Chicago and what we thought!!!!!

Hey to all,

Yes I have been remiss in blogging but I have tons of reasons why. Chicago, Chicago, Chicago was probably the main one. I do have some very exciting news about one of my travel mates, Judie. About a month or two ago, she began a class at the Patch on a Jacket. Susan was her teacher and her's was the brightest by far with Kaffe, Amy Butler, Batiks to name a few of the fabrics. The ultimate topper was the three different colored buttons on the front of the jacket. She, of course, brought it with her and as it always happens Chicago obliged her with COLD weather. (That is another tale.) We proceeded to any early breakfast on Sunday morning at the hotel's restaurant. As luck would have it, we were placed next to Liza Prior Lucy and Kaffe Fassett. We were not your usual groupies as we didn't speak (or stare, or ask for an aurtograph or hug a complete stranger.) But lo and behold before breakfast was over, they spoke to US!!!!!! Okay, to Judie!!!!! (Thus as we now refer to him as Kaffe and Liza.) Her jacket was a hit. They spoke of her wonderful quilting and color choices. They especially liked the three different buttons. Judie is quoted as saying, "Color works, oh ye of little faith." Later that day in downtown Chicago a mannerly gentleman in the elavator admired the color and buttons. He wasn't even a quilter. The jacket has been a hit. Kathy and I are merely the jacket tag-alongs. Judie has promised to hang the jacket at the store....with small donations accepted to touch the fabric that Kaffe touched. Okay, so did Lucy. Here is a picture of Judie wrapped in it on the Architectural Tour of Chicago. (Did I mention in 30 degree weather we were boating around Chicago on the top deck. It was glorious, but a bit chilled.)

Getting back to our attendance at the IQA Show in Rosemont, we had quite a pleasant last day in a Sunday Shuffle with four teachers and hand ons project. But as Kathy stated, we have more UFOs. Here is sample of the work.

                                  

As we reflect on the Quilt Show, we are left with the following thoughts.

1. Always good to go to a Quilt Show for the inspiration it gives you.

2. Beautifully hand-dyed wool was sprinkled through out the show.

3. We all agreed on our favorite of the show being a beautiful path through the woods in a mind boogling array of green. It is called "Blazing his Own Trail" by Ann Crowl Mewer and is pictured here. We felt like this is what we had seen on our way north. The most beautiful shades of green. We kept returning to the place to view it and photog it.

4. New fabric lines from different sources and patterns to thrill our quilting minds.

5. The unusual use of stretcher-barred quilts placed together to make a beautiful wall hanging from our friends to the north.

6. Hyper quilting is still the rage. Look at this beauty.

7. There appeared in our minds to be an equal mix of traditional and art quilts.

8. Frieda Anderson of the Chicago School of Fusing made me want to DYE fabric.

We particiapted in two luncheons with two wonderfully charming presenters in David Taylor and Pam Holland. David is exceptionally talented artist who now uses fabric as his canvas. You might remember the beautiful Chickadee with the Christmnas Light on a fir branch, the Goat with a sunflower in his mouth, the girl at the window and this year's Pig.

His awards are numerous for someone who has been quilting for 9 years. He lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado but was headed to the France after Chicago. His technique is totally done with fabric, blazing his own trail with no assistance in shading or highlighting from paints, pencils, etc. His designs are done using the applique needle turn technique and totally manupulates the fabric while quilting on his domestic machine or HG 16. Not in a frame would describe his quilting and his style. He would be wonderful to have for a seminar. His quilt artwork will be on display this summer in Colorado, at his town in the local Art Museum.

Pam Holland is an Aussie to a Tee. She is exuberant in her love of quilting and quilts. She does quilts of extreme detail and without notice she will leap into whimsy at the drop of a hat for the next quilt. Her current project is a quilt of the Bayreuth Tapestry that is housed in Ireland. She is also while traveling doing a quilt-a-week. As she states a quilt can be any size, big or small. She suggested we live outside our boxes and try new techniques to keep our loving of quilting a continuous growing experience. Her growth will never stop as she will never let it stop. Her prize winning quilt is The American Gothic. Judie was asked to be a quilt assistance and her response was "Then do I get to take it home", the room roared but she helped anyway.

The Sunday Shuffle consisted of an African Food Protector, beaded; Shadow appliquing; a Paper Purse and painting on fabric. We have two begun projects and two not yet opened projects so we are fifty-fifty in UFOs.

The next three days were spent in beautiful, welcoming Chicago at a fabulous hotel thanks to Sam, Judie's daughter. We were in the heart of everything. The city was gorgeous as the cool or should say COLD crisp air made in even prettier. Goosebumps were the size of mangos and Kathy firsts (of many like first time in Kentucky, Illinois, sun-rise, etc.) was she travel the very stylish city of Chicago in two jackets at the same time. Judie, the native Chicagoan, was still in flip-flops but long pants. Joey had to buy socks at Target to make it through the cold as well as two blouses and a leather jacket. As Kathy said, donning her knee highs, now only our thighs are cold.

We all are returning with a new appreciation for a strange neck adornment, SCARF. We almost bought some but got a grip on it. I believe cocktails were needed to bring us to reality...scarfs and Florida do not mix. Unless silk and flimsy. But do you know, there were no gloves to be found for purchase. Afterall this is Spring in Chicago. Our days were spent on tours admiring the fabulous architecture that so many have left us in Chicago, hours in the Art Museum, visits to the original Crate and Barrel (5 stories), etc. We feel both the Boat Architectural Tour and the Mini Bus Tour of the Chicago environs were equally great and we would recommend it to all. We froze on the boat but our fingers were still able to snap approximately 300 pictures among us. There was some discussion of the fact that Joey should pet a Canada Goose but thanks to Margy, I was spare a bitten finger. Just a week before she told me they are nasty birds even though they look so pretty. We have pictures to prove how close they were. Now what do you think we have left out but believe me we didn't leave it out in our visit.....the FOOD OF CHICAGO. WOW! the pizza, the Chicago dogs and Harry Carrey, flourless chocolate cake. We ate well!!!!! Uno you still number one in our books.

We are traveling today to Springfield and Judie's daughter.....then it is PADUCAH here we come!!!!!