Thoughts on PIQF 2022

I went to a quilt show!

The Pacific International Quilt Festival was held, as usual, at the Santa Clara Convention Center. I went on Friday with Friend Julie and had a good time. The big change was that there was fewer of everything. Fewer quilts, fewer vendors, fewer exhibits, fewer items to buy, fewer people.

PIQF 2022 Purchases
PIQF 2022 Purchases

I was in a mood to shop. I didn’t want to get a lot of fabric, but I did want to look at everything in person and buy a few things, including some fabric.  One thing I am really excited about is a pattern called Stay Tuned. It is by Thimble Creek Quilts. I almost bought the kit, but the solids in it were Konas and I have a strict policy of not buying fabrics I don’t like. The nice things was that Roxie (owner of Thimble Creek) asked me what solids I liked, so we had a chat about American Made Brand, AGF Pure Solids and Northcott. Maybe they will change what they use for kits. I went to Stash Fabrics and randomly chose several solids to use for this quilt.

Stay Tuned pattern by Thimble Creek
Stay Tuned pattern by Thimble Creek

I am excited about it, because it is just piecing a bunch of small blocks into a cool quilt. I am really desperate just to do sew something new. I don’t want anything complicated or arty – just an interesting block quilt I can relax with. I have to pick a few pieces of fabric for this quilt, but will mostly use my stash.

Another thing that I was able to do was look at a variety of needles. I was able to identify the hand sewing needles I like and buy a couple of packs. They are Chenille needles** (Amazon has them for twice the price as Batty Lady, where I bought them). I like them because they are sharp and have a big eye.  I had lost the package for the ones in my La Pass sewing kit, so I am glad to have been able to identify which ones I like. I bought size 28, because I always forget about needle sizes. Not sure if those are the ones I have had before.

Kaffe seam ripper
Kaffe seam ripper

I also bought a couple of new seam rippers. As I ripped seams out of Pointillist Palette #4, I found that the process seemed much harder than necessary. I thought that my seam ripper might be getting dull. Can they be sharpened? Who knows? I bought a couple of Kaffe branded seam rippers, not because they are Kaffe branded, but because they had a large grip. The cutting end is pretty thin, which may mean I can more easily get the blade under seams. We’ll see. I’ll have to try them out, but I hope not too soon.

Clover seam ripper
Clover seam ripper

I am happy with my Clover seam ripper**, in general. Those are definitely my go-to seam ripper, but the Kaffe seam ripper has a larger handle and might be better for a lot of ripping. Also, I am scared of the Tula Pink surgical seam ripper**. I’ll do a review.

Aside from those few things, I bought 4 yards of fabric and some Pineapple Flatter. I finally used the bottle I got from the guild at the last (??) retreat. I like the smell.

I didn’t think the COVID lockdown affected me that much in terms of quiltmaking. I was wrong. Looking at all the quilts made me realize how much I have gotten into my own bubble of quilts. I looked at the show quilts which were pretty normal for PIQF and realized I hadn’t seen anything like them since the last time I went to a quilt show. Visiting a quilt show meant that I saw quilts I wouldn’t normally see in all types of styles and colors. In general, at home from my computer, I look at quilts that appeal to me and skip over quilts that do not. I look at quilts by people I know and not at others. At PIQF, I looked at everything, regardless of the style or appeal. I was walking by anyway, so I might as well look, right? This is really hard for me to explain because I have just realized it myself.

It was also hard to be around all those people. I am just not used to it. Most people were not wearing masks, but I wore a mask while at the show. The booths were still small and somewhat jammed, but the show cleared out pretty much by 3pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Obviously, you should shop at local fabric stores, knitting shops, independent booksellers or quilt shops. However, if you can’t, please know that I use affiliate links. I may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I do not recommend items I don’t like. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Thoughts on PIQF 2019 pt.2

One of the things I forgot to mention when I talked about the quilt show the other day was the swans. Yes, swans showed up as imagery in at least 7 quilts. I have been reading/studying a book called The 1718 Coverlet*. Essentially it is a block book, but it tells the history of the oldest quilt found in the UK and tells the reader how to make the blocks. In the book, and the quilt, are blocks depicting swans.

In the world Quilt Exhibit, we saw that someone had made a version of the 1718 Coverlet. There were the first swans. After that we saw swans depicted in the other quilts. I love white birds – herons, egrets and swans – but I was surprised to see so many swans in quilts. Granted there were a lot of bird quilts. Sadly, I neglected to take photos of any bird or swan quilts. 🙁

Raffle prizes for guild
Raffle prizes for guild

As you know from a previous post, I am leading the team that will be creating raffle baskets for the guild next year. Every meeting, a random number is drawn, matched with a name on the sign-in form and the winner is gifted with a bag or basket of prizes. I won one recently and was amazed at the variety of items. I have a list of items I want to get to fill in the things we make. I found a few of them at the quilt show.

FOTY 2017 on display at PIQF 2019
FOTY 2017 on display at PIQF 2019

I did mention that FOTY 2017 was on display. It was in the New Quilts of Northern California exhibit. In the past few years, I have been annoyed at the quilts made from patterns that were on display in this exhibit. This was part of my impetus to enter. The FOTY quilts are unique. I have only seen one or two others using the same concept. This year, more of the quilts looked original, which made me happy.

I was also interested in a couple of the modern quilts. There is something about the circular motifs that is very appealing. I think I have circles on my mind, because of the new project I have been considering lately. I saw a few quilts that I thought were Quick Curve Ruler* projects. It wasn’t hugely obvious, but I noticed. I am glad to see some quiltmakers using that tool. I was also gratified to see that one maker had designed an original quilt using the ruler. I have had some inklings in that direction, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item you click on. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Thoughts on PIQF 2019

The Pacific International Quilt Festival was held this past weekend (plus Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) at the Santa Clara Convention Center. I really only had Friday to attend. This was a shame, because the quilts were actually more interesting this year than they have been in past years.

Julie and I met up at 11am and walked the show. I didn’t take as many photos as I have in the past. I wasn’t in the mood, I guess. I was in the mood to shop and bought a few nice things, including the Mary Poppins bag I was looking at last year. I also bought the various foam pieces I needed so I don’t have to scrounge around for those. I saw Odicoat for sale, but when I went back to buy it, they had sold out. I can get it easily on Amazon or Sew Sweetness, but I thought picking it up at PIQF would be easier since it was available. Oh well.

I was able to pick up a few things for raffle prizes for BAM next year.

The Secret Life of Carrots by Elaine Barnard
The Secret Life of Carrots by Elaine Barnard

My favorite quilt, I think, was The Secret Life of Carrots. This is a quilt by Elaine Barnard of South Africa, which Friend Julie pointed out to me.

One thing I like about it is the simplicity of the title, which hides the complexity of the design.

The Secret Life of Carrots by Elaine Barnard detail
The Secret Life of Carrots by Elaine Barnard detail

I also like the hangy-downy threads. I have often thought that art quilts use threads hanging off the quilt badly. They don’t fit in with the design and make me think the maker was lazy. This quilt uses that concept very well.

One big thought I had while looking at the show was that symmetry was not as much in evidence. I greatly admire the artistry of art quilts, improv quilts and modern quilts. However, one of the things I love about quiltmaking is blocks and, especially the symmetry of blocks and quilts made up of blocks. I didn’t see that people were using fresh, modern and contemporary fabrics to explore symmetry and blocks in a  new way. I guess blocks seem old-fashioned and everyone wants to be modern or make contemporary quilts. Even my quilt, FOTY 2017, which was on display, isn’t exactly a block quilt.

I really need two days for this show. It can be viewed in one day, but we spent 8 hours looking at quilts and shopping, I think, and that was really pushing it in terms of being on our feet. I felt rushed. I would have also liked more time at the vendors, but I didn’t NEED that.

Reminder: SCVQA Quilt Show this Weekend

I was contacted earlier this week about the SCVQA Quilt Show. Sadly, I won’t be able to attend, but I hope you will be able to attend and will share photos on social media.

Message re: the show:

SCVQA Quilt Show
SCVQA Quilt Show

I am writing from the Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association, we are one of the largest quilt organizations in the bay area. We are about to host our biennial quilt show featuring hundreds of quilts made by local quilters and artists, Quilts Celebrating Creativity is May 4-5 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. We wanted to invite you especially to attend, since we know you support the quilting arts with an active blog and online presence.

We will be showing over 300 quilts, our guild is very diverse and there will be many different forms of quilts, from traditional to modern, large to small and everything in between. On display will be two special exhibits showcasing nationally renowned local artists Therese May and Randa Mulford. We have a large vendor mall feature a unique shopping opportunity with local vendors selling fabric, tools, patterns and other one of a kind crafts. There will be raffle baskets, demonstrations, art on display from the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, and a scavenger hunt for children.

Show hours are Saturday May 4th 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday May 5th 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $12, children 12 and under are free. More information can be found at www.scvqaquiltshow.org.

Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the art of quilting.

If you would like to know more or have any questions, feel free to reach out to the Quilt Show Committee at quiltshow@scvqa.org.

Best regards,

Quilt Show Committee

 

Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association Show, May 4-5, 2019

I was contacted earlier this week about the SCVQA Quilt Show. Sadly, I won’t be able to attend, but I hope you will be able to attend and will share photos on social media.

Message re: the show:

SCVQA Quilt Show
SCVQA Quilt Show

I am writing from the Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association, we are one of the largest quilt organizations in the bay area. We are about to host our biennial quilt show featuring hundreds of quilts made by local quilters and artists, Quilts Celebrating Creativity is May 4-5 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. We wanted to invite you especially to attend, since we know you support the quilting arts with an active blog and online presence.

We will be showing over 300 quilts, our guild is very diverse and there will be many different forms of quilts, from traditional to modern, large to small and everything in between. On display will be two special exhibits showcasing nationally renowned local artists Therese May and Randa Mulford. We have a large vendor mall feature a unique shopping opportunity with local vendors selling fabric, tools, patterns and other one of a kind crafts. There will be raffle baskets, demonstrations, art on display from the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, and a scavenger hunt for children.

Show hours are Saturday May 4th 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday May 5th 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $12, children 12 and under are free. More information can be found at www.scvqaquiltshow.org.

Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the art of quilting.

If you would like to know more or have any questions, feel free to reach out to the Quilt Show Committee at quiltshow@scvqa.org.

Best regards,

Quilt Show Committee

 

PIQF 2018 Thoughts and Purchases

I still have a lot to write about PIQF. My post about my quilts barely scratched the surface of my experience. Writing about the MetroScape block n.5 yesterday made me think about all the other things I wanted to talk about.

Vendors

There were noticeable changes to the vendors, as there were last year. The Mancusos has moved some of the vendors to new locations.  Others were no longer vending. SIL said that there were changes to the offerings of longarm vendors as well. She is still in the market for a longarm and was pleased at the changes.

I tried to stick to a list of items I really needed for projects or had a purpose. I bought more than I planned, but almost everything has a project attached to it.

Aunties Two Poppins Bag Pattern
Aunties Two Poppins Bag Pattern

I saw a new (to me?) line of bag patterns and really wanted to buy the Poppins pattern. I loved the shape and the style, but I resisted. I have another carpet bag type pattern AND the stays and must make that one first. One of the booths, Monica’s, had the pattern with all of the interfacing (they use Bosal) cut and available for purchase with the pattern. It was sooooo tempting. As mentioned, I resisted.

On my list was a roll of 2.5 inch batting strips. I want to make a Jelly Roll rug with the jelly roll I won at QuiltCon. No dice. I didn’t see any. I saw a roll of fusible batting strips and emailed Gretchen from 120 Blocks to ask if that was what she used. She said that product would be overkill and I didn’t buy it.

Art Gallery Knit for Westchester Dolman top
Art Gallery Knit for Westchester Dolman top

I found some fabulous fabric for the Westchester Dolman top. Crafty Gemini has a free PDF pattern of that top, but the link above leads you to the bundle of video and print pattern.

Buying fabric for this pattern has been on my mind, but wasn’t on my list for PIQF. Still, I was thrilled to see fabric I liked that was also of good quality. I didn’t really want to buy something online. I wanted to be able to feel the fabric. Julie pointed out that I needed to see how sheer a knit was, as well, because some knits were very sheer which means you have wear a camisole or something under it. This is an Art Gallery knit and thick enough to not be see through.

I have run out of solid white background fabric, which I like to have around, especially for donation projects. I wanted the Art Gallery Pure Elements Snow fabrics, but Colleen was there and carries American Made Brands. I bought 5 yards of their white, which I do like. She is one of the few vendors that brings bolts to the show.

Sewing Party purchases
Sewing Party purchases

My big impulse buy was from Sewing Party, a shop that I almost didn’t enter, because the woman looked so dour. I think she was tired and her resting face was not attractive. As soon as we entered the booth, she cheered right up and was very sweet.

I bought two FQs and a template set. I’ll use the text fabric for En Provence n.2. The Halo Top templates were not on the list, but they were so attractive. My friend, Sue Arnold, made a ring quilt years and years ago. Since then, I have wanted to make one. I seem to be getting into the sewing curves groove , so I wasn’t daunted by the curves in the block. The weird thing was that the shop did not have the pattern. When I asked about it, the lady said that I didn’t need the pattern. She was very confident of that even though I don’t think I have ever seen her before. 😉 She said with the templates, I could figure out the piecing. It is a Jen Kingwell pattern and I have heard from reliable sources that her patterns are not very well written. I’d like to take a look at the pattern, but I think the vendor is right. I don’t want to spend $28 on a pattern when I can figure out the piecing for myself. If someone I know has it, I will take a look (not copy, don’t worry). If not, I will figure it out for myself.

I plan to use the green in the Halo top and I will need to do some hunting and gathering for fabric in order to make it scrappy.

Threads & Ewe Yarn 2018
Threads & Ewe Yarn 2018

I also bought some yarn from Threads & Ewe. I love that booth. They have nice yarn, but the ladies are so friendly and helpful. They also wanted to see the scarf I made from the yarn I bought from them last year. I bought three skeins to make a shawl. I may have to finally get on Ravelry to find a free pattern. I have to finish my other project first, though. And NO MORE YARN!

Quilt Show

The best part of the quilt show was wandering around it with Friend Julie and looking at everything.

The quilt show, generally, looked the same as it has in years past. They still use the black drapes, which just looks depressing too me.

I was, again, disappointed by the New Quilts of Northern California exhibit. I didn’t see very many quilts (perhaps one or two) that were new, fresh or exciting. I must not understand that point of that exhibit anymore. I would have liked Down the Drain to be in that exhibit, but missed the deadline.

I didn’t see any Quick Curve Ruler projects, which was interesting. I wonder if people consider curves to be too hard. I am not finding my MetroScape project too difficult. It has gotten easier the more blocks I have made and I pin like a demon, which helps.

We met up with Kathleen late in the day and walked around with her a bit. She commented on how much “bedazzling” was on the quilts. I had to agree with her. The show winners were all covered in sparkling gems (Swarovski crystals?).

I was glad to be able to spend Friday at the show and not have to cram everything into a Sunday visit as originally planned.

PIQF Display

PIQF started Wednesday night and goes until Sunday. I went Wednesday night to scope everything out.

Wednesday night is preview night, so the floor is only open for an hour and a half. I try and go when I can to scope out the new vendors and to find my quilts.

Fabric of the Year 2016: PIQF display location
Fabric of the Year 2016: PIQF display location

This year I entered 3 quilts into the show: Fabric of the Year 2016, Triple Star and Down the Drain. No prizes, but I wasn’t expecting any prizes. Two of them had good locations and one had good lighting, but was in a bad location.

FOTY 2016 was in one of the ‘hallway’ locations. It had good lighting, which Julie pointed out, but I didn’t like it being in one of the hallways. People barely look at those quilts and just walk by.

Triple Star: PIQF display location
Triple Star: PIQF display location

Triple Star probably had the best location. It was in the back of one of the display section, so people could stand in the aisle and look at it.

My picture is a little washed out, but it is a good photo in terms of seeing the quilt straight on.

Down the Drain: PIQF display location
Down the Drain: PIQF display location

Down the Drain had a good location in the back of the front hall, but nobody was looking at it.

I don’t know that I’ll enter quilts in PIQF again. I try never to say never, but that is how I am thinking right now. It was really expensive and I don’t really have any hope of ever winning a prize. The prize winners are so large and bedazzled and quilted within an inch of their lives. I don’t really quilt for prizes, but it is still a disappointment when a quilt with an important message like Down the Drain doesn’t get any kind of acknowledgement.

PIQF 2018 Entries

I entered three quilts into PIQF. Yes, I entered a political quilt. I am scared about that, but what’s done is done. Hopefully, it won’t get damaged. Aside from the guild, this will be the first public viewing of the show. I am really glad I worked hard at doing a good job on it.

After the show, I’ll send or take the Triple Star up to the YM.

Someday I’d like to have a show of all the Fabric of the Year quilts. I should get on that.

Sisters Retreat – Quilt Show

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 2018 -Street Closed
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 2018 -Street Closed

Saturday July 16 was the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. The show starts early in the morning with teams of volunteers, including the local fire department, hanging quilts from everywhere.

Oregon State Highway 20 is the main road that goes through town and that road, much to my amazement, was closed except for cross traffic in some places.

We packed the car (Julie did most of the work!) and parked near downtown at about 8:30 in the morning. This was a day for a lot of amazement. This time I was shocked and thrilled that we could find a parking place within a block of the first quilts available to look at. After that, we just wandered around looking at quilts, going where our feet took us.

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 2018 -Stitchin' Post
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 2018 -Stitchin’ Post

The Stitchin’ Post was decked out in all of its glory. The quilts on the front were just a taste of what was inside and on the side.

We couldn’t resist taking photos of ourselves in front of the display on the side of the shop.

When I said the quilts were everywhere, I meant almost everywhere. They were hanging from buildings, awnings, sides of buildings, backs of buildings. There was other art on display as well. I’ve seen a robot like that before somewhere and may have even posted it here. I am a sucker for leaded glass and these were great. I also love public clocks and think there aren’t enough of them.

Sadly I only took pictures of individual quilts not the entire displays on walls. I’ll know better if I go again. People on Instagram posted a lot of photos, so take a look at the hashtag for a better view.

QuiltCon Day 5 -Last Day

Well, as you read this, I will be getting back to real life.

Yesterday was class day. A lot of people were done with the conference – tired, ready to go home, out of money, etc. I was ready to sew, so a class was just what I needed.

We got up at, what felt like, the crack of dawn and hustled over to the classroom. We wanted to get there a little early because we wanted seats that we wanted. There were two different Janome machines to use. We both chose the 6700 models (I think there were letters after them, but I forget what they were.

Libs Elliott is a lovely person and a great teacher. The content was sufficient to complete in the class and she was available and supportive during the entire class. The class was Dynamic Stripes. If you want more than that, take the class. 🙂

We made stripes from solids and semi solids and then cut them up. There were several options. The strip sets I made were two of the options. One was the regular set and the other Libs called Biggie Smalls. I decided to go with the easiest options so I could get the jist of the technique.

Dynamic Stripes, first version
Dynamic Stripes, first version

Once I cut up the strip sets, I was able to put the blocks on the design wall and look at them. The triangles don’t all go together, because the fabrics were slightly different. Still, I was pretty happy with my first version.

Finished Dynamic Stripes top
Finished Dynamic Stripes top

I moved the units around and then started sewing. I came away from the class with a small finished quilt top and I am pleased. I need to press it a lot better, but I am happy with it.

I added in the solid HSTs to fill in where I was two blocks short. I think this is an ok piece. I think the technique is interesting, but my piece is definitely a practice piece. I’d like to try the technique with actual striped fabric (smaller blocks) to see what I could make. I am not sure I will use this technique in general, but I am glad to know it and I am really glad I took the class.

 

QuiltCon 2018 Day 4

We are starting to get tired. walking on concrete all day for several days is difficult. The show and the ancillary events are super fun, but also tiring. We went to the main hall to finish looking at the quilts and finish looking at the vendors. Today was also class day for both of us.

Other people are also getting tired, I think because even though people were friendly, they were not as gregarious.

Sarah Fielke demoing Big Stitch
Sarah Fielke demoing Big Stitch

Probably the most important event of the day was the Sarah Fielke class I took. This was a fabulous class on Big Stitch. I was concerned that it wouldn’t be what I needed. I started to obsess about the class being a hand quilting class when I wanted to learn any special techniques to use Perle Cotton. My fears were unfounded. It was a great class. It was, basically a hand quilting class, but Sarah built on my existing store of hand quilting knowledge and refined it so I could wield a needle with Perle Cotton like a pro.

Big Stitch sample piece
Big Stitch sample piece

The instruction lasted about 10 minutes, once the introduction was finished and a lot of techniques and information came together in my mind. I finally understand the rocking motion that is so critical to good hand quilting.  Not only do I understand it, but I can do it with confidence. YAY! As an added bonus, I got to try out the many spools of Aurifil and Sue Spargo Perle Cotton I have been collecting. But wait! There’s more! It was fun. I enjoyed sitting there and practicing the stitching. The class was totally worth the time and money.

Julie took an Angela Walters class while I was in Big Stitch. We have another class tomorrow with Libs Elliott.

Waves by Etsuko Takahashi, 1998
Waves by Etsuko Takahashi, 1998

I was pleased to see a SAQA exhibit, Modern Inspirations; Art Quilts From the 1970s through Today, in the back of the hall near the demo station. It was filled with ‘modern’ quilts made over the past 30 years. Some looked like they would fit right in with the quilts in QuiltCon’s 2018 exhibit.

Waves by Etsuko Takahashi, 1998 was one of my favorites in this exhibit. It is made from Pointillist Palette fabric and is such a fantastic use of the fabric that it takes my breath away. Though the fabric is already ombre, the gradation between fabrics is incredible. All of the quilts fit right into the QuiltCon exhibition.

Carolyn Friedlander keynote
Carolyn Friedlander keynote

Early in the day, we heard the Keynote Carolyn Friedlander. She spoke about her inspiration, her various fabric lines and a book. One thing she does is make quilts over and over exploring different options in each iteration. I was interested in her talk and thought she did a great job. Many people walked out, grumbling that the keynote wasn’t what they expected. ??? I was confused about that, because I got what I thought I was going to get and thought Carolyn did a great job. People are weird.

The keynote was right at noon, which made lunching difficult, so, perhaps, people were cranky?

Template Handle
Template Handle

I think the vendors were tired as well. They were perfectly friendly and helpful, but not as perky. Early in the day we walked around the hall a little. I bought an interesting template handle. It is much smaller than others I have seen, but I thought it might be useful for my smaller rulers as well.

Daylight Clip-on Lamp
Daylight Clip-on Lamp

I also bought a Daylight lamp. It is a small, portable clip on lamp that I hope will illuminate my work surface even more.

We skipped the QuiltCon Happy Hour. Julie went back to the hotel and I went to dinner with Tim and Cyndi at an Italian restaurant. The waiter was fabulous and my pizza was delicious. The restaurant was far away so it took me awhile to get my food. 😉 It was worth the wait.

One more day then back to real life.

QuiltCon 2018 Day 3

Day 3 was just as good as Days 1 & 2, but I don’t feel like I saw as much. We stayed mostly in the vendor hall, which also has quilts. All of the winners are in the hall with the vendors and we decided it was time to look at them. I saw so many of them posted on social media that I didn’t think it would be worthwhile to see them in person, but it is such a different experience. Social media is awesome if you can’t be there in person, but I see the quilts differently in person.

We spent the first part of the day looking at the quilts. The winners were pretty amazing in some manner. The secondary winners (challenges, etc) were interesting as well. Once quilt I really liked was Clambake by Heather Black. I liked it when I saw it, but liked it even more after reviewing photos on my phone.

It is a simple design, but not boring.The background red is an interesting shade.

I also really liked the Heart of Gold quilt by Beth Chinderie.

I like it that the pieces that make up the heart are not pieced or appliqued, that they are fused (possibly), then quilted down.

This endeavor migrated to looking at vendors after about 5 rows of quilts.

Michael Miller Charity Charm Pack
Michael Miller Charity Charm Pack

Michael Miller is collecting charity blocks to make quilts. We got some free charm packs to make blocks for the quilts. After QuiltCon 2017, they made 9 quilts out of donated blocks to donate to kids with cancer. I have a charm pack of 12 charms and I am thinking about how I can use it to make the most 6.5×6.5 blocks possible. I might make some checkerboard blocks just to maximize the number of quilts I can make.

In the Michael Miller booth, as an added bonus, I got to meet HollyAnne, a Twilter, who is the CEO of Quilts for a Cure. She is a lovely person, which made the meeting fabulous. She turned us on to a little giveaway game. We went around to different booths and got punches, chatting with people as we went. In the course of getting punches, I found out that my rotary cutter, which broke recently, has a lifetime warranty! I have to call the customer service number and see what they can do for me.

We also checked out the Daylight Lighting company and I am sorely tempted to buy multiple products. We’ll see what I actually do buy. I plan to to at least buy one of the clip on, portable lights, but may buy a larger one as well.

QuiltCon Day 3 Purchases
QuiltCon Day 3 Purchases

I did buy some things .There is so much available and I have my limits in terms of space and time. Some of the things shown in the photo (right) were freebies as well.

Tool Tote by Quilts Illustrated
Tool Tote by Quilts Illustrated

I found a bag pattern that I had to buy. It is a tool tote with an interesting design and a super cute look. I have a the Oslo Tote by Sew Sweetness, which I think is similar.  Of course, the fabric helps to make it appealing. It is a tester for a project on which I might be working (far left, top) and it is called the Tool Tote. It has a frame to keep it wide open (see photos below). I have tried a pattern with a frame, though I have another pattern that calls for one. I am kind of excited about trying out a pattern with a frame. To go with that pattern, I bought Bosall and a zipper. The Bosall is like Soft & Stable, but is fusible. My Organizer Club by Crafy Gemini calls for this product. I thought it was a Soft & Stable knockoff until I talked to the lady at the Elkhorn Quilts booth (great company, fab bag patterns and supplies, BTW). I didn’t realize the Bosall was fusible. Not only does the Organizer Club call for this, but this tool tote does as well. I am not sure *I* would use a bag like this, but I might and the design is so fabulous.

Tool Tote, open, by Quilts Illustrated
Tool Tote, open, by Quilts Illustrated

Gretchen has been talking about the Jelly Roll Rug. I saw a pattern and bought it on impulse. I got a brief lesson on the making of it in the Moda booth and can visualize how it is done in my mind now. I am not sure where I would put one, but may make one anyway.

I bought a few pieces of fabric. I couldn’t find any Northcott charm packs in white, but I did find some by Paintbrush Studios, so I bought those to have on hand when I need to make more donation blocks. These were the one thing I planned on buying. I bought a great red and a text fabric. I am still trying to be restrained.

Moda Quilts made with Confetti Ombre by Vanessa Christesen
Moda Quilts made with Confetti Ombre by Vanessa Christesen

Not all of the booths were there to sell things. Some were promotional only. I stopped by the Moda booth while Julie was ont he phone and talked with Vanessa Christensen about her new Confetti (metallic dots) Ombre Line. It is Moda, but I love the designs.

Vanessa Christensen was in the booth showing the ins and outs of her ombre/metallic dot fabric. I am particularly fond of the heart quilt. I am not much of a heart person, but this quilt is really great.

We spent time in another lecture today. Today’s lecture was with Pamela Wiley. If you haven’t seen her quilting, it is amazing. She talked about finding your own stitch identity/style. Her talk was about getting inspiration from her surroundings and using the inspiration for her work – what she sees, how she thinking about it, how she tries to translate into something I could read.

Happy was spent at Porto Alegro. We started out there with Tim and Cyndi. When we left, Anna L, Mary C, Amy M, Christina T and Christy were all there as well. We had some drinks, talked about whate we liked and disliked about quiltmaking and the world and generally had a rowdy time.

I am starting to itch to stitch.

QuiltCon 2018 Day 2

No, I won't hem your pants
No, I won’t hem your pants

ColorPlay and the Creative Spark will return soon!

Day 2 of QuiltCon 2018 started out slowly. We didn’t have any classes and our lecture wasn’t until late, so we lazed around a little bit in the hotel. It may not have been the wisest move, because I poured hot water all over my hand and had to stand letting cold water run over it for several minutes. It was painful all day, but after many applications of cream and some Argan oil, I don’t have a blister and it doesn’t hurt anymore.

Quilts

Once we got to the show, we went straight into the hall that just had quilts. (The other hall has vendors and quilts). It was a nice viewing experience. There was good light and it wasn’t super crowded.

Overall impressions: solids, improv

Singularity by Jenn Nevitt
Singularity by Jenn Nevitt

My favorite quilt, Singularity by Jenn Nevitt of Fort Worth, TX, was almost the first one we saw it was made up of half square triangles. This quilt does not have any improv, which is an added bonus for me. I like the precision, the distribution of color and the varied sizes of blocks. It shows the power of a single block and the impact that one block can have if a design is executed thoughtfully

I thought I would feel resentful at all of the solids, but I didn’t. Some quilts I didn’t care for, but the ones I liked I thought were really well done – good fabric choices, interesting designs. I do know why the Carpenter’s Wheel didn’t get in this year. It wasn’t made of solids.

Vendors

Canvas Fabric, Day 2 QuiltCon
Canvas Fabric, Day 2 QuiltCon

Canvas Fabric, Day 1 QuiltCon

We haven’t gone through the entire vendor hall, but there seem to be more vendors that last time. We have gone through about a row and a half of vendors and I bought one yard of fabric. It is canvas and I plan to use it for a bag, perhaps the Rockstar bag by Sew Sweetness. Perhaps something else. We will see. I am determined to make something out of it soon and now allow it to lay around.

The FreeSpirit fabrics are flying off the shelves. I saw bolts that had just been cut in almost all of the booths we visited. I am sure the designers, if not FreeSpirit itself, will be snapped up quickly and things will continue, mostly, as before. Still, I guess the smart move is to get your fabrics while the getting is good. 😉

I saw a lot of fabric and supplies I liked, but didn’t want to commit to buying yet. Beyond the Reef had a lot of great fabrics, but I restrained myself from buying the Palm Country Layer Cake and random other yards of fabric from them for the moment. I did want a few of them, but don’t have an immediate use. I may go back and buy some things later, but want to see if I am still thinking about them tomorrow or the next day.

Brooklyn Haberdashery Knitting Needle Case
Brooklyn Haberdashery Knitting Needle Case

Brooklyn Haberdashery was there and they had a knitting needle case that I covet. It was $95, however, and that is just not happening, especially since I just bought needlecases with some Christmas money.

Binding Buddy
Binding Buddy

One thing I may buy is a binding buddy. They are about $17 and slightly too cutesy for me, but they seem really useful. Shari Butler was showing how they work. You roll your binding around the body of the binding buddy, When you are ready to bind a quilt, you put the Binding Buddy on the thread holder, which allows the binding to roll of the buddy either from the back or the front depending on the way it is originally rolled on to the binding buddy. The nice part is that you have somewhere to store your binding while finishing the quilt.

Education

Christopher Tomlinson: The Fashion of Prints
Christopher Tomlinson: The Fashion of Prints

As mentioned we had a lecture yesterday. The speaker was Christopher Tomlinson (IG: the_tattooed_quilter). He spoke about using prints in quilts.

He comes from the fashion industry so is influenced by the work they do when creating fashion lines and color ranges that support those lines. Surprisingly, he uses the focus fabric method (that I describe in one of my tutorials)! Chris, like me, also considers scale while selecting colors. In the process, he uses terms that are more fun than mine. Instead of focus fabric he calls it a Hero print. Large Marge is a large scale print, Tiny Dancer is a small scale print, etc. Perhaps I’ll be up there presenting if I had better terms and was more entertaining. 😉

He admitted to not knowing the technical terms for color theory, so there was some confusion when he was talking about shades and tones, but I ended up getting the jist.

The lecture wasn’t a revelation to me but it also wasn’t boring and was definitely entertaining. The slides were really well done.

Social

Jaye, Luana and Julie
Jaye, Luana and Julie

Today was also a day of visiting with friends. We ran into a number people from the guild, had dinner with Tim while Cyndi took a class. We ran into Annie Smith in the vendor hall as well.

We were also able to have some coffee with Luana, the owner of eQuilter. We had about 45 minutes to chat and the location was pleasant since we were surrounded by charity quilts.

We chatted briefly with Zina (IG: zanymouse) about dinner.

At one point, Julie wanted to sit down , so I went into the vendor hall. Almost immediately ran into the fabulous Christa Watson (IG: christaquilts). I chatted with her for 10 minutes or so until I had to leave to meet up with Julie. We talked about her new line of fabric and I helped her rearrange her display of quilt samples and books. She told me about her fabric and that she will be coming out with a new line as well. It was great to catch up with her. She is just as positive in person as she is online.

Tokyo Wako Dinner Show
Tokyo Wako Dinner Show

We went to Tokyo Wako, a restaurant across from the convention center for dinner with Tim (IG: timnrwc). It is. The food was really good and the whole experience was fun!! They were very attentive to my #glutenfree needs, which was great.

The chef came over and put on a little show while he cooked on the grill in front of us. He was nice and was able to cook the food exactly to our liking.

It was a great day, though tiring. I look forward to a good day today as well.

QuiltCon 2018 Day 1

We are already having a good time. I drove down to Julie’s house Tuesday and spent the night. I had dinner with her family and looked at all of her quilt stuff before we left. We set off for SoCal on Wednesday.

The drive was not bad. I mean we were in the car for several hours, which isn’t that great, but there was limited traffic. Julie was able to drive the whole way, probably because we needed to stop every two hours or so.

We made it to Pasadena by 3 or so. We checked into our hotel room and got settled a little bit. Sadly, my ladies maid was sick, so I had to do most of the settling myself.

Checkin line
Checkin line

At about 4:40 we headed over the Convention Center to get our badges and enjoy happy hour sponsored by Culcita Fabrics. The line was LONG.

QuiltCon 2018 Goodie Bag
QuiltCon 2018 Goodie Bag

It was fine. We saw some people we knew so we could chat while we waited. They started checking people in a few minutes after 5pm. Julie and I both received goodie bags, which were moderate this time, but had some useful stuff.  We met Tim and Cyndi as well as Kathleen and Sarah. The drinks for the happy hour were really expensive, so popped over to the Sheraton and took advantage of their happy hour prices.

We checked out the Culcita Fabrics booth, which was right outside the registration area. They have a modern fabric subscription. They send out bundles of fabric every month or two months. They have specials for QuiltCon. The fat quarter bundles seem reasonably priced, but I thought the half yard options were a little on the pricey side. Of course I am tempted, but 1) space in my fabric closet is at a premium, 2) I have plenty of fabric. They have bundles from past months for sale and I might buy one of those. We’ll see.

Brazlillian meat skewer
Brazlillian meat skewer

Kathleen rushed us off to dinner and it turned out to be a group of 7 – Julie and me, Kathleen, two Canadians, Marianne and Susan, and two ladies from Sacramento, Angelina and Judy. It was great to chat with them. It was a very intelligent group of women.

We gorged ourselves on Brazillian style skewered meat served at the table by cutting off slices. There was also a buffet of a variety of salads. I ate a really nice beet salad, some rice, fruit and cheese.

We had a lot to talk about so the conversation was free flowing the whole time. There were definite opinions about a lot of things (me and improv!).

Brazillian Skewer Dinner Group
Brazillian Skewer Dinner Group

All this and guess what? The actual show doesn’t start until tomorrow!

EBHQ Show Coming March 17-18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Voices In Cloth 2018 Show Celebrates Quilting Diversity in the East Bay

Albany, California, 11 December 2017 – Returning to the beautiful Richmond shoreline at the historic Craneway Pavilion on March 17-18, the region’s largest non-profit quilt show will have lots to offer anyone interested in quilts, textiles, sewing, wearable art, and more. Voices In Cloth (VIC) 2018 will feature demonstrations, delicious on-site catering, specialty vendors, two special exhibits (over 100 art quilts & a curated show of contemporary Korean textiles), as well as scores of quilts by East Bay Heritage Quilters (EBHQ) members.

http://www.ebhq.org/quilt-shows/vic2018

CONTACT:

Ryan Young, East Bay Heritage Quilters, 510-484-6118 rufusrastus@gmail.com; http://www.ebhq.org/

 

 

Hours: Saturday 10 – 5, Sunday 10 – 4.
Tickets: 2 day admission $15; 12 and under free. Advance purchase price $10 before March 2. Buy ticket(s) online http://vic2018.brownpapertickets.com/
Show location:  Craneway Pavilion,1414 Harbour Way South., Richmond, CA.
Driving directions and map
Parking: Free on-site parking.
Accessibility: Wheelchair and stroller accessible.

At the Show:

 

  • Over 300 beautiful EBHQ quilts and garments
  • A Marketplace of quilts and fiber art for sale
  • Special Exhibits:
  • Korean Voices in Fiber: Translating Tradition into Contemporary Art  Read more…
  • Small Art Quilts from the collection of Sue Arnold  More…
  • Demonstrations
  • Tips and techniques for all skill levels
  • Fabric postcards made by EBHQ members for sale. Take a look.
  • Door prizes
  • Children’s activities
  • Raffle quilts

 

Our name suggests tradition, but our biennial quilt show is broad,  and is neither juried nor judged. The efforts of each individual quilter, whether beginner or experienced – traditionalist, modern, or art quilter – are equally valued and enjoyed on their own merits.

Make a day of it and visit the fascinating Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park, immediately adjacent to the Craneway Pavilion, or take a stroll on the Bay Trail after you see the show.

ABOUT US

East Bay Heritage Quilters is centered in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. We are a non-profit quilt guild founded in 1978. http://www.ebhq.org/

Our purposes are to:

  • Continue and preserve the traditions of quilting
  • Promote camaraderie among people in all aspects of quilting
  • Contribute to the knowledge and appreciation of fine quilts
  • Sponsor and support quilting activities through educational sessions and special events
  • Serve the wider community through the Deanna Davis Community Quilt Project, providing more than 1000 quilts per year to a variety of charitable and disaster relief projects.

 

For more information, contact: Ryan Young, 510-484-6118; rufusrastus@gmail.com