Thursday night, our guild, Heritage Quilters of Huntsville, had the pleasure of hearing guest speaker & teacher, Betty Ekern Suiter. She did a wonderful job sharing her story and telling us about her quilting journey and her quilting processes. She was as entertaining as she was informative.
After ten years of quilting, she became the ninth person EVER certified as Master Quilter by the National Quilting Association. She noted in her talk, that quite a number of years later, she asked if she could submit another quilt for consideration as Master Quilter, because quilting had changed so much over the years. She said she was told that Master Quilter was a lifelong honorary, and she didn't need to re-submit. LOL!
Her website is HERE. You really ought to check her out. *After* you scroll the rest of my post and see the pictures I took of her quilts!
This quilt, Grace Unfolding, was one of my favorites . . .
Look at the detail in the center . . . can you believe this is ALL hand appliqued? Needle-turned, to boot -- SIXTEEN STITCHES PER INCH! I was flabbergasted to learn that! Oh yeah, and hand quilted!!!
This quilt, Floral Symphony, was another she had hanging at the meeting last night. This one was based on a carpet, by Asmara (by permission).
Floral Symphony was selected as one of the 100 Best American Quilts of the 20th Century in the Ultimate quilt Search. Wow!! It's even more stunning in person. Again, hand appliqued and hand quilted.
This third quilt, Welcome to My Dreams, has won seven best of show awards including best of show at the 2002 American Quilters Society in Paducah, Kentucky.
Again, like all of her quilts, hand appliqued and hand quilted. It took her two and a half years to complete. Sure, I've got quilts that took me two and a half years to complete, too. Because I worked on them 2-3 hours a month! LOL!
Again, the photo doesn't do this one, Rhythmic Hues, justice. The blues were so rich and pretty! Based on what she said, I gather she hand dyes the majority of the fabric that she uses, so she can control the color palette. Very color oriented. She had a kit for sale for a small (10" square) three flower in these same shapes/colors. The fabrics included in it were ones she dyed. That kit is now part of my {cough} collection!
She did have lots and patterns for sale, including the one below. I *love* the look of this one!!! She told me she used ONE fat quarter for all the appliqued leaves! I can't wait to get my hands on some variegated autumn-colored batik and put it to good use in this one! (Oh yeah, this one came home with me, too!)
This one is in the same pattern, just with the grapes instead of the center leaf piece. Check out her hand quilting in these!! Just gorgeous. And I'm still totally amazed at her leaves, and their detail. Needle turned applique!!!! Yeah -- this will definitely take some PRACTICE before I'm ready for this one! Oh, by the way? This one was done for her bathroom.
I just loved the colors in this one. Again, she hand dyed her fabrics and used 16 shades of the same red. Isn't it gorgeous???? It was for her kitchen!!!
And the last two. All of her patterns and kits can be purchased through her store on her website. The tulips I just loved and later on I really regretted not getting that kit (when I looked back through my pictures).
Aren't they sweet?!?
But then I got the e-mail from Melissa, at Honeybee Fabrics, that this was the first block she would be sending out for the Spring Flowers Block of the Quarter . . .
Yay for me!! And a shameless plug for Honeybee Fabrics, too. Melissa announced in that same newsletter that she has an additional 20 kits available. They start shipping in mid May! I'll even help you out . . . click on the picture to be transported to just the right spot to sign up!
In you wanderings this weekend, stop by the Pink Pincushion. She's celebrating her blogiversary with a *very* nice giveaway!!! Just click HERE!
Here's to quilting!
:)
Her website is HERE. You really ought to check her out. *After* you scroll the rest of my post and see the pictures I took of her quilts!
This quilt, Grace Unfolding, was one of my favorites . . .
Click on this photo and check out the quilting throughout. Her detail is incredible. She told us that though her pattern was complete and before her as she put this particular quilt together, she did NOT choose the colors until she worked on each individual set of blooms.
This third quilt, Welcome to My Dreams, has won seven best of show awards including best of show at the 2002 American Quilters Society in Paducah, Kentucky.
Again, the photo doesn't do this one, Rhythmic Hues, justice. The blues were so rich and pretty! Based on what she said, I gather she hand dyes the majority of the fabric that she uses, so she can control the color palette. Very color oriented. She had a kit for sale for a small (10" square) three flower in these same shapes/colors. The fabrics included in it were ones she dyed. That kit is now part of my {cough} collection!
But then I got the e-mail from Melissa, at Honeybee Fabrics, that this was the first block she would be sending out for the Spring Flowers Block of the Quarter . . .
In you wanderings this weekend, stop by the Pink Pincushion. She's celebrating her blogiversary with a *very* nice giveaway!!! Just click HERE!
Here's to quilting!
:)
