Sunday, April 25, 2010

Chicago International Quilt Fest Update

Finally! Have a few minutes to sit and write about the truly awesome time I had.

I met so many new creative people and met up w/old friends who always inspire. I took a "Pretty Purse" class from Melanie Testa. If you get a chance, you have GOT to take a class w/her. It was fun, casual, very informative. We learned how to make stencils for silk organza and then to paint it as the purse overlay. Of course, because I was too busy being excited and not paying enough attention, I painted the wrong side on the 1st piece I did. How embarrassing, but I tell you, I had a great time, learned a lot, and did my first free-motion quilting ever. Janome was kind enough to loan machines for that class. I'd never used one (mine's a 32 year old Singer Dressmaker), and WOW was that a really great machine! The class was such a varied group of women, it was so cool. I was totally impressed w/the blinging zipper she had for the little purse, I LOVE bling!!!. I've now got several more in the works.

After the class, the vendors were open for a preview. O man, in the end I was there 2 days and didn't see 1/2 of what the vendors had to offer. I bought some positively awesome batiks. There were all kinds, patterns you never see in my home area and from all over the world fabrics. Some gorgeous silk from China and batiks from Africa, "green" batting, "green" paints, fabulous stencils that could be used on my fabrics (with a new technique I learned from Beth Wheeler) on fabric that I learned how to "rust". Lisa and the girls at the Rust-Tex were beyond wonderful. They were so paitient...because my Blackbird Syndrome takes over when I'm excited.... OOOOHHHH, SHINY!... and off goes my attention (my husband says it's ADD, I prefer to think of it as Blackbird Syndrome!)...I had to make 3 separate purchases in 2 different visits. And girls, yes, I've been making rusty fabric w/my stars & kitty. My first piece is now dry and I've used Beth's technique to make the "paint" I used on the stencils. Very cool. She was using liquid dye drops which I also did, but I also tried pigment powder. Loved the result...I let it sit a bit longer then re-mixed it a bit pressing the bits of pigment. I'll post when it's dried.

Saturday I was back, ready to go!!! I tried to focus on the Mak-It University & seeing the other side of the room...never did get to see the middle. I took a Poetry Spool class from Kelli Perkins and I tell you...if you get a chance...you have GOT to take a class from her. She's so cool and fun. I had done her book, Stitch Alchemy in Belinda's mixed media group and will be posting dolls I made from her paper fabric technique. The Poetry Spool was so cute!

I met Rebekah Meier demoing her new book that I had just bought a week or so before, that was an unexpected surprise. It was so great to see the techniques from her book done in front of me.

The final class I took was w/Pokey from Quilting Arts, a 60's retro class. It was hysterical. We had to make something artful/clothing/hat, etc, that was reminiscent of the 60's. There were dance contests, singing, door prizes, prizes for finished products. Pokey and her crew were so motivating and kept the creative juices flowing. The prizes...omg! They were very generous. I took my strips of batik that I had leftover to my mother (a quilter who @ 82 still makes store samples for Quilts, Quilts in Branson), she couldn't get over how varied they were. I also won a scissor pack for completing 2 rounds of dancing around the booth area. It was wildly funny.

Thank you everyone who showed me things, techniques, swapped w/me or just sat by me. I had SUCH a good time, truly.