Where does the time go?

I'm not sure how I managed this, but after putting so much effort into redesigning my website, I have not written one post. Whoops! Time to make up for that!

I just got back from a really fun trip to my home state, Iowa, for a week of quilt-filled events. The trees were dressed in their glorious fall colors, the air was cool and it definitely felt like Autumn had arrived. 

I had a few of my quilts with me for show and tell at the quilt event I was attending, so I decided to take advantage of the scenery and get a few new shots.

One of my high school classmates organizes a fundraiser twice a year to support scholarships for high school graduates. Quilting in my home town? Well, you know I am there! So off I go, at least once a year, to Quilt Fest - 2 days of sewing with home town friends. It is so much fun! I was so busy sewing that I forgot to take photos of the event! Ooops!

This trip, I had a bit of soul searching to do in terms  of where I am as a quilter. I am fortunate enough to be able to choose what I want to spend my time focusing on. But lately, I was feeling like I was not getting where I wanted to be. What do I enjoy? What do I NOT enjoy?  What do I really want to be doing? So many questions and no clue what the answers were. This seemed like the perfect trip to mull these questions over.

But of course, first, I needed to start with visiting a few quilt shops. That would definitely help, right?

First stop was one of my favorites, Quilts & Other Notions. Don't let the unassuming store front fool you - this shop boasts 6.400 square feet of building and over 7,000 bolts of quilting fabrics. You can do some serious damage here - if it weren't for weight limits on a suitcase. 

Next, I was off to . . .

Fons & Porter Quilt Shop, located in the same town that boasts John Wayne's birthplace and the covered bridges of Madison County. Sadly, the shop is closing and will now be an online shop only. Not to worry, the building has been bought and will re-open soon with lots of new quilt inventory! I know the new owner personally, and trust me, this shop is in very good hands!

​I make at least on trip to my home town per year - Why is it that I just learned that the Missouri Star Quilt Company was only a drive away from my home town?  

So, a quick trip over the Missouri border was also on my shop hop wish list, of course. It is literally an entire town of quilt shops. Wow! Each shop carries a different style of quilt fabrics - 30's and Civil War in one, batiks in another, and oh if you could have seen the wall of solid fabrics in the last shop I visited. Awesome!

I also checked to see if there would be any interesting guild events while I was visiting Iowa. Get this - the Des Moines Area Quilt Guild was hosting 2 lectures by Jacquie Gering while I was visiting! So, for a small guest fee, I got to spend a day being inspired by incredible quilts - and meeting some very nice Des Moines quilters!

Jacquie Gering, author of the blog, tallgrass prairie studio, is a leader in the modern quilting movement and on the Board of Directors for the Modern Quilt Guild.

I have to say this was the best part of my quilters quest to Iowa. Not only is Jacquie uber-talented and inspiring, but she is truly a warm and genuine person. I had the opportunity to visit with her between lectures, which was a great treat for me. 

​Thank you Jacquie,  for sharing your story, your amazing quilts, but mostly for motivating me to move on to new ideas and challenges in my quilting life.

And thank you Iowa, for always reminding me of who I am and where I came from.