Planting Seeds: My Trip to Maine Quilts 2013

At breakfast yesterday...

Me: We're going to a quilt show this afternoon.
DD: Mooooom, I don't like quilt shows! They're boring.
Me: Well, sometimes I think what you want to do is boring, but I do it anyway because I love you. Today you have to do what I want because you love me. That's compromising.
DD: Mom, what do I even do that's boring?
Me: Well, I think going to the playground is kind of boring, but --
DD: The playground is NOT boring! You can run around and climb on stuff!
Me: Yeah, but I'm too big to fit on everything, so mostly I just have to watch you have fun.
DD: Ohh... so today I have to watch you have fun instead?
Me: Exactly!

And did I have fun? Yes. The kids were surprisingly well behaved, but I hope that it wasn't just primarily a lesson in compromise, and perhaps instead more the planting of a tiny seed that my daughters look back on twenty years from now when they think "hmm... maybe I should get a sewing machine like mom...."

Yesterday I attended Maine Quilts 2013. I had my toddler in a sling and my four year old by the hand, and thus reluctantly decided to leave the camera in the car. While I really wish I had lots of glossy snapshots to share here, I can assure you that between the crowds and wanting to keep the pace moving, I probably would not have had any more great pics to post even if the camera had made the tour. You'll have to take my word for it that there were many gorgeous quilts on hand, and that there were not one, but in fact TWO sparkly carousel horse quilts, which were my four year old's favorites. My favorite was Mustard by Betsy Cannan, a gorgeous yellow and white modern piece with linear quilting; I've been really obsessed with yellow lately, and I adore modern, so it was right up my alley. I scoured the interwebs in search of a pic to link here, but can't find one anywhere. I did, however, find that Betsy is the president of Maine Modern Quilters, the Modern Quilt Guild's local chapter. No wonder I loved her quilt!

If not having free hands for photography was the downside to bringing the kids, the upside was that I couldn't spend a lot of money shopping! (Even from 400 miles away, there's an audible sigh of relief from my husband as I type this). I couldn't leisurely browse fat quarters and notions, so I managed to leave with credit card practically unscathed, save two really cute panels pictured below that I just couldn't pass up. 

Nina Seven's Holiday Sparkle for Wilmington Prints that I purchased from Mainely Sewing. This is new fabric, and I can't find a completed one to show you anywhere online, but there was one done up at the show and it was cute! The numbers on the right get attached as a pocket for each day. Here's a snap of it up on my design wall - it'll be perfect assembled and hanging in my red/grey/black accented living room come Christmas : )

Laurie Wisbrun's Bright and Buzzy for Robert Kaufman that I purchased from Fiddlehead Artisan Supply (they had lots of beautiful organic cottons and linen blends - it took so much restraint!). I thought this would be a fun addition to the girls' room... but knowing how many projects I have in queue right now, it's probably a lot more likely this'll be hanging over the new baby's crib someday when we aren't a waiting family anymore : )

I have to give a shout out to Searsport Rug Hooking while I'm mentioning vendors. I've been looking for unique and richly colored wool to make doll capes from Santa for Christmas and they had the most beautiful selection of hand dyed solid and patterned wool at their booth! With great regret, I had to walk away empty-handed because it would've ruined the illusion if I'd bought anything with two extra sets of eyes along, but I will be making a special trek to their store at some point this fall because their selection was awesome. Their website doesn't do justice to what they have to offer - if you hook or make penny rugs, you should try to find them at a show or visit their store off the beaten path on Verona Island in Maine.

Finally, a quick thanks to Christa Quilts! I was a winner in her weekly giveaway last week - I won a Scissor Pal so I can keep track of my shears at the next class I attend. I think the spool of thread is my favorite - which one is yours?