QuiltCon report PART 2

So much has happened after my first QuiltCon in February 2017 in Savannah. So much has changed. For me. For my design process, the way I look at quilting and the way I feel connected to this awesome community.

In light of the upcoming registration for QuiltCon in Pasadena, CA in February 2018 here's the second part of my QuiltCon experience. The first part is here.

Let's start with the walk from our accommodation to the Convention Center.
Our house was located in the beautiful historic distinct of Savannah and only a few minutes walk away from the ferry, which took you across the Savannah River where the Convention Center was located.

Those timber clad houses are so beautiful! And the weather! So nice to escape the winter and be in the sun! Luckily we did have time on Sunday afternoon to walk through those beautiful streets but first: more fantastic quilts!

It took me all four days of the show to walk the rows with all the quilts. The ones which stood out to me where abstract, colourful, improv pieced and hand quilted (not necessarily all in one!).

I have great admiration for people who handquilt. That is one thing I can't see my self doing. Yet.
I have only recently started to hand bind my quilts, that's also something that changed after QuiltCon and something I never thought I would do. So I guess nothing is impossible!

Here's one quilt that stood out to me, not only because it's amazing but because I met the maker Marla Varner.

'Trestle Nestle' by Marla Varner

Those quilts deserve a closer look:

'Trestle Nestle' by Marla Varner

I was very happy to have met Marla in person after we had connected via social media in the last year. I can truly say I made a new quilting friend!

'Of Discontent' by Shelby Skumanich

This quilt by Shelby Skumanich won 2nd place in the handwork category. So well deserved!

'Of Discontent' by Shelby Skumanich

This is pure awesomeness!

'Forever tied together' by Jen Broemel

This quilt by Jen Broemel is hand tied.

'Forever tied together' by Jen Broemel

I can't even imagine how long that takes!! But it looks fantastic, doesn't it?

'Inner Monologue' by Anne Sullivan

I also really liked the quilts that were a combination of machine and hand quilting. Maybe I can start with that method?

'Inner Monologue' by Anne Sullivan

During the day there were so many things that happened at different booths. We joined Brigitte Heitland of Zen Chic at the Moda booth for her presentation of her new book 'Zen Chic Inspired - A Guide to Modern Quilt Design'.
I volunteered to do a design exercise using a picture of someone's kitchen and coming up with a colour scheme and a quick design for a table runner.

If you haven't tried out the Moda Palette Builder yet, do! It's so cool! You upload a photos of e.g. your living room and the Palette Builder finds Bella Solids to match your interior. Tadaaa, there's your colour palette for your new quilt! Brilliant!

Brigitte signed a copy of her book for me, which is really beautifully put together. We also had coffee and a good chat with Brigitte during our lunch breaks, she's such a warm and fun person!

At the Michael Miller Fabrics booth I picked out four fabrics to make a block 6.5 x 6.5" for a friendship quilt. The quilts (I guess there will be more than one!) will be shown next year at QuiltCon 2018!

I have no idea for a block yet, but that's on my To-Do list now!
 

I picked up a few pins along the way (until they didn't fit on my lanyard anymore). I also purchased a pin of the Individual Members of the Modern Quilt Guild, which I initially helped to design.

I was very happy to see quilts made from prints. In fairness there were only a few, but that goes to prove that a modern quilt does not necessarily have to be made from solids only. In fact, you can even win a price!

'Scattered' by Jess Frost

This quilt by Jess Frost won 3rd place in the improv category.

'Quilt one half' by Sarah Lowry

I really liked this quilt by Sarah Lowry!

'Rescue Mission' by Stephanie Serrano

This quilt goes to prove that you can even make an awesome quilt with long forgotten blocks.

From the photos I've seen from previous QuiltCon Shows there are always quilts with strong messages.
Here are some quilts which really moved me:

'Speak Even LOUDER' by Kristyn McCoy

Quote by Kristyn McCoy: 'For every 1,000 sexual assaults, only 33 get reported; of these, 12 result in charges and six go to trial, where only 45% result in conviction.'
The quilting on the middle states: 'You are powerful and nobody can take this away from you'

'Todd's No-Baby Baby Quilt' by Chawne Kimber

Quote by Chawne Kimber: This quilt is inspired by a political blunder by Missouri congressman Todd Akin who insists that pregnancy due to 'legitimate rape' is impossible'.
Even more powerful if you imagine this quilt is lying on a bed...

I very much enjoyed seeing the quilts from 'Quilt Design A Day'. The versatility of quilts emerging from one inspiration was just amazing!

'Bend. Don't Break' by Karen  Foster

'City Squares' by Tiffany Baxter

'Structural Transparency' by Emily Doane

We have also met one of my absolute quilting heroes and one of our most influential modern quilters: Jacquie Gering.

I bought her book 'WALK' and went to the book signing. Look at all these beautiful quilting samples!

We briefly talked to Jacquie after her quilting presentation and I guess you can see our excitement...

Isn't that beautiful handwriting? And just so you know where you'll find Jacquie when she visits Germany ;0)

On our flight back home I happened to sit beside Sarah of Sariditty Handmade. She gave me this beautiful set of cards and a gorgeous pin.

I felt very empowered after QuiltCon and enriched by the kindness of people and the willingness to share experience and knowledge.

QuilltCon makes you feel you can do anything. It's a very powerful feeling. I felt so inspired by all these beautiful quilts and by all the people! What changed for me since QuiltCon is an ongoing process and I'm repeatedly realising the impact of all the lectures I heard and hope I can continue to transfer this it into my quilts.

Once you've been to QuiltCon it makes you feel you cannot miss another. I will register tomorrow. Will you?

Play Cube - HST Mini Swap

This is only my third time taking part in a swap and it was a lot of fun. The swap is very well organised by Sharon, check out her Instagram profile, she hosts a lot of really fun swaps.

I signed up for the Half Square Triangle HST Mini Swap. We could choose between 2", 3" or 4" squares (unfinished), I opted for 3". The finished size was to be either 18" or 21" square using either 6x6 or 7x7 units. I used 6x6 units.

As it is a secret swap I cannot reveal my partner yet, but she likes cool colours so I opted for turquoise, gray, white and a little bit of green.

I mixed solids and prints and I think that worked really well.

I used double sided tape again and taped the quilt to a converted sea container, which is now an outdoor bar (pretty cool!).

I didn't have name for the quilt until that photo shoot. It just had to be 'Play Cube' taking from the stickers applied to the sea container. Some quilt names just fall into place.

Even though HST are not my favourite thing to sew (why is that squaring off process ever so tedious?) I really enjoyed working on that mini quilt. An I hope my partner likes it as much as I do.

I opted for diagonal straight line quilting with my favourite Aurifil 40wt  #2600 Dove but unfortunately some puckering appeared due to my ongoing problems with my sewing machine. And photos in the blazing sun show that off very clearly...

I cannot adjust the pressure foot pressure and that is causing the fabric to shift.
I am currently saving up for a new machine. All other quilts will have to wait, but this one had a dead line.

Partner, I hope you like the quilt despite the little flaws.