Spring Quilt Break 2009

I just got back yesterday afternoon from my annual quilty vacation. I don't go far, just down the hill to a local Holiday Inn. Others travel from much farther, with some of our friends even coming all the way from Alaska. Spring Quilt Break has been going on for a long time now--longer than I've been in the guild--but I think I've been going to them for the last 17 years. (yikes!) I missed one year in 1996, when Liz was flying off to the University of Alaska to start her college life, and wanted me to come along. Couldn't afford both the plane ticket AND Spring Break, so of course I chose Lizzie! ;-)

But back to SQB... Our attendance was down (drat the economy!) but still, there were 70 of us there and we had a great time. We start out with a get acquainted social on Thursday night, with a show and tell of quilts we've finished from classes we've taken in past years. I've finished quilts started at SQB, but this is probably the first time ever that I've had one available to show. Usually they go out the door to their new home shortly after that last stitch goes in. HA! I have the tesselated leaves from a Jackie Robinson class that I was able to show. Here it is:
It's going for the Jennie Quilt Challenge next month and will find a home as a comfort quilt for someone fighting breast cancer.







Here are some of the other quilts shown on Thursday night.




Friday morning I had a class with Sally Schneider, from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Here's her website: www.sallyschneider.com She's friendly and fun--and taught us how to make a built in twisted ribbon border. This is Sally with her class sample.







Here is the Twisted Ribbon Star I did:






Friday's speaker at our luncheon was Zena Thorpe. Check her out at www.geocities.com/zenasquilts She is a very talented applique artist. I recognized some of her quilts from the covers of quilt magazines over the years. Maybe you will too!










Zena spoke about "A Look at History Through the Eye of a Needle;" which was about the way women over the centuries, have used their needlework to document their lives and tell their stories. It was fascinating, especially as she illustrated her lecture with her own quilts!

to be continued....