The holidays are over, we have traveled some and have some more coming up soon. I’m still finding time to be creative and both knit and quilt. I’m also sewing a dress right now, crazy! I feel like I need to finish the dress before I start quilting my New York Beauty. Sure, it’s different machines, it’s just me, finish certain projects. Don’t let everything pile up, although a lot is piling up.
So I went to Road to California quilt conference in Ontario CA. Since I volunteered last year I got first choice in registering for a class. Trying to squeeze in a class and see the show in one day is a little overwhelming.
I even almost lost my camera at one of the booths, luckily, they found me a few minutes later. Yeah, I was rushed and frazzled. Not a lot of pictures, these are miniatures, which is extremely impressive to me. I am planning on some sort of Bethlehem star for my newest grandson, so I’m looking at layouts, even though – no way would I do something this small.
Or this crazy op art! I get dizzy just looking at the photo! I am intrigued by this, one of the things I love about quilting is the engineering – no improve for me! 
In the modern section I snapped this picture, and there you have some improv within a grid of sorts. I cropped this photo of course and find that as an overall composition – it grabs my attention.
This one is straight out of Victoria Findlay Wolfe’s book Double Wedding Ring Quilts. At first I thought it was one of hers, but no, someone made this using the book. I intend on making a deconstructed double wedding ring one of these days, I hope mine has my personal stamp on it. So someone can recognize my inspiration but not feel that it is an exact copy.
On my wish list is an Hawaiian quilt, I even found some 16″ patterns. So I was intrigued by this style of needle turn appliqué as well as impressed by the workmanship.
Not my style or my colors but once again, the ability to see incredible quilts with impeccable workmanship is a big reason for me to go to a show. 
The class I took was this pattern for this quilt, Chic Kisses with Jenny Pedigo. I have used her ingenious invention, the curved piecing ruler. So it was fun to meet her and take her class. I bought a different pattern from her, since I’m not crazy about this one. I do like the color choices here.
I brought scraps, and boy am I glad I did. Things didn’t go great, probably cuz I was cramming in show and full day class. Of course there was the drive out to Ontario and back, so it was a frenetic day. I made mistakes, it was great seeing how Jenny tried to resolve my issues – that is what having a class with the teacher right there, is for.
I got this far and no further. Jenny kept encouraging me to finish the block, but no, I’m not interested. For me that will be a waste of time. I may repeat this pattern with new fabrics, with the knowledge I learned in class and from my mistakes. I learned long ago, not everything must be finished. So much that is learned in a class is useful for the future, not for the project being made then and there.
Quiltcon is coming up in less than a month and that too will be a very busy time. Luckily it’s only in Pasadena, I’ll be going home every night and am only taking one class. So with a 4 day show I’m sure to be more relaxed . Next year I probably won’t take any classes at Road and will simply enjoy the show and the vendors of course!
Leah