I just arrived home last night from Lee’s Summit MO, where I taught 3 classes, punchneedle, wool applique and wool applique w/piecing on a little cotton tulip quilt.  There were a great bunch of teachers there as well.  See below….

I love teaching.  I meet a whole new bunch of people where ever I am.  2 weeks ago I was in Utah where I did a class on my 2 gallon crock design and then the next day I spoke at their historic courthouse right next to the mountains, were we discussed wool and then I showed a bunch of quilts and other things that feature wool.  I had a great time in Utah.  The “girls”, Fran and Rolane treated me very well and they have asked me to come back to do their retreat in Jan. 2010, that seems like so long away, but it will be here before i know it….so if you want to get away, come to this beautiful city…In MO.  I “hung out” with some of the other designers that were there teaching.  Shawn Williams from Threads that Bind, brought her mother and aunt and one of their cousins, we went out for dinner and sewed in the hotel lobby at night along with various quilters from all over who were attending the workshops…we went antiquing and shopping after classes.  I scored some of the Needle Love’s props and projects that they were clearing out of their warehouse….I would show you them, but I think I am going to give them to some of my girlfriends for their birthdays!  Rita from Quilter’s Station, brings in people to sell their “goods” on Sat, too much fun…..I will post some of the things I carried home later…I look forward to next year….if you need to get away or want some place to go with your girlfriends or make new ones…go to Primitives of the Midwest.  You won’t know who to take a class from…the teachers are, Maggie Bonanomi, Barb and Alma(Blackbird Designs), Linda Hall(Primitive Pieces by Linda) Renae Plains (Liberty Star), Shawn Williams (Threads that Bind), Jackie Patton( Jacque Patton Designs(…I know i probably spelled her name wrong…Eddie McGinnis (designs for Kansas City Star) Lynn Hagmeier, (Kansas Trouble Quilts), Sue Spargo, Minerva and Rhonda ( Real true- Rug Hookers, Cheri Ralston–(designs with lots of people and for herself Kansas City Star) what a line up of great teachers…So check your calendar and see if you all can go…..June 24-27th 2009.  Quilters come from all over…Lorna and Mary Jo, were both from CA, but i don’t think they came together…I met one of my good customers from MI, Cheryl Knapp, who took my tulip quilt class and just about finished it, including the hand stitching of the 4 blocks…

Jennifer Keltner, from American Patchwork and Quilting magazine, she gave a wonderful show on Wednesday night, showing off some of the new designs coming up in the next couple of issues….she even had my quilt with her, I was so happy to see it…I sent it to them in Dec/2007.  It will appear in the next issue coming out in August…Look for Autumn Bliss, featuring our hand dyed wools!  You can even order a kit that includes the threads!  Jennifer had many many beautiful quilts coming up in their next issues…a few from Julie Hendricks of JJ Stitches…antique quilts, with reproductions made of them…I know I am going to make one of those quilts.  So be sure to look for the great quilt designs coming up!  

I have 10 out of my 12 blocks of the week finished and will work on the sashing this week…I also did another of Shawn’s punchneedle projects with the 6 strands of floss out on the boat one day before I left for MO, called Prized Pumpkin, for a shop sample….He is too cute!  If I get the quilt top done this week I will post it….talk to you soon and quilt on…