So here I am. Back down to earth. Everything is slotting back into routine (just the way I like it, but don’t tell anyone!). Except my husband is home. He starts his new job next month and I must say it’s rather nice to have him around – and not just so that he can hold the fort while I whizz off on jaunts! I do realize how lucky I am that after 22 years we still get along as well as we always did, better maybe. I think I’ve got a little easier to live with than I was at the beginning. He was always easy – did I ever tell you how great it is to live with someone who doesn’t know the meaning of the word moody? Believe me, if you ever find one, keep him! I do sometimes wonder how he put up with me though – I was seriously high maintenance when we met! Not any more though!

Anyway, Christmas isn’t too far off now. This morning I mailed Rachel’s quilt off to France – due for a certain somebody’s 8th birthday in mid-December. Now I need to get cracking on the next one – Ilsa’s quilt. I have fun little girl fabric – Amelia by Me and my Sister Designs for Moda – and I’m winging it this time – making my favourite stars and flying geese. Lovely! I shall also be using the Quilt in a Day flying geese ruler set I brought back from Houston.

So watch this space – with this ruler I’m sure it’s going to be very professional 😉

Helen

Wow!

W….O….W!!

Houston is…well, words (almost) fail me! Amazing, incredible, total stimulation overload and great fun.

I really have never seen anything like the International Quilt Festival. Imagine. The convention centre that it’s held in is a mile long and probably a quarter of a mile deep. Of this, maybe half houses hundreds and hundreds of incredible quilts from all over the world, both competition quilts and special exhibitions. The rest is split between several hundred vendors and a food court. Some of the ladies I was with spent over two days just checking out all the vendors!

I could have spent several full days there, but to be honest after four or five hours each day I was almost cross-eyed and so over-stimulated that I wasn’t looking properly anymore – so I was really glad to be able to pace myself!

Here is a little taster. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get a bird’s eye view of the quilt displays as there were no windows on the first floor of that part of the conference centre.

The vendors…..

The quilts…..Unfortunately there was a no photography rule for many of the gorgeous quilts, but here are a couple of glimpses to whet your appetite….

This one won the Founders’ Award and was by Kathy Wylie of Ontario, Canada. The workmanship was breathtaking and I loved it!

This was best of show – by Sue McCarthy of Utah. Again amazing work, not necessarily what I’d want to hang on my living room wall, but spectacular in its artistry.

The damage!

Luckily I was saved from myself by suitcase size and weight limits!

I had a fabulous time. My tour was organized by Country Heritage Tours and I’d recommend them to anyone – they are a small, family run business – and I last took a tour with them 19 years ago to New England. I went alone and wasn’t lonely for a single second – if there’s one thing about quilters, it’s that they are friendly…and they certainly love to laugh!

Now I have to decide where I’m going next! But first I think I need to come down to earth and have a little bit of ordinary life. I’m so full of ideas and plans that I think I’ll be able to keep myself out of mischief for a very long time!

Helen

My first port of call. Famous for the Alamo and the River Walk, San Antonio is a delight – as of course are the 53 quilting ladies I have the chance to get to know it with. Sunshine, great Texmex food and a lot of laughs. What more could a girl want? Well, quilting…. but the next few days should more than fit the bill on that count. I can’t wait.

Here are a few of the sights of San Antonio to whet your appetite. Supposedly it’s the prettiest city in Texas – as it’s the first one I’ve visited I can’t really judge, but wouldn’t be in the slightest bit surprised if they’re right!

Now you have a good day y’all!

Helen

Yeehaa! Guess where I’m going tomorrow?

I’ll give you a clue

No?

Here’s another one

Still no?

OK I’ll tell you. It is a little unexpected, but I’m going somewhere I’ve wanted to go for a very long time…

The Houston Quilt Festival!!!

Can you believe it? I can’t. The state of my packing conforms this, but it’s really true. Tomorrow I’ll be winging my way off to San Antonio for a couple of days, followed by four days in Houston. I’m taking a tour, so I’ll be doing a lot of lovely quilting related things along the way, together with doing exciting things like visiting the Alamo and LBJ’s ranch. I’m so excited I can’t tell you!

But of course I will….

So watch this space!

Helen

Simple City by Carrie L. Nelson (in A Touch of Rosie Quilts) using Beach House fabrics.

It’s quite incredible how quick quilting with the Bernina is when she’s happy and co-operating. I now know to stick to good old fashioned basic 100% cotton threads and then….blissful quilting….no other words for it. I had the whole quilt quilted with happy little loops in a couple of hours…well, OK, maybe two and a half. because

I’ve just finished the binding. What do you think of the pink? It needed some colour and I didn’t have enough of a matching green in the stash. I’m quite pleased with the pink binding though.

Have I ever told you how much I LOVE sewing on binding – especially sewing it down by hand. That’s very happy work in my book. I love seeing the crisp, tidy edge. (Sad I know, but there you go….!)

Rachel’s mum asked for something in soft colours for this quilt – and that’s certainly what Rachel is getting. It actually looks paler in the photos than in the flesh. It’s not a knock your socks off quilt, but it’s soft and delicate, pretty and old-fashioned. I hope Rachel will like it for her birthday. She’ll turn 8 in December, so I have a little time until it needs to go winging it’s way off to rural France.

Until then I shall stroke it and enjoy it!

Helen