2014 Quilt Show - In the Can!

Our 2014 Quilt Show is in the can!  And look!  There is a BIG BLUE RIBBON on my quilt, which feels like kind of a big deal since I moved up from the Intermediate skill level to Advanced this year. And that put me in a whole new class with quilters who are much more experieced than I. In fact, my quilt was judged against a quilt done by a woman who recently took Best of Show.  I tell myself that ribbons don't matter to me. I loved making this quilt and learned lots along the way, but seriously, who doesn't love to have their work decorated with a big ol' BLUE RIBBON?

It was a fabulous show, as always, but I think that my poor feet are still in recovery mode.  Five whole days and lots of walking on concrete floor equals aching feet.  But it was all worth it.

We are always amazed that we start with an empty hall on set-up day...

and over the course of a few hours...

and with many hands....

we build a stellar quilt show!

Our "Design-A-Block booth is always a big hit.  Our guests lay out a quilt block on a small design board, then Guild members sew the block together and we pin them up.  These blocks are later made into quilts that go to Douglas County kids and local veterans who have been on active duty in Iraq and/or Afghanistan.  

Abbie and Faith had tons of fun designing quilt blocks.  They're BFF's.  They told me so...

One of our members, Ann G., always brings along her lovely old treadle sewing machine and stitches quilt blocks together while chatting with our guests.  Just about everyone has a memory of a loved one sewing on a treadle machine.

Our Quilts of Valor Chairperson, Pat G., set up the lovely display of our Patriotic Quilts.  We will be making many more in the near future.  We have recently learned that our local National Guard unit well be deployed to Afghanistan in June.  We will have a patriotic quilt ready and waiting for each and every one of them, that's over 80 soldiers, when they return home in 2015.  

Our member, Cheryl M., cleaned up with her stunning quilt.  She took a first place ribbon, the Mayor's Choice ribbon and BEST OF SHOW!  My photo does not do this quilt justice.  Entries are open to anyone, not just our guild members, so we are always pleased to see one of our own take Best of Show.

Our youngest entrant in the show, six year old Kyla B., was the winner of her very own Janome Hello Kitty Sewing Machine!, donated by a local vendor.  

                                      

Betty C. took a first place ribbon as well as the President's Choice award.  Betty is the resident expert in Hand Applique and is a published author on the subject. Her beautiful quilt is all hand applique AND is hand quilted!

Another guild member, Vi A., took the Viewer's Choice Award.  And it's no wonder!  Another stunner!

At 4:00 pm on Sunday afternoon we closed the doors and took the show down. If we are amazed at how quickly we hang our show, we are even more amazed at how quickly the show is broken down.  The quilts are removed from the poles, neatly folded and lined up on tables according to exhibitor number.

The quilts are then claimed by their owners with their receipt.

And we are back to the empty hall.  The poles are disassembled, the floor is swept and we close the doors until next year.  But planning for our 2015 QUILT SHOW begins right away.  We will be choosing our show theme and naming our next raffle quilt within the next few weeks.  

Whew!!!!!  Note to self - Get those squishy gel shoe inserts before the show next year.