Thursday, May 18, 2017

Busy, Busy!

A lot can happen in two weeks! Due to a three day software seminar, I wasn’t able to post to this blog last week. Seems like the time just flew by, but looking back, I surprised myself with the things I managed to accomplish in just two short weeks.

For starters . . . It’s done! Finished! Yay! I finished the hand quilting on the quilt I’ve been talking about forever. This one is from a pattern called Square Dance by Mountain Patchwork. I started it about a million years ago, and I took it with me on several road trips to work on in the hotel. It was all done by hand except for the final assembly. Finished the quilting, added the binding . . .



 . . . and it even has a label. Sad to say it doesn’t have a home yet. But it will . . .




I made a bunch of little 9-patch pins for BEA (the Book Expo America - a booksellers trade show at the Javitz Center in NYC). I won't be able to attend, but my publisher, The Taunton Press will be there and so will these pins. A little incentive for the industry book buyers never hurts, right?



I’ve been working on a couple of row quilt patterns for this year’s Row by Row Experience®. I’ve only worked with three shops this year - Buttons 'N' Bows in Houston, Quiltique, in Las Vegas, and Calico Gals (the home of Row by Row) here in Syracuse. I typically leave the sample-making to the shop, but it’s kinda tradition for me to make the sample for the Calico Gals row. Without giving too much away, here’s a sneaky peek of Calico Gals’ row - quilting in progress. It’s all done now and it’s off to St. Louis for it’s Quilt Market reveal with that ‘Gals.’



I’ve got a couple of vending events at the Genesee Valley Quilt Fest in Rochester, June 1-4, and the Vermont Quilt Festival in Essex Junction, Vermont, June 22-25. I never like the cardboard signs we’re supposed to use for the booth display, with the booth number on it. Instead, for the last several years, I’ve made booth numbers, (kinda like Mini Mug Mats, but with bigger parts) out of nine-patch blocks. I was missing a few numbers for my upcoming booth, and decided to complete my set. FYI, I'm booth 506 at the Genesee Valley Show, and booth 43 (Just inside the lobby entrance in the north buildling) at Vermont Quilt Festival (come see me!).



And you can’t vend at these shows without having fun stuff to sell. I’ve been preparing fabric and all kinds of goodies for some wildly fun kits to go with The Versatile Nine Patch book! You’ll have to come on out and pick up a few things . . .



And the quilt show certainly wouldn’t be any fun without an appearance from the colorful and ever-popular Grip Grass Ruler Stands! These are all packed up and ready to roll. . . But the box looks pretty full, I think I'll need a few more boxes!



And a little something new is on the sewing table. I spy  . . . hummingbird fabric in a fabulous new project . . . coming soon to a Good Migrations Newsletter issue (doncha love a good tease!)




Looking back on the last two weeks, I feel pretty productive. However, I have to say, that it didn't *feel* like I was being very productive when I was in the middle it all. I guess, sometimes it helps to take a step back and assess your progress sometimes. You might surprise yourself!


Happy Stitching!


Joan Ford


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