Talking about a quilt show...and some more hexies!

On Sunday I'm going to the Great Northern Quilt Show in Harrogate, I can't wait and I already have my shopping list written!  Last year was my first visit there and I also entered a quilt into the show (another first!).  I was persuaded to enter by the teacher at my regular sewing class* and after lots of self-doubt (I soon realised that if everyone thought that then there would be no show!) I pulled myself together and sent off the form.

*(After being off for a few years and sewing at home by myself I decided going to a class would be 'good for me' and I'm so glad there was a place free in the Friday morning class - it's wonderfully chatty and friendly...lots of chat and very little sewing/knitting/crochet, like a coffee morning with fabric, thread and yarn!  In fact, we're well-known amongst the other classes for being 'noisy'!)  

I really didn't expect to like having a quilt in the show (I worried it would stand out like a sore thumb and people would say 'It's a pity, really, it just doesn't belong in a show.', etc., sad but true) but I really enjoyed it!  I deliberately didn't seek out my quilt but decided that I would happen across it at some point and it was really nice to turn the corner and see it hanging amongst all the other quilts and, what's more, holding its own!  Mum came to the show with me and was really pleased to see her quilt on display but said "Oh, it hasn't got a rosette."  Bless, she thought it would get a ribbon and I thought if it did it would be a miracle as it nearly didn't make it...
 

...the quilt I entered was one I made last year for Mum and so she was (is!) particularly fond of it and really thought it deserved a prize.  Just before the show she decided it would be nice to freshen it up as it was 'looking a little grubby' and washed it...without any form of dye catcher sheet (you know the ones I mean!!).  I nearly lost all reason when I discovered what she'd done, especially as there were pale pink splodges on the back!  Fortunately they were only on the back so she got away with it but she's now fanatical about using the sheets!

I think it's about time for a photo of the quilt - I don't have one of it hanging in the show so this will have to do!

I'm afraid I don't have any 'in progress' photos as I made this before I had a proper camera and a Flickr account or blog!

Mum asked for a lap quilt that was red and gold and she very definitely wanted a flying geese border so I designed this quilt from the outside in!  It's hand pieced and quilted and took about 6 months to make.

The whole experience got even better when I saw a lady take a photo...until it dawned on me that she may have been collecting turkeys!  Fortunately I then heard her say to her friend "It's lovely, isn't it?" - I was thrilled skinny!

So I decided to enter again this year (after a little persuasion by the teacher who I now think of as a friend) and I'm going to see it on Sunday!!  I'm not going to show you which quilt I've entered - I think some of you know but if you don't you'll have to wait (or look through my Flickr stream to find out!) and I'll post a photo of it in the show next week.  If anyone is thinking about entering a quilt in a show I'd recommend it - if we don't enter the shows will disappear and I know that all of you are very talented and definitely deserve a rosette!  If you're in doubt let me know and I'll talk you into it!

Moving onto more recent projects...

...I've finished another four hexies

Pattern found at Nicky's blog - thank you!

Pattern found at Lynne's blog - thank you!

My reward for finishing another 10 pieced hexies (OK, 11 but the last one was too pretty to leave out!) is another group photo...would you like to see?!

That's right, Mr 'I hate having my photo taken' couldn't resist sneaking in!

I'm going to be looking for a solid or two at the show on Sunday (probably pink and green), a stripe, a dot and possibly another fabric to use for big hexies - any thoughts on anything else I need look for?  (I need to remember to use more yellow!)

It's time to leave you but before I go I'll share my attempts to get a photo showing Archie's wonderful curly tail...oh, we had such fun!  Because Archie has a 'standy-up' tail there are certain angles that are best not displayed (if you're not sure what I mean just take a second to think about it!) and as he spends most of the walk ahead of me (searching for food before I spot it and tell him he's not allowed it!) I kept 'running' (half-hearted jog!) to get ahead of him but every time I ran, he ran!  In the end I told him to stay, walked on and then said 'come on then' and tried to get a photo of all of him (rather than just his back end disappearing out of shot!).  Anyway, enough waffle ("Finally!" I hear you cry!), here he is!

Handsome?  I think so!  It's his 'staring into the distance' film star pose!

This is his 'pink panther' slink...when he's been naughty he does this but with his ears back and tail tucked between his legs - he's doing it now because he's spotted the camera!

I'll be back soon with a post about the quilt show - have a wonderful weekend!

P.S.  If you've left me a comment and you haven't received a reply then it's probably because you're a 'no-reply' blogger...Dianne G, Christine F, Nancy in STL and Teresa - I haven't been able to find an email address for you but thank you so much for your comments, I really appreciate them!