quilt sewing expo in raleigh

Yesterday, I went with two friends to the quilt and sewing expo in raleigh.

I had picked friday, because I heard and read that one of the editors of mcCall’s but the Editor in Chief would be there and do a trunk show.

So I joined two friends and we drove to Raleigh.

we got there a little later than I expected, but not too late for the trunk show, so we first looked at quilts and then I figured I’d look for the stage.

this was a quilt at a booth near the front, each block is women in the bible! how cool is that.

And the verse I am the Vine you are the branches. John 15:5

some of these other quilts had some AMAZING quilting detail on them, I need to step up my game!

This was just a FUN quilt with carousel horses.

and again I looked at the dense quilting, gorgeous feathers in the border with two colors of thread.

a pretty fairy? quilt, her shawl was kind of loose hanging, pretty neat.

Kaffe- houses- I think I’ve seen this quilt before.

but haven’t seen the quilted trees like this, how clever!

Then I turned around and behind me were two ladies who I recognized right away

BETH HAYES and SHERRI BAIN DRIVER from McCall’s!!

they were such sweet ladies and quickly knew who I was once I mentioned my two quilts, we talked a little and my friend took a picture of us!

How cool to meet someone “famous” like that 🙂

While they went to the stage I snapped some more pics of the quilts hanging

this one was striking, I really want to do a more advanced curved quilt- ONE day.

I love bright colors and this had lovely tiny quilting on it too

then a 30s flower quilt, I like this type of setting too for the blocks, maybe I can use the merge tool in EQ for that? never thought about that? hmm

These were quilts that had been published in quiltmaker magazine, I didn’t recognize this cat quilt though, my friend thought they were pigs! especially the pink one and their big noses. I do think they had whiskers but you couldn’t see them from a distance

I DO remember seing this one, it’s cute.

Don’t remember seeing this one, it was really pretty too.

Now Sherri Bain Driver started the trunk show with Beth Hayes helping hold up the quilts.

While we ate lunch, we watched the presentation.

Sherri was funny, how she talked about how she started quilting, because she thought it was a “thrifty” hobby.. LOL

She showed lots of quilts, I only took pics of a few and my camera didn’t do a very good job…

Sherri likes browns and muted tones- I like brights, so I tended to take more pictures of the bright ones she made 🙂

Another part she mentioned was how she sewed strips together into a good size chunk like a FQ then put it in the drawer- she mentioned this drawer a lot, must be a HUGE drawer…. LOL

I do remember seeing this one in their magazine, raw edge appliqued squares on top of a simple pieced top and the applique was stitched down as part of the quilting. I want to try that one day too!

though I really don’t like raw edge applique, but I DO want to try it.

a fun bright nine patch quilt, I think she said it was from a swap

also nine patches from a swap where she set them in a star block, clever! that can be done with the merge tool in EQ7 too. and I like the triangle parts that flow into the border.

Now I can’t remember the name of this type of fabric, some exotic name, she said it’s sort of like fabrics from south america, anyways, cool results!

this one was the final one, just gorgeous!

she described how she designed it, very intrecate and time consuming, but just LOVELY!

GREAT show!

next to the stage hung this lovely sun burst quilt, I couldn’t help looking at it.

This was a fun and funky quilt too nearby!

This one was painted- it looked like, very cute

One of the vendors had this hanging on the side wall! WOW

her whole booth was covered with these, she designed them all- in EQ!! wow…

just lovely! I snapped a picture, and then after the fact asked her- if she’d mind if I did that, I’ve run into SOME vendors that don’t want pictures taken of their quilts- I guess so you can’t go home and duplicate the pattern, I told her that, and she said Go ahead! and I laughed that even if I wanted to, there’s no way I could copy that. LOL

Oh and I got to hear her labor story too, funny, how when you are huge and pregnant people will just start telling you their labor stories 🙂 I don’t mind, I think it’s interesting. LOL

so I DID come home with some goodies.

First- one booth had Go! dies for 40% off- I know this store, so I bought the apple core die for $24!

Then this KUMIHIMO braid kit for my daughter, once I showed her how to do by reading the booklet, she whipped up the keyring in an hour, and this morning made a different one!

I also bought this 3D cube, it’s a kit with fabric and foam cubes.

You know those cubes when they keep folding in and out and you see different pictures etc. this one is like that soft a squishy! never seen that before- so I actually bought that for the BABY!

here’s the braided string.

Now I need to go buy more yarn… I used to have TONS of yarn when I crocheted but when quilting took over I gave away tons of yarn to friends…

 Today I will work more on my customer’s quilt and more on pin cushions for this swap!