It’s been a yearly tradition that my mom and I go to the quilt show. It’s the second largest one in the nation. It’s really amazing. I’m the quilter, but my mom has found that she loves going as well. I went alone the first year, and after seeing what I never knew could be called a quilt, I knew she had to come with me. The next year I talked her into going. It only took a matter of minutes after entering the hall that she was hooked.
Each year is a collection of what my mom calls a “cotton candy convention”. What is that? It’s a room full of older women who have progressed to the point of spraying their hair into a ball of cotton candy on their heads. I have to say that it is a very interesting collection of people. Mostly people of retired age shuffling about in leather shoes that looked like a nurse back in the 70’s would wear. Shirts tucked in to elastic waistband pants that are too long to be capris and too short to be pants. This magical experience for the eye is enhanced by the lovely jackets that look like a quilt. Homemade and worm with pride. The occasional younger person looks out of place.
The room is a buzz with the ooooo’s and awwwwwww’s of the people as they see the amazing quilts. Then the chitter chatter of the people as they shop to their hearts content for wonderful printed materials, little odd’s and ends, and something that makes quilting that much better or faster. The shopping is very good. There is no place that you can find so much. Shops come from all over the USA to sell their goods.
Our normal routine is to look at all the quilts in the show. Then a nice lunch at Marie Calanders, and back to do some shopping. Sometimes it’s a big shopping day and others it’s not so bad.
Every year it’s an inspiring, defeating, and amazing experience. I make a quilt and I think I did a good job. Then I see what people can really do with a quilt. Hummmm Mine don’t look so swell. Then as you get over it, you want to make things like they did. Then you shop and plan your attack. Next you try and you quickly come to the conclusions that you have no idea how they made a quilt like you want to now make. Then you’re amazed that anyone could make material and thread into a masterpiece.
It’s the circle of quilting life. You will see what I mean as you look at the quilts from this years show. Enjoy
