Friday, June 29, 2012

VQF Opening Night!

I was so excited to meet up with Lori at the awards ceremony part of opening night!

The place was packed with quilters, and as always, I love people watching and seeing what quilters wear when they turn out in droves --- I saw terrific outfits, comfortable quilter’s footwear ((We all know that fashion stops below the knees!)) and the wildest array of handcrafted handbags in one location than I have ever seen in my life!

I sat right down the row from my buddy Pat Sloan and her hubby, Greg –aka. “The Shipping Department”. Unbeknownst to me ---she was photographing us and tagging us on facebook ---HA!

So fun to reconnect with other teachers – some I’ve met and talked with before. David Taylor and I have shared many a venue in the past couple of years, so when I was exiting the dorm as he was entering, we exchanged a few words – it’s great to see him again, I enjoy his sense of humor so much!

Yesterday I grabbed a quicky lunch ---the first class was over at 11:30 – lunch was from 11:30 to 12:30 –but people were still hauling their stuff OUT of the room at 11:40 – and the people from the afternoon session were wanting to come in and set up the machines ----wait a minute! I need to get lunch in here somewhere --- so I think I got all in all about 20 minutes to wolf down my soup and salad at a little outdoor table while visiting with Pat, Sue Spargo, and Susan Brubaker Knapp who lives just down the road from me in Mooresville, NC ---the same town where I adopted Ken the Kenmore! Small world, isn’t it?

The most funny of all --- I walk in last night to find Lori – and we take ONE look at each other and bust out laughing – we are dressed so much the same! White capris, black/white sleeveless blouse….it’s hysterical.

We ask her friend to take a picture of the both of us…

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And then we ask her to take it again because she has chopped our heads off…LOL!

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And yes, you can tell I have not been out in the sun at ALL this year – pasty white folks! But it was so good to hug my friend, walk around the show, oooh and ahhh at Gerald Roy’s collection of antique quilts ((no photography allowed…boooohooooo!!)) and enjoy the evening!

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Pineapple Crazy is hanging in the teacher’s exhibit! ((Right next to one of Sue Spargo’s beauties…I am so pumped!))

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And since I was never able before to send close up detail…here is a shot at the upper left corner.

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One of the “circles” where the blocks join together---my favorite thing about this quilt? ALL of the odd fabrics thrown together into this mess of scrappiness. So many cut off bonus triangles that have been gifted to me over the past several years have all found a place in this quilt..

My other happy moment?

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The Dover Bookseller’s booth has my first three books on display front and center in their booth! But I have one up on them – I’ve got the 4th book in my classroom on campus and it is selling like hotcakes and I am so excited.

Tomorrow? MYSTERY DAY!! Which means ---there probably won’t be a lot of detailed class photos for that one because --- well --- it’s a mystery! But never fear, the mystery quilt I’ve been teaching as a class since January will appear in Quiltmaker Magazine in the fall –as a NON Mystery.

Be watching for it!

Boxy Stars Afternoon!

I want you to hum along with me to the tune of the theme song from Gilligan’s Island:

“A Three Hour Class!! A Three Hour Class!!”

Just how much can one get done in “A THREE HOUR CLASS?!” ((A Three Hour Class!!))

Amazingly, quite a bit!

Boxy Stars is one of those that goes together so quickly and looks so different depending on what fabrics and values you have chosen to go where. I loved it done in 30s fabrics, I loved seeing the batik variations, and the one that was Christmas themed…and the ones that were joint projects with the blocks being destined for Quilts of Valor ---

Some only got one block done, but many parts well on the way for more --- some got two or three blocks done, and all will be fabulous!

Take a look at what we got up too in our “THREE HOUR CLASS!! our THREE HOUR CLASS!”

And the fun continues! We’ve still got Friday, Saturday and Sunday yet to go ----

I think I’m going to need a nap! :cD

iPhone-o-gram! Smith Mountain Ladies!

We are all deep into easy angle half square triangles and tri recs star points!

it's a gorgeous day in Vermont, perfect to be hanging with a bunch of quilters and sewing up the scraps!

Sister’s Choice Morning!

Let the class slide shows commence!

We had such a fun day yesterday – but man is it hard keeping track of names for 40 students --- it’s hard enough when there is 20, but 40 all in one day, two separate classes? I gave up trying!

I do remember Tanya, who brought me a diet dr pepper right off…THANK YOU, I so needed that!

Another Student was working on the most amazing leader/ender project ---you just have to see this!

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The first thing I saw was a whole shoe box full of half square triangles…ooooooh! Let me at them!

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I asked her what she was doing with them.and she showed me….

Oh. FUN!! It’s a split 16-patch. You’ve seen Split-9patches, right? Just add more units…which adds more motion, and more happy-scrappiness!

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Here is one block all sewn together. Now get this --- be ready ---

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Yeeee *gasp* Haaawwww!

So if you are looking for a leader/ender project to rock your socks --- there you have it!

We had some fun with the vintage machines in class too --- and you know how I love to see them. We had several featherweights --- but look at these Bigger Sisters:

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This is a very sleek 1970s Kenmore. It zig zags…you turn the dial on top! It’s a bit heavy, but it works so beautifully! I’d never seen this model before – Mine was an early 1980s version, so this was fun.

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How about an 1950’s vintage two-toned 404?!

These slant needle machines are awesome – they are not belt driven, they are gear driven and do such a great job. They were straight stitch only.

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One sweet lady brought in her two-toned 301! She is the original owner of this 1950s vintage lovely ---It’s been her machine since it was brand spanking new. What a life this machine has had, and what stories it could tell about what has been sewn on it over the past 60+ years!

Because this was a 3 hour class --- students were lucky if they got one or two blocks done. I was just happy if everyone went home with one so they could take over from there when they got home.

Here is our progress:

Today’s Class is Smith Mountain Morning! I am really looking forward to teaching this class. I love working with the specialty rulers so much.

Be watching for the Boxy Stars pics to come through later today –In an effort to not overload those on dial up or slower connections, I’m keeping each class slide show in its own post!

Have a great Friday, Everyone!