Winners of the Quilt & Sewing Fest of New Jersey, April 26-29, 2018
The fourteenth year of the Quilt and Sewing Fest of New Jersey has officially come to a close. This year’s festival was enjoyed by all in attendance. With a great faculty, a large Merchants Mall with over 50 exhibitors, and quilts for everyone’s viewing pleasure, it’s no surprise it was so well received by the public!
Attendees from near and far came to the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center in Edison, New Jersey to witness the incredible works of quilters in the Tri-State area. The competition was fierce with over 60 extraordinary quilts entered in the annual Tri-State Competition.
Sewing is Beleafing
by Christine Wickert
The Quilt & Sewing Fest of New Jersey had a number of local guilds provide exhibits containing their members best work. These collections of quilts included those created by The Empire Quilters Guild, Jersey Shore Modern Quilt Guild, North Jersey Modern Quilt Guild, and NYC Metro Modern Quilters. Local quilters also presented one-person shows such as Edward Bostick’s Narratives, Tributes & Legacies of African Americans and A Quilter’s View of the U.S. by Deb Hathaway Hunter.
Residents of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania entered their quilts into the competition hoping to win the prestigious Best of Show award. This year Christine Wickert’s hand pieced, hand appliqued, and hand quilted Sewing is Beleafing, was the official Best of Show quilt for the Quilt & Sewing Fest of New Jersey.
Best of New Jersey
Autumn Frames on Point
by Phyllis Garnant
The second-place award went to The Halo Medallion, by Doris Prol, with Nancy Breland’s Ginkgos in Sunshine coming in third. Attendees were thrilled to see the special award, the Best of New Jersey quilt, go to Autumn Frames! This quilt was made by Middletown’s very own Phyllis Garnant.
All entries were judged by renowned instructor Bobbie Bergquist and certified appraiser Phyllis Twigg Hatcher. Each judge was also able to choose a quilt to award their Judge’s Choice ribbon to. Bergquist’s pick was Barbara Khan’s Enchanted Flowers, and Hatcher’s choice was Rachel Derstine’s Maples on Water.
Patima
by Sarah Reindel
The quilt that stole the NJ show, however, was the Viewers’ Choice quilt. At the quilt festival, attendees have the opportunity to vote for their favorite quilt in the competition. On the last day, the votes were counted and the Viewers’ Choice ribbon was awarded to Sarah Reindel for her quilt Patima. To view all the winners in the 2018 Tri-State Quilt Competition click here.
Interested in entering a quilt in one of our quilt competitions? Our next show is at World Quilt New England in Manchester, New Hampshire where the distinguished World Quilt Competition will be held. Visit www.quiltfest.com to enter the competition. Your very own quilt could be hanging at our quilt festival!
Major Annual Sponsor Brother/Sew Jersey, Major Vendor Sponsors Baby Lock–Elna– Janome/Pocono Sew & Vac, BERNINA–Innova/Olde City Quilts, Pfaff/ Above and Beyond, Husqvarna Viking/ Stony Brook Sew & Vac Superstores, and Silver Sponsors Gammill and Handi Quilter generously sponsored The Quilt & Sewing Fest of New Jersey.