Quiltcon was last weekend in Raleigh, NC. Being only 3 hours away, of course I had to go! It was my first visit, and won't be my last - with a caveat.

Quiltcon is allllll about modern quilts. It really doesn't stray far from that. I knew that going in, but it really made me realize that modern is not especially my style. I did not come out of the show with as much inspiration bubbling out of me as I was expecting. and I think that is the root cause of not feeling as excited about the experience. 

But ... what did I love at Quiltcon?

The energy!
The vendors!
The quilts that I loved, I really loved!

If I had someone to go with, I think an overnight stay in Raleigh would've been a lot of fun. It would've been amazing to spend some more time at the various vendors, and more time fangirl-ing at some quilting legends. I also wish Quiltcon hung more quilts. Each year I watch the hashtag #quiltconreject  There are SO many great quilts that would qualify for that show, but do not get accepted.. 

I don't think I would fly to Quiltcon though, but I will definitely attend a close one again. Who knows, maybe someday I might make something modern enough to qualify ;)

See my instagram for 10 quilts that caught my eye - certainly not the only great ones, but these were gorgeous. Next quilt show is this upcoming weekend in nearby Hampton, VA. I am looking forward to more inspiration! 

Hoarder. Collector. Curator. Enthusiast. 

I love it all. 

In the beginning of Redwood Stash, I focused a lot on dog fabrics. So many great panels and yardage! As my tastes and goals slowly wander in new directions, it's time for these bolts of dogs (and some others) to find their forever homes. Which ones do you love?

Moving. I hadn't moved in 16 years until this fall. Add in a husband, 3 kids, and 3 dogs (thankfully no horses this round), and going cross country? I had big dreams of returning to quilting much quicker than I have. The biggest holdup has been construction on the new studio. I get to build it from the blank room up! Which is exhilarating, and nerve racking. I got carpet 2 days ago, and I get good lighting tomorrow. Then I will probably just start sewing until I am forced to make a decision on all of the shelving and furniture. Until then, my folding table and kitchen table from a buy nothing group will suit me just fine! 

I went down a rabbit hole this past week. It started when my phone ran out of all storage space. And my photos took up over 50% of it. I downloaded essentially all of 2022, got them sorted, catalogued, and backed up. One day I went to pull up a quilt, and it had been carefully archived away. So my rabbit hole told me to get 1 photo of every.single.project I have ever made. Oye. I quickly pared that down to not include the tiny things - pot holders and table runners, key FOB's, etc. But still, there were so many. I knew I had a bunch back there. Honestly the ones before 2018 are for the most part, ones I don't mind forgetting. They are my beginner quilts. I was a beginner at piecing, at picking out fabrics, at long arming. And while I feel a bit cringey looking at them now, it's putting them up next to the quilts I have created recently that allow me to see the incredible growth I have experienced. Oh I still get some failures on color choices and execution, but it makes those older quilts hold a special place in my heart now. A feeling of gratitude and awe of how this hobby has turned me into an artist. (Now to just up my game on quilt photography .... ;) )

I made a lot of log cabins after that first Christmas. I felt confident in what I was doing, which allowed me to get better each time. My mom kept {kindly} harassing me to try something else, maybe something with a triangle, but I was firmly in the camp of doing something enough times to get really good at it. I think this green and gold was the last one I tied, and I am pretty sure I took it apart a few years back and put it on the longarm! It was gifted though, and I can't remember who got it. 

Now that I was getting good, it seemed like a great time to start that WIP (works in progress) pile. This hung out there for at least 10 years. I wanted a quilt for my bed, made by me, and this was to be it. The dark green blackberry fabric and the red centers made me think of home (Oregon), as I was living in Colorado at the time. I finally finished it after Addison was born, and quilted it on my mom's Gammill longarm. It was large, king-sized, and my husband wasn't keen on it, so it was gifted to my brother who also noticed the blackberries, and who hadn't received a gifted quilt yet <3