Patsy Thompson Designs at Spring Quilt Market 2010 in Minneapolis

Hi Patsy!!! I was thrilled to see Patsy Thompson at Spring Quilt Market in Minneapolis.  She lives locally here but I had only met her one other time in person.  I'll put our first meeting in the foot notes of this post...it is too funny not to share.  Patsy had a end booth so when you walked up all you could see was her beautiful quilts being displayed and a big TV screen playing one of her DVD's.  I have to say, I don't know why anyone would bother looking at her DVD when a Diva of Free Motion Quilting is sitting right there with her machine!!!  I prefer the real thing....and that is what I got :)

Patsy got to work showing me first hand how she creates her signature feathers.  I had a bit of a time getting the right angle to take the pix so you'all could see too....after all I want you right next to me seeing the same thing I'm seeing. 

Zip, Zip, Zip.....see....that's all you need to do.....besides practice fearlessly!!

These are photo's of the booth, Patsy Thompson Designs.  I say it is Patsy's but really Patsy has her partner in crime with her.  His name is Ernie and he is the fortunate man that is married to Patsy and vise verse I'm sure.  Earnie is the talent behind the camera for all those incredible DVD's and he is just as pleasant and interesting as Patsy.  Funny how that works isn't it?  Wonderful people marrying other wonderful people....you gotta love that.

The photos above are the real life quilts that are featured in Patsy's work.  Can you imagine my absolute pleasure and joy when Patsy and Earnie agreed to let me help them pack up after the show.  Here they thought I was being nice.....nope!!!  I wanted to touch all those beautiful quilts and see them up close.  I got to take down all those lovely quilts and roll them up.  Talk about a gift....and they thought I was doing them a favor....go figure!! 

Oh, how ever did that red bag get there on the floor?  Hmmmm.....I wonder if Patsy has noticed anything missing.  See, she does not know my antics.....that truly I'm the Quilt Market "Ocean's 11 Type Girl."  You all thought it was Julia Roberts who was the Ocean's 11 Girl....but I'm just the "older" Oceans 11 Woman!!! If they haven't noticed yet, that Fish Quilt hangs in my livingroom.....or does it?  I'll have to run look...lol.

This is Patsy's new book, "Feather Adventures!"

Patsy was a hand quilter for 25 years before she started doing free motion quilting on her machine.  Since she had made so many feathers by hand she thought it might be natural to interchange the motions for machine quilting.  NOPE....didn't happen.  After struggling for so long she was about to give up.....and then it happened.  She was able to make a feather.....can you imagine where quilting journey may have gone if she had not persevered?  A perfect example of having the desire but not the skill.  I know for sure the desire is the fuel that will get you and anyone else to their destination.  No guarantees that you'll be a Diva like Patsy.....but I'm guessing most of us would be thrilled to just be able to make ourselves happy with our work. 

"Feather Adventures" is a book about her journey and it is full of some of the most beautiful close up photos of her work.  This substantial book has 137 pages (12' x 9" by 1/2" deep) of excellent information and incredible photos.  It includes:

• 
  
  General Advice
• 
  
  Tools of the Trade
• 
  
  Anatomy of a Feather
• 
  
  Types of Feathers
• 
  
  Tracing the Spine Guideline
• 
  
  Stitching the Basic Freeform Feather
• 
  
  Perils and Pitfalls
• 
  
  Feathers Flowing from Feathers
• 
  
  Feathers Flowing from Other Structures

And that is just the first chapter!!!  Weather you are a beginner that has never stitched a feather (that would be me) or you have already made feathers and want to branch out with your creativity....this book is the book for you. And you all know I don't say that if it is not true right? RIGHT!! 

Oh, and did I mention the first person to order the book from IHAN gets this autographed copy?  I just did, so if you want it....click here and order away :)  You may also want to check out her new DVD, Free Motion Fun with Feathers! Volume 4 .  You can click here to see all of Patsy Thompson Design DVD's.  Patsy writes a great blog and hosts fun giveaways so you may want to put her blog in your reader.  

The winner of the Autographed Quilt Life Magazine is Marcia.  Congratulations Marcia.  I chickened out and used the Random Number Generator and it selected number 1 who happened to be Marcia.  There is no way I could have chosen from that list.....I loved the comments which only reinforces for me why I love to write the IHAN blog.  Thank you everyone for being such an important part of this journey.  You may not realize how important it is for me to have this part of my life....it has given me brighter days, laughter, joy and a part of myself back that had been dormant for some time.

Grateful Smiles,
Kelly

Post Note:  I was standing near Patsy and had no idea who she was.  I heard her talking about going to Market so I asked if she had luggage tags.  She said not really so I suggested she go to my blog for a free tutorial for bag tags.  She asked what my blog was so I told her.  She said, "You are Kelly Jackson? You don't look anything like your picture."  I laughed and said I get that all the time.  I should post a "regular day" photo of me and a "cleaned up" version of myself.....two different people really.