Quilt Shows · Quilts

Quilt Show 2025 Springville Art Museum

I like making these little “postcards” with names from the map. The Mesa is that long dark stripe of rock on the lower right side of the photo, moving away from the road. Yes, we took another roadtrip, as mentioned in the last post, where I talked about making dresses to wear to the wedding.

But this post isn’t about the wedding, although it was lovely. It’s about the Springville Art Museum’s Quilt Show for 2025.

I met my friend Lisa at the show, and at my request, she took me first to her award-winning quilt. She pieced the top and quilted it — a stunning beauty of a New York Beauty quilt. I had been a judge at an earlier show, so I was aware of how hard it was to get a ribbon — and she did get one! I’ll post some of the quilts from the quilt show, but first I want to start with a posthumous display of Carol Ford’s quilts, a special exhibit at the museum.

Summer Sampler, by Carol Ford Quilted by Virginia Gore

The Spirit of Alaska (2013)
Made by Carol Ford

Quilted by Virginia Gore

Carol writes: “I spent a lot of time in Alaska, and I love batik fabrics. Everything about this quilt reminds of the color and beauty that I have seen there. This was one of the most difficult quilts that I have made…I think that the quilting truly brought this quilt to life.”

Ice Bear (2017), by Carol Ford. Quilted by Virginia Gore
She writes that she and her daughter went to “Manitoba, Canada to photograph polar bears. We stayed at Churchill Wild Lodge, which is one of the National Georgraphic’s most remote lodges in the world.”

Carol Ford’s My Garden Patch (2014); quilted by Virginia Gore

We turned a corner from the huge room of quilts, and launched into the main quilt show. I loved the dazzle dazzle below of Danielle Adams’ Land That I Love (she quilted it herself):

Mariam Gunderson both made and quilted her Various Blocks in Shades of Blue. That’s quite the border: all the quilt has beautiful stitching.

Christine Ricks made Tessella or Big Tess (2025), and it was quilted by Tamera Ellis. This one really stood out among the more traditional quilts in its gallery.

It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2023) was made by Tracie Buys, and quilted by Connie Atkisson. She combined two patterns — houses and children holding hands — to make this quilt. She writes “A neighborhood is a group of many different individuals that are from different cultures and backgrounds, and we should celebrate those differences.”

I wondered if I’d find a temperature quilt. Loriann Fish’s My 50th Year (2025) is a celebration of a half-century of living. Began the first of June 2024, she ended it in May of 2025, with a color key in the lower right corner of the quilt.

A map of the museum layout.

So many beautiful quilts to show, but in this gallery, the Hafen-Dallin gallery, I chose this one:

Squircle Square, by Machelle Preston. Quilted by Konda Luckau.

While I just loved the design of these many squircles, it was the movement of color and value that really sang. Machelle Preston writes “My friend Karlene found a cute rainbow quilt on a modern blog. We both decided to make the quilt. I did my “squircle” squares hand-appliquéd, while she did her squares machine-appliequéd.”

Here’s her friend’s quilt:

Squircle (2024), by Karlene Riggs.
Quilted by Konda Luckau.

Karlene writes:
“I got the idea for this from a QuiltCon quilt I saw online, but which had no pattern. All the “squircle” fabrics were from my dot collection. The backgrounds were mostly solids. I decided to use all the stitches I could from my sewing machines!”

My La Passacaglia (2023) by Jeri Holley. Quilted by Mindy Powell, who did a stunning job on the outside borders.

I knew you’d want to see a close-up of this!

“This quilt was the result of an online class with Brigette Heitland. After putting it all together, I found it looked like a train […with] all the bright colors. This was made by Jeanette Ivie, and titled Modern Train (2024). Quilting by Sharon Rawlings.

Autumn Baskets (2025) by Myrt Gehring; quilted by Carole Liffereth
This has a combination of wool and cotton in the center section (bordered by the blue).

Esther Avila’s My Color Theory (2025). She writes in her title card that “I had lots of solid fabric scraps and sewed them all in strips to make squares, then cut diagonally twice…I love the little stripe of black and white. It gives the right touch.”

Thought you’d like this interplay of modern, traditional (Bee Happy, a Lori Holt design) and my friend Lisa’s masterpiece. That’s combination of quilts is one reason why I like this show. Our show at home tends to group all things alike, as in All the Landscapes, All the Animals, All the Moderns and so on. I prefer the novelty of discovery, which you can only have if there is a change-up.

We went upstairs, where they were having a retrospective of their decades of Spring Salons. All the art was amazing. Click through on this link to read about it. They have a listing of all the art, if you have some time.

The Quilters (2023)
Kathleen Bateman Peterson

This was upstairs, and of course I wanted to bring it home with me.

It reminded me of another painting I’d seen the day before, in the Church History Museum. Titled Sisters, it is by Beth Jepson. In our church we call each other “Sister” and “Brother” (as in Sister Eastmond.) So this painting is about all of us women, working together.

The artist writes: “I love the diversity of sisters, old and young, beginner and expert, working together to create a piece of art that is functional and often gifted in charity.”

I put a few pieces of art up on my Instagram, if you are interested, but you can also head to the website for the Church History Museum to see the rest in this exhibit.

Finally: the Wedding Wrap-up

All these were catered by my daughter, Barbara. Click on the little arrows at the side to advance the show.

  • 1–Desserts table, from the side
  • 2–Crew in the kitchen finishing the last minute prep
  • 2–Macaron tower
  • 3–Cake pops (bride’s colors were sage, tan, black)
  • 4–Key Lime Pie cups
  • 5–Our children and I (I don’t know where my husband was at that point); Father of the Bride is on the right.
  • 6–Father-Daughter dance, which made me weep
  • 7–The happy couple, listening to the speeches

Okay, my dress. Well, about 3 days before the wedding and after I’d sewn three wearable toiles and was about ready to start on a fourth, I got the news that grandparents were supposed to be in solids. Dark solids. Sigh.

So I wore a black skirt and a turquoise jacket, nice and proper and cooperative.

But I changed into the dress below for the reception.

The fabric is Shape Sorter in Blue, by Eloise Renouf of Cloud 9 Fabrics. I purchased the wide back which has a silky feeling to it. This was taken after a couple days of rest, standing in my blue kitchen. A happy backdrop.

May you celebrate your quilting talents, great art, weddings for those you love, dresses that you don’t wear, and arriving home safely after a long ride home–

Sacred Mending, by Paige Crosland Anderson
Dimensions: 48 x 64 x 12 In.
Medium: Acrylic and oil

Title card: Painted quilt patterns with names like “All Hands Around,” “Worlds Without End,” “Straight Furrough,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” and “Winding Ways” fit within this altarpiece. The patterns represent the ways individuals reach—for help, for purpose, and for repair.

Museums · Quilt Shows · Quilts

The 2022 Springville Art Museum Quilt Show

Springville Art Museum

I was a judge this year for the Springville Art Museum Quilt Show, and while I can’t include all the quilts that were hung, I thought I would post up a few that were my favorites or that caught my eye.

Details from quilt. She used the pattern from Piecemakers: “His Majesty – the Tree.”

Pizzazz! designed and quilted by Ruth Davis — an original pattern!

Never a Blue Heart
Made and quilted by Lisa Johnson
(pattern here)

Sheryl Gillilan designed and quilted this quilt, titled, It’s All a Game!

The Boys on the Block
Designed, made and quilted by Marian Eason

Afternoon Delight
Made by Patsy Wall; Quilted by Kim Peterson

Winter Bouquets
Made by Katherine Porter; Quilted by Emmy Evans

At first glance, I thought the flowers were broderie perse, but it’s all appliqué!

Ann Larsen started Nature’s Chorus in 1999 and finished about 30 of the blocks. During the pandemic she finished it. Quilted by Shelly Dahl.

I loved the simplicity and elegance of this design, with outstanding quilting.

Pamela (a fellow judge) and Wendy (Chair of Quilt Committee) on the day the show opened. (Lisa’s quilt is in the background.)

Julie Saville first created the borders of her quilt Star Garden, then did the center. She also did the quilting.

I could have looked at this one for hours–sorry about the images. Photographing in high contrast light (like spotlights on quilts) often does funny things. It was stellar, though!

Florence Evans’ Bow Wow Chow Mein
Made by Evans; Quilted by Quilts on the Corner

Improv Curves, Made and Quilted by Marian Murdock

Effervescence • Made and Quilted by Sheryl D. Gillilan

I loved this quilt, with all its blues and aquas (my colors!). It is titled Straits of Mackinac and was made by Lani Brower (my second scribe) in a Bonnie Hunter class on Mackinac Island, Michigan. Peggy Cameron did the quilting.

Just a handful more quilts for this post.

Diversity – Unity – Harmony (Mobius Radial Quilt)
Made and Quilted by Luanne Olson

I hope you can see what a wide variety of quilts there are in this show!

Andrea Erekson made and quilted Happy Golden Days

Katherine Porter’s Fan Flower • Quilted by Virgina Gore

There were quite a few more quilts, but next year you’ll just have to go and see for yourself. Thank you, Springville Art Museum and the Utah Valley Quilt Guild!

Quilts

From Baskets to a Museum–more quilts in Utah

Nat'lHistoryMuseum
While visiting relatives in Utah, just before I tucked into the new semester of teaching (which would explain why I have been AWOL for a couple of weeks), my husband and I headed to Salt Lake City’s newest museum: The Natural History Museum, high up above the University of Utah.  It is a gorgeous museum, complete with artifacts, history and dinosaur bones.

Nati'l History Museum Baskets

But I was more interested in the woven baskets in the Native People’s exhibit.  I guess I’m fascinated by color and pattern, in all forms.

Lino Quilt

Which is why I found this piece of art, in the Millcreek Library so fascinating.  That library, where my sister-in-law Annie works, has a Senior Citizen’s center, a gym, a cafeteria and of course, art.

Lino Quilt detail

This appears to make of some sort of plasticized material–almost like a thin linoleum, cut and sewn in quilt patterns.  I loved it.

Polaroid CameraQuilt

I had brought up my Polaroid Quilt to show my mother, and my dad held up his finger as if to signal a pause and came back carrying this: a genuine, bonafide Polaroid camera.  Of course, there’s not any film to be found for it anymore, but I thought it deserved a picture with the quilt.

Springville_Toone

On the way home, we headed to the Springville Art Museum, which hosts a quilt show every August.  I snapped a lot of photos, but here are just some of them.  This one is titled Juxtaposition and is by Marilyn Landry Toone, and was inspired by her daughter’s choice of fabrics from her “fabric stash of 40-plus years.”

Springville_Thompson

I’ve Had the Blues is made by Jacque Thompson and quilted by Kim Peterson, and was made “entirely out of scraps using one-inch strips.”

Springville_Thompson detail

Detail of the beautiful quilting.

Springville_Roylance

Kristen Roylance’s quilt Posy Patch was made using a modified disappearing 4-patch block, and was quilted by Molly Kohler.  The dimensional flowers were charming.

Springville_Roylance detail

Springville_quilt detail

I snapped this one without noting who made or quilted it–it’s really beautiful and detailed.

Springville_Olsen

“Look, honey,” I said to my husband.  “A Dear Jane quilt!”  “Dear what?” he said.  The title of this one is Dear Jane Invites Hannah for a Dutch Treat, and is made and quilted by Shirley Olsen.  It was a masterpiece and earned an Award of Excellance from the judges.

Springville_McClellan

Marion McClellan’s Bottle Cap Bangles is a fun use of hexagrams and fussy-cut fabric.  She also quilted her piece.

Springville_Jacobs

This quilt, Zinnia Basket, was made and quilted by Patti Jacobs, from a Kim Diehl pattern.  Apparently she used to think that quilters were nuts to “spend time doing hand appliqué when you could sew the pieces on with the sewing machine,” but now is a dedicated lover of appliqué.

Springville_Jacobs detail

I really liked the border.

Springville_Evans

Kaye Evans quilt, Just One Weed, is named for the dandelion hexagon in the middle of the quilt.  It was quilted by Sue McCarty.

Springville_display

The quilt display was merged with a display of giant critters made out of auto body parts, springs, doodads and whatevers.

Camera Bug

I liked Tim Little’s Camera Bug the best.

Springville_Dave

My husband knows just what to do at a quilt show: become like a camera bug and start taking photos.  Many of these photos are his–he’s a delight, but was probably relieved that there was no vendor mall here.

Springville_Crawford

Ladies of the Sea was made by Karin Lee Crawford and quilted by Judy Madsen.  It was a pattern from Sue Garmen depicting famous rigged sailing vessels from around the world.

Springville_Crawford detail

Detail.  I have to assume that the quilter is really Judi Madsen, of Green Fairy fame, but I could be wrong.  It was gorgeous in both the making and the quilting.

Springville_Christensen

And to finish up this little quilt show, a Log Cabin quilt.  Megan Christensen made the quilt, but didn’t identify the quilter.  The title is A Good Use of Scraps, inspiring us all to get going on our scrap baskets!

Springville_Christensen detail

Quilt Shows

Springville Quilt Show, Part II

Again, so sorry not to have lots of interesting information for the quilters.  Our dead desktop computer has gone to the shop (cue: violins) and we’ll find out if our fancy back-up external hard drive system has been working for us.  Or if we should just start crying now.  Okay, let’s look at art to take our minds off of the hum-drum of our very dull twentieth-century-computer-dependent lives.

Upstairs, the museum has a lot of art from Russia; I’m giving you two of the paintings that just leapt off of the walls.  This one is my sister-in-law’s favorite, and I can only imagine it’s because of the beauty and hope and passion of these young girls on their graduation day.  I wanted to take it home with me.

This one could be a quilt!  A May Day celebration, complete with balloons.

Here’s another exhibit room, and in the far right corner is another quilter who has the same thing on her mind as I do: the Lollypop Tree Quilt.

But Chris Manning’s version is stunningly different from the usual brilliantly lit up colors used on this quilt.  I took lots of photos–lucky you, you get to see them all.  I was so impressed by this coloration.  Really fabulous.  Title: Lollipop.

Those greyed-out greens, mossy colors work incredibly well with the pastels, the deep tones.

I covet this, really I do.  Is it because it’s “done” or because it’s so beautiful in the tones and values and colors she chose.  Both.

Last gallery.

Sorry the lighting is so dim on this quilt, but you have to believe me when I tell you that Rhonda Montgomery’s quilt My Favorite Things, is a real knock-out in person.  They had the quilts really well-lit, so the flash wouldn’t go off on my camera (I know, try reading the camera book to see how to do a fill flash.  That’s next on my list–right after solving the computer problem).

I peeked closely at these letters–either she went around each of them with a marker, or else it’s a very thin line of acrylic paint.  Whatever the technique, it made them pop off the quilt.

Brenda Sommers’ Grandma’s Lemonade Stand was in that room with all the deliciously pastel quilts–again, this photo doesn’t do it justice.  So I read her name, and then wondered–don’t I know her?  That name is so familiar.  I think she used to live in my neighborhood, but I guess I’ll never know.  We quilters travel in a small world!

Julie Saville made this quilt, and I think it’s titled Road to Ohio.  I love all the sampler blocks arrayed around the center medallion.  Sampler blocks seem to be popular right now, with a couple of Quilt-A-Longs going on.  Here’s an idea for putting it all together.

Kathy Young’s quilt, Not So Long Ago, is an homage to her childhood family and home.

Perfect!

This reminded me of the May Day painting in the upstairs Russian galleries.  While I’ve been fixated on red and white quilts, this shows you what using red as a “neutral” can produce.  It looks like another Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins design (like the dotty circles quilt, yesterday).  They keep us busy with applique!

I believe this is titled Grandma’s Old Time Garden, made by Patsy Wall.  I love those carnations in orange-striped fabric!

This is one where I have no idea who the maker is, nor the title.  I apologize, but I include it even without that information, because I’m really impressed with her soft shading of color to color–using up lots of fabrics (an idea for a scrap quilt?)  It quite possibly could be Carolyn Hulse’s Scraps of Rainbows, but I really don’t know.

It was beautifully done.

Strawberry Baskets is done by Valerie Marsh, and is another delectable pastel quilt.  The quilting is quite amazing, and if I ever get the computer back–and restore its memory–I’ll let you know who did it.

By the time Janice and I finished the show (I’m on the far right and Janice is next to me), our niece Lisa (in the black) had arrived and followed the sound of our voices to find us.  Becky, another sister-in-law of mine (Janice’s sister) came just as Janice and I had to jet–and she brought me two gigantor zucchini from her garden!  I love getting together with these fine women, and how fun it was to do it in a quilt show!

Thanks to the Springville Art Musuem, and the co-sponsors, Utah Valley Quilt Guild and Corn Wagon Quilt Company, for this lovely morning!