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LOCAL COUPLE AWARDED RIBBONS AT MAINE QUILTS 2011
Dan and Carol Perkins, award-winning quilters of Rangeley and owners of Threads Galore Quilt Shop, were recently honored at Maine Quilts 2011 in Augusta, Maine with ribbons for all three of their 2011 show quilts.  The Viewer's Choice Award went to “Shattered Nine Patch Squared”, a multi-year original design, 68” x 84” reversible quilt by Dan with original machine quilting by Carol. Stepping totally out of his usual fabric style, Mr. Perkins began this exploration with a bin full of 1930's reproduction fabric nine patch blocks. By slicing and cross cutting the nine patch blocks in a variety of directions and angles, Dan rearranged all the pieces, creating a stunning overall pattern on the front of the quilt. Easily composed of greater than 9000 pieces, the quilt showcases diminutive triangles that sparkle across the quilt top. Still having some leftovers, Perkins states “I created strips that tell the story of the creation of the quilt front and set them together to create the reverse side of the quilt.” Judges awarded this quilt a yellow 3rd place ribbon commenting, “awesome collection of reproduction fabrics” and “congratulations on finishing this amazing feat!”
***This quilt also earned an Honorable Mention for Overall Craftmanship at
A Quilter's Gathering in Nashua, NH.*** A First Place Blue Ribbon went to “Starburst Galaxy”, designed, pieced and quilted by Carol. “I  wanted to play around with Deb Tucker's V Block Trimmer tool, creating stars and the pieced border of my quilt,” explains Ms. Perkins. Pieced stars in many sizes, featuring a rich autumnal brown and gold palette of batik fabrics on a soft background create the central medallion of this 69” square beauty. For Carol, it is the quilting that makes her heart sing. Each swirling curve and feather enhances this quilt. The dance and rhythm of her original freehand quilting creates a magnificent backdrop for her pieced galaxy. Judges commented, “Your elaborate machine quilting emphasizes the central star and provides movement throughout,” and “the pieced inner border makes this quilt glow.”***This quilt also earned an Honorable Mention for Machine Quilting Excellence at
A Quilter's Gathering in Nashua, NH.***  “All Tuckered Out”, an 86” x 100” large bed quilt designed and pieced by Dan, quilted by Carol, is named for the many Deb Tucker tools used in the piecing process. Perkins shares that, “I wanted to devote a week during our 2010 Fall Quilt Camp to exploring the possibilities for using the V Trimmer, the Square 2, and the Tucker Trimmer in a large scale quilt design.” In a palette of red, cream, and black traditional quilt fabrics, this quilt's block units interact with one another in a way that invites the viewer to try to see where one block ends and the next one begins. Honoring this quilt with a 3rd place yellow ribbon, all three judges agreed “the pieced borders create movement and enhance the quilt design.”All are invited to stop in and enjoy these award-winning quilts at the Threads Galore Showroom, 27 Pleasant Street, Rangeley. Dan and Carol share the sentiment that, “each of these quilts are filled with memories of the time we spent creating them and we look forward to sharing them with you.” RANGELEY QUILTERS HONORED AT MAINE QUILTS 2009
Carol and Dan Perkins, owners of Threads Galore Quilt Shop and Quilt Inn Rangeley Retreat Center, were recently awarded First and Second Place Ribbons at Maine Quilts 2009, presented by Pine Tree Quilters Guild, Inc. Judging points are earned based on each quilt's Overall Impact, Design, and Workmanship. The team of judges for this year's show were Linda Cantrell, Kathy Kansier and Susan Varanka.
“Golden Isles”, 58 inches square, is a collaborative quilt, designed by Dan while playing around with EQ6 software on his Mac. The design elements and fabric selection spoke to Dan of the mountains of Rangeley as well as the sea and sand of Dan and Carol's favorite winter oceanside getaway. Oceanic blue, vibrant golds and grass green are accented with a pop of red in this dynamic design. RANGELEY QUILTERS BRING HOME MAINE QUILTS ’08 RIBBONS
 Dan’s quilt, “Crystal Stars”, a large beauty in purple and black was awarded ‘Second Place’. Judges commented, “precision piecing”; “effective and distinctive”; “magnificent quilting”; and “exciting quilt”. Dan loves intricate piecing and interesting geometric combinations. His original design began with the four center crystal-like blocks. After laying them out on the floor, the quilt evolved with the addition of many pieced stars. Dan states, “It just grew until I felt it was complete.” Graced with his wife, Carol’s, interpretive machine quilting of curving feathers and angular repeating lines, this quilt is, indeed, a gem. Thus the title, “Crystal Stars”. ***This quilt also won a first place ribbon at Machine Quilter's Expo 2009
and a Teacher's Choice Ribbon at Images ~ Lowell Quilt Festival 2009***  Threads Galore Quilt Camp. The Mariner’s Compass was constructed with Brenda Henning’s paper piecing technique. Carol’s forte` is her original hand-guided freehand machine quilting and this quilt features an extensive array of quilting motifs with a lovely variegated thread that brings the artistic designs of the batiks to life and gives the quilt it’s “wow factor” wrote one judge. Other judges commented, “the overall quilt draws one in for a closer look”; “excellent star composition”; “quilting motifs enhance each area of the quilt”; and “superior workmanship”. Carol comments, “This quilt was quite a step ‘out of the box’ for me however I soon realized that a mariner’s compass, flying geese and Rangeley stars will surely ‘Show Me the Way Home’!” Rangeley quilters honored at Maine Quilt Show 2007
Carol and Dan Perkins, owners of Threads Galore Quilt Shop, were awarded top honors at Maine Quilts 2007 in Augusta this summer. Presented by Pine Tree Quilters Guild Inc., this 30th annual show featured quilts by year-round Maine residents and seasonal visitors. Each quilt was judged on its own merit, overall impact, design and precision workmanship by the panel: Barbara Barber, Rita Hutchens and Lorraine Torrence.  “Best of Show” and “Exceptional Merit” ribbons now decorate “Quadruple Bypass” by Carol Perkins. Designed at her mother’s hospital bedside during recent cardiac quadruple bypass surgery, the four Feathered Star blocks represent the four repaired arteries and the pieced Shaded Sawtooth border was inspired by the rhythmic sounds of the cardiac monitor machine. This quilt features Carol’s favorite country red, blue and gold prints. Lots of open background space allowed Carol to quilt her favorite feathers, joyfully celebrating the return to health of her Mom, Avis Coolidge of Oxford, Maine. Judges’ comments include: “Absolutely awesome interpretation of the Feathered Star. The quilting is spectacular.” “Wonderful three dimensional texture.” “Beautifully presented piece.”
***This quilt also won a Teacher's Award at Machine Quilter's Expo 2009***
A “First Place” winner, “Log Cabin Leftovers” by Dan Perkins, is an original design inspired by a  stack of log cabin blocks leftover from a prior quilt. Designed as he moved out from the center Bear Paw medallion block, Dan limited his fabric palette to the golds, reds, blues and greens used in the log cabin blocks. The Bear Paw block, set on point in the quilt center, also appears straight set in the corners with an original adaptation in the outer border cornerstones. Appliquéd silhouettes of black bear and moose celebrate Rangeley’s abundant wildlife. Carol’s interpretive quilting also graces Dan’s quilt.Maine Quilts judges’ comments include: “Strong symmetrical design.” “Strip pieced border provides nice variation in scale.” “Nice appliqué technique.” “Terrific quilting.”BLUE RIBBON QUILT AWARD 2006
Each quilt was judged on its own merit, overall impact, design and precision workmanship by the panel of Marjorie Haight Lydecker, Elsie M. Campbell, and Paula Golden.
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“Atlantic Sunrise” captures Carol's favorite time of day from the beach on Jekyll Island, Georgia. The soft swirling yellow background offers a sandy beach backdrop for the wide array of reddish-coral fabrics, announcing the arrival of a new day in this setting of Hunter Star pieced blocks. Carol's pieced design incorporated Rapid Fire Hunter Star construction techniques pioneered by Deb Tucker of Studio 180. The blue of the ocean in the pieced inner border celebrates the waves of the ocean and the rhythm of the tides. Measuring 60” x 75”, this quilt was scored highly by the panel for “Overall Impact” and “Effectiveness of Color in Overall Design” and was awarded First Place. Freehand, interpretive, original machine quilting design is Carol's passion. Quilted feathers are abundant on this piece. Some viewers are reminded of seaweed, others of patterns in the sand as the tide recedes. Judges comments included, “delightful investigation of pattern”, “creative variation of feather design”, “red on yellow quilting is very courageous”, and “striking quilt.” 
Carol partnered with Dan in the piecing of this quilt with a myriad of technically challenging set-in geometric elements. Carol's original freehand machine quilting adds lots of arcs to Dan's angular design. The repetitive curves may remind the viewer of the breaking of the waves or the edge of a sand dollar. This quilt scored highly in the categories of “Use of Pattern & Design” and “Effectiveness of Color in Overall Design” and was awarded Second Place. Judges commented, “wonderful flow with angular piecing and curved quilting”; “a striking quilt”; “truly a golden treasure”.
Dan and Carol Perkins of Rangeley were awarded a blue ribbon at Maine Quilts 2006 in Augusta, Maine, earlier this summer for their jointly created quilt, “Starry Bear’s Paw”. Their entry was judged in the professionally quilted bed quilt category of the show. The patchwork, designed and pieced by Dan, was inspired by Pat Syta’s book, Bear’s Paw Plus, with border inspiration from Knockout Blocks and Sampler Quilts by Judy Martin. The intricate heirloom-quality machine quilting, designed and stitched by Carol, includes feathers inspired by Sherry Rogers-Harrison and Nicole Webb, nationally recognized long-arm machine quilters.