Going to Nashville

About a week ago I had to spend a morning feverishly sewing on a hanging sleeve and label onto the back of my blue and yellow sampler quilt. I was supposed to be mailing it off to Paducah to be in the AQS Nashville show. Of course I had known for a month and a half that the mailing date was coming, but I am a huge procrasstinator when it comes to sewing by hand! I usually try and get my mom to do the hand work on my bindings. Anyway, after a morning of sewing by hand, I did get the quilt mailed off in time and thankfully it has arrived safely. I am looking forward to going to Nashville in a couple of weeks to see it hanging there! My mom and my sister are going to the show with me. (They both live there.) My sister said she was honored that I asked her, a non-quilter, to go with us to the show. I am also looking forward to doing a little shopping! The small town we live in does not have a quilt shop. My husband would tell you that is a good thing - much easier on his pocketbook!

The second quilt is a quilt that me and my mom worked on together. I pieced the top and she hand quilted it. It is done in Civil War reproduction fabrics, which I love. I submiited slides of this one to AQS for the Paducah show last spring. Of course you have to name the quilt. Since it is CW fabrics, I thought it should have a civil war related name. Right after we were married, an old man came up to my husband at church and said "Son, you married a Yankee!" Apparently he was shocked that Stacy hadn't made a more southern choice for a wife! Anyway, I named the quilt "Son, You married a Yankee!" It was accepted to the show and me and mom made a day trip up to Paducah. We were standing there gazing at our quilt and watched several people walk up, read the name of the quilt, and start laughing. It was really cute!

My dad and sister (both non-quilters) were very concerned about me and my mom winning a prize at the quilt contest, but me and mom were both thrilled just to have a quilt in a national show. We were "thrilled just to be nominated!" ha-ha. It seems to me that most of the prize winners these days are the artsy quilts. I fully appreciate the work and talent that goes into these quilts, but I prefer to make more traditional style quilts with a twist (as Bonnie says!) I think my quilts were accepted to the shows because they are trying to balance the huge amount of artsy quilts that they get submitted with the more traditional quilts.

On a different subject, tomorrow my oldest child starts first grade. She is excited and I am very thankful that she likes school. I can't believe she is 6 already. Next year my son will be in kindergarten and I will left home all alone! Whatever will I do with myself? I am sure I can find some fabric to fill my time with!