Sunday, June 13, 2010

A quilt show virgin no more

Today I escaped from my loving family for a couple hours and headed out to Annapolis High School for the annual Annapolis Quilt Guild Quilt Show. It is important to remember that this is only my second year quilting, so it's not like I've been avoiding going to a quilt show, it's just that until this year, I probably couldn't have told you what a quilt show was. I'm not sure what I thought went on at one of these things, but I think I just assumed that I was too amateurish to be allowed in. Like they were gonna check my bona fides at the door. "Gladys, this one says her quarter-inch seam is 'fairly accurate,' but doesn't know how to do a y-seam. Should we let her in?" "HELL, NO!"

But naturally, the entire public is invited, so I gave them my eight bucks, plus five more for some raffle tickets, and met up with the lovely Kelley C., a longarm quilter from Kent Island on Maryland's eastern shore. She is also a member of the Annapolis guild and was its program director until very recently. She knew all the quilts on display - who made 'em, which workshop it had been made for - but she she didn't spill any good dirt, like this quilt was made by Gertrude Calabash, and she went nuts after her third husband left her for a dental hygenist and now she only makes quilts depicting Corn Nuts and hairless cats. I forget, sometimes, that I don't live in Tennessee anymore.

I wish I had gotten a shot of a particular one of Kelley's quilts, since it was absolutely gorgeous and so creatively quilted. But I kept forgetting that I had a camera with me. I did manage to get in a few other shots (and no, I don't know what the patterns are!)











That last one is the raffle quilt.

Kelley and I only had about an hour to wander around, so there was no after-show socializing. I was sorely tempted by some Cosmo Cricket fabric at one of the vendor stalls, but ultimately I resisted and ended up buying a damn jelly roll from Blank Fabrics instead. Why do I keep getting tempted by those damn things? Two or three yards of fabric would have made me just as happy and would be a hell of a lot more useful, but those goddamn precuts are like crack to me.

So, now I've been to a show, and the follow up question is, when will I join the guild? Or at least visit? I'm not sure yet. I have to find out when rush week is, and if they do that thing where they make you strip down to your underwear and then circle all the places on your body where they think you need to lose weight. I've heard they beat pledges too, but Kelley swore it was only the Tri-Delts up in Baltimore that do that.

17 comments:

DD Lindsey said...

1st of all...you are NOT alone in your precut addiction. Haven't figured it out yet, but I can't pass one up either. Just went to my 1st quilt show last week (only been quilting about a year myself). AND I don't know about "rush week", but I HAVE learned that you DO need to be careful about when you go to that 1st guild meeting. I went to my 1st mtg last June where they were having officer elections. Here's the rest of that story...
http://sewmuchbeauty.blogspot.com/2010/05/random-thoughts.html
I love your blog. I think you are hilarious...even without any curse words :)

Uniquely Yours Creations said...

I've been quilting for 5 yrs. and still don't know how to do a y seam; I'm not even sure I know what it is.
I just love that quilt jacket!
What a talented group! Thanks for posting the pics! Love your blog!

Marg said...

I am with you on the jelly rolls, I have just taken a vow, not to buy another jelly roll for 12 months, I think I am two weeks into it. I have quite a few (too many), and I haven't even cut into one yet.
the quilts at the show look great.
I really enjoy your blog, it's very entertaining.

Leah said...

Jelly rolls sounds so sweet and tempting. If it was called "Ash Tray" or Charm packs were called "Rolling Squares" maybe we would be able to resist them better.

But then again, crack is crack. I think we'd still buy them even if they were called bad names. As it is, I think quilters feel doubly guilty because not only are they spending money on fabric, it's also got a bad food name attached to it too.

When's the last time you ate a jelly roll all by yourself and didn't feel terrible about it? Ha!

Let's go quilt!

Leah

Mary said...

I just bought my first jelly roll. I have been quilting long long time, and have way too much fabric. Why a jelly roll now??? Oh well, The first meeting ins't so bad. There is always a lot of inspiration, plus then you can show your quilts in a show, thats good!!! Enjoy. Love your blog. You make me smile!

The Calico Cat said...

HMMMM I took about 90 photos at the quilt show, but only repeat 3 of the ones that you showed...

We ate at Mike's in Riva afterwards - YUMMM

I almost bought a charm pack or two (Those squares are far more tempting to me than the long skinny bits.) But I got soome fat quarters instead...

Anonymous said...

I'm an addict when it comes to pre-cut packages of fabric. Whether it's jelly rolls or layer cakes - who knows, it might be the name of those packs. The Charm packs don't interest me that much. I haven't bought a honey bun package, but that's next on my list.
Love your blog. And you do very good work for only being at quilting for 2 years.

Anne said...

I've got five honey buns sitting on my sewing table mocking me. What I'll do with them, I'll never know.

Nancy said...

I love charm packs. I think it is the cost..I can get a cute little 5 inch square of all the parts of a collection and pay less than $10.. I can afford $10 most of the time.

Anonymous said...

Deborah says:

Yes, I too love pre-cuts. I tend to buy layer cakes, but I do have some jelly rolls, charm squares and honey buns. The thing is, I can't stand to cut them up!

I buy the particular fabric line because I love to see a good portion of the design of the fabric. I would never buy one of the books that have patterns for pre-cuts because they always want you to cut the fabric up into tiny pieces. Well, I can do that with yardage.

I do have a method for using the fabric that involves minimal cutting, but still provides an interesting pattern.

If you want it, I can email it to you.

Glad you enjoyed your first quilt show!

barncow said...

My Guild would be glad to have you drop in on a meeting and to have you join us...Priceless! I can't seem to pass up a charm pack. I have made 2 quilts so far and I have enough to make 10 more.

Yuki said...

Hi Megan,

I had no idea you are close. You are welcome to join our quilty group. We meet once a month, have no rules and no censorship. Our group is called Stitch and Bitch. We eat, sew & bitch.

ttfn :) Yuki

Susan Entwistle said...

Congrats on going to your first show. (We went Sunday too, then we went to Cottonseed Glory and Tomorrow's Treasures for sale fabric.) Now that you've got your big toe in the water, you need to try one of the big shows in the area. This was a good choice for your first--not too many vendors, not too many quilts. Maybe Quilters Home will send you to Houston....blow your mind.

Peggi said...

Oh Megan – the quilt porn is gorgeous, thank you for sharing! The last two are my favorites.

How timely is it that you admit your addiction to pre-cuts?!?!? I just did a blog post about them, and you are a co-star! I think one of the best things about pre-cuts is not messing with the rotary cutter.

Denise L. Gregory said...

Bwahahahaha.. you are hilarious!!

I've been quilting a few more years than you but not by much, and I'm still a sucker for the kits & precuts. I think somewhere inside I try to tell myself if some of it's already done, then that = faster or = will get done.... I know I'm really justifying needing a random jelly roll or a kit of Christmas ornaments by telling myself that it'll be fast & fun-- GACK .... isn't that some kind of psychosis when one talks to one's self as if in an actual conversation with imaginary people????? (heehee)

Lori said...

Since you're not a "crack head" are you a "jelly roll belly"??? Me too, they are hard to resist!

Sew Diva Diane said...

Hey- when you were in Annapolis did you go to Cottonseed Glory? It is a wonderful quilt shop with LOTS of precuts and kits. My daughter lives in Baltimore and when we go down we HAVE to go!