Quilters and Friends Alike...Mark Your Calendars and Come One and All...

I had the privilege of "stepping out" to a quilt show recently. Our local Maple Leaf Quilter's Guild hosted their every-other-year quilt show only a couple of miles away at the Castleton College Gym. I ordered myself a rollator and went for both days. I know that I am more comfortable with a shopping cart in front of me for walking, as I still have some balance and strength issues. I was practical and bought one with a shopping basket in front and handle bars much like a bicycle, and I was off and "rolling" for the event!

I had a wonderful time! The guest exhibitor was Joanne Shapp who is best known for her Crop Circle Quilts and several were displayed. They were awesome, as were the quilts done by local quilters! It was so fun to bump into people that I know and hadn't seen all winter. I think we were all suffering from cabin fever, and so a community event like this was a double delight-- a feast for the eyes as well as the heart!

I bragged that it was only ten dollars to go for two days, but I didn't realize that that was only the beginning of the cost of this event.  I bought raffle tickets to the door prizes, and also spent much time both days going to their fund raiser "white elephant" sale.  Patterns were selling for only five cents, and pre-read quilting books were abundant, as were notions and materials of all sorts.  What is one person's junk is another man's treasure and I came home each day with bags full of treasures!! And I must tell you that my raffle investment paid off.  I won one of the raffle baskets full of sewing notions!

As the gymnasium was filled with quilts as well as vendors, my husband used a special lens in order to get pictures of entire quilts. As any who go to quilt shows know, getting pictures at such events can be very challenging with them hung so close together and under gym lights as well, so I think he did well under the circumstances, and hope you will enjoy seeing a few of these wonderful quilts!

It was a delightful show and a great warm-up of what is to come when the larger Vermont Quilt Festival will gather quilts from New England and Canada at the end of June in Colchester, Vermont. This show is advertised as the largest quilt show in New England and they will have many vendors from all over the United States. Do check out their website and mark your calendars, and perhaps plan a vacation with your friends/ or family. It is worth a trip to Vermont.  Mind you, there is no kick-back to me to advertise for them. It is truly the hallmark of my every year and my entire family clears their calendars to make it happen. We spend a full day there, but quilt enthusiasts could easily spend several days and take classes from expert quilters as well as enjoy the show in a more leisurely fashion! Vermont is a beautiful state with many other wonderful places to visit as well!