EAA AirVenture Quilt Block Contest

This is the first year I joined the EAA AirVenture Quilt Block Contest, submitting a the very first quilt block I've ever made in my life!  I thought it would be a fun challenge, and I'm so glad I decided to do it.  Although I didn't place, my quilt block is still hanging on the EAA AirVenture Museum wall with 19 other quilt blocks.  Makes me proud to know my work is hanging up among other gorgeous aviation themed quilt blocks!  Here are a few pictures from when I was at the museum a few days ago...

 Above: Me standing below my quilt block...I'm a bit short to get up any closer to it.  LOL!

You can also view the wall of quilt blocks as well as the winners and honorable mention quilt blocks by going here... EAA AirVenture Quilt Block Contest

EAA AirVenture 2011 - Oshkosh, WI - USA

This week in Oshkosh, WI is the annual EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) AirVenture and Air Show.  (This year is their 100th anniversary, too). 

My dad, Greg Klemp, Sr., owner of Sheer Technologies,  is a pilot as well as a dealer for Challenger aircraft.  He has a booth at the EAA every year.  My parents have a small landing strip in their back yard as well as dad's hangar, which he rents out to other pilots for their Challenger aircraft.
The annual EAA is a big deal to my dad and to many of his colleagues.
Below is a photo of my dad speaking with some visitors at the Challenger booth...   

The following are a few more photos from the EAA, which I attended on their opening day, Monday, July 25, 2011...

USA Navy Helicopter (above & below)

 The Jelly Belly Camper & Airplane (below)

 The plane that broke the world's altitude record (below)

 

 USA Army Drone (above) and a USA Army Medic Helicopter (below)

 USA Dept of Interior (below)

  USA Marines (below)

 Farmer's Air Ship (blimp) - 1 of only 2 of the largest in the world - (below) 

 The Wing-Walking Bi-Plane (above & below)

 Me, standing in front of a seriously cool sea plane! (below) 

Below are some videos from a few performances in the airshow at the EAA...

I've got a few more videos of the airshow, but unfortunately it takes a long time to upload them, so I may have to add them another time, as it's going on 4:30am and I have yet to go to bed for the night!

My EAA AirVenture Quilt Block Contest Quilt Block:

Another quilting contest has fallen into my list of project-to-do's!
EAA AirVentureQuilt Block Contest

I couldn't resist entering this contest when I found out about it.  My dad is a pilot.  He also builds and sells Challenger aircraft, as well as teaches pilot lessons.  He's actively involved in the Oshkosh, Wisconsin EAA every year, and I decided to make a quilt block in honor of my dad.  My dad loves nautical scenes, and especially lighthouses, so I made my quilt block to reflect a vintage bi-plane flying along the seacoast at night, with a lighthouse brightly lit.

Here's my quilt block:

"Seaside Night Flight"
By Gina Klemp-Koston

Unfortunately, since I'm still learning to monogram with my sewing machine,
I ended up getting the monogramming really crooked on the back!
Good thing they don't judge by the back!

I created the lighthouse, landscape, sky background, moon and water from cutting and sewing together fabric pieces that I cut to the shape I wanted.  The bi-plane was actually cut from airplane fabric, then the airplane was appliqued onto the block...the lighthouse and moon are also appliqued on.  

I used silver thread to enhance the bigger stars in the sky, and I used a bright yellow thread to make the light beams from the lighthouse.

This was a fun and challenging project!  Now I just gotta keep my fingers crossed on the outcome!