maine quilts 2008 - day 5

let me just say... thank goodness we packed some of the stuff in the car the night before... because not only was I not a big fan of "wake up time", there was a lot more to pack than I thought! :) mom and I are not light travelers. :) anyway, we made it out the door in just enough time for me to grab a continental breakfast banana nut muffin and a vanilla cappuccino (which was awesome btw and I'm so irked that I didn't discover it until check-out day!). we weren't as early to our class this time around so we ended up off in east gish, but it was ok since pat really just gave a demo and let us have at our stuff for the rest of the class (with minimal interruption for demos, some of which we'd seen on friday). I was working on the "dutchman's puzzle" block so all I had to do was flying geese... up the yazoo! I completed one quarter block (two geese) and then just chain pieced twelve blocks worth of flying geese (or about 96). to complete the size quilt I want I need to make twenty blocks worth... so I've a lot more to go. however, it's SO easy to do. it's a fun process and I am very much liking the whole "nickel quilts" phenomenon. for anyone who hasn't gotten the book, or who hasn't heard of them, or hasn't tried them... it's so worth it. 5" squares are easy... you get twelve from a fat quarter or however many from charm packs. really... there's NO excuse not to. :) (and I totally didn't get paid to say that!)

during lunch, I finished up taking some photos as well as pick up a few last minute things at the vendors (sorry no pics). I got the silver hardware set for the backpack/tote pattern I got at alewives. from country creations of farmington, I picked up a new book from terry atkinson, "let's do lunch" which has lunch totes, table runners, and a few other things. very cute... I loved the runners. I also got a cute embroidery pattern for the house. it says, "we'll fill this house with love" or something equally aww-inducing. lastly, from the quilted cardinal, I got a wool wallhanging kit. actually, it's not a quilted cardinal pattern... it's her sister's shop's pattern and she was selling them for her at the show. it's not something she'll carry though. anyway, I'm a little worried... it looks as though some of the scraps I got for the smaller pieces are j u s t b a r e l y going to fit. we'll see. I've traced the pieces onto my liteweight fuseable... time will tell. at least I know who to talk to if I don't have enough. :)

lastly, after the class was over I was assisting with the take-down of the quilts plus pick-up post-show. it was a little bit hectic at first, but we got a maybe-kinda-sorta rhythm down... and ultimately it took *maybe* 30-45 minutes to distribute them all. two days for set-up... and two hours to take it all back down. go figure! :) it was all pretty awesome though and I'm so glad that I am a part of the show... even if it is ridiculous exhausting every year. :) can't wait until maine quilts 2009!

madre and I drove home and got some of our stuff out... I laid on the bed for a moment at 10:30p... and woke up again at 10:30a on monday! my body was just gone. obviously I needed the sleep. :)

well, now I am back to the normalcy of humdrum CT life... I'm hoping to bring some quilting stuff back tonight/this weekend and buy a dehumidifier for the basement so I can work a little bit. at least setting some stuff up... maybe break out the machine. no promises though! :)