Monday Musings: Quilt Shows – Where Friends Gather

Advertising The Quilt Rambler booth at a Quilt Show
Little Lion Judah has a new friend

We just returned from the Golden Triangle Quilt Guild Quilt Show and Market in Beaumont – what a fun weekend! I love quilt shows, they are like family reunions! I get to see and visit with friends who don’t “live in my neck of the woods” and I love it when I am able to meet new friends! Yep, quilt shows are where friends gather!

The Quilt Rambler Booth

This isn’t my first rodeo. Trade shows, special events and vending at quilt shows must be embedded in my DNA – we have done everything from little craft shows while living in the foothills of the Tennesse Smokey Mountains, to vending Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream at national events, and we’ve even sold longarm quilting machines at quilt shows – but Beaumont was our entrance into promoting Studio 180 Design products as a Certified Instructor and celebrating the release of our first (of many more to come) patterns published under The Quilt Rambler name. Yep, exciting times to be in the quilt world!

I have always loved being “behind the scenes” and seeing how something comes together – whether it was being the field trip momma and taking my boys to the local grain mill to learn how they turned wheat into flour or seeing how a major event like a NASCAR race is set up before the public arrives…well, I just find it thrilling. We arrived in Beaumont Thursday afternoon and began the task of turning this “black and white” 10′ x 20′ designated space into something colorful and we hoped inviting!

Quilt Show Set up
Time to turn this little piece of real estate into a place to call our own for the next couple of days

 

Advertising The Quilt Rambler booth at a Quilt Show
This way to Studio 180 Design products with The Quilt Rambler

I found this great “chalkboard” sign at Hobby Lobby and made the mistake of waiting until I got to the show to TRY to remove the sticker….when life gives you goofy sticky stuff on your chalkboard decorate it with your signature “feather puff” quilt design as if it was just supposed to be there!

Studio 180 Design quilts on display at the Beaumont Quilt Show
Quilts on display! Sugar & Spice, North Star, and Love Links pieced and quilted by The Quilt Rambler

It was a wonderful surprise when I learned that our booth would be an “end cap” so I planned ahead and brought extra quilts to hang to help create the anticipation of what was just around the bend.

The Quilt Rambler and Studio 180 Design products at the Beaumont Quilt Show 2018
Welcome to The Quilt Rambler booth at the Golden Triangle Quilt Guild Quilt Show 2018

I think we succeeded in being a colorful booth! Especially with my lime green flooring. Eventually, the orange strip table covering will be replaced with quilts – I have so many planned for when my studio is ready to be occupied again!  Quilts in the above photo with patterns available from The Quilt Rambler: Refraction – located on the left-hand front table made with Island Batik “Christmas colors”; two blue Hunter’s Star quilts on the back wall are an original design called Double Occupancy taught on the 2016 Cactus Quilt’s Quilting Cruise, made with Island Batik fabrics, corner “orange” quilt is a circle of nine setting made using the Lemoyne Star Technique Sheets from Studio 180 Design, small wallhanging on the right wall is the original Illuminated Journey taught on the 2015 Cactus Quilt’s Quilting Cruise, and next to it is Stormy Stars, my most recent pieced top. We are offering fabric kits for Stormy Stars as well as fabric by the yard for the backing. My “online store” isn’t up and running yet, but if you are interested in this kit or the Illuminated Journey kit you can contact me and we will work out the details!

Crown Jewels, pattern by Studio 180 design, pieced and quilted by The Quilt Rambler
Here’s another view that shows the quilt Crown Jewels on the back table, the mini Lemoyne Stars on the front table is an original design by The Quilt Rambler made as part of the Island Batik Ambassador February Mini Love challenge 2018

 

Viewpoint if entering from the other side of the booth, large quilt on the left is Spring Fling from the book Hidden Treasures, next Fanfare, then Wish Upon and draping on the display rack is a purple version of Pop Stars

 

colorful quilts - patterns by Studio 180 Design
I enjoyed adding the little color pops with my chalkboard signs. Fanfare was pieced by my friend Donna and Wish Upon was pieced by my friend Pat – I truly get by with a little help from my friends!

It took a while to set up the booth as this was our “first time” with this product line but an hour before the “closing bell” we were ready for the quilt show to begin the following morning!

Little Lion Judah is roaring to go!

 

Where Friends Gather

Little Lion Judah is bright eyed and bushy tailed ready to go to a quit show!

My favorite number is 723 and I have this little hangup about feeling “special” when I see the numbers – the good news is it rolls around twice a day 7:23 AM and 7:23 PM but I’m not always standing on watch to see the event transpose (pun intended). Our son Jake, who was on this adventure with us, has a likening to Friday the 13th, which doesn’t roll around quite as often…story there is because my grandfather was born on Friday the 13th in 1913, he had 13 letters in his name and as baby number eleven he was the thirteenth member of his family…so…. I thought it was rather fun that at 7:23 AM on Friday the 13th we were rolling down the road to prepare for the opening of the quilt show!

It goes without saying how much I love socializing AND sharing my love of Deb Tucker’s tools and techniques. The booth was busy both days, so much so that I really didn’t have the opportunity to “shop” the other vendors and only was able to see half the quilts prior to the opening of the 2nd day…

I am always thrilled when I see people I know at quilt shows – sometimes friends from other areas that I only see at quilt shows, and sometimes I see folks from my home area that travel to the same shows I do. Equally thrilling is getting to meet people whom I “know” from social media. My only regret is I didn’t take time to take photos of several of my friends who stopped by to say howdy. But here’s just a few!

Making new friends with quilters who are being introduced to the Deb Tucker method of quilting!

 

Hey Tay! I’ve seen you more in the past few weeks than a month of Sundays! We need to keep this going!

 

Quilt Shows Where Friends Gather
Look who stopped by! My friend Pat who made Wish Upon and loaned it to me for the booth! Yep – that’s HER quilt! PS Thanks for sharing your “healthy” dehydrated green stuff – I really needed and appreciated the nourishment!

 

Where Friends Gather
“Instagram friend” Sandy stops by to introduce herself and say hi AND to try out a Tucker Trimmer!

 

Quilt Shows, Where Friends Gather
My friend Darsie, who I don’t get to see often enough, stopped by the booth while visiting the quilt show

 

Quilt Show Ribbon Winner
My friend Barbara, a fellow longarm quilter, and her beautiful award-winning quilt!

 

Quilt show ribbon winner Dot Collins
I missed getting a photo of my friend Dot, but I managed to capture a photo of her award-winning quilt – and I missed having a photo with our mutual friend Nikki who has moved out of state. Sigh..love you!

Quilt shows are about making new friends, and we love love love our “neighbors across the aisle” Doris and Gregg with X-Block. I was thrilled to learn that Doris will be one of my students on next year’s quilting cruise! It’s a small world after all!

 

Quilt Show where friends gather
New friends Doris and Gregg – hope we are neighbors again soon at another quilt show!

All Good Things Must Come To An End

Bed turnings were a fun way to “show and tell” sharing quilts at the Golden Triangle Quilt Show
Last booth standing! Time to pack it up and head home. Thanks for a great show Beaumont!

All too soon the quilt show was over! Goodness, we just got started! So many folks came by to add to their Deb Tucker toolbox, many learned of the Studio 180 Design tools and techniques for the first time and were eager to go home and try their new purchases! Can’t wait to see Rose’s Hunter Star quilt from her Royal Treasures book purchase and the beautiful Island Batik fabric line Blue Moon. Thank you to each and every customer who purchased a Quilter’s Magic Wand, Island Batik precuts, patterns from Studio 180 Design and our pattern Illuminated Journey and any of the multiple tools from Studio 180 Design. Indeed  it was thrilling to help the customer who said: “I’ve watched ALL of Deb’s YouTubes and I’m here to buy tools!”  Please do remember to send me photos of your creations!

Oh, I almost forgot! Johnny & I celebrated our 38th Anniversary on “set up” day of the show – I love it that he found a gift for me at the quilt show! Don’t you think this will be wonderful to hang in the newly reconstructed studio when it is complete?

My reminder that it’s always Island time!

 

What’s Next For Little Lion Judah and The Quilt Rambler?

From one adventure to the next!

Glad you asked.  I’m actually flying out today to join Deb Tucker and company for another adventure! I’m so excited that she asked if I would work in her booth at Paducah this week! I’ve always wanted to go to this event and I’m thrilled to be joining Deb, Sarah, and Bernadette sharing the love of Studio 180 Design tools and techniques!  I have no idea where I will be (booth wise) but I’m in good company and we’d love for you to find us and come say hello!

Now I have a question for you my dear readers….if you follow me (and you should) on social media I realize that some of these photos aren’t “new” to you as I posted “live” from the event. My question is – what is your preference – seeing photos on social media as the event is happening or should I “save” the photos until I can tell you “the rest of the story?”  Inquiring minds want to know so please leave me your thoughts in the comments below.

 

This is Karen Overton, The Quilt Rambler, on the road again! Stay tuned – we will be reporting later this week from Paducah!!

6 thoughts on “Monday Musings: Quilt Shows – Where Friends Gather

  1. Sandy says:

    I really enjoy the live photos on Instagram. Would also love to see pics of various quilts at the show to inspire me to use my newest ruler. Have fun in Paducah!

  2. Brenda says:

    I enjoy receiving pics both ways, Karen! I have more time (and a larger screen!!! wink-wink!) to read the blog posts!! But I love seeing pics on social media as well.

  3. Tay Satterfield says:

    Hi Karen !! Great to see you in Beaumont. What a terrific show. Maybe I’ll see you in Alvin today at the Lakeview show. Maybe you’re a vendor ?? And I agree… let’s keep these impromptu meetings going. LOVE your idea of land locked cruises !!!

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