Fiberquest

Last month, I attended the Mancuso quilt show, PA National Quilt Extravaganza.  This show is in its third incarnation, having been at Ft. Washington, and Harrisburg before it.  I think the third time is the charm.  The show had a large number of quilts, and vendors to match with products to tempt quilters to shop.  Many of the quilts were mini-shows, for example, a group featuring quilts from SAQA, a show featuring the Hoffman Challenge fabric, a show featuring quilts made during WWII, and a show featuring international quilts.

Remember my weekly tip, ABC--always bring a camera?  Well the codicil to that is always make sure said camera is charged.  My camera died five shots into my adventure.  Luckily for me, I knew almost 40 other people present from my various guild activities, and found three who offered me their cameras.  Unfortunately, the uncharged battery demon also struck the second camera, but I managed to shoot the rest of the show with a third camera.  I finally have gathered all the photos.  You can see them by clicking here.  Many thanks to Sylvia, Wannetta and Josaine.

The best thing about quilting shows is meeting people.  I also belong to Yahoo Groups African American Quilters.  While we most often see each other online, from time to time we do get to meet in person.  In the photo is Jeanyne James,  whose booth featured extraordinary collectibles, ceramics, pins, and home decor.  I couldn't resist buying one of her beautiful pins.

I had hoped my next trip would be Houston, but without a Saturday stay, the cost has become prohibitive; I'll have to catch the quilts in Chicago!

This is it! This is the week I finally check off one workshop I have been dyeing to do, so to speak. Carol Soderlund is a dye goddess, and leads a 5-day workshop at Pro-Chem (and a few other placed as well) that teaches you how to mix a thousand different colors...no lie! When you are done, apparently there is this master book that will be yours, little grasshopper.

My adventure starts tomorrow. I'd better get to bed so I can look fresh in the photos I'm going to post of the class!

I made the trek to Brooklyn yesterday to check out the Renegade Crafts Fair. I love the idea of an organization making it possible for artisans to market their handmade crafts to the public. Etsy is awesome, but seeing the vendors in person was a huge plus. It was a sunny day, and after so much rain this past week, NYers were surely ready to be outside in the sunshine.

There were hundreds of stalls with crafts for sale; many, many t-shirts, lots of funky jewelry, body care products, art on display everywhere. One of the things you realize is that the handmade items have a certain je ne sais quoi that mass produced items cannot match. I enjoyed strolling through a pure crafts fair, without the distraction of food and crafts that had little or no handmade touches.

Hmmm, I wonder if they've considered a NJ venue?

'Where Ya At?' is something you hear a lot of in New Orleans. Translation: whassup? how are you doing? where've you been? (Yes, a blog gives you the license to create your own contractions). :-)

Over the past couple of months I've been on the road a bit, and gearing up for classes I'm taking and teaching this summer. I went to the Spring IQF (International Quilt Festival) in Chicago, and I was surprised to see how many classes I could still get into at the last minute. Class attendance seemed lighter, but attendance was heavy as usual.

I had the opportunity to hook up with (one day I might have to change that phrase, as it doesn't mean what it used to apparently!) some African American quilting buddies that I only see when I get the chance to check into my African American Quilters group on Yahoo! We plan a lunch on the Saturday of the show every year, and spend the time catching up. The photo was taken by Jeanette Walton's camera (so she could be in the picture).

Upon my return from Chicago, I headed off to Paducah, KY for the AQS show. What made this show different and wonderful was the fact that the whole town was part of it. Paducah is, indeed, Quilt City USA. From Hancock to the National Quilt Museum, to Caryl Bryer Fallert and Eleanor Burns, everyone is all in. My only complaint, and it is a huge one, is the HORRIBLE execution of the shuttle bus. If you have your own transportation, I strongly urge you to use it. Otherwise, you will subject yourself to long waits, blank stares instead of answers, and less of the show surroundings because of a tight schedule. I was also amazed at the number of residents who had never been to a show. If I had thousands of people descending upon my tiny town like locusts, I think I'd make it my business to find out why. Go figure. I'd also train the hospitality industry a wee bit more. I had an inept Group Manager cancel my group booking, and then have the temerity to tell me she "probably should have called me". If you want to know who, and what hotel you should avoid if you want to skip that nightmare, email me, and I'll tell all. ;-) All in all, the Paducahns make you welcome, and if you are a quilter, Paducah is a trip you should complete once in your lifetime.

This weekend, I had the opportunity (again) to experience a show from the hosting guild's perspective. Presenting a show gives you great appreciation for all the effort that goes into preparing, producing, and executing a (usually) weekend long quilting party. Just before your guests arrive, you get anxious, and wonder what in the world you were thinking. By the time your guests arrive, you are happy, and when it is over, you are pooped, and vow to be so much better prepared if you ever do this craziness again. The twist with a quilt show it that it is usually a new cast of characters at the helm, and they may or may not have had the experiences you did.

A show is a wonderful gift to both your members and the quilting community at large. It offers:

1. a chance to share with a wider circle of people the talents of your guild members;
2. a chance for the guild to gain new members;
3. a chance to introduce new quilters to quilting or change a person's idea of what a quilt is or is not;
4. a chance to meet other quilters from nearby areas and guilds;
   
5. a chance for the ever-shrinking group of vendors to find new customers and stay afloat in a difficult economy; and
   
6. a chance to offer speakers, or classes that attendees might not otherwise have a chance to see.

A show can be fun....for the people not involved with producing it. However, based on the comments, smiling faces, and bags I saw at the Urban Inspirations show put on by Empire Quilters Guild, it was worth it.