International Quilt Festival, Cincinnati 2011 Last Chapter

Lots more photos and information to share about IQF....you know I take a zillion pictures everywhere I go.

While walking down an isle I spotted the Laundry Basket Quilts booth and I got excited because I knew I'd find some familiar faces.  I saw Michael and a young woman from the back....hmmmm.  Inquiring minds wanted to know...but when the young woman turned around I knew she had to be Edyta's daughter.  Michael and Delfina were working the Laundry Basket Quilts booth because Mom was home with the other two children who were on spring break. 

Nice to see them having some Daddy and Daughter time!

This is Applique Affair, one of my favorite patterns by Edyta Sitar.  And while I'm on the subject of Edyta....guess who has a pattern featured in the Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest, Perfect for Precuts?

Anna Sitar, Edyta's youngest daughter!!!!  Way to go Anna :) 

"Oh Anna, your quilt is so pretty and I'm glad you had the desire and courage to make a quilt and submit the photos for publication....nice job!"

As I walked the isles in Cincinnati I came upon another friendly and familiar face......

Karen Montgomery from The Quilt Company, PA.  She was demonstrating her Creative Grids Quick Trim Ruler before I walked up. 

When I was speaking with Karen at the Checker Distributors 62nd Anniversary Open House, she told me she does not like "one hit wonders."  This is what she calls rulers with only one purpose. 

The Quick Trim Ruler not only makes circles it also has a 45 degree angle that cross at the quarter inch to trim points from half square triangles and flying geese.   It is also great for making the blocks pictured below.

 LuLu Bears were new to me and I could not help but stop and marvel at Luann Bowen's Bears.

 They had sold so many items that they were apologizing for their display and I laughed.  I loved it and I had no clue how it looked when the show started. 

 Look at these beautiful strawberries....they looked so yummy.   The bears stole my heart....I only wished I had taken more close-ups of them.

 Click here and here  to see more of LuLu Bears....you gotta see them :)

Then....much to my delight I ran into the Pieceful Designs booth. 

I was so excited when I saw these cupcakes I begged Pam Bocko to please let me take photos for my blog.  I just had to share these with everyone.....look how beautiful these cupcake pincushions are.....

"With a Cherry On Top" is the name of this pattern and if you love cheerful pincushions, click here to buy the pattern from Pieceful Designs.

Pam did not know me from Adam and yet she allowed me to photograph her booth and cupcakes.  I'm thrilled Pam trusted me.  Many people take the photos and then copy the designs.  I now know enough pattern designers to tell you that copying their patterns  is really a bad choice.  So much time, energy and finances go into taking a pattern to market ....keep that in mind when you think to yourself...hey I could do that.....it's not that easy and it is so important to honor the designers creativity.

Ok....I'm finished with the Cincinnati photos for now.  I did take more but I'm going to share those when I have more information to go with them.

Smiles,
Kelly

Checker Distributor 62 Anniversary Open House - Creative Grids Rulers

Checker Distributor 62 Anniversary Open House

Chapter 11

Creative Grids Rulers
Creations Sew Clever

By Design Quilting

Saginaw Street Quilts

The Quilt Company PA
Penny Haren . com

The Quilt Branch

I'd like to introduce you to "Hyper-Post Blogging" by IHAN.  In order to finish the Checker Distributors Open House Posts I have to Hyper-Post.  So strap on your seat belts, get a beverage or go to the bathroom now, turn off the telephones and close all windows and doors....we must stay focused!! :)

Pat Barry, By Design Quilting, gave Long Arm Quilting demonstrations throughout the day.  I have posted about Pat here.

Pat has designed several.  Long Arm Quilting Templates and I wrote about them in the post referenced above.

Rita Fishel, Creations Sew Clever, has designed the Creative Grids Charming Strip Stashbuster Ruler 23in x 5in.  Rita demonstrated her ruler during the Open House. 

                                                   

Creative Grids Charming Strip Stashbuster Ruler 23in x 5in

 Penny Haren writes the  Checker Distributors Newsletter and she wrote a great description for the Stashbuster Ruler:

Rita Fishel, our favorite Creative Grid demonstrator and guru, has created a ruler that is 5? wide and 23? long. A line is drawn the length of the ruler at 2 1/2?. One end even includes the markings necessary to square-up the half-square triangles made from them!

The math just works. If you trim half-square triangles made from 5? squares to 4 1/2?, they can be sewn with the 2 1/2? strips and incorporated into the same quilt! Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together!    (copied from the Checker Newsletter with previous permission of Penny Haren)

Karen Montgomery, The Quilt Company, PA., gave a presentation and demonstrations at the Checker Open House. I really enjoyed Karen's presentation and her practical approach to business and designing.  She has a new Creative Grids Ruler coming out soon.  Karen said she did not want a "one hit wonder" when she was designing her ruler.  I'm with her, I want to be able to use a ruler for a multitude of things so I'm not storing a huge range of rulers in my sewing area.  (I like the way she things....frugal like me). 

Karen gave several demonstrations of the Quick Trim Ruler throughout the day.

All of these blocks above can be made using Karen's ruler.    But wait, there's more!!!  LOL....it also makes circles

IHAN has some of The Quilt Company's Patterns and there are more being added.  We will have the Quick Trim Ruler just as soon as it is available.

Karla Alexander, Saginaw Street Quilts, is also a Creative Grids Ruler designer.  Karla also spent the day demonstrating her rulers. 

This is Karla's Peace Quilt Pattern.  I just loved it.

Below are the rulers Karla has designed and some of here Quilt Patterns for Saginaw St. Quilt Company are here and more are being added.

Creative Grids Curves For Rectangles 6in x 24in Ruler

Creative Grids Curves For Squares 6in x 24in Ruler

Creative Grids Straight Out Of Line 6in x 10in Ruler

Creative Grids Curved Slotted 11in x 15in Ruler

 Penny Haren worked tirelessly during the Checker Open House.  I don't think I saw her sit down once.  She demonstrated her Pieced Applique Technique using  Square It Up and Fussy Cut rulers.  Penny's technique eliminates the need to inset points and curves for very challenging quilt blocks.  If you have steered away from applique in the past, you must check out Penny's books that teach her techniques.  If you can get to one of her classes, don't miss it.  I did and I'm looking forward to taking it another time.  I heard it was great.

 

 Penny Haren's Pieced Applique

Penny Haren's Pieced Applique More Blocks and Projects

Penny Haren's Pieced Applique Weekend Projects

I have already posted here about The Quilt Branch and the House Ruler.  Please refer to that post for more information :)

 

The Creative Grids website has the best videos demonstrating all of their rulers.  Just Click Here and you can see these rulers demonstrated. 

I'm sorry for leaving out so many details....but I'd be a very long time posting everything.  I put plenty of links in the post so if you have more questions or want more information you can find it easily.

Smiles,
Kelly