Last Words on the Vermont Quilt Festival

It is time to wrap this up, though I could probably go on for several more posts about our trip. Do check out my Flickr pictures for lots of photos. I tried to give everyone credit for their quilts. I hope I got them all right!

Wilson Lake, Maine

Since it is a 2 day drive to get there we spent one night at the Wilson Lake Inn in Wilton, Maine. We just found it on the internet, checked the comments which were good and made our reservation. We weren't disappointed, lovely clean room, great view of the lake and beautiful grounds and gardens. We wished the weather had been more cooperative and not so foggy and rainy. They recommended a great place for dinner,Calzolaio Pasta Company the boiler room of the old Bass Shoe Factory (i have such fond memories of my high school Bass Weejuns!)! The whole building had been converted to offices and this restaurant. The food was fantastic, great wait staff too, we would definitely go back.

The next three days we spent in Essex Junction, Vermont. While there we went twice to a restaurant in Winooski, the Our House Bistro - Twisted Comfort Great food and service!

A busy day! Juiced at the Juice Bar - Patty Gertz, inspired by Judy Niemeyer's Glacier Star.

After three days at the Vermont Quilt Festival, I think I can say that I saw it all! At first it was a bit overwhelming and I found I was a bit scattered, seeing a bit of this, a bit of that, shopping, listening to lectures etc.

The Begat Quilt - Jane Crutchfield, hand pieced, hand applique and hand quilted. Charming!

So the second day I was much better organized and focused. I loved meeting so many people, everyone was very friendly and helpful. Kudos to Richard Cleveland who has been at the helm of the Festival committee for almost every year, it was great to meet him.

Best in Show - Meet Me at Giverny - Margaret Solomon Gunn, inspired by Monet's garden, long arm machine quilted.

Viewer's Choice Award - Conway Album (I'm Not From Baltimore) Lorraine Hofmann, designed by Gail Hatcher, hand quilted.

I think the only disappointing aspect to the festival was the food service, obviously they have the contract with the Champlain Valley Exposition Centre and had nothing to do with the Festival, I think if they did the food would have been wonderful - $3.50 for a small bottle of water! Next time I will know to bring my won food and water and use the "sack sitter" service, where I could have left a bag for as long as needed. I would have liked to bring an old quilt or two to the "Mystery Detectives" event but I didn't want to have to carry them with me all day, now I know there is a place where I could leave them safely I will do that next year.

Lovely sunset, after the rain, backwoods Maine, which reminded me of this appliqued landscape by Jo Diggs.

Light and Shadow - Jo Diggs, hand qppliqued.

So, all in all a wonderful Festival! Would I go again - definitely yes! 

More on the 2013 Vermont Quilt Festival

I am still behind on posting my pictures on my Flickr page. I took way to many pictures but as I have gone through them I realized very quickly just what a wonderful event this was. I really do hope to go back and that is a good thing!

I think one reason it is such a good festival is that many of the volunteers go back year after year to help out. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. I enjoyed the layout, it was nice to look at the quilts, browse the merchant's mall or go to one of the free mini-lectures/presentations. I went to the "Mystery Detectives" wishing I had brought an old quilt or two of mine. Not knowing how it all worked I decided not to bring anything. If I go back next year I will definitely bring a couple. They have "sack sitters" where I could have left my quilts for the morning until it was time.

The Dorr Mill booth, beautiful wools, so many colours!

Superior Threads booth

The Lancaster Traditional booth, I loved this booth, their presentation and their fabrics.

The merchants were spread around the edges of the two main halls, lots to chose from that's for sure - long arm sewing machines to needles and threads and everything in-between, not to mention fabric! There was lots to tempt, lots to buy. I was surprised how far some of them had come from.

Featherweight heaven with the Pennsylvania Quilter.

New to this year's festival was the Pennsylvania Quilter who featured refurbished Singer Featherweight Sewing Machines, accessories for them and replacement parts. I went to a lecture by Betty Neff and was thrilled to get all sorts of tips for my Featherweight and to buy a 1/4" foot. I do hope they will be invited back, their booth was always busy. I was also grateful to learn about cleaning and polishing my machine. I haven't done it yet. I will take before and after pictures.

"Not Perfect Jane" - Goldie Morrow, Rumney, Vt

L - In Our Time (aka Technicolor Jane) Judy Doenias & Diane Rode Schneck, New York, NY

R - Sunny Jane Linda Pederson, Marysville, WA

There was a wonderful exhibit of the Dear Jane quilts. Over the years I have seen a few reproductions of this quilt but here there was a special exhibition of 37 Dear Janes, all diffeent in fabric choices and sizes. The original quilt itself wasn't there, it is rarely brought out for public view but that will happen this year on the occasion of it's 150th anniversary. the quilt will be on view at the Bennington Museum in Bennington, Vermont from August 31 - October 14, 2013.

Monthly Memories - Skylar Shafer, age 10

The youth quilts were wonderful, such talent among the young quilters, boys and girls from 6 - 17 years! Nice to see some Canadian entries too. More of our Guilds should include this category and encourage our young quilters. I happened to talk to one very happy young quilter who could not stop smiling, standing in front of her quilt, wearing her ribbon, just so proud. I was smiling with her!

Something's Brewing - Cathy Wiggins, NC

Something's Brewing - detail, I am such a sucker for Hallowe'en quilts! This hand embrodidery alone took over 250 hours! The teacher's quilts were wonderful, what else can I say? 

I'll be back soon with the "Contest Quilts" and there were lots of them - miniatures, wall hangings, bed quilts large and small!

The 2013 Vermont Quilt Festival

I have wanted to go to the Vermont Quilt Festival for ever so long! A real dream of mine. I had heard so much about it for years. This year my very good friend Jo Diggs was the "featured quilter", she was going to have an exhibition of 54 of her wonderful landscapes, quilts and garments. She borrowed our "Stripes and Spots" (fish) for the exhibition, we had delivered it to her in Maine last fall. So we decided we should go, see everything, then be there to help her pack up and then we could bring our fish home. 

Stripes and Spots 2006 - Jo Diggs

It is going to take several posts to really do the festival justice.

Pan American Exposition Quilt - 1901 Collection of Debra Garna

One of the highlights for me was seeing a redwork quilt top in the antique quilt exhibition. When I saw this quilt from a distance, I thought it looked familiar. I had seen it in a book and now there it was, the "Pan-American Exposition, 1901" quilt. I went on the gallery talk given by the curators Debra Grana and Sharon Waddell. The exhibit was called "For Fellowship, Love and Farewell". This quilt top commemorated the exposition where President McKinley was assassinated, it has the block "our martyred President".

My connection to this quilt comes from my maternal Grandparents, Hester Lydia and David McKinley Mitchell, my Grandfather was William McKinley's cousin. They had gone to Buffalo, NY on their honeymoon and were supposed to have tea with President McKinley the day he was assassinated.

The quilt has some interesting blocks - the upside down house and a space trip to the moon...little did they know! More quilts and stories to come soon!