Notes from the field: QuiltCon!


Lynne here...So, yes I did go to QuiltCon!  You have probably already seen lots and lots of pics from QuiltCon.  The quilts, the swag, the shopping, and if you check Instagram, the partying! 

The first morning I was signed up for an embroidery class with Alison Glass.  Note to self – next time don’t sign up for a 9AM class when you arrive at midnight the night before!  After a long line for registration, I did get to class on time.  We started this lovely sampler that could be made into a needle case.  I always feel that a class is worthwhile if I come away with some game changers on how I have do things.  I now understand why anyone would want a needle book of any size – to keep all those needles already threaded with different threads, how to make a French knot which I have previously failed to achieve, and the biggie…that you embroider through 2 layers of fabric so that your thread does not show on the back.  I love doing these simple sashiko kits and they come with extra fabric, so now I know…I was supposed to use both!  Here is my progress so far.


That afternoon it was so gorgeous outside in contrast to the weather at home that I went for a run, checking out where I used to run when I lived in Austin 40 years ago.  I returned to the convention center just in time to attend a lecture.  As soon as I entered the large ballroom I saw the DCMQG QuiltCon charity quilt.  All of the walls of this large, large room were lined with charity quilts – all in the same basic color theme, but how different they were!  Ours was right by the entrance/exit door, sure to be noticed J

The first lecture that I went to was by Alissa Haight Carlton about the use of negative space in modern quilts.  I love that she purposely used quilts in the show to talk about the use of negative space.  Not only did I learn from that lecture, but when I went back to look at the quilts in the show, I was able to look at them in a different way.  When I signed up for QuiltCon, I did what they suggested, go right for the things that would fill quickly, and check out.  Since lectures do not fill quickly, I did not select any, and never went back to add any.  Apparently at the last QuiltCon you could purchase a lecture pass, and I would have liked that.  I went to several lectures and most of them were great.

There are many posts which highlight quilts from the show, but I like this one from sew mama sew as it has 4 embedded slide shows with attribution which some posts do not have.  I agree with many others that the way that the show was set up was awkward.  I am pretty good with maps and spatial orientation, and found it hard to find quilts and sections.  I did not take gazillion pics of the show, but here are a few that I did take…

Robin was part of one of the progressive quilts at Mid-Atlantic Mod last year.  It won first place at in the Group Quilt division.  Here is the quilt with four of the eight contributors, Jessica S, Jessica L, Rose and Robin.

And here is Carla’s quilt from her do.Good.Stitches group that was selected to be displayed.  Isn't it wonderful!



I also took a full day workshop with Jacquie Gering.  I loved this workshop as it focused on using the walking foot for quilting.
I have yet to master free motion quilting, or even get it to be a usable skill, but I am on excellent terms with my walking foot.  She was a great teacher and so encouraging.  She also did a mini-trunk show as a way of showing how the quilting works with the piecing and design.  My favorite is her Running Man quilt.
 
Throughout the convention I talked to lots of people.  Where were they from?  The person that I met who travelled the furthest was from India…is that further from Austin than New Zealand?  And if they belong to a guild and if they did…I had all sorts of questions about their guild.  But that is for another time.  I also talked to people who were regular volunteers and those special folks who were Super Volunteers…some that put the quilts up and all sorts of things.  Although QuiltCon is going yearly, in 2017 it will be on the East Coast in Savannah.  Hmmm….time to think ahead.