Quilting in the mountains is certainly wonderful in the summer. The hot days make you want to be outdoors. The cool nights pull you in to work on your unfinished quilt projects. You might be sorting your stash for the next project, organizing the sewing room and getting that much needed tune – up for the machines. Summer also brings in many quilt shows. The recent June Quilt Show in Reno featured quilts from locals as well as from all over the country. Everywhere you were met with color, color and more color. Beautiful art quilts mix many different elements of painted or dyed paper along with hand dyed fabric, beads and other items to form a imaginative mixed medium art piece. Add a bit of technology and a quilter can even design their own fabric and have it ‘printed’ directly from you home printer, or special order from a firm specializing in printing on fabric.
The use of bright color goes beyond a child’s quilt. Using the white space so often seen in the modern quilts has also been the trend. From the look of the most recent quilt shows, bright color is going to be around for a while. The new quilters are experimenting with use of bright colors in combinations your grandmother would not expect. While the technique of using the value of light and dark continues, there are quilters now going beyond the boundaries of neutrals accenting with bright colors. Whatever the ‘trend’, quilting in the mountains remains a favorite for locals and visitors around the Lake Almanor area.
The next show in Northern California is the upcoming Quilts of Lake Almanor Quilt Show in Chester, sponsored by Chester Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild. This August 6th from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and August 7th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Chester High School 612 First St., Chester. There are vendors offering fabric, patterns, tools and kits. The show will have a ‘General Store’ where you will find bargains in books, fabrics, kits, tools and finished handmade items. Refreshments and sandwiches round out the visit to the show. Each quilt show has something unique to offer and are well worth the price of admission.
For your free quilt pattern contact Val at: quilterspiece@gmail.com
Val Bourque, former District Sales Manager for Bernina of America and past President of Chester Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild.
