How will you spend the day? I’ll be basting and machine quilting some charity quilts to turn in to my guild’s community service next week. This is actually turning out to be quilting weekend because Sunday is reserved to FMQ the show quilt. Saturday’s quilty activities are the warm-up for Sunday. Wish me luck!
P.S. This picture is from a class I took at last year’s Mountain Quiltfest in Pigeon Forge, TN. I’ve attended the past two years. It’s fun, but I’m taking a break this year due to the ECQG quilt show and volunteering at the SQTM quilt camp. If you’re interested in Mountain Quilfest, the class schedule is out and registration begins 3/25.
That’s a wrap! Raleigh marked my fourth Quiltcon and the farthest I’ve ever driven to attend one. It’s also the very first time I received one of the coveted swag bags at registration. You don’t know that you’ve been selected to win one until your registration badge prints out. The little shopping bag icon in the lower left corner of your badge identifies you as a swag bag winner. The bag of goodies definitely did not disappoint!
Honestly, the real reason I went to this particular QuiltCon was to see people and shop. I was able to catch up with former ATL quilty peeps, check-in with the very few ATL peeps who’d made the L-O-N-G trek to Raleigh and finally meet a virtual quilty peep – Sharon – in person. It was great! Yes, I did spend a few minutes admiring quilts and took the obligatory photo of my guild’s entry into the group category, which is pictured to the left.
I didn’t take any classes, but opted to do a Friday lecture pass and attend the key note address on Saturday. All lectures were livestreamed this year. Since QuiltCon is in Phoenix next year, it’s doubtful I’ll attend, but viewing lectures at home is certainly an option (depending on the speakers).
While crowded, I think the Raleigh show was well-executed. There were plenty of staff and volunteers on hand to direct folks. Parking was easy to find, reasonably priced and I felt safe in the downtown area. Having the vendor area and quilts on one level instead (of the multiple levels that made up the Atlanta show) was so convenient. There’s one thing I would like to see at future QuiltCon events: more seating in the exhibit hall/concession areas. While the MQG has a decidedly younger audience, about half the attendees I saw sported gray hair. Perhaps an affinity group just for them? Or better yet, chairs or benches in the vendor booth area, tables and chairs in the concession area and more seating in the quilt viewing area? No one should have to sit on the hard concrete floor to eat or simply rest.
If you plan to attend QuiltCon and your intention is to shop until you drop, be there when it opens on Thursday. The booths were packed! I was interested in the new M3 Oliso mini-iron. They were sold out by the time I made it to the booth at lunchtime on Friday. Fortunately, I was able to hold and try out the new iron in the booth. I discovered I didn’t really like the way it felt in my hand, so it wasn’t a big deal that they were sold out. FYI, many of the vendors had sold out of merchandise by Saturday afternoon. Cary Quilting Company and Bernina World of Sewing (the two local quilt shops I visited) were also running low on inventory, as well. I did manage to get stickers and other freebies for my CraftLAB kiddos, a rope bowl book & kit for me, plus a weighted mini-clapper for my travel sewing bag (for a reasonable $15 instead of the fancy $145 one I saw in another booth). The fabric I purchased from the local quilt shops will go for two “boy” quilts I plan to donate to my guild’s community service.
Next year’s QuiltCon will be in Phoenix. The 2026 show location will be announced in April. Hopefully, it’ll be back in the SE again – Charleston, Knoxville, Tampa or Jacksonville perhaps? We shall see.
Intended audience for this post: Newer Featherweight owners.
Your machine may have come with a single presser foot all the way to a blue velvet lined box full of different feet. The Featherweight Shop does a great shop of explaining each foot and its purpose. That said, you really only a need a few presser feet to handle most quilting, garment and home dec sewing projects.
These are the feet I keep with my Featherweight at all times:
Original presser foot
Original zipper foot
Modern low shank snap-on adapter with 1/4″ foot, scant 1/4″ foot and “open toe” foot
Modern walking foot made especially for the Featherweight
Modern low shank FMQ foot with feed dog cover
I use my FW for piecing quilt blocks, quilting small items, mending and making home dec projects. The one separate attachment I highly recommend is a buttonholer with as many templates as you can find.
Collecting vintage feet and accessories is fun! I do have a complete set of original feet that would have come with my FW in an original Singer box that’s seen better days. It’s put away for safekeeping, along with the original foot controller and cord with the bakelite plug. I also have several other accessory feet that I’ve found while antiquing, including a Penguin foot. My collection includes a zigzag attachment with several pattern cams. It’s fun to play with, but not exactly designed to be used for precise zigzag stitching that you might need in applique. If I’m at a retreat with my FW and our project involves applique, I utilize the Lori Holt solution – hand applique or use a straight stitch. If I know in advance I’ll need a zigzag or blanket stitch for a project, I’ll bring my 3/4 size Elna STAR edition instead. It fits in the same Buc-cee’s travel bag!
Come Stitch With Me 