The Splendid Sampler  from Pat Sloan was completed by Terri Thompson

Stars for Jim by Dorothy Strefling is a design by Cheryl Malkowski and was quilted by Maggie Smith. It won second place in Bed Quilts.

With 176 quilts in the show, and the additional special exhibits, I can't share them all. 

Last of all, the Suzie Parron Barn Quilt workshop quilts were also part of the show

The Splendid Sampler from Pat Sloan

Pat Sloan's thirty-fourth book is The Splendid Sampler, a collection of 100 blocks from 80 designers. The 6" blocks employ varied techniques, including patchwork, applique', paper piecing, hand and machine embroidery, English Paper Piecing, and mixed techniques. Many are new, original blocks. 

Beginning February 14, 2016, the blocks were featured for free online, two a week, at her website found here.

A year ago I was able to see Pat at a local quilt guild. My post with photos of Pat's quilts can be found at https://theliteratequilter.blogspot.com/2016/03/pat-sloan-visits-town.html.

Pat Sloan

Quilters from the guild brought in the Splendid Sampler blocks they were working on. Over 23,000 quilters participated in the year long sew-along!

Great Lakes Heritage Quilters members Splendid Sampler blocks

Lucy from my weekly quilt group has made some of the blocks, including this embroidered block.

Martindale's That Patchwork Place gave me a free ebook of The Splendid Sampler in exchange for an unbiased review.

Why, you may ask, should you buy the book when the blocks were free online?

The book includes the patterns but also a lot more.

A well illustrated, comprehensive Quilting Basics offers all the great information you need for every technique, including hints such as how to avoid a 'shadow' under light applique pieces, pressing small pieces, preparing circles for applique, marking for embroidery, and how to make foundation papers easier to remove.


The blocks are arranged by technique: Patchwork, Applique, Foundation-Pieced, and Embroidered.

Each block pattern designer offers an artist's statement about her block.

Each block has a full-color photograph of the designer's completed block, supplies needed, and step-by-step, illustrated assembly instructions including hints for success.

Alternate colorways are often included and suggestions on fussy cutting and color choice.

I appreciated the construction illustrations showing how to sew rows to complete the pieced block.


There is a quilt gallery of completed sampler quilts in different settings and layouts and an alphabetical Block Index by the block's pattern name.

All patterns in the ebook have links to a PDF file for downloading.

80 designer's worth of inspiration, advice, and creativity in one book! Designers include:

• Co-authors Jane Davidson and Pat Sloan
• Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill
• Lynette Anderson
• Laurie Simpson of Minick & Simpson
• Joanne Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts
• Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings
• Victoria Findlay Wolfe
• Jackie Kunkel of Canton Village Quilt Works 

Every quilter, beginner or advanced, will find something to inspire them in The Splendid Sampler. 

I received a free ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Publication date is April 4, 2017.