Quilting Excellence
Quilters come through with ‘A World of Color’ at annual quilt show
More than 350 guests joined quilters in determining winners for 2023 show put on by the Dhahran Oasis Quilt Guild.
The winners of the Annual Quilt Show 2023 have been revealed — with this year’s theme being “A World of Color.”
The event, which was held at Ad-Diwan on Feb. 9 and 10 by the Dhahran Oasis Quilt Guild (DOQG), featured a display of 106 quilts completed by 26 DOQG members.
There were nine different categories in the competition, including “Holiday,” “Special Technique,” “Traditional,” and “Modern.” The top three quilts for each category were chosen by members.
‘Challenge’ category
One of the most eye-catching categories this year was “Challenge,” which put the guild members to task by creating a quilt that gave a strong statement with the colors of their choosing.
All of the challenge artwork was donated to Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare’s pediatrician clinic, along with the group’s annual donation of 25 baby quilts made by guild members.
Cyndy Bresden, former president of DOQG, presented her challenge piece entitled “Go Bananas,” which featured a mix of bright and neutral colors with bananas printed on the back.
Asked how she chose her color scheme, Bresden said, “My hope is to stop and explore the color combinations in my design and to inspire others to try something new in their upcoming projects.”
Other categories
As has been the tradition at every annual show, one attendee had an opportunity to win the “Opportunity Quilt” by purchasing a raffle ticket. This year’s quilt was designed and worked on by all DOQG members, and reflected the theme of using bright colors.
More than 350 attendees also joined DOQG members in voting for their top three favorites in the “Member's Choice Award” — with Anolynne Eastman winning top place for her piece “A Host of Sparrows.”
For the first time since the show started, a quilted coat, which was made by Elspeth Joudzevicius, was on display in the “soft furnishings” category. Other creative items such as bag tags, wall hangings, and quilted bags were also entered into the competition.
Elsewhere, Susan Franczyk, who finished third in the “Novice” category, said the help she received from DOQG members was invaluable.
“I have been quilting for eight months, before I didn’t even know how to thread the needle and do anything on the sewing machine, but the guild members helped me through this,” she said.
What is a quilt?
A basic quilt is a type of blanket that has three layers — a middle layer of padding and two pieces of fabric at the front and back.
A quilt not only offers warmth but has also become a piece of art that can be displayed on walls, tables, or even made into handbags.
Category winners
Here are the winners for each category at the Annual Quilt Show:
1. Traditional — Kim Dibb
2. Contemporary — Kim Dibb
3. Modern — Angelica Rios
4. DOQG Projects — Ellen Vezendy
5. Holiday — Cyndy Bresden
6. Novice — Rosalba Riolo
7. Specialty Quilting — Anolynne Eastman
8. Soft Furnishings — Elspeth Joudzevicius
9. Challenge Quilt — Ellen Vezendy
DOQG is welcoming new members and offers classes to help people create their own art. Contact Doqgclasses@gmail.com for more information.