Another Quilt Camp Weekend

If you've been reading this blog, quilt camp is nothing new to you.  If you haven't, well, it's simply a two or three day weekend spent in a quilt store (ensuring lots of great fabrics, interesting patterns, imagination-tweaking samples, and knowledgeable staff) sewing.  This was a two day weekend at Joyful Quilter.  It was a shortened version of the usual three day extravaganza due to the up-coming Shop Hop which requires massive amounts of preparation.  The owner and staff can stretch themselves only so far!

Some of the best things about quilt camp for me are the opportunity to spend time with friends (some of whom one sees only rarely), a chance to make new friends with like-minded people, the inspiration one gets from seeing the work others are doing, and the possibility of learning from and/or passing on tips to other quilters.  If you look at the following photographs, you will certainly see inspirational work.  Any wavy blocks are the result of either the angle at which I had to stand to take the photo or the haste in which quilters put their work up on the design walls - not their piecing and any other co-missions or omissions are mine!

Anita is a new acquaintance who did some pieces with bold and beautiful colors.  Her chosen works are contemporary in feel and as you can see quite striking.  If I remember correctly, this is the second quilt top on which she worked over this weekend.  It is from a Quilty magazine (January -February 2013 issue) and is called "Rainbow Striped".

Ingrit is working on a local designer's pattern that is also quite modern looking, "Confetti Cake".  I like the white sashing with the red "confetti" that divides the "cake" layers.  You can't see the two blocks that Ingrit made for one of our local guilds.  The block depicts a cat (color the maker's choice) on a white background with a pink border.  We laughed when we realized that she and I both made cat blocks this weekend, and we both chose black/gray fabrics for our cats!

Now this next project was done by Maria and made me feel both envious and slightly guilty.  Envious because of the lovely work and guilty because this is one of those Blocks of the Month (BOM) to which I also subscribe but of which I have completed none.  This one is called Words to Live By and Maria is doing a lovely job.  She and I also had a brief conversation about how we are all artists though in different ways and all have something special to contribute that is our own gift.

Sandy is a good friend who has made many enviable quilts over the course of our friendship.  This one is definitely a departure from her usual, and I loved seeing it. The pattern is Atkinson's "Tile Tango", one I haven't seen.  She made sure to show me this one because she knows I love bling and sparkle in all forms.  While you can't see it here, this fabric looks as though it were sprinkled with fairy dust.  Some little girl is going to be very happy!

Doesn't this next one remind you of French textiles or table ware?  This pattern came from the Layer Cake and Jelly Roll book that's been around for a while - an almost-oldie but definitely goodie.  You'd recognize the cover if you saw it.  This piece was made by another Sandy, and it is large and simply lovely.  I don't know for whom she made it, but that someone is in for a special surprise.

And here is where I have to apologize profusely to a good friend from both the teaching and the quilting realms.  Deb, I couldn't believe it, and I had to look through my camera files twice, but I don't have any photos of the astonishing Urban 9-Patch you were working on.  Basically, it is a modern version of a double wedding ring quilt that Debby is making in purple/lavender background and 9-patches with a very striking black and white fabric for the "wedding rings".  I was so taken with this pattern that I went immediately to sign up for the next class on this technique/pattern (July 17th, 2014, a Thursday).  That's probably why I missed the fact that I hadn't taken a picture!

Tomorrow I will share the work of the quilters in the other room, and I assure you that the treats will just keep coming.  These are some very talented ladies!