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There are as many ways to temporarily make a quilt stay together as there quilters. Here's the way I do it. This is my Deck Basting Method. You need masking tape, safety pins, and a deck. First you tape down the backing (wrong side up), then you tape down the batting, and finally tape down the top. Caution: This method does not work well in areas where there are many birds overhead and lousy weather does impede your progress.

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The real beauty of this method is in the pinning. The spaces between the deck boards are just the right size for the pins to go between! Voila! You have a quilt in bondage, ready to quilt....Which is what I'm doing now...This is due in 2 weeks. Yikes!

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Where else in the world can you wander down a lovely tree-lined street, eating chocolate thimbles and buttons, view some of the most famous quilts in the world, buy antique quilts at very decent prices, shop at tons of quilt fabric and gadget vendors....And then return to your hotel room to watch a channel dedicated to nothing but quilting shows? Ahhh....Paducah!!!!

Yes, Brothers and Sisters, I have returned from the Holy Land. It was an incredible week, filled with wonderful new friends and terrific experiences. Getting to Paducah is not so easy. A full day of travel (3 planes). In the future, if I had a room mate, I would consider driving. Depending on your class schedule, you need a car (unless you are lucky enough to get a room at the Executive Inn). I was at the Baymont Inn, about 5 miles out of town--A pleasant enough place with a decent Continental Breakfast (free). My classes started Monday...and the busses didn't start until later in the week. So I had to rent a car....a fully loaded Dawoo. I honestly didn't know they were still making them. This particular model had roll-up windows and a ride like you were sitting on a skateboard. But it did get me where I needed to go, when I wanted to go.

My classes with Bobbie Aug and Gerald Roy were fantastic. Wonderfully gracious, entertaining, and knowledgeable. I also had classes with Chris Moline and Carol Butzke--they, too, were a delight. The week went by too fast. Besides the classes, I think what I enjoyed most was looking at the quilts in the Museum of the AQS. Seeing the quilts in magazines is one thing, seeing them "in person" is something else. There was a Hollis exhibit--breathtaking. She came to our Fair Market Value class and talked about her work. I also got to see her at the museum during a break, where she was talking about her art.

During one free afternoon riding on the trolley, I met up with Anyx Mercado...a quilt artist with a studio downtown. She invited me back to her temporary studio. Her permanent location is part of the Artist Relocation Program. This is such a terrific program. The folks who came up with it are to be commended. The guy at Hertz (yes, they were responsible for the Dawoo) told me that 20 years ago, you could buy an empty lot in Paducah for $1500. He said the downtown was a "hole". Paducah has transformed itself to a lovely up and coming tourist spot.

The show itself was great....lots of quilts....lots of vendors. Of particular note....Mary Koval's booth with antique quilts (she was so nice, talking about her quilts and prices, and allowing us to look at anything we wanted...She also helped me pick out a great piece of copperplate and toile). Another great vendor was Xenia and the nice folks at Legacy Quilts (who gave us tips on how to get fabric samples and split them with other appraisal students). AND lastly, I had the opportunity to view Melody Johnson's Triumph of Tulips (one of the winners) in all of it's glory. The pictures don't do it justice.

So that is it for me...I am taking the classes for credit through West KY Tech College and must write a paper for everything I took. I have 4 completed....3 to go by the end of the week. I also will begin quilting the Martin Quilt this week...as it is due in about 2 weeks. Gotta get to work.

Well, the quilt didn't get basted. And now it will have to wait until my return. I leave for Paducah on Sunday morning. I'll be there for a week. My class schedule includes Appraisal Classes, Fair Market Value, Restoration, and Fabric Dating. I'll be studying with Chris Moline, Carol Butzke, Bobbie Aug and Gerald Roy..... As the Wayne's World guys would say..."I'm not worthy!" Seriously, I'm nervously looking forward to a week's worth of classes (and some down time for the show too).

"Nervously?" #1 Reason...I am a first class weenie. I haven't flown in 12 years...Really, I just had nowhere to go. It will take 3 planes to get thee to Paducah. It is not an easy place to get to. I've never been in a plane smaller than a 737, and a couple of these planes are puddle jumpers. The folks at the hotel said not to count on a cab, so I rented a car. I've never rented a car before. #2 Reason...I am leaving my husband and 2 boys to go it alone. In the perfect Type A personality style, I have left a week's schedule on the 'frig. I started grocery shopping purchasing such staples as frozen pizza, Dinty Moore Beef Stew, pre-cooked ribs, chicken nuggets, pre-mashed potatoes, Pop-Tarts, cereals, and plenty of peanut butter. By the time I get home, they should be so full of additives, they'll be glowing. Husband is so supportive of my quilty education....his only request, being a Southern boy, "Can you bring me some decent biscquits and gravy?"

I'll be taking 2 antique quilt tops to class, plus an old quilt of my husband's great grandmother that is nearly trashed. Thought maybe I'd get some ideas on how to give it a decent burial or chop it up and frame blocks for my husband and his siblings.

So this blog will be silent until April 25th when it's back to normal...till the next quilt show!

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My mom had this thing about the Hitchcock movie "The Birds". Growing up in the quasi-country, we would have tons of starlings and crows at various times all over the backyard doing whatever starlings and crows do.

I remember one day, my brother and I went running into the yard, waving our arms in the air to chase the birds away...and my mother screaming hysterically at the back door that we would be attacked.

That said, these birds won't be attacking anyone, but will be attacked by me with the sewing machine soon.

This morning I had the nicest time with a group of 4th graders at an elementary school in Columbia, PA. They were having a history day with lots of local demonstrators. I was the quilt lady. I brought my round floor hoop with a quilt sandwich of muslin and Hobbs 80/20. I showed them some antique quilt tops, some handquilted quilts I had made (those are few and far between!), and some machine quilted quilts. Then we learned to quilt at the frame. There were threads and needles going every which way. But they were so excited to try it. We finished up by taking fabric markers and making designs on muslin squares ironed on freezer paper. One of the teachers is going to put the blocks together.

Every time I work with this age group, it is so much fun. The world is so new to them and they are excited to try things. Somewhere between 4th grade and adulthood, that adventuresome spirit is easily lost. The trick is to hang on to it somehow. I think part of that is making time for yourself...where you don't think about the dirty house, laundry, or other chores...and give yourself the time to create just for "you".

The Quilter's Heritage Celebration was in town. Time for my lost weekend. First, I met my new friend Magdalen for breakfast and we sailed through the show. I swear, it gets more packed every year. But given the choice, I'd rather be packed with quilters than "civilians". No matter where you are, you can strike up a lovely conversation! I went back to the show on Saturday morning. Had to see Quilt National again (one of my life goals is to make something worthy of being accepted). Also wanted to see the Women of Biblical Proportions exhibit again. Bought the CD of the exhibit. The quilts just spoke to me.

So in between helping one son with algebra and another son with science, I got the rest of the leaves on the Purple Martin quilt. I also decided to fuse some ivy leaves to the post of the birdhouse. I also got 6 bird appliques ready...I think I'll make one more though. Once I applique those badboys down, I'm ready to get quilting. I may actually make my deadline! By the way...the house did not get cleaned. A little dirt is good for the soul.