Quilt Market Roller Coaster

We rolled in late Sunday night from Quilt Market in Kansas City.  It is now Tuesday night, and I'm still tired!

The entire experience was a cross between Christmas morning with a five-year-old sense of excitement and a crazy, wild-and-free feeling like Woodstock for Quilters!  My brain was (and still is) on overload.  So many beautiful things, too many for one cerebral cortex to process.

Here is a brief glimpse into the roller coaster of emotions from my first Quilt Market.

I was thrilled to cross the Mississippi River for the first time...

My fingers were crossed the whole time that we didn't come face-to-face with one those infamous Kansas tornadoes!  Thankfully, we didn't.

Sometimes, Market seemed a bit frightening...

Even a wee bit spooky...

But, just around the corner was a friendly little fella...

He had a little group of friends that were very laid back...

As a matter of fact, they invited me in and made me feel right at home...

I was humbled as I attended a lecture presented by Marti Michell...

Giddy when I realized I was standing right behind Eleanor Burns...

And just plain star-struck when Amy Butler agreed to pose for a photo with me!

Such an awesome four days!!!  I am so glad to be home with my family and my own pillow, but I have to admit...I am having Market Withdrawal.

So long, Kansas City!

And The Winner Is...

I must admit my photography skills are not the best.  Regardless, I hope you are able to enjoy a few photos of the winners from the Miami Valley Quilt Guild Show from last weekend.  These are not all of the winners, just the ones I was able to get through the crowds to see.  Nothing can replace seeing these works of art in person, however.  Just remarkable.  

This first one was part of a Joann's challenge.  Beautiful to look at, but the quilt maker said the fabric was not fun to work with.  ;)

 This next winner is a gorgeous whole cloth quilt with an angel motif.

 This quilt won for best pieced quilt.

 

This was made by Maria Elkins, a national award winner.  This was a personal challenge to herself, to make the entire wall hanging with NO PINS!  Just a fabric glue stick!  Amazing!

See what I mean by the crowds of people?  :)  This won Best In Show, and for very good reason.  The winner is to the right in the blue shirt.  (Didn't catch her name.)

Here is a full photo, in all its glory.  It is raw-edge appliqued, and she used her knowledge of trigonometry (TRIGONOMETRY!) to be sure her angles and shapes came out correctly.  I am such a slacker.

The Quilt-Fest continues at The Little Shop of Stitches.  We are already set up for our next show May 10-12 in South Lebanon.  Check our Facebook page for more pictures.  Then, we jet-set to Kansas City for Quilt Market!  Be sure to watch the website for our HUGE Blow-Out Sale later this month!  Happy Stitching!

Quilt Show Day and Friday Funnies

It's Quilt Show Day!  I feel like kid waiting on Christmas morning for the fun to begin!  And, I know I will be just as tired as a worn-out six-year-old later.  But, it's worth it.  An entire day of viewing, talking, and thinking QUILT!  

I will post photos later next week.  In the meantime, please enjoy some funnies at Moda Lissa's blog today.  Today's topic...Out of the mouths of babes.  Happy Friday, everyone!