I found out what I've been missing at the LQS
09-10-2011, 07:26 AM
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Lake Elsinore, CA
Posts: 15,163
My LQS (Quilt Loft in Albany OR) has a monthly after-hours get-together called "Quilt 'til you Drop". People show up with food for a potluck and their UFO's around 6:00 and they stay as long as they want. I have been shopping at this LQS and occasionally taking classes there since I started quilting in 2006, but I never went to this event because...well, it didn't sound appealing to me. I can sew more comfortably at home with all my "stuff" where I can reach it, and I have lots of quilting friends in my guilds and on this board, so why would I go down to the LQS in the evening to quilt?
I was SO WRONG! I went to the event last night because I wanted to invite everyone there to enter quilts in our quilt show next month. I happened to arrive on the night when they were having the big "reveal" for their "pass it along" activity. There were about 20 quilters there, far more than I expected. The room was full of food, quilts, and chatter. I knew half a dozen of the ladies there from other quilting events, and I'm looking forward to getting to know the others better. I have not been in such a happy, boisterous, talented bunch in a long time, and I will DEFINITELY be going again.
The "pass it along" quilt blocks were just beautiful. I don't know exactly how it worked, but basically everyone who signed up (15 people?) provided fabric and guidelines (type of block, colors?) for what they wanted in return. Then each person made one 12" block for each of the others. And they were all NICE, well made blocks! Some of them got together and made a center piece much bigger than they were required to make. Clearly they took great pride in doing their very best work for each person in the group. At the reveal, the blocks for each person were pinned on a flannel background so you could see what they might look like on a quilt. The person receiving the blocks had not previously seen them, in fact no one had seen them except for the person making them, and there were some weepy eyes as people saw the wonderful blocks that they would be taking home and putting into a friendship quilt. There was also show-and-tell and distribution of Secret Sister gifts. It was fun!
I still don't know when the last person left, because I left around 8:30 right after show-and-tell was finished. No one was actually quilting last night because of all the other activities, but they were starting to pull out their UFO's when I left. I'm putting this on my calendar for next month! I wish I had taken my camera with me.
I was SO WRONG! I went to the event last night because I wanted to invite everyone there to enter quilts in our quilt show next month. I happened to arrive on the night when they were having the big "reveal" for their "pass it along" activity. There were about 20 quilters there, far more than I expected. The room was full of food, quilts, and chatter. I knew half a dozen of the ladies there from other quilting events, and I'm looking forward to getting to know the others better. I have not been in such a happy, boisterous, talented bunch in a long time, and I will DEFINITELY be going again.
The "pass it along" quilt blocks were just beautiful. I don't know exactly how it worked, but basically everyone who signed up (15 people?) provided fabric and guidelines (type of block, colors?) for what they wanted in return. Then each person made one 12" block for each of the others. And they were all NICE, well made blocks! Some of them got together and made a center piece much bigger than they were required to make. Clearly they took great pride in doing their very best work for each person in the group. At the reveal, the blocks for each person were pinned on a flannel background so you could see what they might look like on a quilt. The person receiving the blocks had not previously seen them, in fact no one had seen them except for the person making them, and there were some weepy eyes as people saw the wonderful blocks that they would be taking home and putting into a friendship quilt. There was also show-and-tell and distribution of Secret Sister gifts. It was fun!
I still don't know when the last person left, because I left around 8:30 right after show-and-tell was finished. No one was actually quilting last night because of all the other activities, but they were starting to pull out their UFO's when I left. I'm putting this on my calendar for next month! I wish I had taken my camera with me.
09-10-2011, 07:32 AM
#4
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Lake Elsinore, CA
Posts: 15,163
Originally Posted by LeslieFrost
Sounds great! Yes, please, take pics next time!
(Did you remember to tell them about the quilt show?)
(Did you remember to tell them about the quilt show?)
09-10-2011, 09:26 AM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 777
boy does this sound like fun! Wish there was something like that around here. I understand why you were reluctant to go initially, though. It does sound like a lot of work for something you could do at home. But the companionship is worth the work! Good for you :thumbup:
