Reaching Back

 

 

Here it is...already Mid-Month!   Work has been WAY busier than I like...after all I am semi-retired. 
But I will not complain because next month I will be working very little as I will be traveling!

 They say a picture is worth a thousand words...this is my June Travel Plan and I can hardly wait!!

A recap of AQS Quilt Week in Paducah, KY. 

For the first time EVER I was actually able to attend classes during Quilt Week.   Well, I did miss one...The Spruced Goose...because I was still sick with the pesky hives. 
I was so disappointed, but it was what it was.

This class was taught by Nancy Mahoney and my quilting friend, Carolyn, said it was very good and fun.  I have all the fabric and the pattern so I'll just have to sew it up on my own.

 

 

 

The second class was "Quilt Brain" taught by Kestrel Michaud.  It was WAY outside my thought process, but that was the point of the class.  To get us to think about quilt making in a way we had not thought before.  I did enjoy it.  Miss Kestrel is an excellent teacher.  I would take additional classes taught by her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The One That Got Away

This wall quilt by Kestrel Michaud
won "Best Wall Quilt" at the Show. 

It is also the cover photo for the May edition of
American Quilter magazine.  Well Deserved!!

 

 

Still working on FMQ.  Practice, Practice, Practice!! 
Yes, You CAN Free Motion Quilt.

Jenny Lyon was another Instructor Extraordinaire.  Knowledgeable, Engaging, Encouraging. I wanted to BE her!!! 
Miss Jenny gave us a lot of tips and tricks...who knew it mattered if your machine had the "straight stitch" plate or the "zig zag" plate?  Well apparently it makes a difference. (PSA, use the "straight stitch" plate when FMQ-ing.) Thank you, Jenny Lyon.

My grandmother always told me "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all."
And we will leave it at that for the final class I attended, "Fabric Postcards."  It did not meet expectation.*

 

It was not a total waste of time and money, the class sewing machines were top-of-the-line Janome machines....VERY NICE!!  So many cool features.  I especially liked the feature that when you lift your foot from the pedal, the presser foot goes up and the needle goes down....too cool!   However, even the "show special" price took my breath away.  I think I'll stick with Miss Millie, thank you very much.**

 

What would a quilt show be without ALL THOSE VENDORS!

 

 

I do enjoy browsing the vendor booths, although I must say I'm at a stage in life where I don't have to have every new fangled gadget. 

 

I did not buy much from the Vendors.

 

Finally, Fair Food and People!

One of my favorite things to do during Quilt Week is to sit down at a table full of quilters and say
"So, where are you from?"   Met some fun ladies that week.  And, discovered two things....Thing One: the Paducah Quilt Show is pretty-much regional.  Everyone I met were mostly from neighboring states...huh?...I always thought people flocked from all across the country.  I suppose because my Auntie and I flew from the Pacific Northwest every-other year to attend this show.  But, apparently we were the exception (because Mom and Joy were here, I'm supposing.)

And, Thing Two:  True Southern women are very cultivated.  Every woman I met from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana...True southern states... were "dressed up": clothes not too casual, hair coiffed just right, painted nails, pretty jewelry....and many of them either brought their "mamas"or talked about their "mamas".  I loved them!  You could tell they made an effort .... they inspired me to do better putting  myself together each morning!  You never know who is going to knock on your door!

A shout out to all the local quilters:  If you are not a "local" you might not know that in addition to THE AQS quilt show, there are smaller, local shows all around the city....HERE is a FB link to one.

 

 

 

 

 

* When AQS sent out the Class Survey, I was honest about the Fabric Postcards class.
** Miss Millie: 

FREE! Is a Very Good Price

When I was a little girl my grandparents use to say "We cannot afford it, we are on a fixed income."  As a working adult I chuckle because aren't we all on a fixed income?  We only have so much money in the till to pay for all the necessities in life.

And yet... don't you just want every single quilt pattern you see?  I know I do. The reality is there just are not enough shekels in the budget to purchase all these lovlies and still pay the rent.




As I cruse around the internet I run into web sites and blogs that offer FREE patterns!  Such a deal!
Here are a few:

Apron pattern from All People Quilt

All People Quilt:  This was the very first site I found when I started quilting about 10 years ago.  This site is a wealth of information on all types of sewing.  I found an apron pattern I still use to this day.



Quilted Twins:  (Requires that you sign up for their newsletter)
If you are committed to sewing up your scraps and crumbs, there are a lot of scrap quilts on this site. 


Nancy Mahoney

Patchwork Square:  They offer a lot of free block patterns.
If you are an EQ* user you'll get a lot of inspiration from this site.

Andover Fabrics

Threadbare Creations:  Look for Bonita Bunny.
She is so cute...and she's free! (I downloaded her just today.)

Sew Can She:  This has to be one of my favorites.  Lots of free patterns, and not just for quilts or quilt blocks.

Jordan Fabrics

Last-but-not-least, Missouri Star Quilt Company.
She has so many tutorials on YouTube!  Will keep you in free quilt patters for years!

The list could go on-and-one but I think these sites are enough to get you started on your treasure hunt.





*Electric Quilt