Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts

9/15/22

Quilt Shows

 Happy Thursday (or Friday Eve)!

Do you attend quilt shows? Do you prefer looking at the quilts or shopping the vendors for fun new quilting stuff? 

I love a good quilt show for many reasons and especially for looking at the beautiful quilts and getting inspired. Also, I love to shop the vendors! I always find new and different things that I must purchase (even if my wallet does not agree). I was disappointed in 2020 (weren't we all!) because all the quilt shows were canceled and then in 2021 some of the quilt shows came back but not all of them. But this year, I think most of the quilt shows are back! 

Here are national and international quilt show schedules for the rest of 2022 and 2023.

I attended the Plano Quilt Show in August and had such a great time. I have some friends that I only see at quilt shows, so I hadn't seen some of them for a couple of years and it was great to catch up and even make a few new friends too. My quilt show friend, Judy Beskow, won several ribbons at the show, including the Viewer's Choice award. I am always in awe of her quilts and she inspires me to do better. 

Judy Beskow with her amazing quilt and ribbons

I plan on going to more quilt shows, as work and time permit, to get extra inspired. When I was walking around the Plano Quilt Show, I was thinking about all of the thousands and thousands of hours those quilters put into their work and it just astounds me. So much time, passion, and not to mention expense! No, quilting is not an inexpensive endeavor. Next time, I will discuss ways to make quilting more affordable.

Happy Quilting and Sewing!

2/22/10

Wacky Weather Great for Quilters!

Okay, so we had over a foot of snow week before last...this past Saturday we had our windows open because the temperature was so nice...tomorrow we are getting snow again!! I haven't seen this much snow since I lived in Denver!! This is truly wacky weather! But, I have to say, it is truly the best kind of weather for quilters. When it's cold outside, quilters are snuggled up with fabric and batting inside working on warm quilts!

This week, I am still working on the baby quilt that was supposed to be finished by now, but life happens and just didn't get it done. So, I will be working on that this week...except Wednesday when I will be babysitting my precious grandbaby!

I have another project waiting in the wings for another client and am having trouble deciding on a pattern. She gave me several different purple, light blue and muslin fabrics to work with, but I am not having inspiration about a pattern yet!! Typically I let the fabric "speak" to me and I can usually decide on a pattern fairly quickly, but this fabric is not "speaking" to me!! How do you decide on a quilt pattern to use?? I have been looking through books and magazines, but haven't found what I am looking for yet.

Still working on the Pirate Quilt...but haven't worked on it for a couple of weeks now. I enjoy doing my applique work in the evenings while watching TV with hubby, but it seems that the past couple of weeks I have just been too tired to work on it in the evenings. Guess I will have to work on it in the mornings instead, when I am not tired! If you applique, when and where do you work on yours?

Two events coming up in March that I am very excited about! The North Texas Irish Festival (www.ntif.org) and the Dallas Quilt Show (http://www.quiltersguildofdallas.org/quiltcelebration2010/default.htm). We really enjoy going to the Irish Festival, and our girls love to go with us. I guess one of the fun things about it is seeing a bunch of men in kilts and seeing others dressed up in Irish garb from earlier centuries...and then there is the Irish stew in a bread bowl...and the beer!! We always have such a great time!

I always have a great time at the Dallas Quilt Show and am really looking forward to it. Hubby will go at least one day with me...he enjoys the art quilts...but I usually like to go 2 days. Not sure how many days I will go this year, but we will see. I just love seeing the quilts and taking lots of photos and of course there is the shopping!! The shows are the place to see new fabrics and new items for sale that you haven't seen before. Typically, if there is a a quilt shop or two in your town, they are limited as to the fabrics and other things they can sell, but at shows you can see such a wide variety of fabrics and tools, kits, etc. Talk about inspiration! I get so inspired at quilt shows!! (okay, calming down now...) The show is still a few weeks away though...so I will have to be patient!

Well, back to the sewing room!

Happy Quilting and Sewing!!

12/2/09

Inspiration at the Arboretum


Photos from the Dallas Arboretum

So I hope you are having a good week! Monday was an absolutely beautiful day, so hubby, our oldest daughter and I went to the Dallas Arboretum www.dallasarboretum.org just to get outdoors and have a relaxing time. The Dallas Arboretum is just great, however, in the fall there aren't as many flowers to look at, but still beautiful nonetheless. For me, it was just very inspirational and my head was full of quilting ideas (naturally), so I just wanted to share some of the hundred or so photos that I took that day. As mentioned in a previous post, it is just amazing where inspiration and ideas come from, and nature is just full of inspiration. I can (and will) look at the photos I took time and time again, and each time something new will jump out at me, or a new idea will take root. Because I love to applique, the unique trellises and different serene scenes give me so many ideas for appliqued wallhangings. I love the different textures and colors of the trees, especially in autumn when the leaves are changing or gone all together. The trees take on such different character in autumn, like giants getting ready to do battle against the winter winds. They disrobe and seem to stand stark in the cold, unmoving and strong. Ah well...enough of that!

I have a baby quilt to finish this week, and it would seem that the week is already half over and I have thousands of stitches to go before I sleep!

Enjoy the photos! Happy sewing and quilting!!



11/16/09

Thoughts on Inspiration



Just pondering where quilters get their inspirations. Some quilters have said they get their inspiration from their family, places where they live, places where they travel, photos and the like. I find that my quilting inspirations can come from almost anywhere or anything. Sometimes the small simple things are what inspire me the most, and sometimes it takes more. This morning hubby and I went to get the oil changed in our car and while I was waiting I could see different patterns as I looked around the waiting room...patterns that could be made into quilts! Maybe I just have quilts on the brain, but next time you are in a new place look around and find the patterns on the walls, in the rugs, wallpaper, the way things are arranged. Get in the habit of carrying around a small blank book or a small book with grid paper to jot down your pattern inspirations.

I am not much of an artist, but with the help of grid paper I can draw squares, rectangles and triangles. I don't believe you have to be an artist to design your own quilts either. Sometimes, when perusing through the latest quilt magazine I become intimidated reading about professional quilters and quilt designers because it seems they all have art degrees or fine art degrees or some other "art" credential...I don't have that. But then I think about where they get their inspiration and realize that anyone....even me...can be inspired by the beauty around us. Nature is a great place to start since our Creator is a great designer and uses cool patterns and colors. I love butterflies and I think it is because they come in so many colors and designs...just like quilts! Think about what inspires you and don't forget to jot it down next time!

Happy Sewing & Quilting!