Tag: quilt

Quilty travel planning

April 9, 2024

In case you missed it, the 2024 Riley Blake Designs Garden of Quilts class/event schedule has dropped. Sign-ups open April 15th. There are many, many classes I’d LOVE to take, but I must pass this time. We have some other things going on in September that take priority. Perhaps next year.

I did, however, make a list of the projects/designers that interest me. Of the five projects, I’ll only need to buy two patterns. I found online tutorials and did a little quilty math to figure out the other three. Now, I’ll have plenty of projects for upcoming sew days and any fall Koosa quilt retreats with my Friday Sew Squad I might be able to attend.

QuiltCon was fun and I’m eagerly anticipating my JK Quilts retreat in Idaho at the end of April. After this, I plan to keep the quilty fun close to home for a while. It’s kind of strange. Hubs and I love to travel. This spring & summer, we’ve opted to pass on events we’ve attended in recent years in favor of volunteer opportunities or similar local events. I think it’s a combination of wanting to do something different, all the crazy people travelling now and the increased cost of travel.

For me, does the value received for attending an event justify the cost to attend? I realize it’s a highly subjective and very personal decision. For example, Stitchin Heaven is currently advertising a mid-November retreat in Asheville, North Carolina. It’s within reasonable driving distance from me and the projects look fun, but I did a double take when I saw the price for a single attendee – $2549.00 – and then a second one when I realized what wasn’t included in the cost of the event. For that kind of money, I want to stay at the Grove Park Inn – not the Embassy Suites. You may have a different opinion, and that’s totally fine.

Most of my local sewing/quilting group retreats are held at a state park lodge, scout camp, FFA facility, church retreat center or a quilt retreat center. The total cost runs $300-$400 for 4-5 days. Occasionally, a local shop offers a “sleep in your own bed retreat” where the shop hosts a long weekend of quilty fun. These are a blast! Personally, I prefer retreats where I bring my own projects, sew with friends and have my own room/share with one person I know. I want to attend a Koosa retreat with my Friday Sew Squad, but I’m not sure about the dormitory style accommodations. Hubs is encouraging me to get outside my comfort zone on this one. His solution: drive up by myself and come home if it gets to be too much. He has a point.

Here’s to quilt retreats how ever you like them!

Happy National Quilting Day!

March 16, 2024

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.

QuiltCon 2024 Recap

February 28, 2024

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.