Is it really over?

I thought and plotted and planned about going to QuiltCon for so long and it was over in a flash. How is that possible?? It was THE MOST FUN TIME EVER. Such an unbelievable sense of community to be in a huge building with your heroes and know that everyone (including your heroes) are just about as nerdy as you are. . .

Here are many pics. I apologize for the shakiness of some. My heart must have been pounding too hard to hold the camera still. . .

Does QuiltCon know me or what? It's like they knew I needed  portable coffee and that I have an addiction to roadie mugs. I believe this was the first of many purchases. I'd show more but I'm almost (but not terribly) embarrassed about the amount of loot that made it home. I departed Charleston with two bags. I came home with three. Enough said.

There's Jay McCarroll in the straw hat. Have I mentioned how much I love him? And this class did nothing to sway me. He was awesome - even when I totally dorked out and hugged him at first glance. (A good friend - and my wedding planner - said that I looked almost as excited in this picture as I did the day I got married. I'm not sure what that says. . .)

By the end of the day, I think (hope) he had forgiven me.

I apologize that this picture is really pretty bad. That adorable pregnant lady up there? Anna Maria Horner. And she is just as sweet as you imagine she would be. Those quilts? FANTASTIC. That lady has skillz. This class expanded my brain so that I could go to this class -

Denyse Schmidt. Be still my heart.

In 2007 I saw a book at Barnes & Noble and fell in love. It was Denyse Schmidt Quilts. I didn't own a sewing machine but bought the book because one day I wanted to learn to sew and I wanted to make quilts like the ones in that book. I poured over it. I made other people look at it. And two years later I got my machine and learned to sew. It wasn't solely because of Denyse but she was a catalyst.

I couldn't believe my luck that I actually made it into this class. I was terrified. How do you sew in front of someone like her? It was the best class I took. Not to take anything away from Jay or Anna Maria but this one was mind-bending. I learned to let go - which is a hard thing for a control freak like me. And it felt good. And she pulled my blocks off of that big old wall and used them as examples of what was beautiful. And my heart sang. And. And. And. I could go on and on forever, but I think you get the point.

I met new awesome friends. (Love the Butlers, even though they make me look like a miniature person.)

I met friends in person who I had only ever talked to online. HI TAMMY FROM MARMALADE!!

I took silly pictures in photo booths with Tamie,

and Alice.

I saw incredibly beautiful quilts both old. . .

. . . and new. This is Bolt by Rebecca Roach.

This won best in show, and for good reason. INCREDIBLE. Double Edged Love by Victoria Findlay Wolfe. 

And I tried to steal a kiss from Ron F-in' Swanson. Love that guy. . .

I came home exhausted but totally reenergized. I have so much to show you that we're working on. I'm excited for things to come.

xoxoxo