My Last Quilt Show to Visit This Year Probably!

Be forewarned!  This is a long post!

Last Saturday I went to a nearby quilt show by myself.  My quilting buddy was on vacation out of State, and my DIL was bringing her mother later.  I wanted to be there early and stay late so I just went alone, and I had a great time.

It was a relatively small show presented by a local church group, not a guild.  They do, however, invite quilters from all over to enter their quilts, and a Certified Quilt Judge does the judging and appraisals.  There were about 75 quilts there I think, and they were all so very pretty.  The show is held in the church's gym/fellowship hall, which is adjoined to the building where they quilt together.

I've been acquainted with most of their group members for a few years, and I love them all.  Their church has alloted them their own space, large enough for 2 or 3 hand quillting frames, some DSM's, and two smaller rooms off to one side, one for shelving full of fabics, and the other with  a long arm machine and frame that was donated to them.  Some of the ladies still do the handquilting, and the more adventuresome ones are learning to use the long arm, and doing a great job.  They do quilting for people who have made quilt tops but don't want to quilt them themselves.  I think they have a long waiting list!  They also piece and quilt on their own projects too.  They are a fun group to be around!

Several months ago their leader was in my home and saw my collection of antique quilts I had inherited.   When preparation began for this year's show, she asked if I would be willing to share some of those quilts for the "Turning Bed Show".  Of course, I said yes!  After looking at my notebook of all of them, she chose five for that part of their show, and said she would also like to use the last yo-yo quilt I had bought from my friend who had bought it at an estate sale.  This is the first time they have had the Turning Bed Show.  

I already had the stories printed, but they were too long for that occasion, so I shortened the stories for them, stretched the six quilts over my couch back for a week to get the fold lines out, and then took the quilts to them last Wednesday.  

These six  are all mine.

Old Fashioned "Charm" quilt, made in 1920-30's by my aunt.  No two fabics the same!

"Circle of Life"??? (Can't find a similar pattern anywhere), In my sister's estate prior to 1978, maker unknown.

Drunkard's Path, made by my grandmother, early 1920;s

Grandmother's Flower Garden w/Diamond path; made by my aunt; 1930's; perfect condition!

Log Cabin, made by my Great Grandmother in 1905 for her 3rd grandson;
much used, but great condition for 111 years old!  Only one fabric deteriorating; covered it with tulle.

My second Yo-Yo quilt, found at Estate Sale in 2015; fabrics from 1950's???

I was so honored to share these with the crowd there.  They had planned to do the turning twice, but had to do it four times!  The other quilts included were just as lovely.

As soon as I got there, I started taking pictures of all the show quilts before the crowd got there, and here are a few my favorites, in no particular order.  Double-click for a closer look.

Bible Stories, hand painted and hand embroidered; so delicate and beautiful!

Made from neck ties

Gorgeous applique!  One of my favorites!

Wish I was there!

Remember this?  Best of Show at Fort Worth, third at Weatherford, and Best of Show here again!
Very worthy!  (The blue star is the one my DIL fell in love with!) (Trinity Valley show picture)

A Miracle!
Half hand-quilted at time of fire 2 yrs ago; heavily damaged but salvaged;
professionally cleaned, and now fully hand-quilted again by the group.
Pieced by one of the members of their group; truly beautiful!

That fire destroyed the building their group quilted in.  All of their fabric, tools, quilting racks, etc. were lost.  Only this quilt and their group's Banner survived the fire.  However, just know that God is good!  The church set aside a much larger room(s) for them in a much newer building, people and groups everywhere donated funds, fabric, quilting racks, even the long arm (their first)!  Through it all, they continue to bless their community!

All that was fun, but the surprise of the day came within ten minutes after I got to the show.   The leader came up to me and asked if I had seen my quilts, and I said I hadn't gotten to them yet.  She grabbed my hand and said, "Let's go!"  I couldn't believe it!   My small Double Wedding Ring quilt,   (the top found at a flea market) that I had experimented on with FMQ'ing on, had a white Third Place ribbon.    My big quilt I had worked on all summer, quilting my first feathers ever on my DSM, had a red Second Place ribbon on it!  I told her there has been a big mistake made here!   She said the judge apparently really liked it, and so did everyone else.  I still can't believe it! You've seen pictures of both of them before, but here they are with the ribbons!  You don't believe it either, do you?

Not enough space for a full picture!  (No border; that's backing from another quilt)

Just had to show my feathers again; 1st picture doesn't show them well.

 Okay, I'm just about finished with this.  If you are still with me here, please excuse me.  I've just never had so much fun in one day, with such a great gang of gals!  They even helped me load my eight quilts in my car when the day was over.  Remember, this old lady walks with a cane everywhere now, and I had been on my feet literally all day.  I was really zapped when I got home, but I didn't rest until I had all the antique quilts refolded and back in their cabinets, and my two winners (giggle!) flat on my guest bed under the bedspread, with the yo-yo quilt on top of everything until time for Christmas!

Then I crashed in bed!  Oh yes, I did get up Sunday morning in time for Sunday School!

No more quilt shows I know of until next year, and very little quilting/sewing between now and Christmas!

Now, go rest your eyes!

---"Love"