While at the Pacific Northwest Quiltfest on Saturday, Dot and I were on the lookout for two friends that we had shared a room with in Sisters, Oregon the year before. These ladies were part of a quilt guild in the interior of British Columbia. We had joined their guild members on a bus trip to the famous outdoors quilt show in Sisters, Oregon in July 2005. We have been sending the odd e-mail message, but we have not seen each other in person since. We knew from a quilting newsletter distributed to the province that this group would be attending the Seattle quilt show. It was not until the very end of our day that we stumbled upon each other.

Pictured from left to right: Lucy, Laurie, Dot, and myself.

Lucy and Laurie: Look for Dot and I next spring at your guild’s 25th Anniversary Quilt Show–Silver Threads! We picked up a flyer advertising the date and location and are putting this one on our calendars.

Pictured from left to right: Dot, Patti, and myself.

While waiting to pay for my quilt show pin, there was a lady ahead of me paying for her purchases. Because I was standing parallel to her, I could get a good look at her profile. I had been looking for her all day–her picture was imprinted in my brain. All of a sudden it occurred to me that the woman I had been looking at was the person I had been looking for all day–Patti!

Patti: Although we only spoke briefly, your smile and enthusiasm are infectious and reflect a warm personality. I look forward to meeting up with you again at future quilting events. I am sure our paths will cross again!

Now you might be asking who Dot is. Dot is my quilting travel buddy. We have been to several quilt shows together, including Sisters, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington.

Meeting up with old friends and meeting new a new friend was the perfect ending to a perfect day. This is proof positive that quilt shows bring together great people!

As I mentioned in my last post, yesterday was the Pacific Northwest Quiltfest. Our guild organized a bus trip to this event two years ago and again this year. We filled a small bus with 20 quilters and headed south. (We had one extra seat at the back of the bus. One of the quilters joked that we should try to find someone to bring back with us to fill that seat. She mentioned something about him being good looking.)

If I had to sum up what I thought of the quilts at this show in one word, it would be WOW! We were told by one of the show’s Board of Directors that 556 quilts were submitted for possible inclusion in the show, but only 223 quilts were juried into this show.

The outside of the Seattle Center was lined with bus after bus and everywhere you looked there were people! The show organizers were expecting at least 7,000 people to visit this show over the three days. Each person entering the exhibit was being presented with a donated quilt book–they ran out after 10,000 so I am confident that the 7,000 visitor mark was surpassed!

The Seattle Times ran a nice article showcasing this event and quilting in the Pacific Northwest in general. Take a look at it here: The Seattle Times: Northwest Quiltfest: nostalgia, technology fuel hobby’s popularity

We started by looking at the special exhibit of antique quilts from 1850-1950. These quilts were housed in the same area as the collection of Boxes and Bowls and the “Wish You Were Here…” exhibit. The quilts in the “Wish You Were Here…” exhibit have been traveling for the last couple of years so many of you have likely seen them. They were to be auctioned off last night at the Gala dinner.

I was prepared to show you pictures of my favorite quilts, however, I was reading the show brochure last night and came across this:

The public is allowed to take photographs of the exhibit. … Photos taken at Quiltfest are for your personal enjoyment only. Copyright for the displayed quilts belongs to the quiltmakers. Photos are not to be used for any commercial purpose, and are not to be posted on websites without written permission from the copyright holders. Please be responsible in your use of the quilt photographs–help us to protect the rights of the quiltmakers.

So it would seem that my photos will remain in my private collection for viewing by me when I am in need of inspiration. I can tell you that my vote for Viewer’s Choice was a quilt by Janet M. Fogg of Lake Oswego, Oregon called, “Kitty Corner”. This quilt was also the favorite of the judging panel as it received Best of Show. This quilt was a large cat coming over the corner of the quilt and was a play on the traditional Puss in the Corner block. I also enjoyed the quilt by Shelia Finzer of Terrebonne, Oregon that featured the Kodiak brown bears, called “Welcome to Kodiak!” This quilt was also the favorite of my husband. (No, he didn’t go, but he did watch some of my slides when I got home.) The near lifesize bears on this quilt were heavily threadpainted and looked like they were ready to walk off the quilt canvas.

As I walked around the vendor mall, I remembered my fabric diet and I did not weaken and purchase a single piece of fabric. I was on the lookout for a fabric that featured tulips for use in my quilt guild’s challenge project, but alas, that piece of fabric was not to be found. I did purchase a pattern for Chicken Potholders and a show pin. That was it. The pattern was one I had seen on the internet a couple of years ago. I have never seen it in a quilt shop here in Canada and so I bought it at the show as I am not likely to come across it again. I collect quilt show / quilt guild pins so this pin will be added to my collection.

As we got off the bus at home, we were presented with packages of goodies that had been donated by our local quilt shop, Hamels Fabrics. Thank you Pauline for your generosity! The two fat quarters and packet of squares for Moda’s “Cats that Cook” line are “calorie free” as they were a gift and I did not purchase them. We also received a cute Minkee Bear kit, pattern to make RJR Fabric’s, Vineyard quilt and a Super Stitcher Card for Hamel’s.

I am tired from a long day of traveling and walking, but at the same time I am energized! I can hardly wait to use some of the ideas gleaned from this show in some of my own projects!

I am headed to Seattle on Saturday for the Pacific Northwest Quiltfest. Our guild organizes a bus tour to travel to this quilt show every two years.

There are going to be 50 vendors at this show. I remember one of the exceptions for fabric purchases was fabric purchased at a quilt show–lucky me! Can you see me smile!

Today was a statutory holiday here in B.C. so I spent another 6 hours in my quilt studio–quilting bliss!

Look what I found………………..another box of 9-patches.
Remember what I said in my last post about my quilts not being finished until they feel like they are done? Well, finding these extra blocks makes me think that I will have to add some more blocks to the Nine Patch Path quilt. Right now, it is 12 blocks in total and is the size of a large lap quilt–60″ x 78″. I am planning to utilize these additional nine patches to make the quilt 20 blocks in size–4 blocks by 5 blocks. The extra blocks will make this quilt “bed size”. I need 49 nine patch units to make 8 blocks–the exact number of nine patch blocks in the box I just found. This is the Nine Patch Patch as it stands right now – 12 blocks in size. I added a piano key border to the Left Over quilt. I guess it can’t be considered finished until the Nine Patch Path is complete. When I make the rail fence pieces to join the nine patches I will end up with more left overs. I am not sure if I will start another Left Over project or if I will add to this one. The Left Over quilt is now 41″ square.
I will be going back to work tomorrow and 6 hour sessions in the quilt studio will come to an end–how sad.

I spent most of yesterday in my quilt studio. I didn’t time myself, but I would estimate that I was piecing for at least 6 hours. I am to the point of adding the borders to the Nine Patch Path – it is now 12 blocks in size.

I was going to post that I had finished the Leftover quilt to the flimsy stage. However, after looking at it again this morning, I think it needs something else, so I am taking it back into the studio for another border treatment. This black border was intended to “coral” all those little 1 1/2″ squares and be the outer border. Now I am thinking that it should be an inner border with another outside border treatment. This piece is now approximately 32″ square.

My quilts are “done” or complete when they feel like they are done or complete. This is why sometimes my quilts end up so large. I just keep working on them until they feel right. I am not big on planning my quilts. The rest of my life is pretty structured so I find it quite liberating to be so free with my quilting. I prefer to follow only the most basic quilting rules and let the rest “just happen”.

Today is the B.C. Day holiday so no one is going to work today. Another day to spend in the quilt studio!