Lancaster Diamond: Final (I Think) Update

I had entered Christmas in Lancaster to the Mancuso Show in Oaks, Pennsylvania, and it was accepted. Yesterday, Marsha, Bonnie and I drove out to the show and I visited my quilt. 

I felt proud to see it hanging there among a host of magnificent quilts. I loved hearing what my Guild mates had to say about it. Someone had thoughtfully sent me a photo of it the day before, so I put it on Facebook as my current profile picture, and again, the compliments made me feel proud and happy. Clicking on the photo should make it bigger so you can see details in the diamonds.

As usual, there were many, many "art" quilts, masterpieces that involved thread-painting, photograph embellishing, and other techniques I can't begin to understand or even name. But there were a fair number of what I think of as "regular" quilts and the workmanship on them was stellar.

I spent a lot of time studying and admiring the quilt that had rightfully won "Best of Show," "What Do You Think About My Blancket Tweetment?" by Christine Wickert of Penfield, New York. Each block is a tiny masterpiece; the quilt is made entirely of silk fabric; it is hand-pieced, hand-appliqued, and hand-quilted. I took particular note of the diamonds in the border; so many designers are using diamonds lately -- for once I'm abreast of a trend! 

The outside of the quilt is bordered by intricate, minuscule critter-and-posy  appliqués on wide and narrow tongues. I could have looked at it for a much longer time; fortunately, I have this photograph. I dare you to "click and enlarge."

Long-time readers may recall that for me, applique means hand-buttonhole-stitch and that is that. I couldn't imagine attempting anything like what Christine Wickert had done.

When Bonnie and Marsha and I go to the show, we don't stay together. We each wander our separate ways with an agreed-upon meeting time and place vis-a-vis lunch. 

My sister found her way to Christmas In Lancaster and while she was standing there with it, another woman came beside her and began to admire my work. "My sister made it," Bonnie told her and the woman went on to say that she'd known of the Lancaster Diamond and that there was a book about making it and, by the way, her name was Christine and she'd won Best In Show!

A little bit later, the three of us met up and Bonnie's daughter obliged us as photographer.

L to R, Bonnie, Christine, Nancy.