May is over, we are half way through June, to quote the song we used to sing at elementary school, “Summer is a comin’ in”. I think the next line mentioned cuckoos, but we don’t seem to hear those in Naperville!
Last time I wrote I was just about ready to head up to Elkhorn, Wisconsin to meet with the Lutherdale Quilters at their annual appreciation luncheon. It was a scenic journey across country but Apple Maps got me there. I was able to spend the night in the comfortable accommodation on site and was all ready for the crowd that assembled.
There really was a crowd! Looking to my left,
and then to my right…
Everyone had enjoyed a tasty lunch and they were a super audience for my Lessons Learned While Quilting lecture. Lutherdale Camp and Conference Center was founded in 1944 and provides activities for all ages throughout the year. They hold a quilt auction in August every year to raise funds and the luncheon is a thank you to everyone who participates in that.
I took a different, even more scenic route, home. Some places are just not on the beaten track…
And then it was time to get ready for the Fabric and Fiber Show at Rosemont, closely followed by the H&H Trade Show.
This was the first year for the Fabric and Fiber Show. It is a retail show with crafters coming in from all over the Midwest, not really a quilt show, there was a huge vendors mall with representation from all the crafts… including knitting, crochet, needlework, garment sewing and of course quilting. I did not manage to take pictures on the show floor but I was demoing in the BERNINA of Naperville booth and I had signed up to teach a few classes.
Here are some happy Shirtlace button makers.
And here are some Dorset button makers hard at work.
The Dorset Button class was a one hour taster class and was rather hectic but I think everyone went home well on the way to a finished button, after all buttoneers could raise a family on their income… it was skilled labor!
I had a couple of days at home and then I went back to Rosemont for H&H, now in its fourth year and swiftly becoming the go-to trade show for the craft industry.
I caught up with industry friends, placed a few orders and signed books!
Thanks to Carol Wilhoit for catching me in action in the Moda booth signing copies of Modern Machine Quilting.
Ever onwards. I returned home to zoom with the Minnesota Quilters. They had requested Lessons Learned While Quilting and I was able to catch a few smiles and giggles over the internet as I delivered my presentation!
Zoom is great but we all know Catherine loves to travel.
A trip to Carlsbad, California was up next on the agenda to visit with the El Camino Quilters. I arrived in San Diego as the sun was going down and headed over to the rental car building… I have to say I was a little apprehensive but my small SUV got me and my bags to my hotel in Carlsbad in fine fashion, and I was ready to meet with the quilters the next morning.
There were a few technical difficulties, but we overcame them all, and here are the quilters all set to take a Trip Around the World in Folk Art Stitches!
It was a morning meeting … my afternoon was at leisure so I headed to the coast and a pleasant sit on the cliff tops watching the waves.
The weather was a little “May grey” but the sun made a brief appearance during the afternoon.
Next day I headed to San Marcos and Quilt in a Day where the guild holds its workshops. We had a full house for Walking Foot Quilting – Beyond the Basics. I think a couple of people had had to leave before we took the class picture.
I stayed closer to home the next week with a visit to the Northwest Suburban Quilt Guild in Schaumburg. As I drove there it all felt very familiar, as well it might… it was my fifth visit. While I was waiting for my turn on stage I looked bag through my blog posts, oops I had given my Lessons Learned lecture back in 2016! Never mind, we laughed and giggled our way through and people declared themselves happy… (I do update it at least once a year but the stories don’t change a whole lot.)
There were some familiar faces in the crowd.
Another full class attended the Walking Foot Quilting workshop the next day held, very conveniently, at the Hilton Garden Inn where I had spent the night.
I had a lovely fifth visit with the Northwest Suburban Quilters Guild. I hope the sixth visit will happen before too long? I do have a completely new lecture to add to the line up when I next get a few minutes to work on my website!!
Still in May!
Sheila flew in from the west and we set off to Ohio together on Memorial Day. It was time for a third trip to Sue Spargo’s store in Green, Ohio. We were looking forward to checking out her new shop while we were there for four days of machine quilting classes.
We made a stop on the way to visit Olive Grace Studios, the home of Kori Turner-Goodhart in Cortland, Ohio.
I see Kori and her mom at least once a year at shows, they were at H&H this year, and it was time to visit her lovely store.
We both made purchases, we didn’t even try to resist! Kori is a little bit off the highway, but so worth the detour.
On to Green. Sue and Amy were off on their travels to Italy but Abby and everyone else made us very welcome. I unpacked and set myself up ready to begin teaching on Wednesday morning. Two days of walking foot quilting and two days of free motion. Some people came for one class, some for everything. We had students from as far away as Washington State, New Orleans and West Virginia. Everyone worked very hard and I think a few new friends were made during our time together.
A couple of pictures in the new spacious class room,
