The Mid-Atlantic Quiltfest (MAQF), put on by the Mancuso company, is held in Hampton, VA, every year and sometimes I go since it’s only a few hours away. This year I had a quilt accepted in a challenge category, so I went to see the quilts and take some classes.
Since this show was the week after QuiltCon, comparisons are inevitable. The most obvious difference to me was that, despite the MQG (Modern Quilt Guild) commitment to diversity, there were many more people of color attending MAQF. Not sure what that’s about, because I think the MQG honestly tries. With regard to the quilts, of course there was more diversity at MAQF since the focus is not entirely modern.
Here are a few of my favorite quilts from MAQF.
First, one guild had a display of quilts made using African fabrics. Here are a couple that caught my eye:
Umoja (Unity) by Brenda Johnson
Colors of Spirituality by Eulanda Banks. I especially like the way the solid green makes the gold fabric stand out.
Of course I preferred the modern quilts, but there were plenty of traditional and art quilts as well. Here, in no particular order, are some quilts I especially enjoyed.
Fiesta is a throw size quilt by Mary Anne Fontana. It was hung behind a bank of chairs so I couldn’t get a straight shot of it.
Technicolor Dream by Susan Braverman won first place in the Mid-Century Modern competition.
This next one was in a vendor booth to sell a kit, but I thought it was extra pretty. I have no idea what the pattern is!
Cloverleaf by Betsy Vinegrad won Honorable Mention in the Mid-Century Mod category
Zion by Debra Nagelholt Newhall was inspired by Zion National Park
I thought Flutterby, by Betsy Vinegrad, was exceptionally well made.
I enjoyed the arrangement of the little blocks in Trinket by Kristine Byrn
I’m happy to say I took 3 good classes at MAQF, so I’ll tell you about those in the near future!
Zippy Quilts 
Thanks for the post! And great quilt pictures.
Ah yes, and I just emailed you a picture that made me think of you in particular!
Thanks for giving us a peak of the quilts on display. Bet you enjoyed those classes. Maybe one day I will cross the oceans and be able to attend the MAQF
I did enjoy the classes and will write about them in future. I don’t think I’ll be crossing the ocean any time soon, but my grands are right here. I know you have to travel a considerable distance to see yours.
I wonder if the modern quilts at MAQF had been entered for QuiltCon but not accepted…..The kit uses the “circle of nine” setting concept that I have yet to try (though I really like the idea).
I, too, suspected that some of the modern quilts might have been “QuiltCon rejects”. I’ve used the circle of 9 setting for orphan blocks several times and like it–give it a try!
Ohhhh, now **this** is the show I’d like to go to! We do have similar tastes, don’t we Zip? The Ankara et all fabrics are a wonderful mix with circles cleverly used as a unifying factor (yep, Umoja is aptly named!) – subtle but effective. I love this!
It was a good show overall, and the classes were good, too. Maybe not so far from you? And I hope you enjoy your trip to Greenville SC, while we’re talking of travel. It’s a nice town.
What a nice and varied selection! Zion is my favorite; I love the color variations.
It really was a nice, diverse show.
Thanks for the report on the show. I love the swirls of Technicolor Dream; and Zion appealed to me visually as itself, but mores after the connection to the park. I’d seen it as village before learning it was about natural formations. LOL. I’d love to have been a fly on the wall during the construction of Trinket–was it designed from the start or a stack of blocks that were arranged and rearranged till satisfactory…Either way, nice.
Ha! I saw Zion as a village before I knew what it was, too. And I’m keeping Trinket in mind for a possible future design 😀
Looks like an interesting display of quilts
Yes, it was a good show!