New Quilts from an Old Favorite:

Sunflower Winners

The National Quilt Museum is pleased to announce the 18 winning quilts of the 2010 Sunflower-themed New Quilts from an Old Favorite contest. These innovative quilts represent quilters from 11 U.S. states as well as two Canadian provinces.

Thanks to our New Quilts from an Old Favorite Sponsors:

Margaret Miller

Sponsored by Clover Needlecraft Inc., Fairfield Processing Corporation and Janome America, Inc., this international contest challenges quiltmakers to create original quilts based on a specific quilt pattern. The traditional Sunflower pattern is one of the many flowers interpreted by 19th century quiltermakers. Some of today's brightest art quilters have modified the design in imaginative ways, providing a wonderful look at the skills, techniques and creativity of today's quiltmakers.

All quilt finalists will be on exhibit at the museum March 19 – June 15, 2010 and then travel to various museums, art galleries and quilt shows through December 2011.

An asymmetrical design flowing beyond the bottom border is the foundation of the first place quilt, Gypsy Caravans by Claudia Clark Myers of Duluth, MN, and Marilyn Badger of St. George, UT. The rich palette of teal, turquoise and cheddar is offset by taupe and black with sequins and faux 'jewels' adding a touch of the exotic.	1st Place Winner "Gypsy Caravans" by Myers and Badger
2nd Place Winner "Sun Flower Duet"	2nd Place Winner Second place went to Geri Parker and Kathy McNeil of Coupeville, WA, for their quilt Sun Flower Duet featuring multiple sunflowers on a shaded purple ground.
Leaning on the Fence by Sharon Rotz of Mosinee, WI, took third place, incorporating eight different Sunflower patterns and an abstract fence.	3rd Place Winner "Leaning on the Fence"
4th Place Winner "Rising and Radiant"	To take fourth place the team of Ann Feitelson and Ronna Erickson of Montague, MA, created Rising and Radiant, a straightforward pattern gone wild by the use of electric green, hot orange, purple and burgundy striped fabrics.
Fifth place was won by two Canadians, Marion Perrault and Helena Scheffer of Beaconsfield, Quebec, for their quilt Sunflower Sutra which depicts a single large sunflower lifting its face to the sun against a vivid turquoise background.	5th Place Winner "Sunflower Sutra"

Other quilts which are featured in the exhibit include:

Follow the Sun(on Route 66)
Crowing for Sunflowers
The Prodigal Sunflower
3-D Sunflowers
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Nouveau
The Desert Shall Rejoice
Flora
Trickster in the Garden
Southern Borders
Welcoming the Son Into Our Garden
No Forwarding Address
Navajo Sunflower
Graffitti, Sunflowers & Bricks

Kathryn Botsford, British Columbia, Canada
Jill Bryant and Nancy Brown, Chesterfield, MO
Donnah Burke, Kirkland, WA
Martha DeLeonardis, Katy, TX
Robin Gausebeck Rockford, IL
Julia Graber, Brooksville, MS
Mary Ann Herndon, The Woodlands, TX
Patricia Hobbs, Macomb, IL
Ann L. Horton, Redwood Valley, CA
Chris Lynn Kirsch and Wendy Rieves, Watertown, WI
Theresa Reeves, Oberlin, KS
Karen R. Watts, Houston, TX
Judy and Bill Woodworth, Gering, NE

A book featuring full-color photos of the 18 finalists and their award winning quilts, biographical information about each quilter in addition to tips, techniques and patterns will be published by the American Quilter's Society and available for purchase at the museum in March 2010.