The people are the reason I enjoyed volunteering at QuiltCon so much. The individual quilters and the community supporting the Modern Quilt Guild is what makes QuiltCon truly special. While I was volunteering, it was easy to be around some seriously awesome and talented people. For instance, I spent some nice time with Kathy Mack, and instead of feeling celebrity overwhelm, having a task to focus on kept the conversation flowing.
Another moment that I am going to treasure is getting to have a calm conversation with Rashida Coleman-Hale. The Cotton + Steel booth had sewing machines (yes!) and a small area with pillows to sit on and coloring book pages (not an affiliate link) to color. After my legs were well and truly worn out on Saturday, the booth, especially those pillows, looked like heaven on earth. And I think Rashida had just decided the same thing. I sat and colored quietly and she collected her thoughts for a while. And when I calmly introduced myself, I had a lovely conversation with her. Having the space in their booth to recharge with some thoroughly creative things (sewing and coloring) really was rejuvenating.
I also had the absolute pleasure of sharing the experience with my mother (@lorna.jones on Instagram) and my cousin / fabulous girlfriend Renee @Quilts of a Feather. The three of us shared a BnB room together, and it was grounding to know that I could look for and find them any time I needed a friendly face. Another introverted pal during the event was Anne @Play Crafts. Having someone who understands that you just want to walk the show together, side by side, without saying a word is priceless. I wish I lived nearer these extraordinary women, and many others. As I told my friend Judy @Quilt Paradigm in an email earlier this week, I *wish* there was some magical quilting community where I could just pop down the street for a tea and a hug on a regular basis. I am a huge advocate for the online community, precisely because it does offer community that I would not otherwise have, and because of the hugs I have the pleasure to give and receive when I meet you in real life at events like QuiltCon. I might be an introvert, but I’m a hugger, so fair warning. 🙂 <3
We Won Aurifil
While I did not do many “selfie” photos, or even get a group photo of my mom, Renee, and I, I did get the picture above after we visited the Aurifil booth. Aurifil had a dice game (I think they called it Aurigoose), and we were all lucky enough to win a spool of 28wt thread! My mom chose brown, Renee lilac, and I picked up the green.
One of the most awesome parts of QuiltCon is that I met another modern quilter from my tiny mountain town. When I submitted a short “press release” to my tiny local (weekly) newspaper about having my quilts accepted to the show, the editor of my newspaper wrote back and said that she would run the article the week of QuiltCon. She also mentioned that another local woman had a quilt in the show. What, what?!!!?
Tilting Toward Improv (citron) by Cindy Kaiser
Her name is Cindy Kaiser, and I kept trying to find her online (but did not). At the show, I found her quilt and wondered how long I would need to stand beside it to meet her. Fortunately, she found me on Saturday afternoon. I was sad to learn that she will be moving to South Carolina in 3 months, but I have to admit that meeting a local modern quilter was a huge rush. I think it might be time for me to look into teaching some modern classes and cultivating more of this kind of awesome. Oh, by the way, this was her first attempt at improv piecing, and was part of the triangle quilt challenge. Bravo and beautiful quilt, Cindy! <3
I currently do not know if it will make sense for me to attend QuiltCon in Savannah. I really would love to go and volunteer again, but I need to look into the financial aspect of the trip. I am wondering if I can convince my husband to come with me and to make it into a vacation for us as well. When my husband and I first started dating, I was in school in Knoxville, TN, and he was working as a co-op student in Cape Canveral, FL. It turns out that Savannah, GA, was a great meeting spot for us on the weekends. It might be nice to go back and visit now.
QuiltCon Swag Giveaway
You can earn up to 4 entries to this giveaway by using the Rafflecopter widget to enter (click on image below to go to the Rafflecopter entry page)!
The giveaway is open for shipping within the US and will run from February 22nd through February 28th at 11:59 pm EST and is open to entrants 18 years or older. The winners will be announced Monday, February 29th! The giveaway is closed. Congratulations to Laura and Jessica.
Great you had such a fun time and met Cindy! Sad she is moving as I found out some of my new friends did too but found new ones pretty quick as I am a friendly person and talk a leg of a chair, hahaha! Quilting is not the only hobby I have so I made a few really good friends and meet frequently for coffee and a cake and a laugh! xxx
Love Cindy’s quilt!!! And the next time I go out to visit my family, you’re on the hook for a hug!
Thank you for sharing your experience with volunteering, I am hoping to volunteer this next year in Savannah. I hope you decide to come so I can hang out with you 🙂
Aww, I love that thread pic! That is so cool about Cindy. Coincidentally, I JUST found TWO modern sewists in my area (this hasn’t happened at all in the last 6 years). Granted, I have my lovely guild too, but now I have friends in my backyard. Maybe there are more, Yvonne! Can you post a link to the article?
I always enjoy your thoughts on things, and this recap is no exception! It sounds like you got a lot of bang for your buck! And the icing on the cake to me is that you got to share the time with your Mom and Renee! Thanks for sharing!!
Your take on QuiltCon is a favorite of mine. You are thoughtful, serious, and have such a way with words. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Yvonne. If you come through Nashville (if you go QuiltCon again) look me up!!
Good Morning Yvonne! It was another fun post read and discover. How fabulous to have someone right in the same town, yet bummer she is going to be moving. I do hope that you both can connect for the short time remaining and continue to grow from a distance. I met a dear friend at a Project Linus meeting only a few months ago and we now get together almost daily; it is such a blessing. I will make sure and send a hug every now and then now that I know you are a hugging sort of person like myself…LOL… they always make me feel better giving and receiving! Thank you for sharing these special moments and have a fantastic creative day!
I agree it was nice to be able to find you (and often your mom) in the sea of unknown faces and be able to just be with someone without the expectation of conversation. It was also really nice knowing that we’d have a quiet dinner and get back to the BnB before too late. Getting to sleep at a decent hour drastically improves my mood and energy levels the next day! Thank you so much for chauffeuring us! My fingers are crossed you go to quiltcon next year, it just won’t be the same without you!
Love the citron quilt!!! How neat to meet another quilter in your area (and so sad to have her moving)! I have sincerely enjoyed seeing and hearing about Quiltcon through your eyes and lips/(fingers on the keyboard)–thank you!!!
I’ve been trying to convince my husband to come along with me next year as neither of us has been Savannah and I at least have always wanted to go. There are folks in the Toronto Guild who would like a big group to go next year so that’s another possibility for me. How wonderful to meet the other woman from your town…too bad she is moving but teaching the classes sounds like a good plan Yvonne.
People are definitely the best part of QuiltCon even for us introverts. You are the third person I’ve heard comment about taking their husbands to Savannah and making it a vacation. I’m thinking the same thing as well. Maybe we’ll get to meet.
Sounds awesome and a little bitter-sweet meeting someone living so close to you. I hope you are able to teach.
Thanks so much for all of your thoughtful recaps! It’s so helpful to hear your detailed accounts of the event, see your photos and get your volunteer perspective, since I can’t travel to be there! Congratulations again on your quilts in the show!
The Aurigoose game looked like such fun. I love board games.
How lovely to meet Cindy. What a shame she is moving away so soon!
My daughter and I are planning for our first QC for Savannah! She loves the area and I’ve never been. I may just volunteer!
I enjoyed all the wonderful pictures that you and others posted! I hope to travel to Savannah next year! I made a mistake in my entry, there should be only ONE additional ✔ ! I did not attend Quiltcon!
That is so great that you met another quilter in your area, even if you can only connect for a few months. Having familiar faces and places/ways to get away from the chaos was invaluable, I’m sure.
What a brilliant opportunity to just hand out and absorb as well as the excitement that goes with a show like this!
Your description of the volunteering sounded just as I’d imagined it! How lovely that you got to meet a local quilter, even if sadly she’s on the move soon, maybe there are more? And I definitely think you should pursue the teaching.