A Very Nice Day

Early this morning I met up with my friend Panda and we drove to a quilt show.  It was a great day and we had a great time together.

After the quilt show, we went to a late lunch at a place called Dr. Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texas BBQ, I hadn't eaten there in probably 17+ years as I don't live in the area any more and Panda had never eaten there.  Oh Yum!! So very good, but I used a bit of the 'hot' barbecue sauce on my sausage link sandwich and now, hours later, I'm ready for the antacid.  I guess I can't do spicy sauce the way I used to {sad face}, sure tasted good though.  By the time we were ready to leave, the next crowd was coming in and it was a waiting line!

I found two quilts especially fascinating.  One is a Baltimore Album type, all hand appliqued and embellished.  Unfortunately, my little pocket-size Canon camera doesn't give me the sharpest detail and doesn't do the quilts justice.

An almost full image of this large quilt.

A close-up of one section.

The maker's statement.

An even closer image of the bird-nest.  The white-glove lady said that the maker even used her own hair in this 3-D bird's nest.  The entire quilt had a lot of embroidery accents and was stunning.

This next one was smaller (and for some reason, I didn't get a shot of the entire quilt) but I found it very beautiful as I have an interest in Brazilian embroidery which I posted about here.  The exquisite embroidery, was accompanied by crystals and there may have been some tiny beads too.  

The maker's commentary.

One block.

Detail of the floral arrangement on the column.

Detail of the foxglove.

Another block.

And who has ever seen a blue batik horse with a purple and pink batik mane?  Still, I liked it but I'm afraid I didn't get a good shot of the maker's description.

Personally, I was happy to see that a high number of the quilts in the show reflected traditional quilting structure rather than the art 'quilts'.  While I appreciate the beauty, creativity and time involved in some art quilts, I will always define them as 'fabric art' and not true 'quilts'.  I can't cuddle under wall art, but I can under a quilt :)  The show also had a small room displaying dolls but since neither Panda nor I are into that art, we didn't take time to see them.  

While at the show browsing through the vendor booths I saw a lady and she saw me and it was one of those "I know I know you" moments, we both went about our browsing and a few minutes later again were in the same booth at the same time only this time I said, "I know you!".  And we did.  Some 30+ years ago when I was living in another town, I had a then close friend and she in turn had another friend and the lady at the show was that other friend.  I had had opportunity back then to meet her on several occasions at gatherings at the mutual friends home, but didn't associate with her outside of that.  We ran into each other again later shortly before we left the show and chatted for awhile.  It's always nice to be 'recognized' even if you are 30+ years older, more wrinkled, grayer and carrying a whole lot more poundage as I do now.

I got home, and took a nap.   Oh, and the only money I spent today was the show admission and lunch.  Can you believe I didn't buy a thing?!  I exercised great discipline as I will be in Oregon....near Sisters....and get to attend the Sisters Quilt Show....and visit The Stitchin' Post in July....yippee {doing the happy dance}.