AQS Quilt Week Branson - Part II

 

Laura Heine's Guitar Collage Quilt

It's no secret to close friends and family that one of my favorite quilters of all-time is collage quilter, Laura Heine. In my opinion, she has absolutely revolutionized the world of quilting with her collage techniques.  When I found out she was offering workshops at the AQS Quilt Week Branson, I knew I had to take her course.  My friend, Elizabeth and I registered first thing in the morning when registration became available for her Guitar Collage Quilt workshop.

We took her all-day workshop last week and absolutely, positively loved it.  Laura is a very hands-on instructor.  She explained her processes and gave additional tips for success in making her style of quilts, along with information about why something works (and why it doesn't, as the case may be.)  

Laura explaining her process of collage quilting.

 

My kit for the workshop.

 

Laying out fabric in a pleasing combination.

Me - sorting out fabrics for my quilt.

During the workshop, Laura showed us several of her other quilts, like:

Hummingbird Collage Quilt (Laura Heine)

 

Rosie Bear Collage Quilt (Laura Heine)

A Merry Little Christmas Collage Quilt (Laura Heine)

Crystal Ball Collage Quilt (Laura Heine)

Bouquet, Mosaic and Statement Vases Quilts (Laura Heine)

Dee-Ceased Quilt (Laura Heine)

Unicorn Quilt (Laura Heine)

We didn't finish our quilts in class, but here we are with our quilts in process:

Elizabeth, Barbara and I with our Guitar quilts (in process.)

 

Me with Laura Heine!!! :)

Me and my friend, Elizabeth with the wonderful Laura Heine!

 One thing is for certain - we had an ABSOLUTE BLAST taking Laura Heine's workshop.  We would do so again in a heartbeat.

After I arrived home from Branson, I completed the top of my Guitar Collage quilt.  This weekend, I'm planning to assemble and complete it.  I'll share photos of it here after it's done.

In the meantime, please come back and join me for the next installment of AQS Quilt Week Branson where I will share photos from around the show, including the quilts.

Until next time,

AQS Quilt Week Branson - Part I

 

AQS Branson 2023

Last week, I attended the AQS Quilt Week in Branson.  It was a total overload of the senses in a great way.  I (literally) took hundreds of pictures at the event.  For blogging purposes, I'm only going to share the highlights here on my blog in bite-sized chunks.  (You're welcome.) :)

Gail Garber during our workshop.

On the first day of Quilt Week, I took a half-day workshop for Foundation Paper Piecing with author and nationally known quilter, Gail Garber.  Many, many years ago, I attempted to learn foundation paper piecing, but I found it to be overwhelming so I set it aside and never looked back.  I recently signed on for a Block of the Month quilting program where foundation piecing is required for the first couple of blocks.  Thinking there's no time like the present, I decided to try my hand at paper piecing once again, hence my decision to sign up for Gail's workshop.  To be honest, I still find it a bit overwhelming, however, I know that it will only become easier with practice.  It also helped when Gail mentioned that she hated paper piecing when she first tried it, but now she loves it and all of the quilts she makes uses this technique.  So there's that.

This is the block that we worked on in the workshop:

This is the same block multiplied and made into this gorgeous quilt:

Gail Garber's Winding Ways Quilt

Our workshop was just a half day long, and I don't think any of us were able to complete our block.  I do intend to practice working on it on my own time, though.

Gail Garber's Book, Flying Colors.

 

Another of Gail Garber's stunning quilts. This was the prize in a quilt raffle at the show.

Another event I attended on the first day of the show was the All-Star Review. During the review, several nationally-recognized quilter-instructors gave brief demonstrations showcasing their skills and techniques.  Afterwards, we had the opportunity to meet each quilter and purchase books, patterns and supplies from them.

This is author and television personality, Gyleen X. Fitzgerald with her beautiful polygon quilt.  

Gyleen X. Fitzgerald and her beautiful polygon quilt.

What I found really impressive about Gyleen's presentation is that she developed a special polygon template using engineering techniques that allows quilters to make visually-stimulating quilts - like the one shown above - without using any Y seams!!!  When Gyleen demonstrated how to use her template, I was totally inspired.  She made it look so easy! Needless to say, I purchased one of her books and a set of templates from her so I could try my hand at making one of her designs. 

Gyleen X. Fitzgerald's Polygon Sampler Books

 

Award-winning fiber artist, Sally Manke demonstrated how to make fiber flowers to embellish everything from quilts to baskets.  

Fiber artist, Sally Manke with a few of her designs.

 

Sally Manke's Whimsical Bicycle Art Quilt

Personally, the highlight of the day for me was meeting author-needlework aficionado-art quilter, fiber artist, Judith Montano Baker.  I have admired Judith's work for a very long time.  For as long as I can remember, Judith has been on the quilt scene, and her list of accomplishments is quite impressive.  It was through Judith's early books that I became enamored with ribbon work and utilizing embroidery stitches in quilts.  She is truly an icon in her field.  

Judith gave a presentation on making silk ribbon roses during the Review.  Afterwards, I was able to meet this talented lady.  We spoke for several minutes and I found her to be quite interesting, humble and kind in every sense of the word.  I purchased one of her books from her, which she graciously autographed.  This was an experience I will truly never forget.

Me with the one and only Judith Baker Montano.

Judith autographing the book I purchased from her.

"For Dear Wanda, With Love, Judith Baker Montano." :)

Be sure to come back for Part II of my series on the AQS Quilt Week focusing on my workshop with one of my favorite quilters, collage quilter, Laura Heine.  (Trust me, you won't want to miss this.)

For now, I will leave you with a couple of photos taken from around the show.  "See" you soon!

A view of the AQS Branson show floor.

A view of the AQS Branson show floor.

 

Road Trip to Missouri Star Quilt Company - Part II

A rainbow of every color you can imagine! The Kona solid fabric line.

 

 In my last post, I mentioned that there are 12 themed shops in Quilt Town, USA.  The shop that houses solid fabrics is called Penney's Quilt Shop. The actual building did originally house a J.C. Penney store a very long time ago.  The Missouri Star Quilt Company decided to keep the Penney name as a nod to this historic building.

In the picture above, Kona solid fabrics (hundreds of them!) grace the far wall of the shop.  I wanted to find a solid yellow color to match an English Paper Piecing project I am working on.  There was a vast array of yellow shades to choose from and I was able to find a yellow shade that was a close match to what I needed.  There are other brands of solid fabrics available for sale, as well.

Even though I typically don't make quilts using just solid colors, I saw a gorgeous pink quilt on display in the shop that I fell in love with.  The pattern used to make the quilt is called "Confetti" and it uses 12 solid-colored fat quarters in like colors.   I purchased the pattern and the quilting template needed to make it during my visit. I absolutely couldn't resist.

The Confetti quilt pattern.

 

Another view inside the Penney Quilt Shop.

Another shop we visited was the Florals shop.  This shop houses popular fabric lines by designers such as Kaffe Fassett, Lori Holt and Tone Finnangar of "Tilda" fame.  There are several vintage children's sewing machines on display there. (They were simply adorable!)  

The Florals Shop on Main Street.

Inside the Florals shop at the Tilda display.

Some of the vintage children's sewing machines on display.

Vintage child's sewing machine.

Vintage child's sewing machine.

Vintage child's sewing machine packaging.

Each shop has its own personality and the decor is geared to the complement the theme.  Most shops have comfortable sitting areas for shoppers and/or their weary companions to rest for awhile. 

A cheery yellow chair and bright quilt in the Modern fabrics shop.

The sitting area in the Penney Quilt Shop.

Another sitting area in the Penney Quilt Shop.

There is quaint, old-timey decor in the Seasonal Shop.

Inside the Seasonal Shop.

Inside the Seasonal Shop.

Inside Penney's Quilt Shop.

In the event you are on the fence about visiting the Missouri Star Quilt Shop, go!  It's such a unique experience that can't be found anywhere else.

On the way home, we stopped for dinner at a little barbecue restaurant in Kansas City.

We stopped in Kansas City for dinner on the way home.

By the time I got home, I was pretty tired, but happy.  We packed a lot of fun into our road trip, which lasted a good 18 hours.  It was worth every waking moment of the experience.

I'll be heading to the American Quilter's Society (AQS) Quilt Show in Branson in the coming days.  I'm so excited!  I'll be blogging about the show here soon, so please check back.

Until next time,

Road Trip to Missouri Star Quilt Company - Part I

 

Quilt Town, USA Mural

Last weekend, Those Crazy Sewing Ladies (a local sewing/quilting group I belong to) and I took a road trip to the Missouri Star Quilt Company AKA Quilt Town, USA.  As Hamilton, Missouri is 4 1/2 hours away from us, we had to leave Northwest Arkansas very early in the morning.  We gathered at the home of Melissa, who had a feast of all sorts of breakfast foods (complete with coffee and tea) laid out for us.  We each made ourselves a portable container of food to eat on the road.  Melissa, the rock star that she is - drove us to our destination in a 15 person van that she rented for the occasion.

Those Crazy Sewing Ladies and the wonderful (and substantial) breakfast spread.

 

When we arrived in Hamilton, Missouri, the home of Quilt Town, USA, we were met with pouring rain that later turned to snow.  It didn't dampen our spirits.  We were ready to have fun and shop to our heart's content.   (And, boy, did we ever!!!)

Quilt Town, USA is located on Main Street, and it consists of 12 themed shops located on both sides of the street.  The themes include the Main MSQC Shop, Florals, Novelty, Seasonal, Mercantile, Batiks, Modern, Kids/Babies and Backing Fabric, among others.  (There's even a Man's Lounge. No kidding.)  The Main Shop sells a little bit of everything found in the individual shops, in addition to several other different items.

The Main Shop

Of note, besides fabric, the Main Shop sells clothing, Block magazines and unique handmade items made by local artisans of northwest Missouri.  I particularly enjoyed the handmade items in this shop.  The items included hand-carved wooden quilt block magnets, pincushions housed in little boxes and birdhouses fashioned to look like primitive barns.

Handmade pincushions.

 

Hand-carved quilt block magnets.

 

 

Handmade birdhouse.

  The Main Shop is also where Jenny Doan's 2023 Block of the Month Piecemaker quilt is on display.  (On a side note, I've signed up to participate in this program.  I hadn't envisioned the quilt to be as large as it is, but it is absolutely gorgeous in person.)

Jenny Doan's Piecemaker BOM Quilt

 

One of the quilts on display at the Main Shop.

There were several photo-taking opportunities to be had, as well.  My friend, Elizabeth and I couldn't resist posing with "flat Jenny", a life-sized image of Jenny Doan on display in the shop.  I also took a pretty decent selfie in front of one of the displayed quilts. :)

My friend, Elizabeth and I posing with "flat Jenny" at the Main Shop.

My selfie in front of one of the quilts on display.

 Near the front of the shop, the latest weekly tutorial is on display.  

The latest weekly tutorial is on display.

There's something really neat about this little town.  In one of the buildings, the staircase is colorfully painted with all sorts of positive quilting messages.  It's pretty neat.

The inspirational (and colorful!) quilter's staircase.

 In fact, positive quilting messages are located everywhere the eye can see, like here above one of the pattern walls:

 

Inspirational wall.

All of the shops had beautiful quilts on display. And, nearby, the patterns to make them.

One of the quilts on display at the MSQC.

One of the quilts on display at the MSQC.

One of the quilts on display at the MSQC.

One of the quilts on display at the MSQC.

 

Inside the Batik Boutique.

 One of the things I really adore about small towns is the street art/murals often on display there.  Quilt Town, USA was no exception.

Quilt mural on Main Street.

Mural located on the Main Shop building.

And certainly not to be outdone, Jenny and her girls' images grace the light poles located among Main Street, welcoming visitors to their little town.

Jenny and her girls' images grace the lamp posts located along Main Street.

Please join me next time for Part II of our road trip to the Missouri Star Quilt Company.