At the 1st Annual AQS Quilt Show & Contest in Grand Rapids, Michigan, August 22 – 25, 2012, you will also get to see, for the first time ever in the U.S., the Stitch Like an Egyptian exhibit of quilts made by the Tentmakers of Cairo!

Photo by Jenny Bowker

This exhibit is happening through a three continent collaboration between Jenny Bowker of Garran, ACT, Australia; the Tentmakers of Cairo, Egypt; and Bonnie Browning at the American Quilter’s Society in Paducah, Kentucky. Jenny hand selected the 95 quilts that will be displayed. The quilts have just arrived at the AQS offices in preparation for transporting them to the show, and we can’t wait to share them with you.

Two of the tentmakers, Hosam Hanafy Ahmed Mahmoud and Tarek Abdelhay Hafez Abouelenin will be attending the show to demonstrate their applique technique. For the quilts, these artists use a soft thick cotton background to sew into and over that there is a background fabric. Then you’ll see two or three layers of applique; no batting or filler is used for these quilts. While they may not be quilts that are stitched together with quilting stitches like we are accustomed to, people are amazed at the detail and quality of the applique in their work.

In addition to these quilts from Egypt, we will also have a very special exhibit of quilts from Japan, Japanese Color and Form: New Works by Fifty Japanese Artists. These quiltmakers show their exquisite use of color admired by artists around the world. From traditional quilt designs to contemporary Japanese art quilts, you will want to take time to study the use of color and form in this special exhibit.

Japanese Color and Form Exhibit

For more information or to register for the AQS Quilt Show in Grand Rapids, CLICK HERE.