QUILTCON 2021 2018

IT IS TIME FOR QUILTCON 2018 AND we are thrilled to be back in Pasadena for the second time. Southern California is where the MQG was born and it always feels like we are coming home when we have QuiltCon here. QuiltCon 2018 is the fifth goaround for the convention. We’re just as excited this year as we have been in the previous years. The modern quilting scene is hitting its stride and the quilts in the quilt show this year prove it. QuiltCon is the largest modern quilting event in the world. It boasts dozens of workshops and lectures as well as loads of retail therapy with a huge vendor hall that allows for all of the quilt-y shopping you could ever want. And the quilt show is amazing!…

AS AN AVID MODERN QUILTER who also works in the quilting industry, I am hard pressed to think of an event more tailored to my personal aesthetic and professional interests. Over the past five years QuiltCon has evolved into more than a quilt show: it is a convergence of design, delight, and devotion to the passion of the modern quilter. Now more than ever before, QuiltCon is at the epicenter of what is new in a centuries-old craft. From charity quilts with style such as “Orlando Sunrise” to exquisite examples from the judged show, including “Gold X,” you can tell: members of the MQG are creative, supportive, generous, and talented. Their work speaks volumes. This year’s featured speaker has a unique perspective on the Modern Quilting Movement. As an awardwinning…

JO AVERY has been playing with fabric and yarn for as long as she can remember, culminating in her current role as designer, teacher, and entrepreneur. Her natural affinity with color informs her quilts, and her love of intricate techniques—such as needle-turn appliqué and embroidery—allows her to embrace both modern and traditional aesthetics. mybearpaw.com SILVIA SUTTERS is a Brazilian with a background in fashion design and pattern-making, who recently became an avid quilter. When not sewing, she loves to spend time with her husband and two daughters. Visiting art museums is one of her favorite activities and often inspires her work. Silvia is also influenced by the colors, patterns, and culture of her native country. astrangerview.com ANDREA TSANG JACKSON is a designer and textile artist based in Halifax, Nova Scotia,…

BEST IN SHOW Meet Katherine Jones, last year’s big winner Condensed from an article in MODERN PATCHWORK MAGAZINE by Abby Glassenberg What does it feel like to win the coveted Best in Show award at QuiltCon? The 2018 winner will be just the fifth person to take home the top prize: a $5,000 purse in addition to accolades from far and near. Katherine Jones of Chigwell, Tasmania, Australia, was last year’s winner. Her paper pieced quilt “bling,” which depicts an extreme close-up of a princess-cut diamond, created quite a stir. At the time Kat was mostly unknown in the modern quilting world, especially in the United States. She’s a devoted quilter, though, and serves as the secretary of the Tasmanian Modern Quilt Guild. Although she keeps a low profile, quilting…

THE ATTENDEES OF QUILTCON 2018 have a treat in store for them: On Thursday morning, just before the show opens, Andrew Joslyn, the chair of the MQG Board, will take center stage to reveal the top quilts and award thousands of dollars in cash prizes to this year’s winners. The ceremony is a highlight for many attendees, and the thrill of seeing the winning quilters receive their prizes is not to be missed. This ceremony is the culmination of hundreds of hours of behind-the-scenes work by dedicated MQG staff members, volunteers, and judges as they review, jury, prepare, and, lastly, judge the show quilts. One of the most difficult and important jobs in any show is to identify the winning entries and judge them appropriately. This year’s panel of judges…

The AIDS Memorial Quilt: The NAMES Project Sponsored by Beyond the Reef Twelve panels of the internationally celebrated AIDS Memorial Quilt—the 54-ton, handmade tapestry that stands as a memorial to more than 96,000 individuals lost to AIDS—will be on display at QuiltCon. The quilt panels come from every state in the nation, every corner of the globe, and they have been sewn by thousands of friends, lovers, and family members into this epic memorial, the largest piece of ongoing community art in the world. By revealing the humanity behind the statistics, The AIDS Memorial Quilt helps teach compassion; triumphs over taboo, stigma, and phobia; and inspires individuals to take direct responsibility for their own well-being and that of their family, friends, and community. QuiltCon Charity Quilts Sponsored by the Modern…