Quilt Show in Chestertown

When we were in Chestertown last weekend, I was delighted that the local quilt guild -- Olde Kent Quilters -- were having a show. I don't know when I last went to a small show, and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to attend this one. Unlike the big shows -- Quilters Heritage, Mancuso, etc. -- which are filled with entries that are amazing and gorgeous and totally beyond anything I could imagine ever producing -- the little shows generally have wonderful real quilts made by people like me and like people I know.

There were two rooms in the show. One was filled with exquisite Baltimore Album offerings. I didn't spend much time there. Although I appreciate Baltimore Albums and the amount of effort that must go into them, they just are not my particular thing. The second room was for other quilts made by guild members. People like me and like people I know. And, golly, did they make nice quilts!

I'm aware that most of the ones I photographed are brighter colors than I normally use. I seem to have some sort of lack of confidence that keeps me to the subtle shades, the quiet colors, other than batiks on blacks. I'm ready to branch out, I think, and try something like a red background, and having these photos will help me to do that.

This is a detail from a quilt where each block was different, but featured the same Asian print.


I've never made a quilt with a great bit center like this one. I liked it so much!


This was my favorite quilt in the show. The colors are just wonderful! I'd love to try something like this quilt.


Such liveliness! So many little pieces! And somehow it all works. Another inspiration.


This is the raffle quilt made by the guild. It was just exquisite.

This quilt, my second favorite in the show, is one of three made by a man named John. He was present and people were making quite a fuss over him. Each of his quilts was totally different from the others, and he really knows something about color.