100+ quilts displayed at first-time quilt show in Ringgold, Georgia

2017 Ringgold Quilt Expo at The Depot, Ringgold, GA.

Two guild friends and I were able to attend a local quilt show last weekend in Ringgold, Georgia, a town just south of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The end-of-August weather was pleasantly cooperative and the event was well attended by quilters and visitors who were treated to over 100 lovely quilts made by area quiltmakers.

The show offered a menu of concurrent events— vendors, Quilts of Valor presentations, a bed turning, demos and my friend, Holly Anderson, a certified quilt appraiser, was available on Thursday for quilt appraisals and consultations.

With the quilt show's theme of Civil War and Underground Railroad (the exhibit was held at the Historic Ringgold Depot), many of the quilts were traditional in design, pattern and fabric choice. But the show was open to other categories and styles and a few modern style quilts, quilts made from fabric panels and vintage quilts were sprinkled throughout the exhibit. An exquisite Baltimore album quilt made by a local quilter and long-arm machine quilted by my friend and fellow CMQG member, Carolyn Rippee, was awarded Best of Show.

Baltimore album quilt awarded Best of Show.

Many of our area quilt shops had tables at the vendor mall. These wonderful local quilt shop owners are fabulous supporters of the quilting community!

Lana Masengill (left) of Lana's Quilts and Sew Much More, Cleveland, TN.

Anna Quarles (right) of Sew 'n So Quilt Shop, Rocky Face, GA
with  helpers Peggy (left) and Katie.

Jacki Cory teaches classes at Old Woolen Mill studio in Cleveland, TN.

Susan Hyder (left) of Hyderhangour Quilt Fabric and More, Cleveland, TN
and BJ Wright, the quilt show's Volunteer Coordinator.

Here are a few of the quilts of which I was able to get a picture. (If anyone knows their makers, please leave a comment and I'll fill in the captions.) The fabric colors and values in this scrappy one were wonderful.

Scrappy Star string quilt.

This one spoke to me. I love the juxtaposition of the classic hatchet block patchwork with a fusible applique border. Contemporary Broderie perse!

Patchwork with an applique border.

House quilt and a holiday quilt.

This contemporary quilt incorporates a panel. 

Underground Railroad (left) and a row quilt.

Variation on a Bethlehem or Lone Star pattern.

This one reminded me of Mary Kerr and her vintage-with-a-twist method of patchwork.

Vintage quilt.

Another Baltimore Album quilt.

Applique map of the United States by Anna McDonald (age 12) or Ringgold, GA.

Redwork quilt.

There was also the opportunity for anyone to take a seat at the frame and hand quilt this quilt-in-progress. These vintage blocks were found and pieced into a top specifically for this hands-on experience.

Hand quilting a vintage quilt top at a quilting frame.

Whomever participated in this hand quilting activity had their name submitted into a jar for a chance to win the quilt. What a wonderful prize that would be.

For a first-time quilting event, the hard work of the volunteers, participants and sponsors paid off and it was a lovely showing of work by area quiltmakers. Any suggestions or ideas for making this show bigger/better/bolder for next year, let me know and I'll pass along the feedback.

Free-motion quilting class, Saturday in Cleveland, TN

Intro to Free-motion Quilting class.
Beginner level—no free-motion experience necessary!

After a fabulous 2 days of quilting with the Huntsville quilters [more details and pics to come], I'll be teaching my Intro to Free-motion Quilting on a home sewing machine again this Saturday, January 24 at Hyderhangout Quilt Fabric and More in Cleveland, TN.

We had a packed classroom last year when I taught at this shop and the students came away with inspiration, confidence and new free-motion designs they wanted to try... and a confirmation that there are indeed NO Quilt Police!

So, what about it?

Would you like to learn how to do quilt something like this...

Free-motion quilting using a domestic sewing machine.

 or get some tips on how to quilt this?

Free-motion quilting on a domestic sewing machine.

Contact Susan at (423) 715-2908 to reserve a spot (if there are any left).

Free-motion quilted feather design.

Then, I'll be back at Hyderhangout on February 7 for a liberating and fun piecing technique class. I'm teaching Angle Improv where "the measurements are made up and the points don't count." While you're at it, sign up for a double-header!

Angle Improv class, February 7, 2015.
Where the measurements are made up!

What we learned in the free-motion class

In my Intro to Free-motion Quilting class at Hyderhangout earlier this month, one of my students shared an epiphany with me. She said she enjoyed the class, appreciated my style of teaching, and that her eye-opening, jaw-dropping moment for free-motion quilting was when she heard the phrase, "Break free..." that accompanied my examples of free-motion quilting designs.

Liberating, powerful, inspiring. 
The light bulb went on!

As with the vast majority of my Free-motion Quilting classes, there are students with various levels of experience—with sewing, quiltmaking and even some that have quilted on a long-arm or mid-arm quilting machine. This class was no different. There were two women that used quilting machines attached to frames, two women that were brand new to piecing and quiltmaking and the others had hand quilting experience, quilted with the walking foot or had dabbled a bit with free-motion. These attendees spanned the gamut.

I always enjoy this kind of diversity in a class because Q&A is usually quite lively and interesting and we all learn new things from each other. Isn't that what class [and life!] is all about?

Here is a recap of the day, starting with warm-up exercises on paper.

Free-motion warm-ups on paper.

Free-motion warm-ups on paper.

On to free-motion quilting on practice sandwiches.

Beginning free-motion quilting.

Susan Hyder, the shop owner, popped in during a break to check on the activities.

We discussed inspiration and ideas for developing quilting motifs and designs through a Show and Tell of pieces of my work.

Here is how designs on paper transform into quilting on the actual quilt.

Great discussions and camaraderie flourished among the class attendees.

Free-motion class students at Hyderhangout quilt shop, Cleveland, TN.

A few other class "take-aways" that students shared included:

• learning other quilting designs beside the typical puzzle-piece stipple/meander pattern
• getting "out of the box" of stitch-in-the-ditch
• going beyond using the walking foot
• getting more experience using my sewing machine
• gaining knowledge and experience with all aspects of the quiltmaking process
• understanding how to adjust thread tension on my machine
• realizing there are no quilting police!

Successful students in Intro to Free-motion Quilting class.

Thank you to Susan at Hyderhangout for hosting the class and congratulations to all my students—you are well on your way to fabulous free-motion quilting. Break free and soar!

A glorious find

Look at these lovelies! Are they not gor-ge-ous?

Hand-dyed fat quarters by Karen Young
at Hyderhangout Quilt Fabric and More, Cleveland, TN

I snatched up these hand-dyed fat quarters at a quilt shop in Cleveland, TN, Hyderhangout Quilt Fabric and More for just $3 per fat quarter. There were also a couple of half-yard pieces. Get 'em while they're still there, 'cause something this unique and beautiful will not stay on the shelf for long.

My Fabric Rep Trek: Hyderhangout and Sew Notions

I'm on my Blank Quilting fabric rep trek and recently visited two Chattanooga area quilt shops. Hyderhangout, Quilts, Fabric and More, located in Cleveland, Tennessee and Sew Notions, a Quilt and Material Shop, in Jasper, Tennessee.

Hyderhangout, Cleveland, TN

You can't miss the large "Quilt Shop" sign above Hyderhangout in Cleveland, TN, a town northeast of Chattanooga. This quilt shop has an eclectic selection of quilting and needlework notions, quilting fabrics, sewing fabrics, patterns and books. Susan, the owner, started off small and is now in her second retail location, outgrowing the previous one. She offers a range of classes and supplies for traditional quilting, surface embellishment, a Go Cutter club, Sit and Sew sessions, projects for fabric strips [jelly rolls], and a Summer Art Camp for kids. In addition to making quilts for family and friends, the staff of Hyderhangout told me about the charity quilts they make, including Clown Quilts, for several organizations.

Fabrications pre-cut fabric strips from Blank Quilting will be arriving soon at Hyderhangout for an upcoming fabric strip event in July. Contact Susan for details. Within a block of the shop, you'll also find The Museum Center at Five Points, which holds an annual Stitches in Time quilt exhibit from January through March.

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Heading northwest on I-24 from Chattanooga is Sew Notions, in Jasper, TN.

Sew Notions, Jasper, TN

Conveniently located in the Ingle grocery store shopping center, Sew Notions has plenty of parking outside. Michelle, the shop owner, and her staff greet customers that enter the font door and the quilts adorning the walls and hanging from the ceiling provide a welcome setting.

Quilts hang on the walls and from the ceiling at Sew Notions.

Michelle eagerly provides assistance to customers who are looking for specific fabric prints or colors, and answers questions they may have about the quiltmaking process. For the non-quilter, she offers quilt making services such as making T-shirt quilt tops and flannel baby quilts that can be purchased at the store.

Brianna helps at the cutting table and the register.

Michelle is assisted in the shop by her sister and niece. Brianna, her niece, recently made her first quilt and was proud and excited to show it to me. During my visit, the staff was making plans for a booth at an annual arts and crafts fair in Bell Buckle, Tennessee this fall.

A selection of solids, novelties and prints are found at Sew Notions.

Michelle's propensity toward bright, lively colors is evident in the fabric offerings in her shop. Prints mingle on the shelves with florals, dots, stripes and solids. She is also mindful of her customers' preferences and will ask for opinions when deciding on a fabric purchase for her store.

Look for some fun, colorful novelty prints at Sew Notions in the near future and the ever-so-popular Fabrications 2.5-inch fabric strip collections from Blank Quilting. Do you have a Lasagna quilt in your future??? You should!