No rest for the weary...

I've managed to do a weeks worth of nothingness...
not really.

Taxes, yep, four days worth of paperwork.  Oh, and a doctor's appointment - whatever was blooming in Jersey and Virginia had my sinuses and allergies off the charts.  So the doctor switched up my allergy meds, boosted me to prescription Flonase, and threw in some antibiotics for what was turning into an aggravated sinus infection.  Good news, the fluid is slowly moving out of my ears and the pressure is gone.

So to the no rest part, you know, because in my world that week of paperwork was rest.  I'm now prepping for teaching at AQS Spring Paducah.  Yep, all of my supplies should have been on their way already, but no... I'm still waiting on bolts of fabric to arrive.  It's pretty likely that I'll be overnighting them last minute as once they get here I'll still need to cut them into class kits.

Okay, now on to the good stuff!  I'm teaching a bunch load of classes in Paducah:

Doodle Quilting - SOLD OUT
Build-A-Stitch - SOLD OUT
Pop Those Lines! - SOLD OUT
The Creative Process - only a couple spots left!
Functional Fills - SOLD OUT
Scrollwork - just a handful of spots left!



So, let me tell you about the two classes with only a few spots still available:

The Creative Process (Friday afternoon) - This is a design/ drawing class.  We'll start with a piece of paper and by the end of class, you will have designed your very own original quilt!  This process can be used to create both applique and wholecloth designs.  I'll share information on the next steps after the initial design as well as tips on proceeding from design to fabric.  

Scrollwork (Saturday morning) - If you follow me, you know one of my most-used stitches is the scroll.  In this hands-on class, I'll share several variations of the basic scroll as well as how to use them in more than just sashings.






So, if you'll be in Paducah, or anywhere nearby there is still room (for now) in those two classes.  If you've already signed up for the others - thanks, I can't wait to meet you all!  And, when I'm not teaching, you'll most likely find me in the Gammill booth.  Either way, make sure to stop and say hello!

Some quilty catch-up...

Whoa...
The past couple of weeks have flown by - some good, some not-so-good.

Back in the middle of the month (it seems like more than two weeks ago), I was invited to do a trunk show at the Ladies of the Lakes Quilters Guild -- what an awesome group!  Here's just a couple of the pictures (apparently I make really strange faces and use my hands/arms way too much when I talk):

So, after this wonderful night, I was supposed to come home and prep for teaching at the East Coast Gammill Statler Conference.  Well... life throws some major curve balls, and we had one.  My dear father-in-law passed away.  So off we go to Jersey.  It was a very rough week, to say the least.  In about an hours time I packed up our stuff and managed to grab as much of my teaching items as I could.  We drove... straight through. 

So after all the funeral happenings, my husband had to drive me down to Virginia for ECGS 2018 - so, of course, I missed my flight from Florida on Thursday (more on this later).  I also missed the welcome reception and was a little out of sorts my first class on Friday, but I managed.  Steve, Lori, Emily (Threads Run Thru It/Gammill Mid-Atlantic) and all of my Gammill family are amazing people -- everyone had plenty of hugs for me.

So here are just a few class pics from the conference:

And what a beautiful resort!

And some fun:

And a picture of part of my Gammill family:

photo credit: Jen Smith/Gammill Quilting

I can't wait for next year - always one of my favorite teaching events!

Oh... about missing my flight from Florida to Virginia.  Well, it turns out, if you ever miss the first leg of your travel itinerary, they automatically cancel your return trip.  Yep, the ticket in my hand to come home was no good.  I've since learned when you know you're going to miss part of your flight, call the airline immediately.  Anyhow, Delta found me a seat and didn't charge me anything extra, even though my return ticket had been canceled.   See, you learn something every day!

Ribbons, Interviews, and Bling... oh my!

So, my quilts have been getting some ribbon action lately... 2018 is starting off awful blingy over here.

Let's rewind to February -

Quilting in Paradise - which is run by my local guild, the PSL Crazy Quilters.
Dance in the Rain won Best of Show.  This is a really big deal to me.  In all my years with this guild, I have never, nope, not once, won Best of Show on my own quilt.  Yes, I've won it on client quilts, but not my own.  Yep, check that one off my bucket list!

The Bridges challenge with my art group, Journeys Thru Art, won 1st Place -- and to top that off, Trenton Makes won Best Use of Color.  Apparently, all that work on the neon lights and reflection really paid off!

Remember my vintage Alfred Shaheen panel, Moth Parade?  Well, it also won 2nd Place.

Also in February was the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Virginia.  Yep, those quilts were taken down from one show and shipped out the next day.  Well, there, Dance in the Rain won an Honorable Mention, while Glacier 01 won Best Use of Negative Space.  Woohoo!

And thanks to my friend Emily for this awesome pic!  The best part is Glacier 01 was pieced while I was up in Virginia teaching/vacationing so Emily is kinda partial to it as she watched it being born.

Last week, at the American Quilters Society Quiltweek Daytona, God's Eye won 3rd Place in the Wall Movable Machine category.

And while I was there visiting, I did a little interview with Bonnie Browning of AQS!

 

Well, that's if for now... here's where everything will be for the next few months - 

God's Eye will be at AQS Lancaster - March 21-24, 2018.

Dance in the Rain will be at MQX East - April 11-14, 2018.

And then... God's Eye AND Glacier 01 will be at AQS Paducah -- me too, as I'm teaching!

If you're anywhere near those shows go check them out!

Some Quilty Catch-up...

Okay peeps, it feels like its been forever since I've posted on here.  There is so much going on in my little world -

I be doing a trunk show next week on the 15th at Ladies of the Lakes Guild in Lakeland, FL - that should be loads of fun -- who doesn't like looking at and talking about quilts?

The following week (March 22-25)  I'll be teaching at the East Coast Gammill/Statler Conference in Williamsburg, VA (yes, a new location), hosted by  --  Gammill Mid-Atlantic Longarm / Threads Run Thru It.  if you've followed me for a while, you'll know this is one of my favorite events!  And, although it is a Gammill event, you can still sign-up, even if you're only thinking about purchasing a Gammill.  So, I'll have a few new classes this year --

Build-A-Stitch 3 (of course) - and no, the class sample isn't finished yet...  sorry!  Didn't you know us longarmers do everything last minute.

Make Those Feathers Move!  - haha, two class samples for this one:

Functional Fills:

Doodle Quilting:

As well as a few others!

And then in April, I'll be teaching at AQS Spring Paducah - click here for a link to my classes there - three classes are already sold out (yay!).  If you were/are thinking about signing up, you'd better get busy!  I have two design/draw classes as well as my hands-on classes -- go check them out!  Can't wait to see you all!

I've started on another competition piece...  this is all I can share here.  If you're already a subscriber on my Patreon page (patreon.com/quiltyk), you've seen oodles more.  Not a subscriber?  Go check it out, there are a few free videos available to all, if you like what you see, feel free to subscribe for a small monthly fee. 

So, this quilt is yet un-named... hoping one comes to me soon.  I've got a client quilt this week, but I'll be working on this full-force next week!

I can't wait... this one is going to be awesome!

Oh, and the Build-A-Stitch 3 books should be here by 3/15, hopefully!  I've love to have some with me at the trunk show.

Thanks it for now peeps -- happy quilting