North, South, East and West… but not in that order!

I’m back!!

That was a few very intense weeks but we did it… it takes a team 😀

I got it together and headed east, arriving in Atlanta at rush hour on Wednesday afternoon (July 28th). Jan took the traffic in her stride and we had a lovely evening meal before I retired to my hotel room to get some sleep before my Embroidery and Beading for Quilters class with the East Cobb Quilters’ Guild on Thursday.

Next up was the evening meet and greet… The evening gathering is a smaller, more select group. We enjoyed a Quick Trip Around the World together.Back to the hotel and then out again bright and early for the morning meeting!

Business and then show and tell. Big quilts…A blast from the past,Using up the stash,and some embroidery and beading from the class!Time for a full length Trip Around the World with a super size tour group!There were more than a few chuckles as we journeyed around the globe…

Friday afternoon was free so I had looked up the best things to do in Atlanta… I had never been to the Civil Rights museum so that is where we went.Informative and thought provoking… well worth the visit.

Just one more day. Saturday was scheduled for Dimensional Embroidery Stitches. Some repeat students from Thursday and some newcomers to the classroom.We stitched all the stitches and then it was time to pack up what remained of my little retail shop (🤣) and head back to the airport. Thunderstorms delayed the flight but I got back safe and sound and ready to prepare for the next adventure…

On Tuesday morning Steve delivered me to Midway for my direct flight west to Long Beach for Quilt Festival.

Southwest had one of their special planes on our route…  ‘Freedom One’, painted with a stylized US flag to celebrate its 50th anniversary of flying,

I checked two completely full 50 pound bags before I went in to the terminal and was very happy to gate check my carry-on too! It was just a little heavy…

The convention center is only a short Uber ride from the airport and, after rejecting one hotel room due to a lack of signal strength for my phone, I got settled in and organized just in time for Sheila to arrive and go out to dinner.

I had a packed schedule of events with two walking foot classes in the BERNINA room on the first day. I like to split the class into two three hour sessions so students can choose how many hours they really want to spend with me. There were several morning participants who signed up for the second one during the lunch hour …There were some super spirals by the end of the day!I had three half day hand work classes, but only managed to remember to get a picture during the dimensional stitches one.Did you spot those hoops? I have been persuaded to put “hoops optional ” on my supply list because some people mention they would have liked to bring one… I don’t use a hoop! If you do, that’s OK. I promise I will raise my eyebrows silently, in my heart.

When Sheila wasn’t helping me in the class room she was down on the show floor helping Richard in the Global Artisans booth. We went in early on Saturday so we could get a look at the quilts before the show opened.I had a great time, I hope Sheila did too!

One last sunset over the hotel lagoon…and home again! Just in time to Zoom with the Tidewater Quilters’ Guild of Virginia Beach who had booked me for two lectures on the Monday…

And then back on a plane on Tuesday morning to head south to Columbus, to be driven to Dayton, Ohio to visit the Miami Valley Quilters’ Guild. They had put out 90 chairs and there were very few empty seats by the time the meeting started. (that’s mine on the front row!)I took another Trip Around the World… everyone wants to travel after staying home so long?

On Wednesday we had a full house to enjoy some Steps to Free Motion Success. Here are just a few of the participants… you have to sit where there’s power…

It was a quick visit and I was back on the plane on Wednesday evening, heading for home as the sun was setting. I used the view from my seat for today’s featured image.

Two days at home to prepare to Zoom again with the Tidewater Quilters. Six hours of Walking Foot Quilting…

What’s next?

Let’s drive north to AQS Quilt Week in Grand Rapids Michigan!

Five classes, a lecture and an All Star Review presentation packed my trunk with bags and quilt rolls. It was a great show, the classes were full, the aisles were crowded. Time whizzed by from collecting breakfast at the hotel Starbucks as the door opened each morning to when I climbed wearily into my bed each evening…

Here are my Introduction to Wool Appliqué students who had a full day class on the Thursday.

This is what one student accomplished in six hours. Nicely done?Twenty four sewing machines hummed on Saturday morning keeping our Viking rep Jill very busy…Still no time to rest!! I needed to drive home straight after class to unpack and add the finishing touches for the next item on my agenda.

But then it rained… not in Naperville. It poured in Dallas. My 7.30 am flight south on Monday was cancelled, and so were all the other flights from Midway to Dallas that day. Deep breath Catherine… I booked on the 5.15 flight on Tuesday… yes, they do take off that early in the morning!

And we did it. We left the house at 3.15 with just a short detour back around the subdivision and home when Steve realized his jacket with his drivers license and all that essential stuff was left behind… Surprise! there is no traffic at that time of morning night, at least until you get near the airport! My flight was on time and I landed in Dallas at 7.30. It was already hot and humid but no rain.

Lucas and his mom Mary Kay met me at the airport and we went directly to the studios where I was booked to be a guest on The Quilt Show!!

Yes, The Quilt Show!!! The one with Alex Anderson and Ricky Timms!! Only Ricky had Covid and was quarantined. 😟

I was supposed to arrive Monday mid-morning and have lots of time to relax and watch what was going on and get a good night’s sleep before returning to the studio to tape on Tuesday morning, watch the afternoon’s show and fly home in the evening. A good plan?

Fortunately Maria Shell, the Tuesday afternoon guest, had flown down from Alaska on Sunday (before the rain) and could tape Tuesday morning… So, I got to watch how it’s done…

before it was my turn after lunch…

Following on from Maria really was rather a descent from the sublime to the ridiculous but we had fun…

I took very few pictures so the next ones were all sent to me by Shelly Heesacker, a producer on the show. She takes great photos!

This is what it looks like in the control room.

Here I am with Alex, getting ready for a segment about hand embroidery,And who knows what I was doing here?Alex modeling my Dorset Button adorned hat and cowl, not designed to be worn at the same time but who’s arguing? Can you tell how much fun we were having?Wednesday’s guests arrived in the midst of everything. Patricia Belyea and Irene Blanck. We posed for a portrait!And just like that we were done! I will let you know when I know when the program airs.

It wasn’t the day I had planned but it was an exceptionally good one. Alex and her husband John took me back to the airport for an on time flight home. I slept late on Wednesday!

And I have been getting used to being at home since. Only, there was a little trip to Chicago with Julia’s family at the weekend.

We stayed on State Street so we didn’t have to rush around.

There was shopping.at American Girl and the Lego store.

Sight seeing from the ladies room at the Signature Room in the John Hancock building.Culture at the Art Institute.And walking along the Chicago River.and lots of good food and giggles along the way.

In between all this I have actually finished a few stitching projects.

New walking foot samples that debuted in Dallas.

A wall hanging called, appropriately enough, There Are No Mistakes.

and a co-ordinating set of six mini-quilts.Sixty Dorset Buttons made with the sixty colors of 3-weight perle cotton from House of Embroidery now available at Sue Spargo online. (or me if you see me around!)And a new Dimensional Embroidery class sample because I needed a new one to send out to guilds who book the class. (It’s in Florida already)

I am home this week, we’ll pop up to see Joanne’s and James’s families next weekend and then there’s the Great Wisconsin Quilt Show next Thursday before I Zoom for Stitches Expo at Home on Saturday and Sunday. Join me to make an EPP mug rug, Shirtlace Buttons and/or a wool appliqué pincushion, all from the comfort of your own chair!

Registration opens at International Quilt Festival (November) in Houston today. It’s also open for STITCHES SoCal (November in Pasadena) and Road to California (January in Ontario, CA). I’d love to see you if you are going to be in any (or all) of those places. Life doesn’t look like it’s going to be slowing down too much too soon. I promise I am going to build in some non-work times next year but so far so good. I am re-discovering how much I love what I do!

As they say on The Quilt Show “It’s a new day, every day!”