Quilt National report 3 -- machine piecing

As a quiltmaker who considers piecing the best and highest element of the art, and the more intricate the better, I am always happy when show jurors agree.  There wasn't a lot of bravura piecing at this year's Quilt National, in the sense that viewers would say "wow!" but here are a few that caught my eye.  I'll show the details so you can appreciate the piecing; imagine lots and lots more to make up the entire quilt.

Anke Kerstan, Kaleidoscope II
each of the kite-shaped elements of the hexagon was separately cut from plaid fabric; each hexagon is about five inches across and the perfectly accurate piecing would get an A+ from the quilt police

Leslie Joan Riley, Broken Fence
each block is about five inches square

Nancy Cordry, Crazy Dang Genes
the little stripes finish to about a half-inch

Mary Beth Frezon, Solveig
each block is a bit under two inches square

Many of the other quilts in the show were equally intricate, but executed in raw-edge techniques, clearly a lot more efficient and arguably a lot more spontaneous and painterly.  But I'm glad to see these throwbacks, referencing and reverencing the old quilting traditions.