The wearable art competition has been a unique part of the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival for many years. Pictured below are some of the winning entries from the 2016 event. These garments illustrate the unique and creative styles found in the spectacular collection of garments displayed each year in the Mid-Atlantic Wearable Art Competition.

The competition categories are Full Ensemble and Vest, Jacket or Coat. These fabulous garments will definitely inspire you to explore new wearable art ideas for your own creation.

1st Place Full Ensemble: Silver Lining by Natasha Lehrer Lewis
  

Best Use of Embellishments Full Ensemble: The Emergence of Spring by Kathy Knapp
  

1st Place Vest, Jacket or Coat: Dahlia Diamonds by Karla Dahms
  

Best Use of Embellishments Vest, Jacket or Coat & Viewers’ Choice: Warm in Blue by Roberta Morgan

The online and printable entry  forms for the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Wearable Art Competition will be available on quiltfest.com in October 2016.

We can never see too many beautiful quilts. Here are the first place winners from each of the 2016 Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival’s Sew Far, Sew Good quilt competition categories.

1st Place Innovative
#1012 Moonflower by Molly Y Hamilton-McNalley
1st Place Traditional
#2037  by Karen Sievert
Best Wall Quilt
#3037 Magical Toys by Flora Joy

1st Place Mid-Century Modern
#4008 A Slice of Pi by Connie Kincius Griner

Congratulations to all these winners!

Quilters love to portray animals on their quilts! From family pets to animals photographed in the wild, you’ll find just about every species imaginable – even some that sprang from someone’s imagination. Here’s a look at some of the creatures we saw in the competition and in special exhibits at this year’s Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival. We hope you enjoy seeing them as much as we did!

Celtic Fox by Kathy McNeil

The Dreamy Lemur by Maria Cousins

American Bison by Ann Horton

The Lookout by Barbara McKie

Night Shift by Sarah Jillard

Puppy Love by Jennifer June
The King Looking for His Bride by Judy Murphy

Over the Wall by Jodi Scaltreto

Carousel Stampede by Cathy Wiggins

From the The James River Rug Hookers & the Shockoe Slip Rug Hookers

An untitled entry by Eileen Daniels of  Brodhead, Wisconsin won Best of Show in the Wearable Art Competition at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival, February 25-28, 2016 in Hampton, Virginia.

Based on a  Vogue pattern, the lined jacket is long arm quilted and embellished with stitchery.

Melissa Sobotka’s extraordinary Silk Road Sampler won Best of Show at the 2016 Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival, February 25-28 in Hampton, Virginia.

Based on a photograph, the quilt measures 60″ x 70″.

Melissa wrote the following:
Where east meets west in Istanbul, there is a Spice Bazaar that has been there since 1597. There, surrounded by exotic smells and tastes, the vibrant colors of the silk road come alive. One vendor had so many ornate pillows of various colors and designs, it was like viewing an applique sampler.

Yes, this REALLY is a QUILT!