2019 QuiltCon: The People

It's been more than a week since I've been around to write a blog post, and now I have a lot of catching up to do! So much goes on during a QuiltCon week.

First though, I'll announce that the winner of my blog giveaway (last blog post) was Cindy who lives in Illinois. Thank you Geraldine, for sending Cindy a stack of 10-inch square Island Batik Fabrics. And my thanks to everyone for your lovely comments about the "Heading Home" quilt I made from Geraldine's pattern. Quilters are decidedly generous with their praises!

When I return home from QuiltCon, I feel a little lost. It's because home is such a contrast to the bustle and excitement of QC which is incredibly energizing for someone who's as out-going as I am. Some quilters have called after-QuiltCon a "QuiltCon Detox" and "QuiltCon Decompression." For me, it's definitely a let-down. Some of you will understand when I liken QC to a wedding when I've been the mother of the bride/groom who has planned and prepared for weeks. When the event ends, I feel empty. I also came home with a head cold, so feeling punk just exacerbates my low mood.

Every time I return home from QC, I don't know where to begin to write about it! Me, the one with a journalism degree. Ha!

How do I recount seeing more than 400 incredible modern quilts? (See my next blog post.)

How do I explain how wonderful it is to meet-up with Instagram quilters I've known only by their handles? They're all "friends in my phone" that I took lots of pictures with.

Upper left: Helen, @TillWeQuiltAgain
Upper right: Steph, @StephSkardal (2018 QuiltCon Best in Show winner)
Lower left: Sarah, @sariditty
Lower right: Jessie, from Iowa! @threadedquilting

Top: Many of you already know my good friend in Kansas City, Carla @lollyquiltz 

Lower left: My new, fast-friend Paige @quiltedblooms who won two awards - a first and second!

Lower right: Another new, fast-friend Connie @gynconnie She makes excellent book-reading recommendations. 

Then there were the delightful, random meetings with quilters whose work I've admired from my phone.

Top left: Heather @quiltachusetts

Top right: Elaine @messygoat

Lower left: (L) Christine @ccpquilt whose longarm skills I admire; and (R) Leanne @shecanquilt who won Best in Show with "Smile," an improv quilt made with blocks from nine other quilters. (See "Smile" below.) By standing between them, I thought some of their talent might shed onto me!

Lower right: Kansas City MQG president Chris @auntlou21Q

Best in Show: "Smile"

Smile is quilted with intense matchstick quilting, and has a facing finish.

Here's my friend, Paige @quiltedblooms with her first place winning quilt, in the two-color challenge: "Double Crossed."

To really appreciate Paige's "Double Crossed," see how she fussy-cut these little plus signs from another print, and inserted them in each intersection? Wow.

Here's Paige with her second place winning quilt in the Michael Miller Hashdot Fabric Challenge. I love that she created a beautiful transparency effect in the aqua circle, and with parts of chartreuse and orange. So nicely done!

Heather @quiltachusetts designed and made this quilt, "Keyhole Kaleidoscope" that was raffled.

Christine's @ccpquilt longarm skills on it are fabulous!

How do I tell you about the fun of volunteering? Though I worked only a two-hour shift, I was at the admission ($12) counter where I accepted money and printed wristbands... and met the neatest people!

How do I describe the aura that is QC?! So much energy! And vibrancy! In spite of pretty-much non-stop rain during the entire event.

Loving statistics as I do, here are QuiltCon factoids obtained at the Sunday morning General Session, where we could all hear about the accomplishments of the MQG. Worldwide membership tops 15,000 now.

Rhode Island is the only state that didn't have a QC presence. 

By the way, I'm one of 18 members of Central Florida MQG who attended! I am proud of our turn-out, as we have about 50 members in our chapter.  

I learned that during the first three days of QC - Thursday, Friday, and Saturday - more than 10,000 people were admitted to the show! That smashes the 2018 QuiltCon record for attendance in Pasadena, where the four-day total was 7,700. I'd venture to say that more and more quilters are interested in modern quilts. It's exciting to be part of it.

In case you'd like to know about future QuiltCons, the next one is in Austin, Texas. QuiltCon 2021 will be in Atlanta!

My next post will be quilt pictures! Linda