"Sweet Madame Blue" by Margaret Solomon Gunn won Best of Show at AQS QuiltWeek - Paducah 2023

Artist Statement: "I started this quilt early in 2020, before the pandemic broke. It is made from over a dozen shades of blues and aquas, coupled with a few stock shades of red, green and champagne. I bought the 8 tatted doilies from an online seller in Istanbul. I stumbled upon them when I was looking for small pieces of lace for a different quilt. I immediately bought them and the quilt's design took off from there. I chose geometric motifs and floral patterns commonly seen in Arabic architecture and Turkish pottery. With this design in mind, I felt forced to make the quilt using semi-traditional colors. Most who know me are aware that I don't tend to work much with blue, but this design kept me away from my more comfortable colors and always thinking on my toes. It is all turned-edge applique. In fact, the entire top is made by hand. I added a good bit of hand embroidery after the quilt was quilted. Go figure - there is always that feeling it is just not quite complete. I also added some crystals as well as beading on many of the flowers.

Though spelled differently, the quilt pays homage to a 1975 Styx song which I really like, and it seemed like a fitting name."

PIQF Sign Statement: "Original design was created around the lace doilies I ordered from Istanbul. The remaining design features many shades of my hand-dyed silks in floral and geometric patterns commonly seen in Turkish pottery."

Techniques: Machine Pieced, Hand Appliquéd, Longarm Machine Quilted

Original Design: Yes

(Detail Photos 5 and 6 by Margaret Solomon Gunn; Sign and Ribbon Photos by Margaret's friend, Lori Allison)