QUILTCON Day One

What an incredible day!!!!!!    Met so many fabulous people, saw lots of stuff - the booth was packed - well let me slow down and tell you all about it.

I had breakfast by myself as I wanted to get to the convention center early to finish putting up two quilts that had been received late.  I met up with Heather at the convention center and got her quilt from her and I had a good sleep under Kelly's.   While I was out wandering because technically we weren't supposed to be there before 8 - I was checking out the quilts that were part of a Charity Challenge.   The quilts are stunning and there were lots of them.

Some of the Charity challenge quilts

Some were made by guilds, some were made by individual members.  The one in the middle above was made by the Toronto Modern Quilt Guild.  And let me say that I'm joining up when I get home.  This whole modern quilt movement is exciting - not that regular quilters aren't exciting - but I want to be part of these challenges and such.  I'm currently an individual member and I left my darn pin at home.  Never even thought to bring it. No worries.

I didn't get pictures of all the challenges so will get back early today to check that out.

Then I was in the booth getting stuff ready and Vanessa - Crafty Gemini stopped by.  She is helping out in our booth - doing our demos and we got to chatting and well - only one of the quilts got hung up. Then it was off to the awards ceremony.

A lot more relaxed than the ones at Festival.   The winning quilts were not present - but they were presented in a slide presentation format.  And I got to represent Northcott for awarding the Best in Show.  Pretty exciting and YES - I asked to say a few words while most sponsors did not!  Never give up an opportunity to get noticed!!!!!   Here is a link to the winners.

One of the members (Rebecca Burneett) of the Toronto Modern Quilt Guild won a prize.  Second place in Best use of negative space.

Best Use of Negative space - 2nd place winner - Rebecca Burnett

Yeah to Rebecca - she was one of the designers that created a quilt for our booth.  I'll try to find that picture.

Rebecca Burnett quilt for Northcott

After the awards - back to the booth to finish setting up. And then the doors opened and wow - it was crazy all day.  We barely had time to zip to the bathroom, get food or whatever.  Well - that was the rest of them - I did manage to sneak out and check out some booths, talk to some vendors - it's all about smoozing.

Oh - -and I had people come looking for ME!!!!!!    Yes - there was Linda V's neice - Anne if I remember correctly!!!   Thanks Linda - I have a couple of stories to verify with you now!!!!!
 

I've met some pretty cool industry people and must absolutely be making some deals with them when I get back.  Oh boy - I came home after the event and wrote out a huge list of things to look at, take care of when I get back home.  There is so much I want to do - I have no idea where to start and where to find the time!!!!

If you didn't see the picture from Facebook - here is my quilt that I made for our booth. 

My quilt for the Northoctt booth

Sorry - I don't have any easy ability to crop the photos.  And all these pictures were pulled off my Facebook.  I have my big camera with me and have taken loads of pictures and today - will have the freedom to take more which I can edit when I get home. 

Anyway - this is the quilt that I made with one of Northcotts NEW wild panels.

Northcott ColorWorks Concepts  - Mod Squad panel

I cut that panel apart and added that lime.  You cannot believe the reaction to that quilt.  Let's just say I'm having  a private love fest at the show about it.  Not to say that the other quilts aren't nice either - but you know - this is an ego thing!!!!   

We made four kits of the quilt and have one to give away each day.  The lady who won yesterday was pretty happy and we are giving away many of those panels each day.  The pattern will go on the web site as a free download in March (that is MY time line), but that fabric will be released to stores in March. People are shocked when I show them that it was made from a panel and yes - there is a bit of waste when cutting - not much, but now I need to come up with something to do with the waste. And I have ONE more quilt to make from a different panel that I've wanted to do, but no time. OK - I need a full time sewer!!!!!   Nope - I like to do my own stuff because that is how I learn. 

Let's see - what else??????  Oh yes - it is fun to see our competitor's new lines coming out.  There is one that is absolutely adorable.  Well I'm mostly interested in one of her patterns which I shall endeavour to get my hands on before we leave.  

Oh yes - and here is the other cool thing that I made for the show. 

My cool cube pillows

I made five of them, but Rich kept walking around with one so it wasn't available to be in the picture. YES - there will be a free download pattern for those as well as we've had many people stop to take pictures and want to know how to make them.    I'll get a better picture today. 

I helped Vanessa get set up for her demo and like I said - I had a chance to check out the competition - and yes - I tell them who I am - where I work and chat them up.  Well some of them.  I did sneak into Moda's booth to get samples!!!!   

Then we got back to the hotel, had a drink and then off to a fancy steak restaurant.  Way too fancy for my taste and I had a bowl of soup for dinner.  Hey - it's late at night - I'm NOT eating a ton of heavy food, never hungry much at these things anyway and well - I just don't eat steak.  And I'm not hungry this morning either - saved money!   I've got ten pounds to lose and not going to happen by having steak late at night.  OK - so I shouldn't have had two beer either!  

On that note - it's time to get ready for the day.  As you can tell - I'm pretty excited - oh yes - our challenge is being extremely well received and the little packages are flying out of the booth and our spin to win.  I'll take pictures and post those tomorrow. 

Here are a couple more pictures that I took of quilts in our booth. 

Quilt by Valerie Miller 

Quilt by Swan Sheridan

Have an awesome day!!!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!