I Love Quilters

I happened upon this little surprise today.  I was all alone (fine by me) and wasn’t in Chi-town for the show but it was a very happy coincidence.  When I was leaving the show after they closed tonight I ran into a lady steering her wheely cart with what had to be her machine.  We started chatting and I learned she came to the show from Mexico!!  They have a guild in Mexico City and a show coming up this October.  Don’t you love it?

Then, I went out to dinner – in the neighborhood – and stumbled upon countless groups of other women who had “the look.”  I won’t describe it but you cannot deny that we all know it when we see it.  The exchange goes a little like this:
“Quilt show?”
“Yes.”
“Taking classes?”
“Yes.  You?”
“No.  I just happened to see the show was going on so thought I’d stop in.”
“Did you see that quilt… ”
“Oh my gosh, I’d love to make one like that.”
…and then we are off talking like we’ve know each other for years.  That is why I love quilters.  We are “sew sisters.”

I first went to the Chicago International Quilt Show (festival?) back in 2009 and 2010.  Then, the organizers got the brilliant idea to move it to Cincinnati which was a non-starter for me.  They wised up and moved it back to Chicago in 2013 and here I am in 2014.  I had no expectations so am easily pleased.  The show designers hooked me real good when the first quilt I saw was this one.  It is a reproduction designed by Margo Hardie from New South Wales, Australia, from a Baltimore Album quilt.  I just love album quilts that look like an explosion of color and design.

One album always makes a show worth attending but then, I saw two!  Another Aussie, Rhonda Pearce, (do you girls just take more time to stop and savor your hand stitching?) reproduced a quilt in the American Museum in Bath, England.  What I loved the most was the scale of her hand quilting.  I think it was twice as much as I see on a lot of very fine quilts.

Above is the reproduction of a quilt in the American Museum in England.

I hope I captured the quilting in this one.  It made such a difference in the overall look of the quilt.

This is not me doing shadow puppets of a woman taking pictures of quilts.  Okay, it is.

This is just a pop in posting.  I’ve been a total blog slacker for about a year.  I am determined to change that.  I find that when I am blogging, I am sewing.  I want to sew which means I better blog.  I haven’t been doing my own stitching but I’ve been making sure that the quilt shops stay in business during my hiatus.  I’ve gotten back to planning projects and carrying on that eternal debate:  “Should I buy this fabulous fabric or USE MY STASH?”  My personal stance on that is on shifting sands.  Hey, I just visited a quilt show so you know I’ve got some more fabric.  Maybe even a new machine but I’m not saying.

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0 Comments

  1. Beautiful quilts! Thanks for showing the hand work. The scale is impressive.
    Makes me want to go pick up a needle and stitch…
    Glad you had a nice time!

  2. Oh My Word – what incredible quilting! Thank you for sharing these images. Agree with you that returning to Chicago was a smart move. Have been a number of times and went in 2013. Did not make it this time as we hopefully have a long road trip coming up soon.

    Viewing what international quilters are doing is so eye opening. The Australian and Japanese quilters are particularly gifted. The attention to detail is beyond belief!

  3. My neighbor (and fellow quilter) is originally from Chicago and invited me to go up with her this year to the show … I was all set to go until I realized that it conflicted with my taking my dad to his ophthalmologist (he has glaucoma). I was so disappointed. Maybe next year?

    My oldest granddaughter is named Taryn … it's such an usual name that I didn't think that there would be anyone else with that name.

  4. Those are definitely some awe-inspiring quilts. Those are the kinds that set my heart aflutter when I see them in person.
    Like you, my blogging and sewing are connected. If I want something to share, I'd better keep the needle and thread in action. But if I'm on the computer too much, that cuts into sewing time as well. Kind of a double-edged sword. .

  5. Amazing quilts. I love Quilters Too, Thanks for popping in! I'll have to tell my Friend in the Chicago area to check out the show. Ya, show us the Fabric and the Machine!!!

  6. how exciting a new machine!!!! I have always loved that BA from Bath…wow….
    hope you took pictures of every block! glad you had fun and yes meeting "like" people at a show is always fun, they understand our obsession

    Kathie

  7. I enjoy your pop in posts. Gorgeous quilts! That handquilting is unbelievable! I love the sisterhood of quilters too! I hope you can find some time to put that fabric to good use :0)

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