DIY Wednesday: Highlights from the AAQG Quilt Show Part 2

More FABULOUS quilts to ooh and ahhh over!

The last set of great quilt pictures to come next week! If you're interested in quilting check out the Austin Area Quilt Guild or sign up for a beginner quilting class at The Stitching Studio!

xo,
Anne Marie

COMING IN APRIL 2009:
The Bearded Ladies Present: Shop Austin

DIY Wednesday: Highlights from the AAQG Quilt Show Part 1

I'm going to let the photos do all the talking tonight....check out my Flickr Set for detailed information about each quilt & the artists' statement.

Because I took so many great pics, I will feature just a few of my favorite quilts...

Congratulations to my mom, Mary Beard, who won 3rd place in Miniatures and organized the Demonstrations of the show. She is an inspiration to many!

More fabulous pictures to come over the next several days. If you're interested in quilting check out the Austin Area Quilt Guild or sign up for a beginner quilting class at The Stitching Studio!

xo,
Anne Marie

COMING IN APRIL 2009:
The Bearded Ladies Present: Shop Austin

ACL Alternative - Quilts!

Quilts. That's a weird word, eh? To many people that word conjures up an image of a threadbare, ratty old "blanket" their grandma made and that they use to wrap up furniture when they move.

To others, it brings to mind a cherished family heirloom - handmade with love and used for generations to provide warmth on a cold night.







Still other images can come to mind - how about a piece of art that hangs on the wall? A heavily embellished creation made with hand-dyed fabric, beads, embroidery, buttons and goodness knows what else. A striking composition in an art form still under-appreciated.




The image I think of when I see or hear the word Quilt is a combination of all those above. I have a handmade turtle quilt from my great-grandmother that I use every winter, several art quilts that I hang for holidays, one I use on my bed daily, and one I use to wrap up in on the couch. Simply stated - I LOVE QUILTS and I will NEVER use a "comforter" again in my life. Nooooooo way!

This weekend is a BIG weekend in Austin. There's the ACL festival, the UT-Arkansas Game and... The AAQG 2008 Quilt Show! My mom has been a member of the Austin Area Quilt Guild (AAQG) for as long as I can remember.






















So this weekend is the perfect opportunity to discover the new love of your life in Quilts!

There will be fantastic Quilts of all sizes - from miniatures whose small pieces will boggle your mind to King Sized Quilts of striking proportion. There will be fabulous Art Quilts, and a unique Wearable Arts section on display.

In addition my Mom, Mary Beard, has organized three days worth of demonstrations. You can catch *me* giving a demonstration on purse making techniques Sunday.

You can shop the latest in hip, retro and heirloom cotton fabrics from the fabulous vendors, browse the gift boutique, and bid on amazing items in the silent auction.

Grab the family and head out to the AAQG 2008 Quilt Show this weekend!

What: AAQG 2008 Quilt Show
Where: The Crockett Center; 10601 N. Lamar between Braker Lane on the north and 183 on the south.
When: Friday to Sunday, Sept. 26th - 28th
Cost: $6 per person; Children under 12 free


IMAGE CREDITS: From top to bottom: Vintage Quilt in Silent Auction, Crazy Quilt by Mary Murdoch, Art quilt by Beth T. Kennedy, Two art quilts by Naomi S. Adams. Click on the pictures for more information.



**************
Anne Marie Beard

The Bearded Ladies Present: Shop Austin!

Maker Monday - The Flashbulb

Maker Monday is Back! When I first started my blog I was blogging a lot more, and had a theme for everyday. Maker Monday is when I feature a fellow artist/crafter that I like.









Today's Maker is Stephanie Friedman of The Flashbulb. I first ran across her work while shopping at PlantEscape Gardens last year. I was in the beginning stages of contemplating doing more artsy/quilty/applique fabric work, and I really liked what I saw.















Stephanie makes fabulous Sewn Art Wall hangings that feature recurring themes of birds and trees with linear accent stitching. They have a really retro mod vibe that I love. We're going to have to talk about a trade so I can hang one of her beauties in my apartment!









After earning a degree in Photojournalism from UT Austin, Stephanie bought a sewing machine and started taking classes. She is a natural art quilter who just took the techniques she learned and went to town! There's a tangible fearlessness in her work that makes it so appealing to artists and non artists alike.

Some of Stephanie's Favorites:

Favorite Piece - Always her latest - shown at left is "Saturday we go to Saturn birds"

Favorite Blogs - Angry Chicken, A Dress a Day, Hello my name is Heather - and many more can be found on her "About me" page

Visit her Etsy Store to see more art!


xo, Anne Marie