Monday 31 August 2009

Haul from the Lowell Quilt Show

We had to walk a fair distance from the Lowell train station to find the New England Quilt Museum, but it was definitely worth it in the end. Although I couldn't take photos there was a small exhibition upstairs at the museum and a bigger shop downstairs. We yomped over to the ice hockey arena to see the vendors before heading back to the museum to meet up with my friend Sue. We've quizzed online against each other for a few years, and she only lives 10 minutes drive from Lowell, so we arranged to meet for lunch. She was as easy to chat to in real life as she has been online and there were none of the awkward silences that you sometimes get when meeting someone for the first time. I forgot to take photos though. Silly me!

After lunch we strolled back to the hockey arena for a look around the quilts on show. There were some great pieces there, I especially liked the slice quilt where a group had each worked on a section then the quilt owner assembled the final piece.



There was also a few Baltimore style quilts, more than I would have expected in a similar sized show in England.



Mike insisted on us walking round in an organised way, which made me laugh, as normally I stroll round a bit haphazardly. This time, though, I was able to see all the quilts in a relatively short time...and have more time for spending ;-)



Some of this haul came from the show and some from Heartfelt Quilts on Cape Cod. The small pack with the baseball players on is a charm pack of 5" squares that I'm making into a cushion for Mike. I've snowballed them with red triangles (for the Red Sox naturally) and assembled the top so far. The Moda Pumpkin and Spice pack I've made into a table runner and used one of the autumnal FQs as triangle points at each end. I'm debating whether to add a 2" border all round it or not. The rest of the autumnal FQs I've got an idea for, but I'm not sure if it'll work out or not. I'd like to make a wall hanging with 3-D appliqued leaves, but I need to gather some more ideas first before I start on that.

Tha plaid came with a pattern, so I'll be making that up some time, the lobster fabric is going to be a lining for a grocery shopping bag and the rest of the fabric is for adding to my stash. The flower book is just because it was there!



Of this haul, the paper piecing paper was a replacement as I've used up most of my last pack. The bag pattern is an impulse buy at the Museum. I need to find some light fabric for it, but I think I'll use a brightly coloured lining. The bag of scraps was $5 and had pieces that are pretty close to a quarter yard as well as smaller pieces. The little ruler is for making triangle square quicker by drawing lines either side of the central channel, and the bundle of wools is to make a harvest candle holder.

We were lucky we didn't need to buy another suitcase to bring everything back home! I also bought 3 rolls of freezer paper as $2.50 each...quite a bit cheaper than the £5-6 I have to pay over here! If we had bought another bag, I'd have bought more freezer paper!!

Within a week of getting home, I was off to another quilt show, this time the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, and that's what's coming up next in the blog. nearly up to date!

3 comments:

Deborah, Daisychain Quilter said...

Yvonne
Do you mean Heartbeat Quilt Shop on Cape Cod, owned by Helen. I have visited several times. Great shop.
Dee

Yvonne Morgan said...

Oh could be Deborah, It's just outside Hyannis, in the basement of a converted bank.

Deborah, Daisychain Quilter said...

Yvonne
That the one. Helen, the owner, designs fabric ranges for Timeless Treasure. Great Shop. I always visit it when in Boston. Did you go to Tumbleweeds Quilt Shop too?
Deborah