Saturday 2 July 2016

Quilt Canada 2016

So I've been back a few weeks from Quilt Canada, but does that mean it's too late to comment?  Too bad!  I was sick and then had some driving to do, so here goes.... my 2 cents worth.
My friend, Jackie http://jabotquilt.blogspot.ca had a LOT to do with this show as did the directors (Linda, Leslie, Judy, Bonnie) of the CQA/ACC www.canadianquilter.com, Jackie Philpott (the registrar), Liz (the conference coordinator) and then ALL the fabulous VOLUNTEERS who made the show so great for the visitors, the teachers and the vendors.

My friends, Rolanda and Pat, and I booked into a hotel for the week and then signed up to volunteer in various ways.  I think that volunteering really enhanced our trip - we met lots of new people, saw some great classes in progress and, of course, bought one or two items!  (found a couple of good restaurants nearby - which we'll talk about more next year!)  While I was volunteering at the Trend-Tex Challenge exhibit, I met an Indian visitor and after chatting with her for a while, she told me about her family in India sending her a quilt made by her 90-year old grandmother.  The next day she brought in the quilt made from diamond shapes cut out of saris (I remember that my grandmother only used our old clothes for quilts!).

So you'll see a photo below of Sabia in the CQA/ACC booth, as well as a photo of what her grandmother had sewn.  Apparently she started with making the star shape and then added to it.  Maybe next year, we'll see Sabia's own quilt in our show!
I volunteered in Sue Patten's long arm quilting class and I neither have one of these machines, nor will I ever have one.  But Melissa (Melissa's Quilting Service on Manitoulin Island) assured me that I would still learn a LOT that I could apply to my domestic machine.  She was right.  She is a dynamic, knowledgeable teacher and had lots of ideas.
Then I took a New York Beauty class from Ana Buzzalion http://anabuzzalino.com.  I saw Ana on Quilting Arts many times teaching free motion quilting and wanted to take a quilting class.  Well that didn't work out, but I did love the class and one day, I may even finish it!
And I was able to make some new friends - Val Tucker, and run into quilters I really wanted to see - Cindy Simpson, Judy Kelly, Catherine Henderson - to name a few.
Here are some of my other highlights of the weekend (the last 4 are some of my favourite of the Trend-Tex Challenge pieces - I am always amazed at how quilters can take the same 5 pieces of fabric and make such different pieces!):
Toronto Modern Quilt Guild - Break Free by Jeannie Jenkins

by Joanne Love - I love the eyes on this little guy!

by Jim Wilford - I really admire his piecing and quilting.

I really enjoyed spending time with my sister and her friends!

Me with my sister, Lyn, and cousin, Dianne - we had a good time!

This was in the vendor's area, but I love this design!  I think it's by Judy Martin.

This was amazing!  by Rosana Kantarjian - I can see how she quilted it, but piecing it? Amazing.

Sorry - don't know who made this, but I want to do waves well one day!

by Cindy Simpson - those are large zipper sections on either side.

by Francine Carriere

by Myra Tallman - note the hand stitching!

by Susan Wilson - so clever!